Welcome to an Author’s first steps, and confessions.
First, a bit about myself and my background: Well, I am a bit of both worlds, business/ entrepreneur, and holistic/ spiritual self. I have a major in economics and business, and I’ve trained to become a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach in NY, USA. In my late 20’s I travelled to India to complete my Yoga and meditation Instructor certificate and continued to explore both the teachings and the practice (for life). Having a passion for wellness, taking care of my body/self and all those around me since I was a kid, I discovered that being a health coach was indeed my dream job. And continued my professional development to become an International Certified Health Coach, and a certified health coach and member of HCANZA-AC. I would say however, that as a kid I dreamt with making a difference, specially, helping other kids and people in need, and wishing that one day I could share with them and be of service to everyone having a happy, healthy life. I guess I was a very fortunate kid. With more than my basics covered and living in south America back then. I wanted to share my blessings with those that did not have the same opportunities that I had growing up… and…in came the writing. Writing has always been my most powerful way of expressing myself. And creating. I used to love writing essays and every time I saw a movie that involved an author or heard about a success story of a woman becoming a best-selling author, a little voice inside me would whisper “one day…one day, you will write your own book” (well, maybe it did say best seller, but I am trying to keep it humble lol) I will never forget when I heard about Joanne Rowling (J.K ROWLING) author of Harry Potter and how she used to story tell this saga to her kids, then wrote the story, blurb, and pitch on pieces of paper she carried on a suitcase while being in the benefit and rejected a dozen times…until. Until magic happened. And I want to say. I do believe in magic. I believe in dreams. I believe in aiming for the stars and making it happen. The inspiration behind this book started long ago. However, the peak time I can remember was walking through the rice fields in Ubud feeling so in love with life. I was rewiring my brain and remembering so many things that my soul had long forgotten. I started seeing life differently, feeling it differently, listening to people and conversations in a whole new way…and my lenses, the way in which I saw life changed. And so, I wanted to share this, with the whole world. My grandmother had past two days ago. I had left a silent retreat after being for more than a month there. And life was a whole new experience. Just like that picture I had going on in my memory of J.K. ROWLING, I went to a nice little Italian café and started writing there…this is where the story begins. That was the first draft. And it was still not the moment. I realized after finishing chapter 3 (handwriting. That’s right, I write everything by hand first) – that the words and story I was telling was nice, but it was not from a place of forgiveness. YET I had to continue my own journey towards self-forgiveness and others, to re write and re start from a place of presence and consciousness. It took me around 2 years to write the book. With stops and pauses in between. I had what’s is called as “writers block” more than once and experienced a whole Impostor syndrome 101 before finishing it. Lucky me at that time, I was committed to a Health coaching mastermind group with other colleagues from NZ/AUS and they backed me up, supported me, encouraged, and helped me in ways beyond what they might even now. One of them won a “Book coaching session” in Australia and decided to gift it back to me. As she knew I was struggling and needed some help. Another one, helped me revel my biggest block, I was waiting for outside validation, when all the validation I needed was inside of me. “I am the only one that can validate myself” said one of my notes in my writing desk in Stewart Island. My partner also really supported me, always thinking that I would become a best seller and would be writing book after book (HEY, STILL AFTER THAT DREAM!) So yes, I HAVE OTHER books in mind, and I have already started the draft for my second one…If I can share something, is that again, it will be a book that will help you. It will help you get things done, courageously going for them, embracing mistakes, and releasing the need to be perfect. My schedule when writing my book, and after checking with the book coach, was quite strict. I had to write every day (hand of course) at least for 30 minutes at 11.11. If it was more, then great, less than that, I would still sit down and wait for those 30 minutes in case any idea came up. I also started playing a little bit. Cause, I don’t like it when things get sooooo serious that I stop enjoying. That was never the plan, or the purpose behind the book. So, I had all these huge POST IT NOTES, and small ones, and heart shaped ones, and stars… And I did a detective board. I guess I had seen this before in several movies and always thought what a good idea it was. Got my titles, got the subtitles, got the quotes and Dr’s and lessons and coaching tips that I wanted to share. And started linking them all. Sometimes at 11.11 I would stare both the board and my blank page