Our vision at REV is to bridge the divides that keep us from leading a meaningful life.
We believe that stories inspire, resources equip and relationships empower. If we help people develop meaningful connections based on shared stories, we move them towards meaningful actions that will improve our communities, countries and world—one story at a time.
Our mission is three-fold:
- To connect people to hope in their stories.
- To connect people to help in their stories.
- To connect people to purpose in their stories.
Hope
Stories that offer hope can open our eyes to a fundamental truth: we are not alone in our experiences. These stories communicate that we are never too far gone, never irredeemable in our own stories. Those who are hopeful are inspired to realize the apex of their potential. Hope also encourages us to seek out others who share our goals and work with others to cultivate a better world than the one we currently inhabit.
Throughout history, stories of hope have driven leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Lincoln to surpass overwhelming odds and create a better world. Stories of hope can allow people to congregate and realize their truest potential on any scale, whether it be as an individual, a couple, a friendship, a team, a community or a movement.
Help
Stories can act as an onramp to help. They lower the barriers people put up to seeking help. They open up relationships that can connect people to resources. They disarm our shame for seeking help.
Humans are social creatures. Left to our own devices, we will naturally collect into tribes — a tendency that has dominated our history. Yet, we often find the modern world harsh and uninviting. As a result, we may tend to hold our need for help close to us. In a world where mental illness is often seen as taboo or tightly-knit communities are less present than ever before, it can be difficult to ask for aid from our fellow humans.
Stories can break down these barriers. Read or listen to any classic folktale or myth and you will find a commonality: all center around individuals who work together and help each other realize their true potential. For a classic example of this phenomenon in action, think of the Wizard of Oz.
Stories can connect us to others who seek to give or receive help, creating tribes and strengthening bonds that allow individuals to help each other become more whole.
Purpose
There is a purpose for every story, just as there is a purpose to every life. Living a life of purpose does not necessarily mean living your entire life in subservience to one overarching goal, but rather finding fulfillment in those around you and the things you do – sharing meaningful time with family and friends, completing fulfilling, purposeful work or devoting yourself to consistent self-improvement, for example.
Stories can allow us to identify where we can seek purpose in every aspect of our lives. Stories can also help us realize what steps we need to take to make our lives truly purposeful. In these ways, stories can give us the power to find meaning and purpose in our lives.