Can a story really change your life?

Can a story really change your life? I've always found that notion to be wildly dramatic and overblown. Whenever I heard people say "this song saved my life" or "this book saved me", I'd often just roll my eyes and think to myself 'you cant really be serious? It's not that deep'.

But maybe I was wrong...

In the midst of the pandemic, I was in the final months of my master’s degree, but instead of feeling proud or excited, I felt lost and, honestly, scared. The world outside had ground to a halt, and inside, I was quietly panicking. I knew I was about to finish something I’d worked hard for, but I had no idea what came next. No big dream job waiting. No clear path forward. Just a lingering question I couldn’t shake... What am I supposed to do with my life?

I felt like I was in limbo, struggling to find a sense of purpose. Stuck between what I’d accomplished and what I hadn’t yet figured out.

After scrolling Netflix for the thousandth time I decided to try something different. That’s when I found Vinland Saga, the critically acclaimed animanga series penned by Makoto Yukimura.

What I expected to be a typical action-filled Viking tale turned out to be something much more profound. I expected action. What I found was introspection.

Vinland Saga dives deep into themes of identity, revenge, healing, and purpose. Through its characters, it asks big questions: Can we rebuild ourselves after everything falls apart? What does it mean to truly live, not just survive? Is it possible to start again? Unexpectedly, it helped me start answering those questions for myself. For the first time, I saw parts of my own experience reflected in a story.

Vinland Saga

The story is set during the brutal and gritty backdrop of the Viking conquest of England in the 11th Century. The protagonist, Thorfinn, becomes a striking mirror of the universal search for meaning and purpose.

Introduced as a young, formidable warrior driven by the trauma of his father's brutal death, Thorfinn's pursuit of revenge consumes him, stripping away his humanity as he becomes little more than a vessel for violence and anger.

However, as the saga unfolds, Thorfinn's quest for vengeance evolves into a search for something greater, a journey towards self-discovery and redemption. Through his encounters with allies and adversaries alike, Thorfinn begins to question his ideals of masculinity and honour, ultimately seeking purpose beyond his vendetta. Crucially, it is in his quest for redemption that Thorfinn ultimately finds purpose.

In the climactic moments of the prologue, Askelaad’s (the story's antagonist) final words serve as a trigger for Thorfinn’s transformation. With his dying breath, Askelaad urges Thorfinn to abandon his obsession with revenge, pointing out its futility and the destruction it leaves behind. He asks Thorfinn "After I die how do you plan to live your life...you haven't even thought about it right?".

It's in this moment Thorfinn reluctantly realises his hunger for vengeance has consumed his entire life up to this point, and without it he has no sense of direction or purpose. The foundation of his identity begins to crumble, leaving him adrift in the wake of Askelaad’s death. Yet it is through this painful reckoning that the seeds of Thorfinn’s eventual growth are sown.

Ultimately, Askelaad's words resonate deeply with Thorfinn, serving as a catalyst for his inner awakening. After some time, Thorfinn realises the true cost of his obsession with revenge and the toll it has taken on his own soul and the lives of those around him. He understands that to truly honour his father's memory and find peace, he must let go of his vendetta and seek a higher purpose.

Determined to leave behind the shadows of his past and embrace the promise of a brighter future, Thorfinn sets sail for Vinland. In this journey, he carries with him not only his own hopes and dreams, but the hopes of all who seek refuge and redemption in the mythical land across the sea (which is now considered to have been the north cape of Newfoundland). Initially presented as a distant dream, Vinland represents a utopian ideal—a place of peace, freedom, and new beginnings for all who dare hope to dream of its shores.

Despite the beauty of the idea, Thorfinn's journey is fraught with conflict. Even as he strives to live peacefully, he faces countless challenges that test his commitment to that path. This reality underscores a fundamental truth: no matter how idealistic or noble your goals are, they are rarely achieved without challenge. However, the key lies in how we respond to these challenges.

Thorfinn's evolution from a vengeful warrior to a man seeking peace illustrates that true strength is found not in the absence of conflict but in the courage to face and overcome it.

Moreover, Vinland Saga shines a light on the importance of confronting mental health issues. Throughout the series, characters grapple with trauma, guilt, and existential despair, mirroring the struggles faced by many people today. However, the story portrays mental health with sensitivity and empathy, challenging the stigma surrounding these issues and encouraging open dialogue and support.

I personally found this to be really refreshing to see, especially in a historical context where strength was measured by how many enemies you could kill, and vulnerability was seen as weakness. In a hyper-masculine warrior culture, the depiction of characters struggling with inner turmoil felt both subversive and deeply human. It also echoes challenges we see today, where young men are often bombarded with toxic 'alpha male' narratives that discourage emotional openness. Through its portrayal of accepting accountability and confronting these issues, this story encourages the audience to embrace their vulnerabilities, seek help when needed, and strive towards a life of meaning and fulfilment.

Why are stories so powerful?

But the question is, why are stories like this so powerful? For me, stories forge connections, enabling us to walk in the shoes of others, connect with their emotions, and challenge our own perspectives. I think actor and Emmy-winning writer, Lena Waithe, put it best, “I’m writing my story so that others might see fragments of themselves.”

More than mere words, stories are immersive experiences. A gripping narrative is far more palatable than raw data. While facts fade, stories resonate within us, striking chords that reverberate long after the tale has been told. When we hear someone's story, we're not just understanding but experiencing their world, cultivating empathy and subsequently the ability to feel, not simply comprehend. We connect profoundly with individuals, not faceless statistics, and therein lies the power of storytelling.

Reflections

On a personal level, I’m going to revisit those final words left by Askelaad for Thorfinn - “how do you plan to live your life?”. Before I decided to create Live Your Life (LYL), those words kept echoing in my head, again and again. I guess you could say I was at a crossroads in my life where I felt that I wasn’t necessarily fulfilling my potential or doing what makes me happy.

I’ve discussed my own struggles previously, highlighting how important it was for me to share what I was going through with others at the time. However, talking to other people my age about the problems they’re currently facing or the struggles they’ve experienced in the past really made me think that maybe if more people had a platform in which they could share their voice and their story, it would encourage more people to do so. Hopefully, helping to create dialogues about the problems that young people face that are often under looked and go unheard. Because to be honest a lot of us are going through similar struggles but I think we’re often too scared to say it.

Ultimately this is the exact reason why LYL was created, for people to share their story and empower others to find the courage to share theirs. By opening up and shedding light on difficult conversations, we can build a forward-thinking community that can push past the stigma surrounding mental health. Without Vinland Saga I'm not sure if I would've taken the leap and start doing something that I'm passionate about.

So, can a story really change your life? Personally, I still think that sounds a bit over the top, but maybe that’s just my personality. That kind of sentiment has always felt a little cringey to admit out loud. But at the very least I can say it offered new perspectives that I genuinely needed at the time. Seeing the world through a different lens didn’t magically solve everything, but it helped me shift my mindset. That shift, however small, made a difference. Maybe that’s what really matters.