good books

You know how sometimes no matter how hard you try to write, you just can’t seem to get any words on the page? Hello 2020. Today,  poet, writer, two-time author and writing coach Nicole Gulotta shares why that can sometimes be a good thing, how inspiration ebbs and flows, and how in learning to be more present with our writing we do eventually get more writing done.

Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer’s Path
Eat This Poem: A Literary Feast of Recipes Inspired by Poetry

nicolemgulotta.com
 thewildwords.com

Podcast: The Wild Words Podcast  

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Do you consider yourself a confident person? If not, what's getting in your way?

Not only has Hilary Billings interviewed some of the biggest celebrities out there on the red carpet, she's been in the spotlight herself as Miss Nevada.  Hilary is a self proclaimed recovering perfectionist, and, on this episode, she shares her journey from inadequacy to confidence. Hint: "fake it until you make it" isn't the answer.

@Hilary_Billings
hilarybillings.com

Who remembers the time capsules we used to make in elementary school? A box of some sort decorated with fillings of what you will want to remember in the future. Well, in 2020 it may feel hard to think 'what would fill a capsule with to describe this insane year?' Listen to the  finale of season 1 while Kala and Desi talk through just this. Between the mix of topics, and the wine of choice hitting early, there is never a dull moment in Episode 21: 2020 Time Capsule. 

No matter who you are, it's sometimes difficult to access your intuition. Kim Chestney, author, creative business incubator, and intuition expert, joins us on this episode to dive into what intuition is, what keeps us from trusting ourselves, and how to use intuition to fuel a creative life.

Order a copy of her new book to learn more: Radical Intuition: A Revolutionary Guide to Using Your Inner Power

kimchestney.com
IG @Kim.Chestney

What happens when the story we've been working towards takes a sharp turn? What do we do when, despite our best attempts to prepare, difficult and painful moments come our way anyways? What do we do when we think to ourselves, "This is not how this story was supposed to go"?

In today's episode, Ally tells the story of her daughter's birth. To put it lightly, nothing went as planned.

Ally shares how she used writing to re-understand the pain, trauma, and beauty of her birth experience. 

Why are some people happier and more successful than others? And is there anything we can do to move ourselves from here (discontent, striving, always looking for the next thing) to there?

Tim Schurrer, COO of StoryBrand and author of an upcoming book on success, says yes. Listen in to hear the mindset change which can make all the difference for you: in your personal life and in your career.

Instagram: @timschurrer
businessmadesimple.com 

So often are we wonder, "Did I do it the 'right way'?"

But what if, instead, we asked ourselves, "Did I feel empowered by that experience?"

Brittany Ross is a voice on marriage, motherhood, baseball, and anti-trafficking. She's a writer and client of Find Your Voice. Her journey is one which makes us pause, reflect, and ask ourselves new questions.

mission108.com
instagram.com/britt_ross108

So many of us write for ourselves, but we wonder, “Could this be my full time gig?”

Author, TED speaker, blogger, and writing coach Hannah Brencher shares why (and how) she's made "writer" her professional title. She also reflects on her publishing experience: what she learned publishing her first book and all the ways she’s writing differently now. 

Most importantly, Brencher demystifies what it means to write professionally and encourages all writers to fall in love with the process.

Preorder: Fighting Forward: Your Nitty-Gritty Guide to Beating the Lies That Hold You Back (January 2021)
Come Matter Here: Your Invitation to Be Here in a Getting There World
If You Find This Letter: My Journey to Find Purpose Through Hundreds of Letters to Strangers

hannahbrenchercreative.com
moreloveletters.com

IG: @hannahbrencher
IG: @moreloveletters
Twitter: @moreloveletters

What do you do when no one else seems to understand the story you’re living? 

You write your story. And, in that process, you change yourself, your community, and make space for others who, like you, feel alone. 

Paria Hassouri is a pediatrician, Iranian-American, and mother of three. Her book Found in Transition details her journey as a mother as her teenage transgender daughter transitioned. On this episode, Hassouri shares her wisdom on identity, healing, motherhood, and our own capacity to evolve and to love. 

Maybe some people just don’t find value in writing. 

Or maybe not.

Matthew Ford is not a writerly type. Founder and Executive Producer of an experiential marketing agency, he always had plenty to keep him busy with work and never felt the need to process through writing.

But like many entrepreneurs, he felt locked in the exhaustion of a 80-hour work week and weighed down by the relentless pressure of leading a growing business. 

Then COVID hit, and he lost over a million dollars in business overnight. 

So he turned to the tool he hadn’t really given a fair chance. And what came of it turned his life in a whole new direction.

wearebonfires.com

onsiteworkshops.com

Melissa Johnson, therapist, spiritual director, writer and podcaster, believes that the American version of beauty is way too small, which is why she started Impossible Beauty: an avenue for women to redefine beauty.

But Impossible Beauty would never have come into existence if Melissa did not have the courage to start writing her own story. Listen in as Melissa shares with complete transparency her book-writing journey, how it changed her, and where that path has led.

impossible-beauty.com

After uncovering trauma from his childhood, Robert Imbeault was set on ending his own life. But first, he felt compelled to write a letter. What started as a “goodbye letter” to his family and friends ended up instead turning his perspective around--he was saved by the very words that were meant to be his last.

On this episode, Robert reflects on the power of writing down one’s story, his own publishing path, and what it takes to heal.

robimbeault.com
Book: Before I Leave You: a Memoir on Suicide, Addiction, and Healing

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twitter.com/RobImbeault

What can we do when we feel “blocked” or “stuck”? Healer, writer and breathwork coach Jenna Reiss answers the question, “What is breathwork?” and dives into what to do when you feel unable to move forward—in our writing or in our lives. She’s also working on her first book, and she gets honest about her questions and fears as a first-time author with a book deal.

jennareiss.com
@jennamreiss

We start this episode with a number of stores I visited just yesterday in downtown Kernersville, NC. We encourage you all to shop local and find your friends and family unique gifts they can't buy at Walmart or any other chain. Then we dive into some updates and the top 10 business secrets to help you launch your dream.

10 Things I’ve Learned In Business

• 1. Extreme Ownership. As owner of the business, as leader of the business, CEO whatever you call yourself, you are 100% responsible for the outcome. Even if you employee 10, 100, or 1,000 people. If there is miscommunication leading to failure, that miscommunication is your fault. No excuses. Just accept your responsibility.
• 2. Have a plan. He who fails to plan, plans to fail. Have a plan for your company name, brand, tax filing status, registration of your business name, logos, etc. You don’t have to go over in depth with your plan but you need to plan the most important details. Your why, the solution you are proposing for the problem you have faced, the value you plan to give, how you plan to make money, who your target audience is, and how you plan to facilitate getting your value out to your target audience.
• 3. Keep your business funds separate from your personal funds. Two separate checking accounts. It’s easier to track. Download apps like every dollar, quickbooks, and other apps to help you track expenses and mileage, etc.
• 4.Don’t let fear of failure cost you everything. Don’t take away opportunities to grow yourself and your business because you are afraid of failure. The only way to gain new opportunities and to grow is to say yes to new experiences, things that scare you, and stuff that places you way the hell outside of your comfort zone.
• 5. Failure is a good thing. We have grown up believing the exact opposite because that’s what we have been taught, that failure is bad. Failure is how we learn. You actually want to fail, hard, fast, and a lot while you are young so you can have the wisdom and experience to develop and scale your business as you get older. Take those risks while you’re young and have time to recover.
• 6. “Never invest in a business you can’t understand. In business, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is” - Warren Buffett
• 7. If you have problems in your personal life prior to starting a business, those problems will be amplified upon launching a business. I.E. if you are experiencing marital problems before, they’re not going to get any better by adding more stress of owning a business. You have to invest in personal growth before and during the process of owning and running a business.
• 8. Always know how to do every facet of your business. Be capable of understanding every single detail of daily operations. That doesn’t mean do everything yourself. In fact, just the opposite. If you have the financial means, hire someone to do what you don’t have time to. But be familiar enough with how to do their job that you are not left in a pinch if they quit or you have to fire them. “You can’t make a good deal with a bad person” - Warren Buffett. Be worthy of the deals you make.
• 9. “Losing some money is an inevitable part of investing and there is nothing you can do to prevent it.” - Warren Buffett
• 10. Have patience. Building something of value takes time and takes patience. “No matter how great the talent of efforts, some things just take time. You can’t produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant.

Books to read

• Extreme Ownership - Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
• My Warren Buffett Bible - Robert L Bloch
• 80/20 Principle - Richard Koch
• The effective Executive - Peter F Drucker
• Ready, Fire, Aim - Michael Masterson
• Good To Great - Jim Collins
• The Lean Startup - Eric Ries
• The 4 Hour Workweek - Tim Ferris
• Originals - Adam Grant
• Start with Why - Simon Sinek
• The Hard Thing About Hard Things - Ben Horowitz
• Crushing It - Gary Veynerchuk

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Blinkist - Sick and tired of not having enough time to read? Do you frequently see tons of bestsellers out that you want to read but know in your heart you can't make time to read? Your solution is here! Blinkist actually takes one page summaries of these books and compiles them into a "blink" to send to you every day! With over 3,000 titles in their database, what are you waiting for?! Download the app today and try it for a FULL 24 HOURS for FREE! Be sure to use our link!

About the Show Host:
Megan James is the Founder of Legacy Lifestyle Coaching, a company dedicated to Lifestyle Design. She has an extensive background in life coaching, business coaching, and career coaching. Megan has designed a life she's proud of but she's not planning on stopping there. Now Megan intends to take her skills and knowledge gained through her personal and professional experiences and share them with you! If you like the show, please subscribe! Follow our Socials! Facebook (Podcast): https://www.facebook.com/The-Megan-James-Show-2336167713274705/
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