What's the best thing that can happen? Plus, knowing which stories to share
“You know you have a kick ass book; what you don't know is you are the kick ass person who wrote the book.”
Sometimes even I need a reminder about why my book matters and why anyone should give a damn, and this note my friend Don sent me years ago really lands.
When I started writing this book, I had been laid off, restructured out of my job. AND I was pregnant. I had no options and zero opportunities, and a young family to help support and care for.
It wasn’t just that I had lost a job. I lost my identity. If I wasn’t that person, who was I anymore?
And yet, after years of miserably trying to make it work in a career that was culturally toxic, emotionally draining, and creatively unfulfilling, I now had clarity that this career, this whole life I had been working toward, was no longer working for ME.
And that realization kicked off an entrepreneurial and spiritual journey of passion, fulfilment and self actualization that has led me to doing my favourite thing in the world: Helping other authors and experts share THEIR story, so they can launch themselves into the future THEY’VE always dreamed about.
No matter their circumstances.
No matter their back story.
Because I’ve been there. And I know what it’s like when you feel underutilized, limited by your own beliefs and others’ assumptions. Playing the game by rules others have made up for you. And I know what it’s like to finally break through, and to fully live into your potential. To see yourself make a difference for others, and realize how much you matter.
Now we get to own it.
Today I am an author of a book I’m immensely proud of, as well as a speaker, podcast host and super mom of four. I’ve helped hundreds of authors write and publish their own books, pursue their passions, and grow their businesses along the way, so they too can live a big, bold, daring life.
Out of the box.
Into the spotlight.
Creating exponential impact.
If you’re ready to launch into the future you’ve always dreamed of, connect with me. I’d love to be on your team.
What we can learn from our kids
My daughter taught me something so profound the other day.
Her shoelaces on her new shoes were untied, and I automatically reached down to help her. She stopped me, sharing that a friend at school had finally taught her how to tie her own laces.
Of course immediately I was struck with Mom Guilt. I was never good at teaching my kids how to tie their shoes, and I was a little hurt, to be honest, that her Grade 3 friend was able to teach her that lesson before I could.
But that lesson was a wonderful reminder that sometimes it’s not always, or even often, that the person who has had incredible success at mastering a specific skill or piece of knowledge is the person who can help us best. Sometimes, it’s the people closest to us in our journey who can have the most impact.
Which is to say, this is your reminder to all us “pseudo” experts suffering from imposter syndrome who can never know enough, be perfect enough, like me, that you’re exactly who you need to be to serve the people that you’re meant to.
Tip of the week: What stories do I share? And how much?
One question authors often ask me is, What stories do I share in my book?
For that, I like to quote the phrase, “Share from the scar, not the wound.” (Forgive me for not remembering where I first heard it!)
When I started writing my book Again, Only More Like You (did I mention my book launches on April 29?!), I was definitely feeling scarred. I was beaten up, and beaten down. And I turned to words and books as I’ve always done for comfort, encouragement and healing.
At the time, I didn’t know what my happy ending would look like. But writing the book, I took a wild guess. And that story comes out in 3 weeks—you can buy it and tell me how I did.
Point is, while I wrote from a wounded place, I only began to share the story once I’d reached the other side. When I knew my story could offer a happy ending to others.
So what does that look like for you? Maybe you’re still in a dark place as you embark on your first draft, and that’s okay. When you’re picturing your happy ending ask yourself, “What’s the best thing that could happen?”
And if you’ve reached your happy place, congrats! Now it’s your duty to pass it on.
PS: Shameless book promotion - did you know my book is launching April 29? And did you know it would make the perfect Mother’s Day gift to the women, friends and mothers in your life? Well now you do. So pre-order it today! There, I did your shopping for you!