The Stories We Choose to Follow

I have always been fascinated by the way stories find us. Not the ones we stumble upon in the quiet of a library or the corner of a coffee shop, but the ones that seem to track us down through social feeds, through headlines, through conversations that linger longer than they should. There is something intimate about that kind of attention, as if the world itself is nudging us toward a narrative it thinks we need.

In media, it feels like a game of balance, between what people want and what they do not yet know they want, between virality and value, between fleeting clicks and enduring impact. I watch the platforms constantly evolve, algorithms learning, adapting, deciding what I see before I even realize I want to see it. And yet, for all the data and metrics, there is a human heartbeat behind it, creators, editors, strategists, deciding which stories get amplified and which fade into obscurity.

I think about the stories we internalize too. The ones we follow in our own lives almost unconsciously. A conversation with a friend, a post that lingers in your mind, a film you watch and replay in fragments long after the credits roll. These are the narratives that shape the lens through which we see ourselves and others. And just like content designed to engage, they demand participation. They ask us to interpret, to feel, to respond.

In some ways, understanding media is like understanding yourself. Every headline we read, every video we pause to watch, every ad that interrupts our scroll is a reflection not only of what the world wants to sell or say, but also of what we are ready to receive. And that reflection can be uncomfortable. It can reveal insecurities, biases, or desires we did not know we had. But it can also illuminate clarity, connection, and possibility.

I have been learning to approach stories with intention. To notice why something captures me, why it lingers, and why I share it. It is not just about engagement metrics, it is about curiosity, empathy, and discernment. The best stories do not just reach us, they reach into us, leaving a trace that shapes how we think, act, and even create.

Perhaps that is why I am drawn to media strategy, audience development, storytelling in all its forms. Not because it is about clicks or views, but because it is about understanding the human pulse beneath them. Behind every statistic is a person, behind every share is a choice, behind every narrative is a possibility for change. Maybe that is the real power of stories, not in their scale, but in their ability to connect, to provoke thought, to shape perception. The stories we choose to follow, whether on a platform, in a book, or across the quiet spaces of our own lives, become part of who we are. They teach us not only how to understand the world but how to move through it, deliberately, thoughtfully, and with intention.