by Theresa Garee | Oct 14, 2021 | Author Interviews, Blog
I interview wellness authors to find out what makes them tick, and why they write the books they do.
I met G. Brian Benson a month before our publisher, Mango Publishing, released my first book, Depression Hates a Moving Target. He and I shared a booth with several other authors, at the L.A. Times Festival of Books. Like the other authors, he was friendly and welcoming to me, a newbie author, just getting her feet wet. The author of several books, he has a lot of experience and insight to share. I wanted you to hear it from him.
Nita Sweeney (NS): Tell us about your most recent book.
Brian Benson (GBB): My latest book was Habits for Success: Inspired Ideas to Help You Soar, which was published with Mango. And which was how we met! I’m so proud of how the book turned out.
I tried to write it creatively, consciously, and with heart. My goal was to guide the reader to their own personal version of success and happiness, while giving them permission to take their own journey and build a foundation of strength for the long run. So, I tried to be authentic and vulnerable. I shared my own relationship with the habits I talk about, and used ideas and stories to entertain and inspire the reader along the way. I was so pleased that the book was a Grand Prize winner in the 2019 Book Excellence Awards.
NS: What made you want to write this book?
GBB: It just wanted to come out. I have always honored what needs to come out–whether it’s a book, spoken word piece or short film–I don’t sit around and try and come up with an idea for a project. I don’t really have a choice! It comes to me and I look at it as a way to grow, be creative and hopefully help others all at the same time.
NS: What message do you hope readers take away?
GBB: Ultimately with everything that I create, I want folks to come away feeling better about themselves and the world. I know how important self-acceptance and self-love is and if I can empower someone to feel inspired to step out of their comfort zone and begin to see what they are capable of, I have done my job. The beautiful thing is I am gaining so much from it personally as well. I feel like I am a conduit and the words I am writing and sharing, are for me also.
NS: Writing (and life) can be stressful. How do you take care of yourself?
GBB: Lots of things! I don’t think it was an accident that my first book was on a whole bunch of different ways to stay in life balance. It really gave me the opportunity to become more self-aware in this department. I love to move/exercise and it is one of the main ways that helps me stay grounded. Meditation, clean food, boundaries, self-awareness, hiking, plenty of sleep and movies also help.
NS: Do you have a writing tip for the writers out there?
GBB: Sure! Be true to yourself when writing. Write honestly and truthful. Write what wants to come out, not what you think you should write or what you think people want. Folks inherently want authenticity. They may not know this on the surface, but they do. It gives us permission to be authentic ourselves. We all subconsciously crave authenticity, because deep down trying to fight through all of the false modeling that we have been presented via society, advertising, social media, it is our true nature.
NS: What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?
GBB: To be honest, I can’t think of anything. I am kind of a self-taught/intuitive writer and haven’t really garnered much advice since I started writing by accident 13 years ago. I think I may have tripped myself up in a variety of ways as I learned how to become a better writer as I progressed though. Expectations, perfectionism are a few that come to mind.
NS: And the best?
GBB: I learned this the hard way. The book or project is for you first and foremost. Let the growth that comes from the journey of creativity be the gift and anything else that happens with it, just be icing on the cake.
NS: Tell us more about your wellness work.
GBB: Sure…thanks! In addition to the 3 self-improvement books I have written, I am also a project and clarity coach and love to help folks realize their goals and dreams. Whether it’s writing a book, creating a presentation, starting a podcast or what have you. I have learned a lot (sometimes the hard way), from all of the projects I have birthed over the course of the last 13 years.
NS: What led you to this path?
GBB: Intuition. I mentioned earlier that I accidentally wrote my first book. In the process of leaving my family business in 2008, I headed into the unknown. I felt out of balance. I sat down one day and wrote 5 things that I knew would help me…and they did. My intuition screamed expand the list and write a book. So, I did!
It won a few awards, which shocked me and I realized that if I wanted to share its message, I needed to overcome my fear of speaking. One thing lead to another as I stepped out of my comfort zone. Before I knew it, I was writing more, moved to LA to act, and began to create a lot of positive media (books, short films, spoken word videos and TEDx presentations). It’s been exciting and surreal. I never would have imagined any of this would happen. I just kept following my gut.
NS: Do you have a motto or slogan you find helpful? If so, how did you arrive at that?
“Be yourself to free yourself!”
GBB: Definitely! “Be yourself to free yourself!” I started using that a long time ago in my work and it consistently reminds myself to live this way. I even have the domain!
NS: What’s the worst wellness (mental health, self-care) advice you’ve ever heard?
GBB: Folks give other people’s advice way too much credence. While some advice is warranted and great, a lot of time people are just sharing their own fears and passing them on to their friends and family. I see it on social media all of the time. Very co-enabling with little chance of really breaking through.
I believe we have most of the answers already inside of us. We just need to get quiet and listen and trust. The more you do it, the easier it gets.
NS: Is there something about coping you wish you’d learned earlier?
GBB: That life is like a big rollercoaster. There are always going to be peaks and valleys. In the past when I would hit a valley, I would try to scratch and claw my way out of it, instead of just sitting with whatever was happening, learn from it and trust that I would move out of it. We always do.
NS: Has your life turned out differently than you expected? If so, how?
GBB: Yes. I never planned on being a writer, creative or actor. And it still is evolving.
NS: Is there anything you would change about your journey?
GBB: As easy as it would be to say yes, I don’t think I would. Everything that I have gone through has made me the person that I am and instilled the spirit and creativity that comes through in my work.
NS: What are you currently reading for inspiration?
GBB: I love history and biographies. I am currently reading a book about George Washington called His Excellency. Very interesting!
NS: Is there a wellness or inspirational book you couldn’t finish? Why?
GBB: Hmmm…there have been some that I didn’t finish. Can’t really think of them right now.
NS: What wellness book could you not put down?
GBB: I read Seat of the Soul, by Gary Zukav about 30 years ago. It felt intuitively spot on for me. Reading that book opened up my thinking and helped me re-remember things that I felt like I knew prior to this incarnation.
NS: What’s next for you?
GBB: Lots! In addition to project coaching, I am working on a new book that is a road trip memoir and using a 5 ½ month RV trip across the USA that I just finished as a container for it. I am also getting my podcast going again, as well as some other creative video projects. Thanks for asking.
AND FINALLY:
NS: Mermaids or Goddesses? (Superheroes or Gods?)
GBB: Neither (?) Give me Babe Ruth, Eleanor Roosevelt or Teddy Roosevelt any day. They’re interesting and larger than life in their own ways.
NS: Toast or bagels?
GBB: Both
NS: Ocean, mountains, or forest?
GBB: Forests
NS: Jeans or slacks or sweatpants?
GBB: Blue jeans and boots
NS: Dogs, cats, fish, guinea pigs, or horses?
GBB: Dogs
About G. Brian Benson
G. Brian Benson is an award-winning and #1 best-selling self-improvement and children’s book author, actor, filmmaker, project coach, podcast host and TEDx speaker. As a 4x Ironman triathlete and cross-country bicyclist, Brian knows the value of hard work and never giving up on his dreams, a message he shares with audiences through each of his creative expressions. Brian’s latest book Habits for Success: Inspired Ideas to Help You Soar was an Amazon #1 Best-Seller and was selected as a 2019 Book Excellence Award Winner in the Motivational book category.
Websites:
www.gbrianbenson.com
www.habitsforsuccessbook.com
Social Media:
Twitter – gbrianbenson
Facebook – gbrianbensonmedia
Instagram – gbrianbenson
YouTube – gbrianbenson
LinkedIn – gbrianbenson
Giveaway:
Sign up for his newsletter and receive the PDF “7 Reasons Why People Don’t Accomplish Their Dreams and How to Overcome Them!”
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by Theresa Garee | Sep 13, 2021 | Author Interviews, Blog
Author Interview: Sherry Richert Belul
I interview wellness authors to find out what makes them tick, and why they write the books they do.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Sherry Richert Belul, founder of Simply Celebrate and author of Say It Now, along with Brenda Knight, Associate Publisher of Mango Publishing Group, created the Heart Wisdom weekly author panels. Sherry and Brenda felt people needed “Heart Wisdom” to help us all get through. Sherry’s vibrant presence, smart questions, and playful personality makes these Wednesday panels glow. I knew you would want to meet her.
Nita Sweeney (NS): What inspired you to write Say It Now?
Sherry Richert Belul (SRB): All my life I’ve attended funerals where people tell loving stories, show photos, and express their appreciation to the person who has died. It is beautiful and moving. I love those tributes. However, inevitably, loved ones would always express regret that that hadn’t said those things to the person when they were still alive.
I would always nod and say, “We need to say it now.”
I decided to do something about this. I decided to make it easy for people to express love and appreciation NOW. I decided to offer people creative, fun, simple, and inexpensive ways to show their love. That’s why I wrote the book!
NS: What message do you hope readers take away?
SRB: The main message, of course, is: Say it Now!
Seriously, life is fleeting and we never know how much time we have here on this planet. We never know when someone we love might suddenly pass away. I don’t say this to be morbid, but rather to ignite the part of us that wants to be more expressive, but is waiting for a special occasion, waiting to have more free time, or waiting to feel inspired before we step out of our comfort zone and let someone know how much they mean to us.
Life is challenging and uncertain. Many people we love are struggling to find more joy. Our love and attention are essential … RIGHT NOW.
Dear reader, please stop worrying about buying the perfect gift or finding tangible items to celebrate someone you love. What people want most in the world is to be seen and loved for exactly who they are. People want to know that they matter and that they’ve made a difference. The world stresses the importance of accolades, awards, and promotions. The world stresses material gifts. Those joys are fleeting. The best way you can celebrate someone is to show them how much of an impact they’ve had on you. You can let them know why you are so darned glad they are alive and in your life.
NS: Tell us about your company.
SRB: My company is called Simply Celebrate. My work is all about helping people find creative, intentional, and impactful ways to celebrate life and to express love for family and friends.
All too often, we’re taught to focus on goals we want to attain or tangible successes.
But most people at the end of life realize that what really matters is the relationships we’ve had and the moments of our lives when we’ve been present to the simple joys of life.
In the end, we hold dearly in our memories the family dinners when we laughed together over small stories of the day. We recall sitting in a café with a close friend, sharing books we love. We savor the memory of grandma’s apple strudel, mom’s beehive hairdo, the camping road trips in the rain, the scrawled-in-crayon love note from our child, kind words whispered to us on the phone.
We can get lulled into thinking that it is the “big events” that matter most — weddings, graduations, milestone birthdays. Sure, those are great to celebrate. But most of our life is about our day-to-day experiences and connections.
So why not cherish those moments now?
Our life moments are gifts. We can choose to be present to them and to celebrate them as they are happening. We can also choose to create magical moments as gifts to others. Celebration is not about some result we’ve earned or a state we’ve reached or a special occasion. Celebration is a practice. It is a way of life. Celebration is here, waiting for you, right now.
Don’t wait. Celebrate now. Say it now.
NS: What led you to this path?
SRB: Often when people hear the name of my company, Simply Celebrate, they think it’s all about confetti and balloons. They think I’m the sort of happy-go-lucky person who jumps out of bed in the morning, a grin on my face and a sparkle in my step.
Nope. Not true.
My work grew out of darkness, depression, and anxiety.
What led me to this path is that self-hate and extreme anxiety nearly killed me when I was a young woman. I was so tormented by thoughts in my head constantly telling me that I wasn’t living up to my potential, I wasn’t living the right life, I wasn’t doing or saying the right things, I wasn’t the right person. Basically, all my thoughts were always about what was wrong or missing in my life — and in me.
All I could think about was a way to get myself off this planet and out of all that pain. It felt like an iron wall was closing in on me.
By grace, I was led to a meditation class. During that class, I remember taking one deep breath in, and for a split second, I had a sense of okay-ness. I remember thinking, “I don’t want to kill myself.” That moment of relief was like a tiny pinprick of light in that heavy iron wall around me. (If you’ve ever been in the dark, you know that a tiny light makes all the difference.)
That moment made me realize that depression and anxiety are not solid. That my life is not one big thing. That it is comprised of tiny moments. And that I could see each moment as separate from the others.
I started practicing finding well-being in tiny moments.
Holding my cats and feeling them purr. Tasting the blueberry jam on my toast. Wrapping myself in the quilt Grandma made. Feeling the sun on my face. Hearing a bird chirp. Watching a butterfly flit by. Smelling the taste of lime.
Each of those moments I would think, “I’m okay. I don’t want to kill myself. Everything is okay right now.” After many months of practicing that, those moments became, “This is nice. I feel good. This is joy.”
After enough time passed, I realized that I didn’t have to wait for those moments of well-being or joy to land on me, I could create them. I started intentionally bringing more love and light into my life.
I scheduled artist dates for myself where I got dressed up, went to the art museum, and treated myself to a chocolate popsicle fashioned after a sculpture on the rooftop garden. I bought myself bubble bath and candles and read great fiction while soaking in the tub. I took myself to the beach and created uplifting audio recordings for my future self to listen to. I went on walks and promised myself I’d find at least ten beautiful things.
Time passed. I kept practicing. My whole life changed.
From there, the best part of all happened: I got to a place in my life in which I could look up, look around, and see that there are a lot of people in the world who are in the dark and in need of a pinprick of light. People are grieving deaths, divorces, illness, and loss of all kinds. People are scared. People are anxious or worried.
I realized that I could offer pinpricks of light to people to help them in their own moments of darkness.
I sent surprise notes to friends, and tucked in funny photos to make them smile. I started writing love letters to strangers who were grieving or ill. I made dozens of lists of reasons why I love people and gave them to those people. I intentionally smiled at people I passed on the street. I hid money with kind notes for people to find in public parks or restrooms. I became a better listener and used my whole body and heart to be present with people during their hardest times.
That’s where my true work began. And today, I still need to practice finding pinpricks of light for myself.
Fortunately, often the best place to find that light is when I intentionally give it away.
NS: Writing (and life) can be stressful. How do you take care of yourself?
SRB: One of the best things I do for myself is to take myself on silent retreats. Back before the pandemic, I would go quarterly to a little cabin with no phone service or internet. I have to be more creative now, but I still prioritize finding ways to get off the grid, get off social media, get out of other people’s conversations and get quiet and still.
On a daily basis I give myself that stillness through formal meditation and also audio guided meditations.
I also make sure to start my day with quiet and with movement. I don’t look at emails, news, or social media for the first couple hours of the day. Instead, I dance, do yoga, write, meditate, read inspirational books, and practice gratitude.
For me, the best self-care is when I connect deeply to myself and listen as if I were my own best friend.
NS: Do you have a motto or slogan you find helpful? If so, how did you arrive at that?
SRB: “Never underestimate the power of a single pinpoint of light in the darkness.”
When I live by that motto, which was born out of necessity when I was deeply depressed, I can see that it is possible to drop fear, disappointment, and distress and take just a single moment to feel or offer love. Just one tiny moment of turning my attention to love and light sets me off in a new direction, if only for that moment!
Every moment is a chance to feel successful. Every moment is a chance to notice the color orange or see the hummingbird or hear the breeze through the trees. Every moment is a new chance to reach out to someone I’ve neglected or to start writing the next book.
I do not have to carry any stories from the past or future into this moment. When it stands on its own, it feels fresh. I feel new. Life feels possible.
Rinse and repeat!
NS: What’s the worst wellness (mental health, self-care) advice you’ve ever heard?
SRB: “Turn that frown upside down” can be the worst possible advice, depending on the circumstance. Sure, there are times when we may be suffering over made-up stories in our heads or because we are re-telling stories that don’t support us, however, there are plenty of times in life when what is called for is to let ourselves feel the grief, sadness, disappointment, or fear.
When well-meaning people try to “cheer us up” it can often be because they feel inadequate to sit with us in the pain. It has to do with them, not us.
We are human beings who feel a whole range of emotions. Cutting ourselves off from our feelings is not the path to happiness. It may sound counter-intuitive, but I’ve practiced finding joy within the hard times, within the sorrow. I call it “celebrating in the dark.”
Instead of trying to smile when I feel bad, I ask myself, “Honey, what do you need?” I try to be my own best friend. I might draw a hot bath, put in some eucalyptus oils, and set out a cozy robe. Or, I might call a good friend with whom I can be authentic and vulnerable. There is a quiet joy in being loved this way.
Being human is a complex and multi-layered experience. Each of us is the only person who knows in any given moment whether it serves us best to dive into the pain we feel or to try to move into another state of being. There is no one-size-fits-all for how to be in life! Letting yourself frown may be what moves you into an authentic smile after time. Or “faking it til you make it” might be the trick. Life happens in moments, remember! We can pay attention and act from there.
NS: What is one thing about coping you wish you’d learned earlier?
SRB: I wish I’d learned to ask for help earlier. I never want to be the person to bring other people down. I didn’t want to be the dark rain cloud overhead. But as I’ve grown older, I understand more and more what a gift it is when people ask for help and we get to show up for them. It feels good to be strong for someone else. When I ask for help, I give someone else the gift of strength. I never saw that aspect of coping before.
NS: Has your life turned out differently than you expected? If so, how?
SRB: Funny thing is, the content of my life looks very much like what I would have wanted it to look like if you’d asked me 40 years ago. I longed to be someone who wore hats and whimsical clothing, to live a creative life, filled with quirky events, art, music, bubbles, and dance.
I wanted to live in a city and feel like “That Girl” when she twirled in the street and threw her hat in the air.
(Sorry, you have to be over 50 to get that reference!)
Astonishingly, I somehow landed right where I longed to be.
However, the process of getting here was completely different than I’d imagined. I never would have guessed that depression and anxiety would be my life’s guides.
I thought I would effort my way to being who I wanted to be in the world. Instead, it took complete surrender.
I thought I’d write down my goals and feel happy when I checked things off the list and got to the end. Instead, I found the happiness in the tiny moments along the way. The process of becoming who I dreamed of was where the real riches live.
NS: Is there anything you would change about your journey?
SRB: Not a thing. I’ve practiced Zen for long enough to truly understand from an experiential place that everything in my life has supported and served me in getting to this moment. Every “failure,” every “humiliation,” every “misstep,” every “wrong turn,” every “waste of time,” helped me to know myself better and to recalibrate so that I could turn my face toward the light.
NS: What are you currently reading for inspiration?
SRB: I’m re-reading Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown for the third time. I am constantly honing in more deeply on the impact I want to have during my short time on this planet. This book is the perfect guide for that process.
On my morning and evening walks, I also listen to inspirational books. I just started Twla Tharp’s audio book, The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life. I’m ready for the next stage of my creative life to emerge and I suspect this book will help!
NS: Is there a wellness or inspirational book you couldn’t finish? Why?
SRB: One of the most popular books for pregnant women is called, What to Expect When You’re Expecting. I hated this beloved-by-so-many book. I read part of it and then donated it to Goodwill!
To me, this book seemed to be selling people on the idea that certain things might —or are likely to —happen to us on our journey. (And most of them were painful, scary or bad, if I recall correctly!)
I remember thinking, “I want to have my own experience of pregnancy. I don’t want to have it in my head that at a certain stage my ankles are likely to swell. Then, I’ll be examining my ankles, thinking, “Ouch, yes, I think they are swelling, just when they’re supposed to according to my book of how my life is going to unfold.” (My ankles never got swollen when I was pregnant!)
I know that book is super popular, but it seems dangerous to me for any of us to offer a blueprint of any kind to another human being. Once someone has it in their head that something is likely to go a certain way, it is really hard for that person to have their own experience.
NS: What wellness book could you not put down?
SRB: Oh, goodness! Hundreds of them! My shelves are well stocked with wellness books that have been lifesavers at just the perfect time.
Two books started me on my personal growth journey, so I will give an appreciative nod to them. The first is The Tao of Pooh. This book was recommended to me by a stranger late one night when I was in college and feeling completely lost in my life. I was straddling trying to be like everyone else (unsuccessfully!) and trying to find the “real” me.
Reading The Tao of Pooh started me on my now lifetime commitment to Eastern thought and meditation.
The second book was one that I was given during that suicidal period I talked about previously. This is the book that literally led me to that meditation class in which I had the “pinprick of light in the iron wall” moment. It is a book by Cheri Huber called That Which You are Seeking is Causing You to Seek. Cheri is a bit of a renegade Zen teacher and she has a wonderful sense of humor. She focuses on helping people get it that there is truly nothing wrong with them.
(Can I repeat that? THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU!)
That book, her meditation class, and her guidance over the past 30 years have literally transformed my life.
NS: What’s next for you writing wise?
SRB: I’m starting work this week on a newfangled gratitude journal. This is a gratitude journal like no other! I’ve developed more than a dozen practices that go way beyond the “write three things you’re grateful for each day” philosophy. I think the planet needs some fresh, creative ideas for bringing more appreciation and practical gratitude into people’s daily lives. This isn’t just listing things we’re grateful for, it is about putting gratitude into action. You’ll see!
NS: Do you have any other tips for how to cope with depression or sadness or a sense of failure/regret?
SRB: Nita, thank you for asking that! I do!
At one of my low, low points in life, when I was feeling like a failure as a writer (pile of rejection slips on my desk!), a failure in my marriage (splitting up with hubby when our son was only two years old), a failure as a friend (I felt like that dark rain cloud I mentioned up above), and just an overall a big loser … I took myself to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and just sat and sobbed and sobbed.
However, I LOVE all of the smell of boardwalks — the cotton candy and apple fritters and pretzels and popcorn! And I LOVE all the colors of the boardwalk and the sounds of the boardwalk. I LOVE Laughing Sal with her hearty guffaws and fancy apron.
At one point I stopped crying, looked around, and said to myself, “You know what? You don’t have to be a successful anything.
You could get a job here at the Boardwalk at the Apple Fritter stand and ride a rusted, orange, fat-tired bike to work. Shery, you could wear flowers and plaids and not care that they don’t match. Or, you could wear whimsical hats and spend your days trying to make people laugh. You could hear people’s stories all day long and listen intently. And at night, you’d go home to piles of great books and two purring cats.
That day my alter ego was born: The Apple Fritter Lady.
And whenever the voices in my head start to clamor and clatter about how not this and how not that I am — i.e what a loser I am — I remember that I could just quit everything and move to the Boardwalk to become the Apple Fritter Lady.
Here’s the real secret: I don’t really have to quit everything and I don’t really have to move. I just have to change my perspective and align with the spirit and values of the Apple Fritter Lady. Then, I feel better! My definition of “success” gets recalibrated to who I really am and what I really want.
So my tip is, find yourself an alter ego! (I’m serious. Really. Make that happen for yourself!)
AND FINALLY:
NS: Mermaids or Goddesses? (Superheroes or Gods?)
SRB: Neither! Hummingbirds please.
NS: Toast or bagels?
SRB: Both! Yum! Jam, too, please.
NS: Ocean, mountains, or forest?
SRB: Oceans enchant and entrance me. Oh, yes, please, let me walk on the sandy beach beside one or on the cliffs that tower above the waves.
NS: Leggings or jeans? (Jeans or slacks or sweatpants?)
SRB: Dresses every day! Or maybe some funky, wide-legged capris.
NS: Dogs, cats, fish, guinea pigs, or horses?
SRB: I love the mystery and independence of cats. Though I have had several very dog-like cats who love to be petted and tummy-rubbed.
About Sherry Richert Belul
Sherry Richert Belul, founder of Simply Celebrate, helps people find creative, intentional and impactful ways to celebrate life and to express love for family and friends. As a certified high performance coach, Sherry supports people in living their best lives, full of joy, success, engagement, and meaningful relationships. She is the author of Say it Now: 33 Creative Ways to Say I Love You to the Most Important People in Your Life. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Town + Country, and The Wall Street Journal.
Website: http://www.simplycelebrate.net
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by Theresa Garee | Jul 9, 2021 | Author Interviews, Blog
Author Interview: Kim Colegrove
I interview wellness authors to find out what makes them tick, and why they write the books they do. Kim Colegrove, another Mango author, and I met when she invited me to endorse her book, Mindfulness for Warriors: Empowering First Responders to Reduce Stress and Build Resilience. She’s also a frequent guest on the Mango Heart Wisdom panels. Given my own meditation practice, and my husband Ed’s membership in our local citizens police academy, her book was a great fit. Kim shares a powerful story of tragedy turned to good purpose. I knew you folks would want to get to know her.
Nita Sweeney (NS): I know your story, and I’m going to dive right in. What prompted you to write this book?
Kim Colegrove (KC): In the fall of 2014, I lost my husband to suicide, less than three months after he retired from a 30-year law enforcement career. David’s death led me on a journey of discovery about how chronic stress and accumulated trauma impact our first responders.
Kim and her late husband, David
I was shocked to learn that we lose more police officers and firefighters to suicide than line of duty deaths, and that approximately 22 military veterans take their own life every day.
I felt compelled to do something to help.
So, I started an organization to help first responders cope with stress and trauma, and I wrote the book to share my story and reach people in these professions who are struggling with mental and emotional issues.
NS: Please tell us more about that work.
KC: My organization, Pause First Academy, offers resilience training to first responders. We focus on holistic wellness and work-life balance. Most of our trainers are military veterans and first responders, and have experience speaking or teaching on wellness topics in their own professions. We offer online courses and in-person training for individuals and organizations.
NS: You’re probably heard it all, But what’s the worst mental health advice you’ve ever heard?
KC: In my line of work, “suck it up, buttercup,” has been the traditional mental health advice given to first responders. Thankfully, that is beginning to change.
NS: I’m very grateful to hear of that change. What is one thing about well-being you wish you’d learned earlier?
KC: I wish I’d known then what I know now, and that I could have saved my husband.
NS: Given what you know now, do you have a go-to wellness practice you would like to share?
KC: Meditation. I’m a 45-year practitioner of meditation, an enthusiastic proponent, and I’ve been teaching professionally for a decade. I know a lot of people shy away from meditation for various reasons, not the least of which is that it can be difficult to practice and commit to. However, the benefits far outweigh the sometimes-challenging learning curve.
NS: Has your life turned out differently than you expected? If so, how?
KC: 1 million per cent. However, I’ve accepted that the loss in my life created a new, important path for me, and I just keep taking the next step.
NS: What wellness book could you not put down?
KC: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. I believe I read it for the first time in the late 90s or very early 2000s, at a pivotal point in my personal development and evolution.
NS: What’s next for you writing wise?
KS: I’d like to write a follow-up book for spouses and family members of first responders.
AND FINALLY:
NS: Mermaids or Goddesses? (Superheroes or Gods?)
KC: Goddesses. But it’s nearly a tie.
NS: Toast or bagels?
KC: Toast
NS: Ocean, mountains, or forest?
KC: Ocean, ocean, ocean.
NS: Leggings or jeans?
KC: Sweatpants and pajama pants.
NS: Dogs, cats, fish, guinea pigs, or horses?
KC: Oh my goodness, dogs! I want all the dogs! Dogs are my favorite people!
ABOUT KIM COLEGROVE
Kim Colegrove, author of Mindfulness for Warriors, is a 45-year veteran of meditation, the creator of Pause First: Mindfulness for First Responders and the founder of Pause First Academy – Resilience Training for Frontline Workers.
Colegrove is the widow of a first responder who died by suicide. She previously taught mindfulness in corporate settings such as Garmin International, United Way, Department of Veterans Affairs, and The National Court Reporters Association. After her husband’s death, Kim turned her full attention to helping first responders cope with stress and trauma through mindfulness training.
By pulling from her own life experience and applying her relatable, mainstream style, Kim developed curriculum first responders could trust. She now leads a team of instructors who offer resilience training, holistic wellness, and work-life balance courses in-person and through Kim’s online platform: Pause First Academy.
CONTACT
Kim Colegrove
kimcolegrove@pausefirst.com
913-972-2548
SOCIAL LINKS
Website: www.pausefirst.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pausefirstacademy
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimcolegrove
Instagram: kimcolegrove_author
Subscribe to Newsletter: https://pausefirst.com/contact/
If you purchase something through the affiliate links on this page, Write Now Columbus, a collection of resources for central Ohio writers and readers, will receive a small percentage of the sale.
![Author Interview: Polly Campbell]()
by Theresa Garee | May 27, 2021 | Author Interviews, Blog
Author Interview: Polly Campbell
I interview wellness authors to find out what makes them tick and why they write the books they do. I met Polly Campbell, another Mango Publishing author, after reading a review copy of her new book, You Recharged. The book is filled with helpful suggestions learned from real-life experience. I wanted you to meet her too.
Nita Sweeney (NS): Tell us about your most recent book.
Polly Campbell (PC): My newest book You, Recharged: How to Beat Fatigue (mostly), Amp Up Your Energy (usually) and Enjoy Life Again (always) is about getting unstuck. About overcoming burnout and finding ways to restore and reengage with life again in a way that feels fun and fulfilling, creative and healthy. It’s about vitality.
NS: What made you want to write this book?
PC: As a writer, I’ve written hundreds of articles and other books on mindset, success strategies, and psychology that can help us live better lives. I’m fascinated about how we can use our thoughts, beliefs, mindsets to create our experience. My podcast, Polly Campbell, Simply Said is about this too. And yet, a few years ago, I was feeling so stuck. Bored. Tired all the time. Life felt dull. And, I was really uncomfortable with that. I looked around and recognized that I had all I really wanted—happy family, interesting work, lots of support, but I wasn’t enjoying it. I was feeling exhausted and stuck and I wanted to understand why and learn how to reengage. How to revitalize. My boredom changed to curiosity and that evolved into this book where I share what I learned with others.
NS: What message do you hope readers take away?
PC: First off, I just hope readers enjoy the book. That they feel inspired, entertained, and better about life when they finish it. And, I hope they recognize that living a more engaged, fun, healthy, happy life right now is possible. For all of us. And that doing it is worthwhile. Life is about vitality and participation. About showing up. Having fun. Listen, I live with debilitating chronic disease and pain, I’m middle-aged, and I eat too much pizza and yet I feel excited and energized about my life again. If I can do it anyone can and it’s a matter of adding in the ideas, practices, beliefs, actions that support us. That lift us up.
NS: Writing (and life) can be stressful. How do you take care of yourself?
PC: Part of my daily routine includes maximizing pockets of quiet time whenever I can get them. I get up an hour early for reflection, meditation. Then, I do morning pages and just hang out and get grounded in myself. I do a little physical exercise each day and get outside. Each day, I add in some action, behavior that makes me feel good. The simplest, easiest, most fun thing I can do that day to support my health and wellbeing. This might be a round of golf with my husband. A meditation. Time spent on a new creative project or challenge that’s interesting. Time with friends. Even if I only have a few minutes, I think it’s important to spend time doing something that will add meaning and growth. So a few minutes to meditate, read, be outside, are important to help me stay grounded.
NS: What led you to this path?
PC: At the age of 3 I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. So as a kid, I was limited in what my body could do, but books and writing were expansive for me. And, I became very interested in how we can use our minds to create the lives we want.
NS: Do you have a motto or slogan you find helpful? If so, how did you arrive at that?
PC: I am very deliberate with my self-talk…one thing I say often to myself is, “OK. You can figure this out.” There is so much I don’t know, am not good at, like everyone I face many challenges, but I do believe I’m capable of learning what I need to know, or finding the people and the resources who can help. We don’t have to do it alone. When I am challenged and feel like quitting, I go back to this: It’s OK you’ve got this. You can figure it out. And that opens me up to the people and things that can help me find a way through.
The other motto I follow is “Become a creator, instead of a complainer.”
NS: What’s the worst wellness advice you’ve ever heard?
PC: That you have to be thin or beautiful or young or rich or anything other than what you are to make a valuable contribution and to live a happy life. There is so much pressure to be something different. I try to keep my focus on being all of who I am. I do want to be better and there are many things I want to improve because like all human beings, I feel good when I’m learning, growing, creating, exploring. Personal development is powerful and exhilarating when it elf-improvement is powerful when it comes from a place of growth.
NS: What is one thing about well-being you wish you’d learned earlier?
PC: That there is no one way to live a great life, to live one that is interesting and healthy and satisfying. There are lots of ways to do it. Lots of ways of living a fulfilling life and making a difference. The unique qualities and quirks we bring are superpowers. Find what matters to you, explore, study, share, engage. Be a part of the world and you’ll learn what fills you up, then do those things.
NS: Do you have a go-to wellness practice you would like to share?
PC: Focus on this moment. Instead of worrying or what-iffing about what might happen, focus on living as well as possible in this moment. Life isn’t always rosy. It doesn’t always feel good, but that doesn’t mean anything is wrong. It just is. So, make this moment a little better and you automatically improve the moment after. String a lot of good little moments together and in the end, you have a great big good life. It’s the process that matters most, not achieving some goal in 20 years. When we stay clear about that, we will reach our goals and have a good time doing it. Participation matters. It is the life.
NS: Do you have a writing tip for the writers out there?
PC: Read your work aloud. Always, but especially before you send it out anywhere. Build time into your schedule to do this. Write it. Let is steep for a few days or weeks if you can. Then print it out and read it aloud. You’ll hear the rhythm of the words, the pacing and the holes or bumps.
NS: What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?
That, if you want to publish, you should target the smallest sites and publications. Baloney, aim high. See what happens. Also, I don’t like the “write what you know tip.” I often write what I don’t know but want to learn. More interesting.
NS: And the best?
PC: Be careful about how you talk about your work and your writing. Don’t battle it. Don’t emphasize how hard it can be. Use language that supports and shapes and allows the expansiveness that creativity requires. Our writing is an ally that helps us understand the world. We do not have to have an adversarial relationship with it, even on the days when it is difficult to do.
NS: Has your life turned out differently than you expected? If so, how?
PC: Well, from my earliest memory, I knew I was a writer. I wanted to write books and magazine articles and speak to audiences and I’m so grateful that I am able to do that. But I was also going to remain single, childless, living in New York, living the life of a bestselling published author in some NYC penthouse. Instead, I fell for an awesome man, who didn’t want to live in New York. The Internet emerged so I could work from anywhere. And, so I live in the suburbs of Oregon, with my husband, daughter, and three animals.
NS: Is there anything you would change about your journey?
PC: I don’t think like this. Wishing things were different doesn’t change them. Of course, there have been ups and downs and difficulties, but I look on them as situations that are part of life, not problems or liabilities. Instead, I try to find the lessons in what I have experienced and experience gratitude for the moments both rewarding and challenging. I haven’t loved all the experiences I’ve had, but I’m grateful for them.
NS: What are you currently reading for inspiration?
PC: I pick up all kinds of stuff and right now I’m checking out Christy Whitman’s book The Desire Factor.
NS: Is there a wellness or inspirational book you couldn’t finish? Why?
PC: This is almost blasphemous, but The Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life, by Deepak Chopra. I did finish it, but I thought about quitting many times. It didn’t resonate. Felt cumbersome, ambiguous. As a reader I also prefer very direct language and practical applications. May pick it up at another time—my preferences change as I do—but it wasn’t my thing.
NS: What wellness book could you not put down?
PC: Steering by Starlight, by Martha Beck.
NS: What’s next for you writing wise?
PC: Ahhh, well, I’m playing with a new writing project in a genre completely different than what I have worked in before. And I’m working on new nonfiction idea. Developing the proposal now. Also hope to expand my podcast Polly Campbell, Simply Said.
AND FINALLY:
NS: Mermaids or Goddesses? (Superheroes or Gods?)
PC: Goddesses
NS: Toast or bagels?
PC: Bagels
NS: Ocean, mountains, or forest?
PC: Oceans
NS: Leggings or jeans? (Jeans or slacks or sweatpants?)
PC: Sweats. I avoid hard pants as much as possible.
NS: Dogs, cats, fish, guinea pigs, or horses?
PC: Cats. But don’t tell my dog. And yes, I do love them equally.
About the Author:
Polly Campbell is the host of the podcast Polly Campbell, Simply Said and the author of four books including You, Recharged: How to Beat Fatigue (Mostly), Amp Up Your Energy (Usually), and Enjoy Life Again (Always) and How to Live an Awesome Life: How to Live Well. Do Good. Be Happy. She is a blogger with Psychology Today and her magazine articles appear regularly in online and print publications.
She is a frequent guest on Afternoon Live, on the ABC affiliate in Portland and is a sought-after speaker and guest on podcasts and radio programs attracting listeners who want to live well, do good, be happy. Campbell has integrated the things she writes and talks about into her own life through practical experience. She lives with her husband and daughter in Oregon.
Where to find Polly:
Her website: www.pollycampbell.com
Podcast: Polly Campbell Simply Said, How to Live Well, Do Good, Be Happy:
You, Recharged
FB: @PollyCampbellAuthor
Instagram: @pollylcampbell
Twitter: @PLCampbell
www.pollycampbell.com
If you purchase something through the affiliate links on this page, Write Now Columbus, a collection of resources for central Ohio writers and readers, will receive a small percentage of the sale.
![Author Interview: Polly Campbell]()
by Theresa Garee | Apr 23, 2021 | Author Interviews, Blog
Author Interview: Rachael Wolff
I interview wellness authors to find out what makes them tick and why they write the books they do. Rachael Wolff, another Mango Publishing author, and I spend time together nearly every week at the Heart Wisdom panel. Rachael’s smile and good nature warms every heart. I hope you’ll find her as wise and lovely as I do.
Nita Sweeney (NS): Tell us about your book
Rachael Wolff (RW): My book is Letters from a Better Me: How Becoming an Empowered Woman Transforms the World. The letters act as a transformational guide igniting the powerful women inside that have suppressed for too long. The journey begins with taking a trip into our own internal chaos where we take off our blinders and see where we are holding ourselves prisoner. Next, we implement the process of accepting ourselves where we are and start working from there. Finally, we shift into action and become the positive change we want to see. The letters shift negative self-talk and blame into true empowerment. Empower Yourself, Change the World!
NS: What made you want to write this book?
RW: I actually fought the idea of writing a women’s empowerment book at first. I had tried to sell another book that didn’t get any bites. I was in the middle of writing another book about abuse. My agent asked me if I could write a women’s empowerment book. Based on what was selling at the time, I was concerned. My definition of empowerment is about being accountable and responsible for what is mine and then projecting the best authentic version of me out to the world.
I believe wholeheartedly in the message Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi amplified, which is to live the change from the inside out. My agent and I were actually on a retreat in Sedona, Arizona when the idea of how to write the book came into my head. I was walking a labyrinth and I saw it. The book is to get us out of our own way in acting against ourselves and each other, and empowering ourselves to transform the world by living and BEING the change.
NS: Why did you use letters to do this?
RW: I use letters, because letters are personal. We can see each other and ourselves in letters. When I write letters, I write from the heart—committed and invested in every word. They are my way of connecting emotionally and being accountable and responsible for the words I put out into the world. When I write them to myself, they become a contract to be a better me. Letters are how I broke the most self-destructive patterns in my life. I wanted to share them, along with the other tools I picked up along the way that got me to stop self-abusing and find true empowerment.
NS: What message do you hope readers take away?
RW: First, I want readers to get that our perspectives are our freedoms or our prisons. A better me is our inner wisdom that knows the difference. Second, our stories have the power to free us or hold us back, but we have to see them to be able to re-write them. Lastly, I hope readers finish with a clear vision on how to represent the changes they want to see by living the changes in their own lives.
NS: Writing (and life) can be stressful. How do you take care of yourself?
RW: I’m a self-care tool queen, LOL. I’ve been reading self and spiritual growth books since I was fourteen, which is over 30 years now. I have been in and out of therapy since the age of 10 and my degree is in Human Development. The blessing is that my journey comes with an AMBUNDANCE of tools. I use different ones depending on where I am in the moment. One of the ways I take care of myself right now is writing a daily blog called, “Daily Aligning with Love, Abundance, and Peace” on FromALovingPlace.com. This helps me to be accountable and responsible for my energy daily.
Reading and writing a lot helps me process any of the more challenging situations or feelings that come up. I believe every feeling has something important to show me, so it’s important for me to allow myself to feel through things. I let the feelings guide me into healing past wounds that are keeping my energy aligned with fear, lack, and separation at any point in time.
Feelings are healthy allies until we deny, suppress, avoid, or blame others for them. That’s when they turn into toxic energy, which creates more of what we don’t want to see in the world. That’s why I make it a part of my self-care to be present with them and feel them through. When the feelings are fully aligned with the energy of love, abundance, and peace, I do my best to spread that energy as far as I can, because when I’m in that space, my self-care is through connecting with others from a loving place.
NS: Tell us about your work.
RW: I’m a speaker for both professional and personal growth. I speak at workshops and seminars, live and virtual. My goal as a speaker is to help people connect to what is holding them back and give them opportunities to change what is no longer serving them. People come out with tools to improve their situation no matter what their situation is because what they will uncover is their ability to change their story from the inside. I absolutely LOVE seeing or hearing people’s AHA moments. It’s one of my favorite parts about the work I do.
NS: What led you to this path?
RW: My interest has always been in understanding people. I’ve noticed signs guiding me down this path since high school. I won awards for Public Speaking, English, and Guidance. I was writing a sales tip column for a trade magazine, developing and leading training programs, and speaking all over the United States and Canada throughout my 20’s.
In my thirties, I became a preschool teacher, a full-time single mom, and a college student, which is where a deep shift happened. I became aware of the dangerous path my own stories took me down. My inner dialog was BRUTAL and the things that were happening in my life were a reflection of what was going on inside of me.
When I changed my internal stories (with a lot of help), my life began to transform in the most AMAZING of ways. My insides began to match my outsides. It was in this shift that I learned the impact of what it meant to live life from a loving place. In my 40’s, I began sharing my new stories with the world on FromALovingPlace.com. As I practiced living this way daily the way I see the world changes, which keeps creating physical changes in my reality. Now, I keep getting opportunities to help others do the same for themselves. I love how the Universe works.
NS: Do you have a motto or slogan you find helpful? If so, how did you arrive at that?
RW: My perspective is my freedom or my prison. I follow it up with the question: What am I creating for myself right now? This gets me to question the stories I’m weaving in my head. Are they coming from the energy of love, abundance, and peace or fear, lack, and separation? This came to me from the awareness that if I let my stories get away from me, I’m creating a prison for myself. The motto helps me stay accountable and responsible for EVERYTHING that I’m projecting out to the world. It helps me to find clarity in the confusion.
NS: What’s the worst wellness (mental health, self-care) advice you’ve ever heard?
RW: “You can’t do it that way and get results.” I’ve heard this a lot in many different ways. What people forget, including me sometimes, is that we all have our own journeys. That’s what makes us uniquely us. When we embrace our unique and authentic selves, we live empowered.
I do my best to remember that someone else is living their own perspectives of truth. It’s their choice to figure out if those perspectives work to serve them living their best lives, just like it’s my choice to figure out what works best to serve me living my best life. If we convince ourselves that something doesn’t or won’t work, it won’t for us. It doesn’t make that reality true for someone who believes differently.
NS: What does it mean to live your best life?
RW: For me, that means living from a loving place. In order to do this, I’ve seen the importance of staying aligned with the energy of love, abundance, and peace over fear, lack, and separation as much I possibly can. I do my best to align my thoughts, feelings, perspectives of truth (beliefs), actions, responses, and reactions in accordance to aligning my energy there. I don’t make excuses when my energy is not there, I simply take responsibility and accountability for where I am and I use one of my many tools to help me to get back to being aligned with that energy. Sometimes this can take seconds, other times it might take a day, but with LOTS and LOTS of practice, it rarely takes more than that.
One time, it did. I sought professional assistance working through my grief of losing my dad and stepmom within a few years of each other. The other time, I started writing my daily blog because none of my other tools were working. Too much of the energy of fear, lack, and separation kept taking me over and that affected my thoughts, feelings, beliefs, actions, and OH BOY my reactions. I was struggling to live from a loving place during that time period and the people who were close to me were the ones feeling it most.
Living my best life in the moment includes a lot of reading, writing, connecting with others, and connecting with nature. When I do these things, I naturally take care of my body, mind, and soul without shaming or forcing myself to be or live differently than I am in this moment. My outer world reflects my inner world, so I love what comes out of me living in this place.
NS: What is one thing about coping you wish you’d learned earlier?
RW: Something funny, but yet Divinely perfect happened to me while reading this question. I had a reaction to the word coping, which means I had an unhealthy attachment to the word from some point in my past. I’ve found when that happens it’s VERY important to look the word up, because it usually has nothing to do with the actual word, it’s my story around the word that tends to be the problem.
That is probably one of the things that would have been useful to know earlier. I used to get so unconsciously bent out of shape by the way words were being used. In the past, I may have gotten very defensive because of my internal reaction to the word. When I realized we are all just interpreting words through our own perspectives of truth, understanding this helped me to ask more questions instead of jump on the judgment bandwagon, which just keeps me in a toxic story in my head. I used to have so many rage-filled conversations in my head because of a word that I could be seeing completely differently than the person saying it.
Every once in awhile on my From A Loving Place Facebook page, I will get a reaction to a word I’ve used.
I’ve learned to explain my vision of the word while also letting them know that I see that they are looking at it through their lived experiences. I thank them for sharing how the word affected them. The responses usually thank me for explaining my view more, and 9 times out of ten they take their original comment down. My mom taught me, “You can’t make me feel anything.” Other people offer us tools to see ourselves, but they don’t have the power to make us happy, sad, crazy, etc. When I fully absorbed this lesson, I got my power back.
I learned to live and feel my feel MY feelings. That means if I have a reaction, I’m responsible and accountable to become aware of what this word, feeling, person, or situation is showing me about myself. I’ve healed and grown so much from learning to do this. I even had a healing moment from simply looking up the word coping, because the definition in my head took me back to a toxic situation where an addict would refer to his abuse of alcohol and drugs as “coping,” which triggered feelings of anxiety and fear along with a knot in my stomach. It wasn’t the word; it was the story I was tying to the word. Seeing the actual definition changed the story behind the word to a much healthier one.
NS: Do you have a writing tip for the writers out there?
RW: Write in your authentic voice and stay open to learn how to be a better writer while remaining true to that voice. Nobody can write in your voice better than you. I struggled in my writing until I found my voice. Trying to mimic other people’s voices did NOT serve me well, but remaining open to learn, I not only found my authentic voice, I found ways to make my voice shine through using lots of wonderful suggestions and skills I was taught along the way. I’m open to constructive criticism, which is one of the ways I attracted my agent to me. She loved that I didn’t get defensive when she had ideas or suggestions to make my writing stronger.
NS: What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?
RW: I’m not sure about the worst, but when it was suggested I write like someone else, that didn’t work at all. Nobody wanted to buy that book. It was only when I read the book back later that I saw the difference in the book that sold and the book that didn’t. I was trying to write like a particular best-selling author, but that wasn’t my authentic writing voice.
NS: And the best?
RW: The absolute best advice I ever got was to study and write poetry. I took an independent study of poetry my senior year of high school. Learning rhythm and flow has made the process of writing magical to me. If I don’t feel the flow and the rhythm, I’ve noticed the reader doesn’t either. I’ve seen this in critiques of my work and others too. If something comes back feeling choppy, it’s usually because I fell out of that flow and rhythm.
NS: Has your life turned out differently than you expected? If so, how?
RW: My life is definitely different, but what I realized is that it turned out to be perfect fit for me. I used to put other people’s ideas of how my life SHOULD look at the forefront, and that only ever kept me from living my authentic life. Now that I’ve become clear on the importance living my own journey. I live both authentically and abundantly. It doesn’t matter how anyone else judges it. I love my life, and because I love my life, I serve the people in my life to the best of my ability. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to be given healing opportunities in my interactions with others, I will and I do. I’m a single mom with two teenagers, LOL. I get LOTS of opportunities.
NS: Is there anything you would change about your journey?
RW: I wouldn’t want to change one thing, because it wouldn’t be my journey if I did. If I changed one thing, a string of things would change. I love what I have to give because of my journey. Some people don’t realize the levels of trauma I’ve experienced in my life because of how I choose to live now. I refused to believe that I would remain a victim of my perpetrators my whole life, so I didn’t give up until I found a way to live my life on my terms. I’ve gone through tons of different belief systems along the way, and I learned to effectively weed out the ones that don’t serve my highest good. Each experience I have leads me to more opportunities. I love that!
NS: What are you currently reading for inspiration?
RW: I’m reading four books right now: You Recharged by Polly Campbell, Conversations with God Book 3 by Neal Donald Walsh, Hiring the Heavens by Jean Slatter, and The Wisdom Codes by Gregg Braden. I tend to have a couple audiobooks and a couple physical books going at all times. Most of the books I read investigate people’s perspectives of truths because I love learning about people. I love looking at it from every angle and belief system. The books I align with feed the energy of love, abundance, and peace within me. I love personal growth, academic, memoir, biography, spiritual, and pretty much anything that dives into the human experience. There are so many perspectives to explore, which is usually why I have four books going at a time.
NS: Is there a wellness or inspirational book you couldn’t finish? Why?
RW: There have been a few books, but what I’ve realized is that if I’m meant to pick a book up, there is a reason. If I’m meant to put a book down there is a reason. I get what I’m supposed to get from every experience in perfect timing. It took me three tries to read The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. I wasn’t ready to see the whole book until I did. One chapter that helped me get out of an abusive relationship was towards the end of the book. I KNOW I wasn’t ready to fully absorb the wisdom until the moment I read it.
There have been other books that I’ve struggled through, but couldn’t put down, and EVERY TIME there was either a line or a chapter that had a lasting affect on my journey. I’ve learned to trust where I’m led and when I’m led there. It’s one of the many reasons I don’t usually get rid of books related to wellness or personal growth even if I don’t connect with them right now. The only exception is if I feel a book is attempting to get the reader to align with the energy of fear, lack, and separation. If they are doing it intentionally to enlighten the reader on how the brain works, I will keep reading. If they are using it to manipulate the reader into feeding it, I either put it down or use it for research in understanding humans better.
NS: What wellness book could you not put down?
RW: Loving What Is by Byron Katie
NS: What’s next for you writing wise?
RW: I’m going to complete my 365-day adventure of writing my daily blog “Daily Aligning with Love, Abundance, and Peace.” Then, I’m diving into writing a series of books to make the path inward an enjoyable adventure.
AND FINALLY:
NS: Mermaids or Goddesses?
RW: Depends, if I get the feeling of empowerment by looking at her, I WANT her!
NS: Toast or bagels?
RW: Bagels
NS: Ocean, mountains, or forest?
RW: I love them all. I appreciate whichever one I’m offered in the moment. All three can move me into grounded and centered energy that take me to a state of AWE.
NS: Leggings or jeans?
RW: Soft yoga pants for home and jeans or cargos for adventuring.
NS: Dogs, cats, fish, guinea pigs, or horses?
RW: I’m a lifetime cat person who now has a dog that is my baby.
About Rachael Wolff
Rachael Wolff is an author, speaker, and blogger. Wolff got her professional start traveling the United States and Canada in the 1990’s as a sales trainer performing at conferences, sales seminars, and for individual distributors, manufacturers, and retailers. She graduated from Eckerd College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development and a minor in Anthropology with an award in “Excellence in Human Development.” She continues to use her 30 plus years of personal and spiritual development, along with her professional and formal education to inspire individuals to make positive changes in the world by becoming their best selves.
Website/Blog: https://FromALovingPlace.com
Inspirational Facebook Page: https://Facebook.com/FromALovingPlace
Author Facebook Page: https://Facebook.com/LettersfromaBetterMe
Twitter: https://Twitter.com/Wolffspirit9
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lettersfromabetterme/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wolffwisdom
Email: lettersfromabetterme@gmail.com
If you purchase something through the affiliate links on this page, Write Now Columbus, a collection of resources for central Ohio writers and readers, will receive a small percentage of the sale.
