When we look back at our lives we can be tempted to color in the shades we want and not look at the ones we have. Writing our life stories ask they we look at our past with a clear eye. It doesn’t have to be pretty, it should be authentic.

Have you decided to write your life story? Start now. Face it squarely and peer into the darkness.

Books, books and more books

My bookshelf for writers. Featuring some of my fave books right off my shelf. Affiliate Amazon links

Christmas day dinner

What is your favorite holiday story? Do you have one?

When creating your life story you may have to dive deep into past memories to unearth the gems. Family photos are a good way to jog your memory of past experiences. Don’t be afraid of the less then pleasant memories. We all have stories of arguments, badly cooked meals and the presents gone really wrong. The good and bad experiences make up a life story.

My fond memory is waking up in the morning to a tree full of gifts underneath. My mom had to raise my sister and I after my father passed away. I am not sure how she managed the shopping, hiding the presents and all the wrapping that took place in our tiny railroad flat apartment. Nonetheless, we had a lovely tree, lots of gifts and ate a great breakfast on Christmas morning.

Each Christmas was so very special and it is the thing I miss most now as an adult.

When creating your life story you may not recall the precise details of each event. You don’t need every detail sometimes a broad stroke will be enough to convey the meaning of the memory for you.

Start small. Pick a holiday photo and just write every thing you remember about the people, day and event surrounding the photo.  As example you may have a photo with you and your brother around the tree but what people don’t know is your brother is pulling you hair behind your back. Or that right after the photo your brother fell back and the tree tipped over. Did you fight? Did you laugh? Try to recall as much as you can and do worry about the precise details. Start writing and let the memories flow.

Writing for Life: Creating a Story of Your Own: http://www.selfhealingexpressions.com/course_overview_17.shtml

There are folks who do well all by themselves. They are excellent self-motivators who can work hours alone and not give in to depression, sadness or defeat. I know a few people like that and I do admire them tremendously. I can spend hours alone. But I do need to come out of the cave and interact with people and get some feedback.

Where do you stand? Can you go it totally alone, or, do you need some interaction like a shot of B12 to get you energized?

I have been running the writers group for nine years. This fall begins our tenth and final year for this particular workshop. Many talented writers have come and gone over the course of the group. We have lost over five people to illnesses. The group mourns these losses. We mourn the loss of a particular poetic voice that we will never hear from again.  We have had really new writers, experienced writers, crazy writers, sweet & kind writers. We have had writers who hated everything we offered them. We have had writers who wanted us to pick them out of the crowd and make them more special then anyone else. Those writers leave in a huff, writing group emails to complain about us.

Then we have the writers who are so happy to be there. They are so happy to have a place to share their work. These are the writers who have something so profound to say it has taken them a lifetime to feel safe enough to share their work publicly.

At some point one or two of our favorite writers become the kind of writes who can work totally on their own.  The experience has given them the confidence to go off and write.

This past Thursday, while the wind and rain raged, we gathered to share work and discuss goals. Since this is our last year we are asking them to go big. Choose a huge goal and use the group as a support to achieve their dream.

No matter what kind of writer you are must develop a thick skin and keep an open heart. Choose a big goal and go for it. Take a risk today and see what happens tomorrow.

After 10 years of facilitating a writing program I’ve come to develop a deep dislike for grammar. I want to love grammar and what it can do to enhance writing. I want to love it as a technique that moves writing from boring to scintillating. I want to love grammar and the way it can frame a piece of writing and hold it all together. I want to love grammar the same way I love the technique an artist uses to create a great work of art. Grammar, right now, I am mad at you. Here’s why.

Ten years ago I co-created a writing group so that a bunch of us could share our work and get some feedback. The group evolved into a workshop format with an instructor, homework, and a reading at the end of the season. The group attracts new writers and writers who are shy about their work. A writer, nervous about their work, comes in and reads a heartfelt story. The emotion in the room is palpable. The feedback is, “in the second paragraph, it should be semi-colon not a colon”. What? The person just gave us an incredible piece about their life as an adoptee and what you noticed is the semi-colon?

I edit an anthology each year with two friends who have told me the grammar of a piece is more important then the content. That is what frustrates me about people and grammar. Grammar becomes a cultish devotion that seems to forget the craft it serves. I read a lovely piece about how Shakespeare used the language to add the pauses and inflection needed.  English grammar did not yet exist for him.

I want to love grammar, but I want to love the content of writing more. I want to love grammar as a tool that helps to clarify and move a piece along.

I will pick up my grammar books again. One day I will love the semi-colon and eradicate a dangling particple. In the meantime, I keep reading and loving the words.

Grammar, we will be friends.

The dark side comes when writing becomes the place where dark emotions are given seed and thrive. One takes you through pain and brings you to a greater understanding of who you are. The other kind of writing leaves you wallowing in your dark misery.

Acknowledge your feelings. I have had those moments when I felt bad about my negative emotions. How nuts is that?

We all have moments when life sucks. If you are sad. Be sad. Are you pissed off? Go ahead and rage. The danger lies in burying negative feelings. Use your journal to vent those feelings that have your head spinning.

Are you angry? What is the anger about? Can you do something about it? Use a journal to work out some solutions to the feelings. As example; If you are angry about losing a job then write about it. Hate your old boss? Write it. Co-workers were mean-say it. Did you work hard and were laid off anyway? Go ahead rant and rage. Your journal is a safe place to say it all.

When circumstances seem beyond our control it helps to take some of it back. Using the job as an example, brainstorm some steps to earn cash. Outline steps to take care of yourself. Create a dream map of your perfect life.

Use your journal to work out your demons and as a rich source of creative dreaming.

Tomorrow I will interview Peggy McColl. Peggy is an expert on creating best sellers. Join us as we discuss her new book, The Won Thing

On air Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 2PM EDT

Peggy McColl, Author of The Won Thing: The “One” Secret to a Totally Fulfilling Life, 21 Distinctions of Wealth: Attract the Abundance You Deserve, Your Destiny Switch: Master Your Key Emotions, and Attract the Life of Your Dreams, Be a Dog With a Bone: Always Go for Your Dreams

Peggy McColl is an internationally recognized expert in the area of destiny achievement whose purpose is to make a positive contribution to the lives of millions of others. She has been inspiring individuals, experts, professional athletes, and organizations to reach their potential for the past 25 years. She is the president and founder of Dynamic Destinies Inc., an organization committed to delivering sound principles for creating lasting and positive change.

Peggy will join us to discuss her new book, The Won Thing: The “One” Secret to a Totally Fulfilling Life

“Women who live the life of their dreams don’t get there by being dainty and darling. They demand what they want and do what it takes to make it happen. [That] could mean breaking a few rules, a few hearts and a few habits along the way, especially the habit of apologizing for who you are.”
~ Laurie Sue Brockway from A Goddess Is A Girl’s Best Friend

September 8 Jonathan Fields, Author of Career Renegade: How to Make a Great Living Doing What You Love

1. What Is a Career Renegade?

A Career Renegade is someone who makes a conscious choice to build your career around the activities, settings and people who make you come alive… and figure out how to do all this while earning enough to live very comfortably in the world and giving back to the greater community-from an interview with Mark McGuinness

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/SandraLeeSchubert/2009/09/08/Jonathan-Fields-Author-Career-Renegade-on-Wild-Woman-Network

September 15 Peggy McColl, Author of The Won Thing: The “One” Secret to a Totally Fulfilling Life, 21 Distinctions of Wealth: Attract the Abundance You Deserve, Your Destiny Switch: Master Your Key Emotions, and Attract the Life of Your Dreams, Be a Dog With a Bone: Always Go for Your Dreams

Peggy McColl is an internationally recognized expert in the area of destiny achievement whose purpose is to make a positive contribution to the lives of millions of others. She has been inspiring individuals, experts, professional athletes, and organizations to reach their potential for the past 25 years. She is the president and founder of Dynamic Destinies Inc., an organization committed to delivering sound principles for creating lasting and positive change.

Peggy will join us to discuss her new book, The Won Thing: The “One” Secret to a Totally Fulfilling Life
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/SandraLeeSchubert/2009/09/15/Peggy-McColl-Author-The-Won-Thing-on-Wild-Woman-Network

September 22 Joe Nunziata, Author of Spiritual Selling: How to Use the Attractor Sales System to Create Abundance in Your Business

Joe Nunziata is an internationally known speaker and bestselling author. He has been delivering his life changing message at events and seminars since 1992. Joe has been working in the areas of personal development and human potential for over 20 years. His unique blend of spirituality, psychology, philosophy and the power of energy results in revolutionary new programs and seminars.

Joe’s new bestselling book Spiritual Selling was released in August of 2007. This book combines powerful spiritual concepts with proven sales strategies. This new sales philosophy is being embraced by many entrepreneurs and corporations in today’s business community.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/SandraLeeSchubert/2009/09/22/Joe-Nunziata-author-of-Spiritual-Selling-on-Wild-Woman-Network

September 29 Arielle Ford Author of The Soulmate Secret: Manifest the Love of Your Life with the Law of Attraction, Hot Chocolate for the Mystical Lover: 101 True Stories of Soul Mates Brought Together by Divine Intervention,

Arielle Ford has spent the past 25 years living and promoting consciousness through all forms of media. She is one of the founding partners of the Spiritual Cinema Circle, a DVD club dedicated to providing movies about love and compassion. She is the author of seven books including the HOT CHOCOLATE FOR THE MYSTICAL SOUL series and her newest book THE SOULMATE SECRET: Manifest The Love of Your Life With The Law of Attraction. Her websites include http://www.soulmatesecret.com and http://www.everythingyoushouldknow.com

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/SandraLeeSchubert/2009/09/29/Arielle-Ford-Author-of-THE-SOULMATE-SECRET-on-Wild-Woman-Network

August 18 Sharon Lechter, Co-Author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad and Think and Grow Rich- Three Feet from Gold

Sharon is known world-wide as the co-author of the international best-selling book Rich Dad, Poor Dad and the Rich Dad series of books. During her 10 years with the Rich Dad Company, it grew into an international powerhouse with over 20 books, board games, Web sites, CDs, audio cassettes and seminars. Rich Dad, Poor Dad has been on The New York Times Best Sellers List for over six and a half years and is available in over 50 languages and sold in more than 108 countries. More than 27 million Rich Dad books have been sold around the world.

In 2007, Sharon left the managerial board of The Rich Dad Company to pursue focused work on financial education for children and families, as well as to continue work on improving our nation’s educational system. It was this passion that led her to recently launch Pay Your Family First and YOUTHpreneur.

http://www.slechter.com/about

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/SandraLeeSchubert/2009/08/18/Sharon-Lechter-Co-Author-Rich-Dad-Poor-Dad-on-Wild-Woman-Network

September 25 Liz Lynch, Author of Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online

Liz Lynch shows busy professionals and entrepreneurs—introverts and extroverts alike—how to get 24/7 networking results WITHOUT the 24/7 effort. As a top networking strategist, speaker, and author of Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online (McGraw-Hill, 2008), Liz has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today, as well as on ABC News, Fox Business News, CNBC.com, Forbes.com and Businessweek.com. She holds an engineering degree from UC Berkeley and an MBA from Stanford University. For more smart networking tips and resources, and to test your own “networking attraction factor” visit http://www.NetworkingExcellence.com.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/SandraLeeSchubert/2009/08/25/Liz-Lynch-author-of-Smart-Networking-Wild-Woman-Network

September 1 Phyllis Haynes, Award Winning Television Personality

She is an award winning television personality, Producer, and former ABC News Correspondent. Phyllis Haynes has been motivating, training, and inspiring people around the world and across the USA and was invited by the European Union to bring her work to the emerging marketplaces of Central and Eastern Europe.

RE: Social Media Marketing Tele-Training

Be sure you clear your calendar for this…

On Thursday, September 3rd, I’m co-sponsoring a teleseminar training on how to boost your profits and productivity utilizing the power of “Social Media Marketing” and online media.

If you don’t discover the money-making secrets of Social Media now, you’ll hate yourself later.

I have made special arrangements to get you private phone access to one of the world’s top Social Media Marketers, Alex Mandossian. (See below)

If you or a friend want to listen, click here <— Forward this to 2 friends

You can access Alex’s unique 45-minute tele-training during one or both of these
two convenient sessions:

Morning Session: 9am Pacific/12pm Eastern
Evening Session: 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern

You even get a 2-page page “Action Guide” that’s available for you to download now!

* * * Get Access to Alex’s Bonus Training * * *

If you’d also like private life time access to a special, advanced training at
6pm Pacific/9pm Eastern,
choose that option after asking your question.

To Your Success