When Life Changes the Story: Reclaiming Hope, Wonder & What Comes Next with Harris III

You can reclaim your story.

Some experiences divide life into a before and an after.

For families navigating childhood cancer, a diagnosis can become one of those moments. The fear doesn’t necessarily disappear when treatment ends or the scans come back clear. A fever, an illness, or another unexpected symptom can quickly pull your mind back into the story of what happened before.

But what if that experience doesn’t have to determine the story you tell yourself about everything that happens next?

In this episode, I’m joined by Harris III to explore how our brains use stories to make sense of the world. We talk about how painful experiences can create beliefs that continue influencing our choices long after the original moment has passed. More importantly, Harris explains how becoming aware of those narratives can help us reclaim some agency over them.

Harris knows this personally. His career began as a professional illusionist, and by his early twenties, he had experienced extraordinary success followed by bankruptcy. Eventually, his understanding of deception led him to recognize some of the false stories he had believed about his own worth, approval, and identity.

That’s where the deeper work begins: learning how to rewrite your story without pretending the pain never happened.

From there, our conversation turns toward something I think every family navigating a health crisis needs: wonder.

We explore why worry can consume our imagination, how wonder gives us room to consider another possibility, and why moments of awe and curiosity can matter when the future feels uncertain.

This isn’t about forcing yourself to think positively or denying what you’ve been through.

It’s about recognizing that the hardest thing you’ve lived through can still be part of your story without being allowed to write every chapter that follows.

Guest 

Harris III is a storyteller, illusionist, speaker, author, and entrepreneur whose career began with a childhood magic kit. He performed his first paid magic show at 11 and went on to tour professionally as a teenager before eventually expanding his work beyond entertainment.

His experience with illusion and deception led to a deeper exploration of the stories people believe about themselves and the world around them. Today, his work focuses on storytelling, wonder, imagination, and helping people recognize and rewrite the narratives shaping their lives.

He is the founder of Historia and creator of StoryOS, a framework for understanding the stories through which we make meaning. His book Start With Wow explores the role of wonder in an increasingly information-driven world.

 

In This Episode 

05:32  Harris’s journey from illusionist to storyteller

09:32  How old stories can shape our ability to ask for help

16:23  Why we’re all wired to make sense of life through stories

21:46  Rewriting the story after a cancer diagnosis

26:40  Reframing pain and turning it into purpose

31:38  How wonder can move us out of worry

37:33  Practical ways to choose wonder during difficult seasons

41:38  Why Harris believes we need to “Start With Wow”

48:51  How worry and wonder can affect the way we experience our circumstances

 

Key Takeaways

• We are constantly creating stories to make sense of what happens to us. Those stories can become beliefs that influence how we respond long after the original experience has passed.
• Painful experiences can shape beliefs without our realizing it. Bringing those hidden narratives into awareness is an important step toward changing them.
• Reclaiming your story doesn’t mean denying what happened. The pain can be real while you develop a different perspective on what that experience means for your future.
• Asking for help can challenge much older beliefs. What looks like independence may sometimes be connected to stories about being needy, burdensome, or not enough.
• A diagnosis can train the mind to anticipate the worst. Later illnesses or symptoms may bring families back to the fear of cancer, even when the present situation is different.
• Worry and wonder both use our imagination. Worry pulls us toward what could go wrong, while wonder creates room to consider what else might be possible.
• Wonder can be practiced intentionally. Nature, inspiring stories, curiosity, and moments of awe can help create space for possibility when fear feels overwhelming.
• You don’t have to know exactly how the story will unfold. Sometimes starting with possibility rather than demanding certainty can change the way you move through an uncertain season.

 

“We have to take back the pen and claim agency over the story.”— Harris III

 

Resources Mentioned

 

Guest Links:

Website: harrisiii.com

Linktree: @harrisiii

Instagram: @harrisiii

LinkedIn: Harris III

Facebook: Harris, III

 

Recommended Tools & Resources:

Start With Wow

Harris’s upcoming book explores why we’ve become so focused on knowing how everything works and what can happen when we make more room for wonder, curiosity, creativity, and possibility.

Learn more about the book, available bonuses, and ordering options:

startwithwow.com

 

Hospital Essentials Checklist

A practical guide for families preparing for inpatient hospital stays, including recommended foods, comfort items, and simple ways to create a more healing environment.

https://yourthriveformula.com/hospital-essentials

 

Fullscript (Practitioner-Grade Supplements)

If you’re looking for high-quality, practitioner-grade supplements to support your health, Season has created a hand-curated Fullscript dispensary with the exact products she trusts and uses in practice.

You’ll also receive 15% off your first order plus 5% off for life as a podcast listener.

https://bit.ly/seasonsfullscript

 

LumeBox Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy is one of my favorite complementary tools to support healing, reduce inflammation, encourage cellular repair, and promote recovery during and after treatment.

 

Free Protocol Guide
https://yourthriveformula.com/free-protocol-guide

 

LumeBox Device
https://bit.ly/seasonjohnsonlume

Use code SEASONJOHNSON to save $260.

 

Community & Support:

Join Thrive Through Cancer Community: https://biodynamicwellness.com/thrive-through-cancer 

Thrive Beyond Cancer Program: https://biodynamicwellness.com/thrive-beyond-cancer

Learn More About Biodynamic Wellness: https://biodynamicwellness.com

 

Connect with Season:

Website: seasonjohnson.com

Follow along on Instagram: @seasonjohnson

Follow Season on Facebook: Season Johnson