Last summer I attended BlogHer13, Sheryl Sandberg was a speaker, as you know she wrote the book Lean In. She asks the question, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” She had paper for us and said for us to write it down. With no thought I wrote, “Write the book – You can do it!” At the time it seemed like the most random thought, I didn’t know what it was but still went and had my picture taken with Sheryl with the sign.
Fast forward to February 19, where I wrote this post about my transition away from my full time job. I wrote it on the deck of sister in law’s house in Key Largo while I waited to go on vacation. While I ponder if I should pursue a network marketing adventure, the close of the post says I’m to write the book.
Then I went on vacation, and spoke at a couple of conferences and still pondered network marketing, then had a coach generously offer to help me launch my speaking career. We developed a plan for me launching a blog designed to attract more internet marketing speaking opportunities.
During that process, I struggled, daily, hourly. I would be ready to take on the world in the morning, by lunch, wailing I can’t do this, by dinner back to ruling the world. I fought with technology, I couldn’t write an editorial calendar, I have never felt so insecure (dangerous to say never, however my brain is full and don’t remember is becoming synonymous with never). I could stand up and give a 2 hour talk on internet marketing but couldn’t figure out how to break it down into manageable blog posts.
In the middle of this, I had lunch with my friend Lisa Darling. We talked of everything. We discussed this project that I’ve had in mind for about 7 years to help women when they are in transition. You know, post children or post divorce, they need real skills and someone to help them build their confidence and to show them that the skills they have just need to be packaged and marketed. She said, “Women in Transition, that’s the name of your book.” I honestly had forgotten what the post in February had said, but said, I don’t know what book I’d write.
Back to blogging, I posted Start with Why. My why in that was to add value to someone’s life everyday, whether it was a smile or discussing branding and helping them communicate who they were. I love branding, I love working with clients, but I couldn’t figure out why in the world I was blogging about it. I literally said to my mentor Monday, this is stupid, why am I doing this. I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to say that out loud, but it’s reality.
Then I had lunch with my friend Theresa. We are catching up on my transitions from the last few weeks. I share my insecurities and then she says the words that cemented my new trajectory. She said, “I was praying about our time today and after I said amen, God said, Will you tell Angela to write the book.” I was dumbfounded. I thanked her for being a sweet subtle 2×4 (sometimes I’m dense and I need billboards to tell me what to do).
I prayed and said, “God last week you told me to work on my blog, take Plexus so I would have a story and then walk through any doors open for The Belford Group but don’t spend time pursuing opportunities.” God said, “You didn’t ask which blog.”
So after a really ugly episode of curling up in a ball crying and telling my husband over and over again why I couldn’t write a book, I can’t do that, I don’t know how, I need to make money.” He said, “if this is what you are supposed to do then God will provide.”
Yesterday was the first day of my adventure of writing a book. Here’s what it looked like:
- Appointment with client to tell them how much money they can save with the credit card processing company I am a reseller for (I told you I love helping people, saving money is very helpful)
- Lunch with my husband to ponder my thoughts and outline of the book. He’s a great listener
- Stopped by the oral surgeon to make sure my best friend was actually going to be able to drive herself after getting a tooth pulled
- Got to my home office, checked email. Received an offer for a paid speaking gig in practically my hometown. Throughout the day negotiated and booked to be the speaker at the Heber Springs Quarterly Business Luncheon on social media strategy. I’m so excited about this. You will see as the book unfolds I have some painful memories from this part of the state that I’ve healed from. So to be invited to speak is super exciting. My husband said, see God is already providing.
- Then I actually got 2 hours to write. Yowsa. Thank goodness for giant post it notes to brainstorm and outline. (Other office pics)
Write book
- Then I drove to Little Rock with my friend Rachel to go to a meeting where I got to hear the company president of Plexus say that he took over control in 2008 because the product works and he wanted to do network marketing the way it could be done not the way it has always been done. I am in for that.
For me, that was a great day. It was full, the only thing I missed was picking up my daughter from junior high. I am cherishing that time because with one in college and one in high school, I know this time is so short.
So to the question of what are you doing these days. I am a speaker, trainer, author, consultant. I work on lots of projects at the same time and love speaking at conferences and workshops.
I share health and wellness while I balance my dear family and treasure my husband. My life is so full, which makes me very happy.
Now the real question. What does all this look like online? This blog address is my temporary living arrangement while my permanent home goes through a remodel. I will move the Internet Marketing for busy people posts to The Belford Group. I have some ideas when I am not feeling the pressure.
I love the name Got No Phobia – but I haven’t figured all that out. I don’t want to wait until I get everything perfect before I start. So I hope you will tune in here during construction.
As a blogger (I’ve never called my self that) I’m supposed to build my audience and let them know what to expect. The subtitle of this blog is Life Adventures Blog. Which means I don’t know yet. I think I will share stuff that will end up in the book, but it may just be about the journey of writing the book. I am trusting in God’s plan. If I knew the whole plan I would probably curl up even tighter in a ball, so for today, I have Got No Phobia.
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