PBNN Series: E13245 – LOVE STORIES

Steve Harper and storytelling coach Michelle Tamara Cutler explore the deep connection between love and storytelling on Valentine’s Day. Michelle shares a humorous story about her partner’s gift of a toaster, illustrating how small gestures carry profound meaning in relationships. They discuss how storytelling influences both personal and professional life, from the therapeutic value of journaling to the role of narrative in shaping perception. Michelle also introduces her upcoming workshop on using storytelling to enhance SEO, emphasizing the importance of content in digital marketing. The conversation touches on creative ways for businesses to engage audiences, including crafting content around lesser-known calendar events or holidays to create an organic connection with your audience. 

Love, Toast, and Tiny Truths: Finding (and Using) the Stories Hiding in Everyday Life

Love isn’t just roses and grand gestures—it’s a new toaster that finally makes your morning perfect. It’s the patience (or lack of it) while an English muffin sloooowly browns. It’s a song at the gym that suddenly becomes a love letter to yourself.

On Valentine’s Day—and any day—our lives are threaded with small, specific moments that carry big feeling. When we pause to notice and tell those stories, we do three things at once: we connect, we clarify, and we create. Personally and professionally.

The story is never “just” the thing

A golden slice of toast wasn’t about breakfast; it was about being seen. A “smart” kitchen may speed things up, but it can also erase the romance of anticipation—the tension that makes a moment memorable. Even the act of checking the toaster too soon becomes a metaphor: wanting something before it’s ready, second-guessing your own timing. That’s story fuel.

Self-love is a plot twist worth writing

A familiar song (“Touch Me,” The Doors) hit differently at the gym: not as a promise to someone else, but as a vow to myself. Self-love isn’t fluff—it’s foundation. When you tell your story from that center, your voice steadies. Your choices sharpen. Your audience feels the truth.

The stories we tell ourselves—then revise

Memory is an editor. Retelling an old relationship through the lens of love revealed I wasn’t always the hero I’d cast myself as. That reframe wasn’t punishment; it was relief. Storytelling can be quietly therapeutic—revision as forgiveness. (Pro tip: care for yourself first; write when you feel safe enough to read your own words with kindness.)

Journaling: the daytime dream

A journal doesn’t need to be pretty to be powerful. It’s a pressure-free place to practice seeing: pages of tiny scenes, stray lines, and half thoughts that become tomorrow’s paragraphs. Distance turns entries into literature—you’ll meet a past self with fresh eyes.

Try the “unsent letter” exercise

Want to write a love note (or clear a grievance) but feel stuck?

1. Write the letter you won’t send—everything you feel, no filter.
2. Let it sit for 24 hours.
3. Reread. What still feels true? What belongs only to you?
4. Send a refined version—or keep it as a private permission slip.

Low risk. High clarity. Real connection.

Bring this into your business (without the ick)

Not every touchpoint needs a pitch. Tap into the calendar—yes, even the oddball holidays—to share a short story, a micro-memory, or a one-paragraph love letter to your community. Anchor it to what you do, but let it breathe. It’s a warmer path to visibility (and it’s great for organic content and SEO) than shouting “buy now.”

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Quick prompts to get you writing today

• Toast test: Write 150 words about one ordinary object that makes your day better. What does it really say about love?
• Song switch: Pick a favorite lyric. Write it as a message from you… to you. What changes?
• Then/Now: In three sentences—before, during, after—retell a past relationship or project. What truth surprised you?

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Key takeaways

• Small specifics (toast, songs, slow appliances) unlock universal feelings.
• Self-love is a legitimate narrative arc—use it.
• Journaling = low-stakes practice for high-stakes clarity.
• “Unsent letters” turn emotion into language you can share (or keep).
• Story-first content builds connection and strengthens your brand’s SEO.

Your turn: Write one paragraph today that says, simply, “I see you.” Send it to someone you love—or save it for yourself.