I was stuck.

Not the dramatic, life-questioning kind of stuck. The quieter, more familiar version. A blank page. Trying to describe what I do as a coach in a way that actually lands—not “this is coaching,” but “this is what changes for you.”

And nothing felt quite right.

So I tried something different. Story Cubes.

Nine dice. Six faces each. Random images. No agenda, no structure, no promise of making sense.

Exactly what I needed.

Rolling into the unknown

I threw three dice at a time.

First three—written in a line.
Next three—beneath them, in a different colour.
Final three—another colour, another layer.

A simple 3x3 grid. Chaos, but contained.

Then I paused and looked.

Some images jumped out immediately. Others sat there quietly, refusing to mean anything at all.

I circled the ones that had energy for me:

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A lightbulb.

A parachute.

Lightning.

Magic.

A question mark.

Not logical. Not neat. But alive.

Making meaning (or letting it find you)

Here’s the thing about random images: they invite interpretation without pressure.

There’s no right answer. Only your answer.

I began to notice connections. Some images spoke to each other. Others didn’t belong anywhere—and that was useful too.

What fits.
What doesn’t.
What you ignore.
What you return to.

Out of that gentle noticing, three words emerged for me:

Making. Science. Design.

And something shifted.

Because that is my coaching.

Not just conversation. Not just reflection. But making something new, grounded in thinking, shaped with intention.

The phrases that followed

Once the words were there, language came more easily. Not perfect. Not polished. But closer.

• Lighten your load by dropping guilt and worry
• Find the off switch
• Self-care without the guilt
• Fly a new path this season
• Stop hovering. Move with purpose.
• Make a little magic with your journey

Some phrases felt too strong (“slaying problems” didn’t quite fit). Others felt like they were whispering something important.

And then there was the sheep image.

At first, nothing. No meaning.

And then—later—it connected back to a coaching conversation. A client describing someone who felt like a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

That’s the quiet power of this work. Meaning doesn’t always arrive on cue. Sometimes it loops back.

Why this works (and why it matters)

There’s something more going on here than a creative exercise.

When we introduce randomness—whether through images, words, or metaphor—we interrupt our habitual thinking. We bypass the well-worn neural pathways and invite new connections.

Check It Out - Theory and Research:

​The narrative construction of reality​

​Does incubation enhance problem solving? A meta-analytic review.​

​Revisiting Mednick’s (1962) theory of creativity with a composite measure of creativity: The effect of stimulus type on word association production​

Or, if you prefer a more poetic lens—what I have heard being called, with a smile, a quantum flirt. The term “quantum flirt” is used in some coaching and Process Work traditions as a metaphorical way to describe subtle, fleeting signals that invite awareness and meaning‑making, rather than as a physics‑based construct.

Not because the universe has handed us an answer.

But because we are brilliant at making meaning when given the smallest spark.

Using story cubes in coaching

This isn’t just for solo reflection.

You can bring this into your practice in beautifully simple ways:

• At the start of a session: “Let’s roll and see what shows up.”
• When a client feels stuck: “What might this image represent for you?”
• In supervision: “Which of these feels most alive in the work you’re bringing?”
• For pattern spotting: roll repeatedly and notice what keeps returning

You can use three dice. Nine dice. One.

You can build a story. Or dismantle one.

You can even create a “nine-step journey” from a single throw.

The point isn’t the cubes.

It’s the permission to move from blank… to something.

And to trust that something is enough to begin.

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If you’re staring at a blank page—whether in your business, your thinking, or your next coaching conversation—try introducing a little randomness.

You might be surprised what starts to speak.

And what you already knew, waiting to be found.

MORE PLEASE!

PS - I found Story Cubes in a Charity Shop rummage, but you can get find the ones I used (and more!) here...​

Sheela Hobden

www.bluegreencoaching.com

May 2026