The Compliment I Wasn’t Ready For—and the Storytelling That Changed Everything

Erica Soto
7 days ago
5 min read

by Erica Soto

While being the good little entrepreneur that I am, I scheduled an accountability call like it was my daily vitamin. I called up my colleague, who is basically human sunshine. She’s smart, talented, gorgeous, creative, kind, and one of those people who looks like she wakes up flawless. I told her all this, what I thought of her, and thanked her for taking the time to chat and prepared myself to check in, be a responsible adult, and get my life together. Instead, I got emotionally smacked with a compliment I absolutely did not expect.

“You have to see what happens when you walk into a room, Erica. You move through the crowd with confidence and courage.”

Here’s the truth: I cannot take a compliment to save my life. My body instantly rejects any possibility that someone like her could see so much in me. I panic. I sweat. I look around the room like, “Who? Me? No. Never me.” But on this call, I tried something different. I let it land. She was serious, she kept going, listing all the ways I inspire her. Meanwhile, I’m clutching my imaginary pearls thinking, “I was not prepared for this emotional development today.”

Something clicked, though. To repay the kindness, I blurted out the truth about my so-called confidence: “Courageous? Honey, no. I’m just good at storytelling.” Because honestly, most days the only thing courageous about me is how fast I walk to the Burlington checkout line. (And why, seriously, is it always so long?)

Storytelling Is My Real Social Skill

Forget charisma, although it helps. Forget small talk, people decide how much respect to give you the second you mention your profession anyway. Forget pretending you remember someone’s name; we’re human. Storytelling is the real hack.

When someone asks, “So what do you do?” my response is always genuine. I usually say something like, “Most days, I’m just trying to figure it out, trying my best, trying to thrive. That’s why I’ve been focused on sharing my art classes. As an artist, I see the difference in people from when they start to when they finish their painting. I’m chasing that impact. Do you like art?”

It’s not a cookie-cutter “I’m fine, how are you?” I tap into how I actually feel. Being authentically human builds instant trust.

If they say, “Art really isn’t my thing,” I swing the conversation back to them. I ask thoughtful questions about their goals, what they’re excited about, and what they’re building. I love hearing not just what people do, but what they want to do. I always try to give something, whether it’s a resource, a perspective, or a connection, because giving without expectation elevates your value. Being “the guy who knows a guy” makes building community so much easier. It costs nothing to connect people, and it builds a reputation rooted in generosity.

And on the rare occasion they say, “Yes, I like art,” that’s when I say, “Me too. In fact… art saved my life.”

Art with Erica Soto online on YouTube for Yonkers Public Library

How Storytelling Saved Me

During COVID, I experienced intense agoraphobia. I was terrified of leaving the house and coming back with something that could hurt my immunocompromised family. But I was the only one who could do the shopping, the gathering, the working. Thanks to a friend and mentor, I had the opportunity to teach virtual art classes. That chance allowed me to stay home, support my family, and reconnect with the version of myself I had abandoned—the artist I was before kids, before exhaustion, before fear. I drew again. I painted again. I felt again.

I received a grant. I started teaching in person. Suddenly the dream I had as a teenager became real. Art saved my life. And storytelling helped me tell that truth.

It has helped me pitch to a corporate wellness client and land a five-figure contract. It has made grant reviewers stop scrolling and actually pay attention. Storytelling works. And here’s the best part: you already have a story. You just have to learn how to tell it.

My Story, the Short Version

My story is about a woman who finally woke up from the fog. I remembered before being a partner, a mom, a caregiver, I was a writer and an artist, a whole person full of creative passion. I had been living like a background character in my own life. Once I stepped into my gift and made it my purpose, everything changed.

Now I share art with the world because it truly transforms people—one class at a time, one event at a time, one spark at a time. Because I know this, I'm always encouraging entrepreneurship to the youth I mentor, I honor my Puerto Rican culture by not hiding where I come from, I advocate for mental wellness to honor that moment during COVID, and I believe that art is the ultimate form of self-expression and connection, and through that knowledge, I've developed my business platforms. That is why I show up the way I do. I am fearless and confident when I have clarity.

Clarity Is the New Confidence

Forget courage. Forget “fake it till you make it.” You don’t need to be the loudest person in the room; you just need to know who you are. When you understand your story and accept your failures and lessons, you walk differently. You talk differently. You connect differently. People feel it. After you introduce yourself, listen. Ask people about their story. Be curious. Be open. People love to be seen. When you do that, you’re not networking anymore—you’re building relationships, finding community, and becoming someone people remember.

Where Your Story Actually Begins

Your real story doesn’t start with your title, your job, or the polished version of your bio. It begins with questions like: Who am I? Where did I come from? What did I survive? What did I learn? What do I value? What am I trying to create, and why does it matter?

Write it all down—the heartbreaks, the plot twists, the glow-ups, the moments you thought would break you but shaped you instead.

What Story Do You Want to Tell?

Maybe your story is about money, healing, or reinvention. Maybe it’s about creating something no one else thought to make. Whatever it is, your story is the blueprint for how you show up. It shapes your presence. It gives your voice weight. It turns strangers into allies. People, strangers, and fans will support you when they believe in your story.

I went into that accountability call trying to be productive. I came out with a compliment I wasn’t ready for, a reminder of who I am, and a much clearer story. Learn your story. Tell your story. People remember stories long after they forget titles.

The story you choose to tell becomes the life you choose to lead.