Proof that stories matter (more than we think)

This morning I opened LinkedIn and saw a message that stopped me in my tracks.

It was from a gentleman I’d only chatted with on LinkedIn only briefly over a year ago. He messaged to say:

“Thanks for inspiring me. As well as the hundreds of thousands of 'stranger' souls you help in fundraising and beyond, you helped this sole soul by accident.

"Please don't underestimate the importance of vulnerability and transparency. You just don't know whose life you might change.”

- Sean (shared with his permission)

Whew. 

It was a response to something I shared a while back about being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. At the time, I was hesitant to post it. It felt raw and personal. I didn’t share it because it was “on brand” or part of a strategy.

I shared it because it was real.

That message reminded me of something I try to teach all the time… but sometimes forget to apply to myself:

Your stories matter. Even the messy ones. Especially the personal ones.

In nonprofit marketing, we talk a lot about storytelling—but too often, we filter out the parts that feel vulnerable. We sanitise them to be safe. Professional. Polished.

But the moments that stick? The stories that actually change people?

They're usually the ones that make us a little nervous to hit publish.

So here’s your nudge:
If you’ve been sitting on a story that shows the heart behind your work… share it.
If there’s a hard-earned insight that could help someone else… speak it.
If you’ve been hiding the human behind the logo… now’s the time to show them.

Because you never know who’s reading.
And you never know the ripple you might create—just by being real.

Talk soon,
Alecia

P.S. And watch this space for new updates on my diagnosis journey. The last few months have been a doozy!