Reclaiming Our Narratives: Biography Work as a Path to Agency
“Those who control the present, control the past and those who control the past, control the future.”
– George Orwell, 1984
Having just read Wifedom – Mrs Orwell’s Invisible Life by Anna Funder, I’m left with many questions about George Orwell himself, and the narratives built around his life and genius. Misgivings aside, the quote above resonates deeply with me right now. It speaks to the idea that whoever shapes the narrative holds the power.
I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling incensed by the dominant narratives we see daily in the news and media – narratives that win or lose national elections, justify wars, and shape the hearts and minds of us humans who are too distracted, overwhelmed, or exhausted to consider more complex or inconvenient alternatives.
Whilst we may feel powerless to change these larger narratives, we can stay awake to our own. We can claim the power of our own stories and the meanings we attribute to our experiences.
Biography work is a powerful tool for this. It helps us give shape and coherence to our life story, while also offering different frames of reference to re-examine the places where we feel stuck, held back, or lost in the busyness of work and life.
At its heart, biography work invites us to come home to ourselves.
When we step back to look at the arc of our life, we begin to see patterns and turning points with fresh eyes. We notice not only what has shaped us, but also where we have given away our agency by accepting narratives handed to us by family, culture, education, or society – often without question.
This process is not about rewriting the past to make it prettier or more palatable. It is about seeing our life in its wholeness and complexity and reclaiming meanings that feel true and vital. In doing so, we come into deeper contact with our potential – not as an abstract ideal, but as something rooted in the reality of who we have been, who we are now, and who we are becoming.
For coaches and facilitators
For those of us who work as coaches or facilitators, biography work can become a profound approach in our practice. By exploring current issues, questions, or dilemmas through the lens of biographical influences, we enable clients to engage with curiosity and compassion. This loosens the grip of fixed narratives and opens up new meaning and choices.
In more in-depth biography work approaches, we might explore life phases, significant seven-year cycles, or formative biographical motifs to illuminate deeper patterns. We can guide clients to see where earlier experiences continue to shape present behaviours, relationships, or choices, and to discern what wants to be released or carried forward consciously.
At the same time, it is essential for us as practitioners to understand our own biographical landscape – to know where our ‘stuff’ shows up in our work as judgements, biases, or preferences. Self-awareness here is not optional; it is what creates safety, presence, and genuine service to those we support.
Reclaiming our stories is a quiet act of power.
Perhaps in taking charge of our own narratives, we take back a small but vital piece of power from those who seek to control the larger ones. We remember that the future is shaped not only by global events, but by each of us choosing to live and act from a place of deeper self-awareness and authenticity.
Marion Ragaliauskas
If you’re curious about biography work for yourself, or in your work with others, we’re running a one-day workshop, Working with Life Stories, on Friday 17th October 2025. It’s a chance to step back, notice what has shaped you, and what is ready to move.
