Coaching that Works Like Magic and Feels Like a Coffee Date

With an abundance of coaching out there, I often find myself wondering: how does it work? Especially when I see new kinds of coaches, or more open-ended kinds of coaching. For instance, life coaching. 

How do you know you need a life coach? And how would life coaching help me, if I decided I needed one? 

I was interviewing someone about mental health coaching the other day, and as she was explaining what she does, it made so much sense! But because I’d never heard of it before, I probably wouldn’t have reached out if I’d seen an ad or something. (By the way, If you’re curious, read all about what a mental health coach is here - very cool!) 

As I was reflecting, it occurred to me that the benefits of what I do as a writing coach may not be super obvious. After all, I hadn’t heard anything about writing coaches until I got into the online business world. And even then, there’s a TON of mixed messaging. 

If you’re still a little fuzzy about what writing coaching is, read this. It’s all about what I do, and what other kinds of writing coaches there are.. 

Anyway, today I wanted to share why writing coaching can help you - what you get out of the bargain! After all, it’s your work and creativity that you’re contemplating, right? It’s gotta make sense for YOU! 

9 Ways Writing Coaching Can Work for You

One of the best (and worst?) things about writing is that it’s amazingly expressive. We can pour our hearts and souls onto the page and maybe someday someone will read it and totally get us and what we’re all about. 

This is awesome because we get a release of everything that builds up and all of our amazing ideas. It’s also the worst because it can make sharing our work SCARY AS HELL. Seriously. I mean, no one really wants to get criticism on the thing that’s a little piece of them, right? It’s just something we have to do if we want to grow as writers. 

So imagine how nice it would be if an experienced writer read your writing (pretty much your baby by the time you hand it over) and gave you feedback in a way that doesn’t feel like you got chewed and spit back out. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal, right?

Enter: Writing Coach. 

One of the best things about getting coaching is having a dedicated person to look at your writing and give you feedback that won’t make you want to cry ugly tears the rest of the day. I don’t know about other coaches, but I don’t believe in the “tough love” thing. It makes me cringe even just thinking about it because let’s be real - a lot of what people say during “tough love” talks are mean, which is unnecessary. I’m so not about that.

If you’ve just handed off your writing to someone and you’re already nervous about it to begin with, the answer is NOT for me to come back with “yeah, this pretty much bites, let’s fix it.” Nuh uh. 

Also, I don’t feel like that’s good mentorship anyway. Don’t get me wrong, there will always be things to improve in your writing. I write and coach writers for a living and my stuff still isn’t perfect! (And it doesn’t need to be either.) 

But, when you have a writing coach acting as a mentor, it means you have someone actively paying attention to what you’re doing with your writing. It also means you have someone who knows a heck of a lot about writing doing their very best to help you get your writing and skills where you want to be. Coaching is one of the times in life that really is all about you.

When I work with you during writing coaching, I love starting where you’re at today! Setting goals, seeing you work at them, and improve is pretty much the best. Plus, working together means you have accountability for your writing. It’s not just you anymore, which makes it easier to keep going. 

I don't know about you, but sometimes when I say “Oh I’m going to write a new section of my novel this week” it gets kicked to the end of the priorities list. Not because I don’t want to write, or because I don’t care, but because I’m not really accountable to anyone else. It’s just me hanging out with my super cool half a book. 

Having an accountability partner has really helped me make a lot of progress, and that’s a great benefit of writing coaching: you get a built in accountability partner. (If you want to read more about why accountability partners are super helpful for writers, read this.)

Once you’re on the hook with a writing coach, and therefore being accountable, you’ll notice that you begin to get a lot more writing done. You’ll write regularly because in the back of your mind, you know someone’s waiting to hear what’s next in your novel or all the sage advice going into your non-fiction book. It’s a win-win.

Writing coaches also help you write. When you get stuck, have writer’s block, feel overwhelmed with the amount of work still to do on your project, or just plain don’t know where to start, your coach can guide you through. I like to give tasks in between coaching sessions. Activities that, based on our conversation, I know will get you writing when you’re working on your own. 

Nothing I tell clients is rocket science, and it’s not usually very complicated, because I find that the simple things usually work the best. I also know it’s hard to see what’ll work when you’ve gotten so deep into your project - so I help you! You don’t have to figure it out on your own, or work on it by yourself wondering “Is this really worth it?”

Most of all, and hands down my favorite thing about writing coaching, is encouraging writers. We’re not all confident in ourselves and our writing. And we’re not always sure if what we’re doing “works” or if we’re even “good enough” to consider calling ourselves a writer. I mean, I’ll be the first to tell you there are days I sit down to write an article or a section of my novel and I finish and I’m like WOOF that is AWFUL. 

One “bad” piece of writing doesn’t make me a bad writer, though, and it doesn’t make you a bad writer, either! But I bet not very many people have stopped to tell you that, have they? The most important part of my role as a writing coach is to support writers when they’re not confident. 

I’ve been the writer who pretty much gave up because I thought I wasn’t good enough. For a LONG time. I kept making excuses about why I couldn’t write and telling myself I didn’t really want to write that much (have you done this, too?). I was really just scared and it took a long time to build my confidence to a level where I could even consider writing creatively, let alone sharing that with someone else! 

So when I coach, confidence and making sure you feel good - and I mean, solidly good, not just “eh, maybe” good - about your writing is my #1 job. Everything else comes with it.

My challenge to you is to book a free call with me to talk about how writing coaching can help you. 

Have you worked with a writing coach before? Want to know something else about writing coaching I didn’t talk about? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.

What is a Writing Coach?

I read a rather upsetting article the other day. It was called “8 Ways to Defend Yourself Against Writing Coach Scams” and even as I clicked, I was slinking down in my seat. 

It was bad. 

The article itself was fine, if a little bland, but it was published in a reputable publication. 

Have you ever had one of those moments where you go from thrilled to the bone to do something to questioning all of your decisions? Spoiler alert: it SUCKS. 

My face when I have a moment of insecurity because someone else thinks my business is a scam.

As a writing coach, it’s hard to read about what I do in such a negative light. Hell, in a human way, it’s hard to read that people do that to other people! I mean, come on. Who builds their life around scamming people who are just trying to do what they love? Or make a better life for themselves? 

Gross. Seriously. 

But after I got over all of these emotions tumbling out of my mind around me, it occurred to me that maybe people don’t really know what writing coaches do. I mean, I didn’t really know until I got more involved in the online business world. And there are SO many types of coaches, even just within my little world of writing! 

So here goes: an explanation of what a writing coach can actually do for you, what I focus on specifically (it’s not scamming you - ain’t nobody got time for that!), and what it can help you accomplish as a writer. After all, you are a writer, right? Or you want to be - even if you haven’t quite called yourself one yet. (Which, by the way, completely okay! It’s a whole thing.)

What Does a Writing Coach Do?

Writing coaches tend to focus in one of two areas: development and publishing. Sometimes you’ll find a coach who does both, if they’ve had extensive experiences in more than one part of the writing process, but mostly, we pick one area that we like to work with writers on the most. 

Developmental writing coaches, which is what I am, work with the ideas. We work with you on your thoughts to organize them and start writing. It’s mostly big picture stuff like creating a system of organization, habits, and writing schedule. 

We love hearing about all of your wild ideas and we can help you begin to put them on the page with some kind of coherence - because let’s be honest, our brain is great at thinking about things about a mile a minute and not always great when it comes to actually writing said ideas down. 

Writing coaches who focus on publishing are also called book coaches. There are a CRAZY number of book coaches, which is awesome, if a little intimidating. Book coaches help you get your manuscript ready to query with the hope of getting published by a traditional publishing house. 

They can also help you get a book ready to self-publish, if you’re interested in going that route. These guys and gals are talented in the marketing and networking aspects of publishing. They can help most when you’re ideas and all shined up and ready to get sent out into the world. 

Personally, I love the development - ideas - stage of writing. It’s a super passion for me because confidence is a big deal in the beginning of a new writing project, or a writing career. It’s easy to miss the connection between confidence and writing because, since writing is a skill, it is possible to communicate clearly without being confident. However, just because you can email your boss with ease (maybe) doesn’t mean you would feel good about sitting down to write a novel. 

That takes GUTS. 

So when I work with writers during coaching, a lot of what I do is build up confidence and make you feel good about where you’re at right now. It’s hard to improve when you don’t really feel good about where you’re starting. 

Plus, I get it. I have one of those stories that people are like “Why did you stop writing for so long?” (7 years, to be exact), and it’s literally because I didn’t know how to take criticism and feedback. My confidence was super fragile and having your parents say you’re good at something doesn’t really make you feel great when a professional tells you you’re not. 

How Can a Writing Coach Help You Be a Better Writer?

So what the heck do people use a writing coach for? 

Short answer? To write better. 

Hah! 

Better answer: there are a number of things that writing coaches can help you do, depending on your goals. 

Some of the things that I work with writers on include:

Writing a Novel

Going from idea (or hazy midnight thought to an actual, working idea) through the writing itself. We plan, write, and look at your writing together, similar to a writing workshop.

Writing a Non-Fiction Book

Planning and setting goals for a non-fiction book, like an e-book or something for business, and helping you get through the writing. Similar to a novel, we plan, write, and workshop your writing - with the added consideration of your specific audience. Who exactly is it for and what do you want them to do with the info once they get it from your awesome book?

Writing Organization

Helping you get your thoughts and writing project into some kind of recognizable book-shaped thing. It’s okay if you don’t write the book from beginning to end - I sure as hell don’t! That doesn’t mean you don’t need a system to put everything into so you can actually find the pieces you’re weaving together. Also, eventually it will need to have a beginning, middle, and end, so it’s helpful to develop a way to process things and keep them for later when you're finalizing everything. 

Writing Goals

Even if you don’t want to write a whole book right now, having writing goals keeps you moving. We work together on setting both short- and long-term goals so you can take baby steps toward your writing dreams. Even if you want to be a NY Times bestseller. Even if you just want to write a few pages and see how it goes. No matter what it is, we’ll talk about it together, set goals, and check-in on them frequently. 

Accountability

Here’s the thing - people procrastinate, right? For writers, “tomorrow” can easily become a year from now because they don’t feel like their writing is as important as other things in their life. Or maybe because they’re scared. Or even because they simply just don't have anyone to keep them accountable to what they want to get done. So, as a coach, I do check-ins and create specific tasks for you so you can start doing what you want (and stop feeling bad that you pushed your writing dream back again.)

Where Do You Find a Writing Coach?

I’d like to point out the power of Google...EXCEPT that’s probably not the best thing to do in this instance. I mean, definitely do your research, but Google is a super mixed bag with articles that are informative and articles that supposedly tell “definitively” whether you need a writing coach (or not). Oh, and about the scams. RE: Scared the hell out of me the other day (and I AM a writing coach who WILL hire a book coach when I’m ready. Yikes!)

So, what I recommend is asking around your writer friend circle if anyone knows a writing coach they love (surely someone knows someone). Personally, I feel like a reference from a trusted friend is always more comforting than great copy on a website or other reviews I might find. 

I would also love to work with you! If you’re interested in what’s included in my coaching packages, you can check that out here. And, if you have any questions, we’ll hop on a call and chat. 

There will never be a point where I tell you that I’m the only person who does what I do. Or the best in the world. I mean, I’d like to think I’m pretty great (lol) but in all reality, you’re the only person who can decide whether I’m the right fit for you. If there’s anything I’ve learned about working with writers and marketers and brilliant people in all kinds of industries, it’s that “best” is subjective. There’s almost always someone with more credentials or experience or XYZ than you. It’s just a fact with so many people here on Earth.

BUT

I love what I do, and I’m a damn good writer. I do it for a living! And I’ve loved it all my life. So, I definitely could be the best writing coach for you, which is way more important than “best writing coach ever” or whatever other boxes people tell you to “make sure” they have when you work with them.

My challenge to you is to think about your writing dream and book a call about writing coaching. 

Have you read anything different about writing coaching? Had different experiences with coaches? Have questions I didn’t answer? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.

Book Review: You are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero (2017)

NOTE: This blog contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

When you read You are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero, you discover what’s been holding you back from making the money of your dreams, and how to achieve financial success. It shows you how to reset your mind and puts you in a good space to start making more money now. Sincero’s voice is delightful and instructive, and the book comes complete with chapter exercises, to help you figure out your own path to success. If you’re ready to start living the life you want, and making the money you dream of, this is a must read!

Content & Message

The premise of the book is that we need to change the way we think about money in order to start making money. A big component of creating a new money mindset is changing our inner monologue and the way we talk about money. 

We can easily swap negative phrases, like “Money is the root of all problems” or “Money doesn’t grow on trees” and replace them with more positive phrases, like “Money is great because it pays my bills!” or “Money is all around me.” 

This may seem like a hard sell on its own - after all, money doesn’t grow on trees, right? While that part is true, a positive money mindset and adding new language surrounding money can do a heck of a lot for attracting money into our lives. We need to believe these things that we’re saying for them to work. 

As Sincero says, it may seem weird or awkward to us at first, but when we keep repeating these affirmations, eventually it will be second nature and money will become more present in our lives.

 Worrying is praying for stuff you don’t want”(126). 

By focusing our thoughts on what we want instead of worrying about what we don’t, we can change how we view the world and opportunities will open up for us. 

Sincero also points out that it isn't enough to just say positive money mantras or affirmations, but we also need to think about them, and take actions to bring more money into our lives. One action we can do easily that Sincero offers as an exercise is place money around living space. Seeing money around us every day reminds us that it’s accessible and surrounds us, even when we can’t see the tangible proof.

In each chapter of the book, Sincero includes a success story of someone who has utilized the exercises she talks about in the chapter. The regular everyday people in the stories have succeeded in bringing money into their lives, which shows us that we, too, can be like Sincero and draw in an abundance of money - if we have the right mindset.

As hard as it is, we do have to remember to be patient, and while we can feel free to ask or attract for whatever our hearts desire, it may not come in the way we expect. We must be open to possibilities and change. Sincero discusses the fear of change and taking big risks that are bound to make us uncomfortable. 

It’s these risks that get us the biggest results, though, and we can rest assured that Sincero has been around the block more than once. It’s not her first rodeo, and we learn about the risks she took to get where she’s at today. Getting out of our comfort zone is the only way to live a better life, like the one of our dreams.

 We’ve been raised to believe that you have to work hard to make money...but the real secret is you have to take huge, uncomfy risks (9).

If you read this book, follow through with the exercises, and continue to keep up with them, money should, theoretically, begin to flow into your life. While it’s tempting to choose one or two new habits, try them out for a while, and give up when we see no results, the key to success is to create a habit. 

The key to money mindset and financial abundance - according to Sincero - is to utilize all the new habits. Each one is important to finding success. 

You can get rich too. You are mighty and magnificent beyond measure, grasshopper. You are meant to follow your desires. You are meant to blossom into the fullest expression of your unique and fantabulous badassery. You are meant to be rich (267).

Biggest Takeaway

Change starts within ourselves. If we aren’t willing to step out of our comfort zone, put in the work, and believe it’s possible, we won’t be able to change our lives and start making more money. 

Change your mind, change your life (208). 

There are many great exercises and ideas to help us with changing our old, money blocking mindset. For instance, listing your negative thoughts about money, figuring out where they came from, and rewriting new truths. 

If you really focus on doing the work and making the effort to change your mindset, this book will change your life.

Overall Impressions

This is an awesome book, not just because it teaches us a new way to think about money, but also because it changes the way we think. We can apply these lessons about money to all the areas of our lives. In fact, this isn’t her first book about mindset! Check out this review of Sincero’s first book You are a Badass (2013) to read more about her work (and get another major confidence boost). 

The book is set up logically, with the text of the chapter explaining the money making tactic followed by a success story and a set of exercises to complete. I love it! Taking in the information this way, I could immediately apply the ideas I just learned and put them to use. If it was just a text or just a workbook, it would be easy to let the reading fall forgotten into the shadows.

Why Writers Need this Book

Instills Confidence & Capability.

Jen Sincero is a writer and talks about how she was able to make money freelancing. Now she’s a multimillionaire who’s world renown for her coaching and writing. It goes to show that we all start somewhere - even the wealthiest and most famous among us! It also applies directly to us writers who haven’t yet hit the big time, which makes it feel less overwhelming to apply in our own lives. 

After all, if she can do it, so can we, right? 

In resetting our thoughts about money, we can also work on resetting our thoughts about our writing. Confidence can flow freely through our lives just as easily as money. 

Manifests Abundance.

Sincero discusses Universal Intelligence (also known as God and other life forces around us - whatever belief system you live by) and how we can shape our own realities. We can continually put into the universe - through thoughts, words, and actions - what we desire most. If we believe it and work hard for it, it will eventually become our reality. 

For example, as writers we can say “I am going to sell (#) books this week.” We write it down, repeat it in our mind, truly believe we can do it, put in the work to market our book, and it will come to fruition. The key is that we can’t just sit around waiting for things to happen, we need to make moves to help the universe bring about what we want.

Next Steps

There are a few steps to take next: 

1. Get the book here. (Or here). Better yet, check your local library.

2. Read the book & do the exercises

3. Start utilizing your new money mindset.
   

My challenge to you is to read this book and commit to trying a new money mindset.

Have you read this book? Did you complete the exercises? Which proved most useful to you? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great reading & writing.

Bucketlist Bombshells Review: The Work Online & Travel the World Course

With so many opportunities to take online courses, especially in the “start your business” realm, it can be hard to sift through and find one that might actually be helpful. 

Having purchased and taken many courses in the past two years, I can say that The Work Online & Travel the World Course is EASILY one of the most helpful things I’ve done as a new online business owner. Hopefully my Bucketlist Bombshells review will inspire you to take action on your business dreams, too! 

Full disclosure: I have been paid to do a review. That being said, this is a course I 100% believe in and everything I’m sharing is my own opinion. If you’re interested in starting an online business, it could change your life. 

Where it All Started

In April 2019, I started a blog. I wasn’t happy at my day job, and it’s been a lifelong dream to be a “real writer.” I was determined to make that happen...somehow. 

I quickly learned that there are SO MANY opportunities for writers online, but blogging to make income really wasn’t what I wanted to do. I wanted to tell stories and make a bigger impact - to help people like me who struggled with creative confidence for many years before finally breaking free of self-doubt to pursue my dream. 

Fast forward to April 2020 when I purchased The Work Online & Travel the World Course. I’d been on The Bucketlist Bombshells - Cassie & Shay’s - email list basically since the beginning of my journey. I think I saw a Facebook Ad one time and thought: “Oh, they’re doing cool things while they travel the world, I want to know more.”

What appealed to me was that these ladies had started their business so young and had been doing it successfully for years! It wasn’t their first rodeo, even though we’re about the same age. I also thought “They look so normal!” That probably sounds silly, but some of the courses you see ads for are so glamorized that it’s intimidating to a beginner - at least it was for me. 

While I didn’t want to travel full time - and still don’t - the idea of being able to create stable income while being my own boss greatly appealed to me. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve worked with some fantastic people in corporate jobs, but none of the jobs made me as excited as the thought of being able to be a writer. 

And so I became one! 

These days, I am a writer, as well as a writing coach. Much of how I’ve learned & built my business started with this course. After so many options, this is the one that finally helped me narrow down what to offer, how much to charge, and how to keep track of the money (because that’s SO important, but not something that most other “start your business” courses are offering, even still!).  

What’s Included in The Work Online & Travel the World Course?

Inside the course, there are plenty of resources: 6 full modules, plus some fun bonuses. 

Each module is packed with helpful information, and the format is video tutorials + self-paced workbooks. I particularly like the way the videos do tutorials, but don’t “give you an answer” about your own business. In other words, the tools are available, but you have to do the work in order to be successful. 

The course is broken down like this:

Productivity & Goal-Setting - Getting Started

At the beginning, there’s a short introduction to the course, materials, and how to use everything in the course.

It’s nice because you can quickly see approximately how long the lesson is going to take, and the resources are linked right next to the videos so there’s no confusion about what you’re supposed to be working on after the video.

Module 1 - Define Your Online Skills

The very first module sets the stage for the whole course. 

It includes some pretty major topics, such as: 

• Defining Your Online Skills

• How to Use Your Past Experiences

• Choosing Your Online Skills

There’s no fluff. This module will, right off the bat, get you thinking about what the heck you can do online - based on what you already know! The materials give you plenty of space and ideas for thinking about what you’ve already done and how that can translate into online work. 

Module 2 - How to Rock the Freelancing World

The next module is about freelancing and how to define your skills. It also shows you how to get set up in the freelancing world. 

It includes topics like: 

• Defining Your Freelance Services

• How to Choose a Quality Job Posting & Write a Killer Proposal

What I liked most about this module was that it provides the ideas (like defining your skills), but also tech how-tos about getting set up on different freelance websites because they’re all a little different.

Module 3 - Build & Launch Your Online Business

Module 3 is all about how to set your business up from hourly rate to defining your deliverables. 

It includes topics like: 

• How to Research Your Industry Average Hourly Rate

• Defining Deliverables & Setting Client Expectations

This was one of the best lessons of the whole course because it gives you a way to think about how to start charging for your services. If you’ve been around the online business industry for any length of time, you’ve probably seen the posts on social media and on some coaching websites that advise you to charge “what you’re worth” and “what feels right.”

Now, I’m all about charging your worth! But in the very beginning when you’ve never been in business before, it’s super hard to tell what that might be. It’s so nice to have an actual formula to start off with, and to know how to find out what other people with similar skills are charging! 

Module 4 - Find, Network, & Land Clients

This module is all about making the move from freelancer to “solopreneur” and how to set up your business online. 

It includes topics like: 

• Becoming A Solopreneur & Structuring Your Packages

• Building Your Solopreneur Website

• Finding & Landing Clients

This is the lesson that took me the longest because I redesigned my entire website. I moved to Squarespace and never looked back. It is SO MUCH EASIER than WordPress, and honestly, as a service-based business, I don’t need a lot of the things I was trying to use in WordPress. 

I built my new website in probably about a week or a week and a half, and it’s easily 100x better than what I was doing before. So easy, so professional, and with a clear business focus.

Module 5 - Running & Rockin’ Your Online Business

This module is about how to create a streamlined workflow and different tools you can use to make your business professional and manageable to maintain. 

It includes topics like: 

• Establishing & Streamlining Your Workflow

• Tutorial: How To Manage Projects & Clients Using Asana

• Tutorial: How To Track Your Time & Send Invoices Using Harvest

• Managing Your Solopreneur Finances

So, these tools are pretty cool - I tried them all during the course. They don’t all fit into my workflow, but that’s okay! The videos talk about what the tools do and why you need them, which is important because there’s a lot of things about business that you don’t know about when it’s still brand new. 

My favorite part of this section was the finance piece. It was something I’d been struggling to figure out before this, but the BB Finance Sheet makes it super easy. I still use a version of it today! 

Module 6 - Run Your Biz & Jet Set Around the World

The final module is about how to travel while you’re a solopreneur. 

It includes topics like: 

• How To Choose The Best Cities While Globetrotting

• How To Create Your Ideal Lifestyle On The Road

This was probably my least favorite section, only because I don’t have any intention of traveling full time. The tools are interesting, and I think they’re great for people who do want to travel more while owning their own business, but I was in the course for the other materials. 

Bonuses! 

Of course there are bonuses, too. My favorites are access to the BB VIP Lounge Facebook Group and the Guide to Solopreneur Set Up. The Facebook group has been great for getting advice, as well as connecting with other like-minded ladies who are running all kinds of online businesses. 

The Guide to Solopreneur Set Up was really helpful, too, because it’s all about business and tax questions. Cassie & Shay teamed up with their CPA to create the guide, which has sound advice and information about getting started legally and tax-wise, which are both really important.

Pros & Cons

Cons

• If you don’t want to travel all the time, there’s a good amount of information that won’t really apply to you

• You still have to take the travel module in order to pass the “quiz” at the end and get your completion certificate

• The videos, while still great, can be a little outdated at times for setting up the tech pieces; the information is still similar, but there are areas you’ll have to figure out by doing a little trial and error

Pros

• Great information

• Self-paced

• Builds your confidence & decision-making skills

• Multiple ways to learn; videos, workbooks, bonus interviews, etc.

• A way to connect with the BB community (through the Facebook group) & ask questions

• Live masterminds with Cassie & Shay once per month

• Reasonably priced for what you can get from it

Overall, I think it’s a great course, and you definitely get good value for your investment!

Is The Work Online & Travel the World Course for Writers? 

To wrap up my Bucketlist Bombshells review, I wanted to talk about who this course is actually for, because you may still be wondering: Could this really help me?

This course is for you if: 

• You’re self-motivated and ready to take action

• You can process information when working on your own & are willing to ask questions when you need help

• You’re willing to do the work it takes to be your own boss

• You have an idea for an online business or you know you want to start a business but aren’t quite sure what you could do

• You’re open to new tools & frameworks you can use to be successful

This course is NOT for you if: 

• You need someone to keep you accountable

• You want someone to tell you what kind of business to start

• You already have a functioning framework for your online business

• Aren’t sure if you want to start an online business 

• You’re not willing to put in the work to figuring out your business

What this means for writers is that this course could ABSOLUTELY be for you!

It helped me launch my writing & coaching business, and there are many other BB Alum that also have writing-related businesses, too. It’s a great place to get feedback on what you’re doing and maybe even make some new business friends. 

If you’re still not sure (I get it - I waited almost a year before purchasing!), you can check out these resources to get a better look:

Student Success Stories & Features

3 Steps to Build A Wildly Successful Service-Based Online Business Free Masterclass

3 Steps to Learn the Skills You Need to Make An Income Online Free Workshop

10 Things No One Tells You as a New Business Owner

This week has been a bad mental health week for a number of reasons. It’s not just because my husband and I waited 4 hours to vote on Tuesday, or because I’ve felt behind since Monday. It’s not even the fact that baby Maxwell has to have a second eye surgery next week (most likely because of his own shenanigans).

It’s one of those things that everything adds up little by little and all the sudden just hits you without any warning.

Mental health is something people don’t talk about enough in business, if at all, even though it’s an absolutely essential piece of the conversation.

I’m not sharing this to complain, but I think mental health is something people don’t talk about enough in business, if at all, even though it’s an absolutely essential piece of the conversation.

So, despite the fact that I’ve had a different piece of content planned for 6 weeks or more, I’m going to share some things no one tells you about being a business owner because if you or someone close to you is thinking about starting a business, you need to know.

1) You can’t just drop your personal life at the door.

My very first job out of grad school was the only time I ever got any type of negative review in the workplace. The comments were glowing all the way until the end when it said, “You need to check your personal life at the door when you come to work.”

The ironic thing was that during the review I asked if my personal life had ever been a barrier in providing excellent customer service and the answer was a resounding “no,” after which I listened to a somewhat lengthy monologue about how it wasn’t a professional thing to bring your personal life to work. Professionals, my manager said, were able to check their emotions and focus only on work while at work.

Here’s the deal: life happens. In the 3 months leading up to that review, we were buying a house, my husband got diagnosed with Diabetes, I got diagnosed with a thyroid disorder, I broke a tooth that needed an expensive dental repair, I lived an hour away from work, and it was my first time in the full time 9-5 workforce.

Whether or not you work in an office or for yourself, there’s not always an option to check your personal life at the door when you’re doing business.

Whether or not you work in an office or for yourself, there’s not always an option to check your personal life at the door when you’re doing business. Especially when you’re working from home.

If we’re on Zoom during the day, there’s a good chance you might see my dogs (or hear them). You might see a neat pile of sewing supplies in the background, or I may not have a full face of makeup on.

The fact of the matter is that you have a personal life. Everyone does! It doesn’t make you less professional that you have a hobby or pets in your house…that you live in. It doesn’t make you less professional to apologize for being a moment late to a meeting because your child is melting down from eLearning, or even because the last 30 minutes was your only break throughout the day and you just need a moment to stretch!

Ultimately, the best indicator of professionality is communication. Communicate often and clearly, and if that means sharing a little explanation for rescheduling a meeting than so be it. Of course, there is a time for ultra-formality, but it’s unlikely that this needs to be an everyday occurrence for most small business owners.

When you are the business owner, especially at the beginning when you’re the only one in your business, you have to be able to deal with life around you, and sometimes a little of that runs over into business life.  

2) What’s that thing you call work/life balance?

I am a huge advocate for balance in our lives. I firmly believe that making time for our own interests and our family and friends is critical to good mental health, and ultimately to living a fulfilling life.

But I’m gonna get real honest here for a moment: business ownership can be all-consuming. If you let it, it WILL be the only thing you think about days, nights, weekends, vacations – the whole shebang.

As my husband noted during the height of lockdown, I use work to process and deal with hardship and stress. I work harder instead of taking a break when I get worn out.

Business ownership can be all-consuming. If you let it, it WILL be the only thing you think about days, nights, weekends, vacations – the whole shebang.

I suspect many other business owners also face this conundrum. We feel like if we’re not constantly working our business will somehow collapse before our eyes. So, it’s really a fear mechanism that if we stop for a moment (which is healthy), everything we’ve worked so hard for will instantly vanish.

I’m not saying there’s not a chance of that happening. If 2020 has taught us anything it’s that nothing is guaranteed, and we should all be prepared to be flexible and pivot when we need to. What I am saying is that it’s possible to have a balance in your life without your business collapsing. It’s possible to go on vacation for a few days or a week and come back refreshed without thinking you’re going to come back to a pile of business rubble.

If you can’t take time away, you need to reconsider your business model.

3) Burnout is a SERIOUS issue that you HAVE TO deal with.

As you might suspect, working more and making more decisions is hard! Especially if you’ve never been in a leadership role.

When you begin to own your new leadership, it’s exhausting. There are some weeks you make more important decisions for your business than you might have made in a year in your personal life. Likewise, there may be many setbacks occurring all at once.

When you do this for long periods of time with inadequate relaxation and breaks, you get burnt out. Your business won’t seem nearly as fun, even if it’s what you love to do. Your motivation will slip, and you’ll find yourself making excuses to avoid work even when you know there are deadlines looming and your paycheck is on the line.

Burnout is a huge problem in the professional world, especially in a society that “hustles” so much. The reality is that you have to deal with this. You can’t just ignore it and keep working (or avoiding work).

Burnout is a huge problem in the professional world, especially in a society that “hustles” so much. The reality is that you have to deal with this. You can’t just ignore it and keep working (or avoiding work).

Let me share an instance of what happens when you ignore burnout. When we first got back from vacation in the beginning of September, I worked 7 days a week and literally made myself sick because I didn’t deal with the major burnout I had from jumping back in too fast.

Just yesterday morning I was doing my morning journaling and writing about how stressed I was because of X, Y, & Z and I found myself in tears but unable to just cry for a moment to let it out because I had an eminent video interview for a piece of content coming up in a few weeks. It’s time for a break, folks! Mental & emotional health absolutely effect your physical wellbeing and you have to take care of yourself first.

4) It’s overwhelming to learn how much you don’t know.

This might seem silly – after all, we don’t know what we don’t know, right?

 Wrong.

When you start a business there will almost certainly and immediately be a long list of things you know you don’t know. What’s overwhelming is the sheer amount and figuring out how the hell you’re going to learn it.

 A lot of it has to do with prioritization. Even if you have a list, priorities for a new business can shift every day. Some days you’ll need to know more about social media marketing, some days you’ll need to learn about bookkeeping, and some days you’ll just need to focus on how to plan for the learning you still need to do.

When you start a business there will almost certainly and immediately be a long list of things you know you don’t know.

 At some point, you’ll probably have the brilliant idea to hire people to help you, followed by a flurry of research and the realization that everything you need help with is expensive to hire out.

It’s okay that you don’t know all the things! And there are some things you probably will have very little interest in knowing much about – those are the things you will eventually hire out. Just remember that it takes time to be able to prioritize your time efficiently and effectively. It takes time to learn how all the pieces fit together, let alone how each one works on its own. It’s okay, just take one baby step at a time. It will start to come together.

5) There may not be anyone who you can ask for help.

I’m not sure if you have a network of entrepreneurs around you or not, but I certainly didn’t when I started my business. I didn’t know one person who owned a business, let alone an online business!

So, there was no one to ask for help when I was stuck.

Don’t underestimate the power of networking! I have found my new online peers to be extraordinarily helpful in growing my business.

It might be like that for you, or you might know some people who do something similar to what you want to do with your business. Either way, sometimes there’s just no one to ask – except maybe Facebook groups, most of which you don’t know everyone in the group very well.

Don’t underestimate the power of networking! I have found my new online peers to be extraordinarily helpful in growing my business. It might be uncomfortable at first, but fresh perspective is almost always helpful. Make it a priority early on to build a network of like-minded people who can help you when no one in your immediate personal circle has a clue what you’re doing, let alone how to help you.

6) People don’t always believe in or understand what you’re doing.

This might sound harsh, but it’s true. That doesn’t mean people don’t believe in you. Hopefully your inner circle of loved ones believes in you and your big dreams, even when they don’t understand how in the world you could make money at it.

My husband and I were talking about this recently because I met one of my major income goals for the year. I happened to say something about how I thought he felt like I was crazy for setting such a scary goal in January. To my surprise (and delight), he said something like, “Yeah, I did kind of think you were crazy.”

Sometimes you just have to be your own inspiration until others catch on.

Why would I delight in this?

Because the next thing out of his mouth was, “I didn’t really understand how you were going to do it, but I knew that if anyone could do it, it was you.”

Heart eyes, right?!

I, of course, laughed when he said he’d thought I was crazy. I knew it, just like I knew other people in my life had NO IDEA how I was going to make a living writing, let alone doing writing coaching. But I’m me, and that was enough knowledge for them to support me even when they didn’t understand. Sometimes you just have to be your own inspiration until others catch on.

7) Succeeding is scary.

I was making investments in myself and my business long before I was making profit.

And let me tell you, it’s SCARY.

Like, fingers shaking on the mouse before you click to pay. Like, wondering how in the world you were going to pay this back when you already have bills stacking up. Like, should I spend this money at all or should I keep hoarding it for a rainier day than today?

Unexpectedly, it’s also scary when you get your first client. And when you send the biggest invoice you’ve ever sent… and the client pays it without a question or second thought!

So weird, right?

It’s also a huge rush. I definitely wasn’t prepared to be nervous about billing for services I’d already completed.

8) Business requires infrastructure, even though you may not be in an office setting.

So, you know all those systems you used in your corporate job? The nice CRMs or the project management software? Maybe even the SOPs?

None of those are there in a brand new business.

Like, nothing.

You have to build all those things from the ground up, even if/when you know nothing about it.

Admin tasks are no joke! In the beginning, a ton of tasks you do will be administrative. It has to be that way because in order to really scale and grow you need those pieces in place.

Alternatively, you could pay someone to develop a system for you on top of whatever software you need. You can probably get by with free tools or ones you already have on your computer for a little while, but unless you designed all those beautiful spreadsheets and implemented bookkeeping at your old job it’s a lot of dang work! And even if you did those things, it still takes a long time and a lot of effort to build.  

And it has to be done. You can’t avoid it, just like you can’t avoid taking care of burnout. Admin tasks are no joke! In the beginning, a ton of tasks you do will be administrative. It has to be that way because in order to really scale and grow you need those pieces in place. You have to be able to tell where your money is going and where your projects are.

9) Providing services to others makes you question what your time is worth.

There’s nothing quite like a prospective client asking what your rate is for a service. There’s also nothing quite like having a client say that their budget is half your rate.

You immediately question whether your rate is appropriate and whether you could come down for this client only. You also feel like backtracking and saying, “Oh, did I say $40/hour? I meant for this other service. For what you want I’ll do $20/hour” even when you DON’T mean the other service.

The real question to ask yourself is what you bring to the table. What makes your service worth the money you charge for it?

When you offer services, realize that your ability to serve will be maxed out at some point. There are only so many hours in a day to do work, so in order to grow, you will eventually have to raise your rates and figure out how to diversify your income.

$20/hour seems like a lot – and it is a good amount! But when you’re a business owner you also have to think about how you’re going to grow.

You’re going to have to work a lot more of those $20/hour jobs than you would if you had a higher rate. The more jobs you take, the less time you’ll have to create a strong infrastructure and figure out how to do the business end of your business.

I will say that if you’re a complete beginner in your area, it’s not a bad idea to work for a lower rate at first to get some experience behind you. Get some social proof while you’re finding clients and building your business. But when you offer services, realize that your ability to serve will be maxed out at some point. There are only so many hours in a day to do work, so in order to grow, you will eventually have to raise your rates and figure out how to diversify your income.

10) If you love what you do in your business, it will probably be one of the best things you ever do.

I feel like the things I’ve talked about have been more on the negative side, but truly, being a business owner is incredibly rewarding!

It’s unlike anything else I’ve ever done, and probably unlike most things you’ve done, too.

It’s also the best thing I’ve done professionally, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

It’s also the best thing I’ve done professionally, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

You get to see your hard work get results, even if they’re slower than expected. You get to see progress and growth and opportunity. You get to experience the thrill of being the ultimate “boss” and make decisions that actually matter! You get to be you doing what you love, and what career offers that kind of opportunity better than your own business?

This week was a bad mental health week, and you know what? It’s okay. It’s okay that I’ve had to move a meeting here and there. It’s okay that I’m overwhelmed. I know it will pass.

But I didn’t feel that way when I first started my business. It’s still a work in progress, but it’s so important to talk about!

My challenge to you, especially if you’re thinking about starting a business, is to do one nice self-care thing for yourself this week and make it a habit!

7 Reasons Introverts Make Awesome Writers

All writers are different, and we all have varying methods for preparing, planning (or not planning), and executing our writing. Writing can be an escape for some, therapy for others, or just plain fun!

As a writer myself, and after connecting with many other writers, I’ve learned it’s quite common for writers to be more introverted.  Being an introvert can be a great asset for a writer! There are many different qualities of being introverted that are helpful if you want to be a writer. This helps make introverts awesome writers!

So, you may be wondering, what exactly is an introvert?

Introvert

Introverts are people who much of the time, prefer to be left alone. Social gatherings or interactions can be very draining for an introvert. They are quieter, reserved, and prefer observing over engaging. If you don’t quite fit into this category, you may find yourself leaning more towards the extrovert or ambivert categories. 

Extrovert

An extrovert is considered the opposite of an introvert. They thrive in more social settings and don’t need a lot of alone time. They’re friends with a lot of people and love chatting. They’re more outgoing overall and tend to be bigger risk-takers. 

Ambivert

Ambivert is a personality type for the outliers. There are varying degrees to each trait, and the labels themselves are not a one size fits all kind of deal. 

An ambivert would be someone who finds themselves somewhere in the middle of an introvert and an extrovert. They exhibit traits of both categories.

An ambivert would be someone who finds themselves somewhere in the middle of an introvert and an extrovert. They exhibit traits of both categories. An ambivert may relate to being outgoing and talkative, but still be in need of alone time to recharge. Or, they are quiet and reserved but need socialization to recharge rather than isolation. 

7 Reasons Introverts Make Awesome Writers

We all don’t have to be introverts to be writers, but it can certainly help. 

For instance, I would label myself as an introvert and identify with many of the following reasons why introverts make awesome writers! Most times, in large groups or at get togethers, I tend to sneak away for some alone time to recharge.

It can be very overwhelming for me to spend long periods of time in crowds. Writing is my happy place because I am able to be alone, while pouring myself into the pages. People often mistake me as shy, when in reality, I enjoy sitting back and watching my surroundings rather than engaging with them. 

Which brings me to the 7 reasons that introverts make awesome writers:

1) Observant of Surroundings

As introverts, we’re not as likely to engage with others, and so probably spend more time observing our surroundings. This can fuel imagination. Being observant of not just what is happening around you, but of architecture, nature, and an overall setting, can give you ideas for your writing. 

Many authors draw inspiration for their scenes from places they have been or certain buildings that they found to be interesting or noteworthy. Spending time in nature also lends to scene building in the same way. If you are describing a certain area of a forest or a beach, it will be easier to make it believable and tangible for your readers if you are describing somewhere you have actually experienced.

You’ll know the feel of the wind against your face, the branches scraping your skin, the smell of pine, etc. All of these observations that you have collected will only strengthen your writing and entice your readers. 

2) Observant of Interactions

Because introverts tend to be very observant of their surroundings, they also tend to be more aware of other people’s interactions. Watching people interact is not only entertaining, but it can also lend aid to your writing abilities. Some writers have a difficult time with dialogue - making it believable or realistic. 

Watching the people around us: the way they speak, gesture, move, interact, etc. gives great insight into how our characters might interact.

Watching the people around us: the way they speak, gesture, move, interact, etc. gives great insight into how our characters might interact. We have to think about the setting we’re creating for our characters and how that will change their dialect or body language. If you’re writing a story that takes place in medieval Europe, they wouldn’t be interacting as we see people do now. However, if you’re writing a story that takes place in modern day, or close to it, using what we see in everyday life will be extremely useful. 

Even if you are writing that old-timey novel, watching people’s emotional responses can still be very helpful. Facial expressions are something that stays pretty consistent over time, not necessarily changing with each era. Anger will lead to reddening faces, wrinkled brows, clenched fists, etc. Joy will lead to grins, laughter, glowing, etc. 

3) Dedicates Significant Energy to Being Thoughtful

As introverts, we tend to find ourselves with a lot of time for thinking. This is useful for processing those observations we made all day. We may spend time ruminating on events that occurred, or things that were said, and though that’s not always helpful, it can be when you’re a writer.

If you find yourself thinking, if I’d only said… or if I’d just done this... then writing can help you flesh out those thoughts! Use those instances to fuel new stories. How would it have played out differently if you’d said something else? How would your characters have handled the situation? 

Any experience you have can be used to your advantage when writing. Being thoughtful helps you to rewrite your experiences and create stories from them. 

Dedicating energy to our thoughts also helps keep our imagination alive. If we’re constantly thinking of new ideas, eventually we will come up with one that would make a great story or book. Not all of our ideas are equal - some don’t make sense, and that’s okay! You can start writing a story and discover it isn’t really turning out how you thought or wanted, and start over, or go back and fix it. Being a thoughtful person means never running out of ideas; the well is never empty. 

4) Spend Time on Self-Reflection

Being introverts, we most likely spend a lot of time alone, or if not alone, simply keeping to ourselves. This gives a lot of time for self-reflection. Looking inward can present us with many opportunities to enhance our writing. 

Looking inward can present us with many opportunities to enhance our writing. 

Since you spend more time thinking about your own character and why you do the things you do, it will help develop motivations for story characters. Reflecting on what makes you upset, sad, happy, excited, etc. will help you recreate those emotions in your stories and your characters.

5) Are More Reticent

Being more reticent means that we aren’t as willing to reveal our thoughts and feelings. We are more likely to keep things to ourselves, and a great way to let out all this built up energy is to write! Keeping things to yourself is not always a bad thing. You’ll have a lot more to offer to your own stories and writings. Divulging your thoughts and feelings into your writing will make it that much more potent and often more relatable. 

Being a writer doesn’t always mean writing stories, books, poetry, etc. It can also be journal writing. Pouring yourself onto the page of a journal can be very cathartic. Then, you can always go back to those entries and find inspiration from them.

6) Are More Empathic

Introverts tend to be more empathic. This means that we can more easily understand and share the feelings of other people. Being able to pick up on subtle changes more easily than non-empaths can be very helpful in identifying emotions that another person is experiencing. We can transfer these skills into our writing and make the interactions between our characters that much deeper and more meaningful. Seeing the subtle cues and being able to describe them helps readers really put themselves into a piece/story/book.

Being able to pick up on subtle changes more easily than non-empaths can be very helpful in identifying emotions that another person is experiencing.

Being an empath also helps to make sure that we’re writing in a sensitive way. We’re good at ensuring people won’t be offended by our writing. We can understand why people are upset about certain topics, or which topics are touchier, and adjust our writing accordingly. There’s no way to ensure that we’re never going to offend anyone, but being able to empathize more deeply than others, it’s easier to know what will be better received.

7) Like & Need Alone Time

A major part of being a writer is spending a lot of time alone. We need space and limited distractions to be able to sit down and write. As introverts who enjoy alone time, this is a great combination for us! We can go to our writing area, be alone, and recharge while doing what we love.

We won’t always have the luxury of being alone when we’re writing, though. Sometimes a partner, child, or pet will be around and that’s okay! We don’t have to be alone to write. However, it makes a big difference in the amount we’re able to get done.

If you’re someone who doesn’t do well spending a lot of time alone, writing may come harder for you. Even if you like being alone, you don’t want to isolate in your writing corner too long. That’s why introverts can make awesome writers. They already like being alone, so spending that alone time writing just makes sense.

Next Steps

There are many reasons introverts make awesome writers. But what do you do with that information? 

1. First and foremost, find out what type of personality you have! Are you an introvert, an extrovert, or an ambivert? Take a personality quiz and find out!

   The most common test is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Instrument which determines which of sixteen personality categories you fall into. Eight of them are based more firmly in the extrovert category, while the other eight are considered forms of an introvert. If you want to find out more about that, check out The Myers & Briggs Foundation website here! 

   There is also a test called the Enneagram Types test that places you in one of nine categories. It is similar to the Myers Briggs test, but it divides people into Heart Types, Head Types, and Body Types. You can take that test here. 

2. Think about what recharges you and makes you feel good. If you’re an introvert, that may be spending some time alone, watching a movie, or doing an at home spa day. If you’re an extrovert, it may be spending a day with friends, going out to dinner, or participating in a sport/gym class. Whatever it is, make sure you make the time to recharge often. We’re at our best when we take care of ourselves and it shows in our work and writing.

3. Think about how your passion and personality shapes your writing. Does your passion shine through your writing? The more passionate you are about it, the more your readers will sense it. Your personality may come out through your characters, whether you create them in your image, or opposite of yourself. 

4. Work with a fellow introvert to start or progress on your writing project! Reach out and find someone you can work with. Social media is a great place to do this. You can find someone with similar goals and ideas, then you can help to hold each other accountable for those goals. You can also work with Rachel - read more about how here.

My challenge to you is to take one of the personality tests! Find out what type you are and focus on how it directly influences your writing.

Are you an introvert who loves spending time alone writing? An extrovert who loves having people around in order to feel at your best? Either way, how are you planning to recharge this week? Making sure that you recharge yourself helps to ensure that you continue to be an awesome writer. I’d love to hear about your experiences! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.

Welcome Holly, New Contributor!

Capturing Your Confidence is growing!

I’m very excited to welcome a new contributor to the team.

Over the past year and a half (if you can believe it’s already been that long), I’ve loved writing new content for you each week. I still do!

Adding Holly to the team will allow us to work on putting up more than one piece of content per week and keep up with the increasing interest in book reviews & interviews with authors!

Holly is a published author and blogger in the writing world. Reading and writing are her favorite things to do! She graduated from the University of New England majoring in English and minoring in Sociology, Psychology, and Women and Gender Studies.

Since then, she has been a substitute teacher, retail associate, office manager, and greenhouse associate, all while continuing to pursue her dream to be a full time writer.

Since the pandemic began, she determined it was time to dedicate herself to blog and writing full time! It has been a bit of a rollercoaster, but she has never felt more fulfilled. She’s very excited to begin a new adventure collaborating with Capturing Your Confidence!

We chatted with Holly to get to know her a little better.

Tell us a little about your writing.

I have been writing since I was in high school. I started out with realistic teen fiction, but have since discovered my love for writing fantasy! 

More recently I have begun blogging. I like to write about writing and reading! Writing tips, author interviews, book reviews and more can be found on my blog, livingthroughwriting.com.

If readers are interested in reading more about you and your writing, where can they find you?

If readers want to learn more about me, they can check me out on Instagram: @livingthroughwriting or my website livingthroughwriting.com. Those are the best places to learn more about me.

I am also on Twitter and Facebook - @holly5993 on Twitter and Living Through Writing on Facebook. 

What do you like to read?

I am a big fantasy fan, but sometimes a good old fashioned young adult romance novel is fun, too. Honestly I am easy to please as a reader, so almost any genre could intrigue me.

One of my must haves when I’m reading, though, is a romance story to follow, even if it’s not the main focus of the book.

One of my must haves when I’m reading, though, is a romance story to follow, even if it’s not the main focus of the book. Of course, even though I say it’s a must have, I’ve enjoyed books that don’t have a romance story in the past, but the story has to be really good for that to happen. 

What’s one tip you would offer to new writers?

I would say keep pushing onward. Sometimes life drags you down, or maybe other people, but you can’t let them take you away from what you love. If writing is what you want to do, do it!

Sometimes life drags you down, or maybe other people, but you can’t let them take you away from what you love. If writing is what you want to do, do it!

Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t, or shouldn’t, and don’t let yourself say those things either! I have had plenty of instances where I have doubted my capabilities as a writer, and though I’m not completely over those insecurities, I am much better for pushing onward and listening to praise rather than my own doubts.

Why are you excited to join the Capturing Your Confidence team?

I am so excited to join the Capturing Your Confidence team because I love everything that you stand for! Confidence is key when it comes to writing, and life. Once you find your confidence, you can do anything you set your mind to!

I am also excited to be working with new, fun people! Writing can be a lonely task at times, so it is always nice when you get to work with others on projects you love!

Let’s give Holly a warm welcome!

Why I Started my Business

NOTE: This blog contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

There’s one question I’ve been asked about my business more than any other recently: 

What’s your “why”? Why do you do what you do? 

While I typically always have a short response (because social media, right?), I realized that I’ve never actually told the whole story about how & why I started my business, Capturing Your Confidence. 

So this week I wanted to get a little more personal because I think the “why” of what we do is so important - maybe even more important than the end goal sometimes. 

If you would have told me 5 years ago that I would be a business owner, I would’ve probably laughed. And not a chuckle of knowing appreciation. I mean a hearty “that would never happen” laugh. I’d never thought of owning a business, and I had no background in business, marketing, or sales. I knew the basic principles because my grandma taught business when I was young, but it wasn’t something I pursued in school.

And yet, in April 2019, everything changed. I found this 5 day course about starting a blog (or, rather, it found me on Facebook), signed up, and convinced my husband that we should invest a little money for me to start a blog. 

I agonized for days over what I would call my blog. I wanted to be something witty and clever, and of course literary - assuming I could put it all together. I always intended to write about writing, and about teaching. In the early days, my main goal was to share my experiences of writing my novel, teaching, and sharing my love of writing with the world. 

“I really had to consider what I wanted the blog to feel like - what I wanted my ethos to be. Who I was going to be as a blogger and a web writing personality. ”

I’m thankful that all of the clever names I initially thought of were unavailable because it made me think outside the box. I really had to consider what I wanted the blog to feel like - what I wanted my ethos to be. Who I was going to be as a blogger and a web writing personality. 

It took a lot, but I finally settled on Capturing Your Confidence. I remember the moment I figured it out. I was driving home from somewhere, and it was a warm evening, so naturally the windows were down. I was thinking about confidence, and action words - yes, purposefully action words, especially ones that started with “C”. What can I say? I love alliteration. 

Do other people brainstorm verbs that start with specific letters? 

As my thinking evolved, I contemplated light in the darkness. What kinds of things could illuminate darkness without being overly bright like the sun? Brighter than the stars, but something tangible. Something you could capture and use to light the darkness. 

Fireflies.

Fireflies light up the darkness, and many of us grew up capturing fireflies in glass jars and watching them glow. A memory of delight at the end of a summer day. 

That was it - the moment I said it out loud I knew it was the perfect name for what I wanted to do: Capturing Your Confidence. 

Left: Original logo; Right: 2020 Redesign; Top: Current - New Website Redesign

If you’ve been around for awhile, you might remember that my first logo actually included a jar with fireflies inside. I’ve redesigned the logo since then, but you can still see the firefly inspiration in the logo today - next time you visit the blog or see an email from me, look at the logo. I’ve never stopped trying to help you catch the confidence fireflies in your life.

After I decided on the name, I continued to read everything I could find about blogging for money (and the insane amount of income some bloggers make). The more I became convinced that not only could I do it, I would do it. I was going to be one of those bloggers who makes $30K a month for blogging. 

So I learned. I blogged. I wrote and wrote... and wrote some more. And I got better. It’s funny - I have 2 degrees in writing, and I still look back at some of those first blogs and cringe a little. 

“I’ve never stopped trying to help you catch the confidence fireflies in your life.”

When I first started, I thought I would be able to make money quickly. I wanted to quit the day job I was bored at and be a blogger full time. Because I’d recently started writing my novel, I’d revived my childhood dream of being a writer when I “grew up” - this seemed like a perfect direction to go in. 

Alas, you don’t know what you don’t know! Starting a business is SO HARD. Like, really hard. 

When you’re doing it on your own while working a day job and a part time job on the side… well, let’s just say that things didn’t move along as planned. Not even close. There have definitely been times where it’s been incredibly frustrating to put in so much work and realize I still wasn’t going to make money that month. Or that I spent what felt like all my time on social media doing networking and still I got very little traffic to see the posts I poured my heart into. 

There were more than a few times I thought, “Why the hell am I still trying?”

For most people, continuous effort with seemingly no result IS frustrating and it’s probably totally reasonable to want to quit. I think this happens to everyone, no matter what kind of business they’re starting. There are always setbacks, things usually take much longer than expected, and cost way more money (sometimes that you don’t even really have to spend). Sometimes all you can do is sigh and go to bed knowing you’ll have to try again tomorrow. 

As I learned more about online business, though, I realized that maybe blogging as a main income source wasn’t necessarily what I wanted. I read about coaching & online courses, and as a teacher in the classroom, both of those ideas intrigued me. And of course, freelance writing kept appearing as an inviting option, too. So I signed up for what seemed like 1,000 email lists and once again everything shifted - and not just because I was getting 5 times as many sales emails. 

“My business changed when I realized that what I wanted to do was write. ”

My business changed when I realized that what I wanted to do was write. And I wanted to help other people write. I could do that with blogging, but the bits about covering events and doing paid social media posting like many bloggers and influencers do just weren’t as exciting as the idea of someone wanting me to write words for them. 

Nothing was quite as exciting as working with people 1:1 to build up their confidence the way I’d built up my own after the dreaded incident when I stopped writing for all those years. 

From the moment I started teaching, it’s broken my heart to hear students come to me and say or write “I’m just not that good at writing” or “I’ve never been good at writing.” It’s always been my primary goal as a teacher to build student confidence, and that trickled into the workplace, too. It’s sad to me when professionals who are very good communicators - really sharp & smart people - feel poorly about their writing. Especially when it’s not bad! 

So I decided that, rather than being a full time blogger, I was going to be a writer instead, and a writing coach. The day I decided, I knew it was the best decision I could make for my business. I’ve never looked back, and I’ve never had any doubts that this is 100% the path that I’m supposed to be on. I don’t think I’ve ever had a stronger gut instinct in my entire life, honestly. 

Have you ever had that feeling? Where you just know something is right? 

I’ll say this: it was a scary freaking decision.

The dialogue around freelance writing is evolving, but for people outside the online business industry, there’s still very much a feeling and assumption that writers barely scrape by and there’s not a lot of common knowledge about coaching - at least not in any of the circles I was in. So how the heck was I supposed to make money at this? Let alone enough to pay bills and do more than just survive?!

Here’s the thing: writing is a highly valuable & valued skill. Almost anyone can write, but it doesn’t mean they like it and it doesn’t mean it’s effective. I’m all about learning and teaching writing as a skill that can be developed. Totally there for it. BUT, that doesn’t mean that everyone is willing to put in the work it takes to be good at it.

I’ve never been averse to hard work (in fact, I kind of suck at taking breaks and often overwork myself - not an advocate for that either), so I knew if there was a way, I could figure it out. 

What I’ve realized the most throughout the whole journey is that your mindset will make or break you. You either believe you will succeed, and therefore act accordingly, or you let doubt crowd out the excitement and it holds you back from making bold new decisions that will allow you to grow. It doesn’t work both ways. Starting a business is a leap of faith. 

“You either believe you will succeed, and therefore act accordingly, or you let doubt crowd out the excitement and it holds you back from making bold new decisions that will allow you to grow. It doesn’t work both ways.”

I’m happily at the point where I do, in fact, make money from writing, and from writing coaching. And the people who haven’t always been quite on board with my big dreams are coming right along behind me. People used to talk about my blog, myself included, now talk about my business. They may not understand exactly how it all works, but they know it’s working. 

As for my “why,” I probably could have just made it short and sweet at the beginning: 

I want people to be confident in their writing. I want to be the person who builds up other creatives and holds their hand while they climb the slippery slope of writing confidence. I want to be the person I needed when I stopped writing. I want to help professionals be confident in the workplace, maybe even confident enough to leave a crappy workplace and pursue their passion of writing, if that’s what they want. 

Most of all, I want to help people. Out of all the things I’ve wanted to “do” in my life, that’s been the one constant that’s never changed. I want to make a positive impact on the world and my business is the way that I can best do that. 

But saying those things on their own - that’s not me. I don’t feel like you get the whole picture if you don’t know about the journey I took to figure it out. 

In the hustle and bustle of daily lives, especially during the turmoil of a global pandemic, our reason for doing what we do becomes even more important. 

Knowing it. Feeling it. Living It. Believing it. 

It keeps us sane in times where we have no idea what tomorrow will bring. We know what small actions we can take, and we know that small actions can lead to big results. We know that if there’s even a little hope, as humans, we can use that to light our way through the dark. 

That’s what I’m doing here at Capturing Your Confidence - providing a little light & assistance so you can help yourself out of the darkness of doubt and start really living the creative life you want and crave. You’re unstoppable - I’m just here to help you see that for yourself. 

“You’re unstoppable - I’m just here to help you see that for yourself. ”

Want me to write awesome stuff for you? Check out more here.

Or maybe you want to be the confident writer you feel like…before you stare at the blank page for an hour. I can help, and I’d love to work with you! Read more here.

As always, if you have a question, want to read something you haven’t seen, or just want to chat, email me at rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com or find me on social media.

The Value of Taking a Break

UPDATED OCTOBER 2020

Every year about this time, especially when I’m teaching, I feel the immense need for a break. I don’t mean an evening to unwind, either. 

I’m talking a full stop, unplugged, no emails break from work. 

Days where I can do whatever I want, whether that’s napping, watching movies with my dogs, or working on my novel without feeling an ounce of guilt. 

In a world where a majority of our messaging tells us “hustling” all the time will get us where we want to go, a break is invaluable. Here’s why:

We are stressed.

Sometimes we are stressed because of work: maybe we don’t like our job or we are feeling a lot of pressure to complete projects on short timelines. 

Sometimes there are unexpected family commitments that last longer than anticipated. Or someone we care about needs help and no one else is there, so we “find a way” to help them. 

We often feel like jugglers with way too many balls in the air.

Sometimes we have health issues that have escalated or changed our lives. Issues we can’t afford to pay for because we don’t work at a job that makes a living wage.

We often feel like jugglers with way too many balls in the air.

We are overwhelmed.

Because of all our commitments, we can get overwhelmed. Our brains know we have to somehow prioritize our laundry list of “to do” items, even when that list seems to grow on its own.

But knowing that we have to do something is not the same as being able to effectively do it. Let alone be efficient.

So we shut down and don’t do anything (no one has to know about that 5 episode binge session of your favorite show on Netflix, right?). 

We are emotionally overwrought.

Since we are stressed and overwhelmed, our emotions can be out of whack. We might be perfectly lovely individuals on a regular day, but on a stressful and overwhelming day? You’d better watch out! 

Think of all the things we are trying to balance in our lives. Chances are, we have a stake in every single one. Work? Pays the bills (hopefully) and feeds the family. Family commitments? Builds and maintains relationships with the ones we love. Health? We have to take care of those or we might not be around as long as we would like. 

If we think about all of these things on an average day, that makes for a pretty emotional package, doesn’t it?

We are tired.

I don’t know about you, but I rarely hear anyone saying “I slept really well last night. I even went to bed early!” We all wish we could, but the reality is that most of us struggle on an average day. 

Sometimes tired feels like an understatement.

We get up for work in the morning, and have whatever caffeine will sustain us. We make the morning commute, arriving at work hoping that coffee/tea/energy drink has kicked in. If not, we immediately look for more. 

And then we work. Some of us leave work and go to another job. If we don’t, we get home and can barely function as a human being sometimes because all of our brain power is spent. But, wait! We still have to eat dinner and possibly do dishes or spend time with family or friends. 

Sometimes tired feels like an understatement.

We are human beings, not robots.

Probably the biggest reason taking a break is important is because we are humans! We are creative, wonderful, diverse creatures who have learned to do amazing things. 

We are not robots that stand in an assembly line programmed to efficiently do one task over and over again. We are living, breathing beings who have a wide range of needs and emotions to contend with on a daily basis.

How often should we take a break?

We are stressed, overwhelmed, emotional tired humans who just need a break! Sometimes we don’t even realize how much we need it until it’s been far too long. The question remains, though, how often we should try to schedule this coveted relaxation. 

In an ideal world, we could take a  break once a week. We get so excited when we arrive at Friday because we think the weekend will be a break. 

There’s a reason for that - we crave down time. If not down time, at least time to do what we like instead of what pays the bills. 

In an ideal world, we could take a  break once a week.

Do you ever catch yourself saying “Thank Goodness it’s Friday” or “TGIF”? I know I do!

As you probably know, taking a complete day to yourself every week is not always doable. We might have other commitments and chores to take care of. Even if they’re fun, they’re still a scheduled obligation.

Even when we are very busy, it’s really important to take a break at least once per month. We need that time to decompress and relax. Even if it’s a lazy Sunday afternoon laying around the house, we all need to take a break. 

I’ve found taking a day off of work to create downtime can be extra relaxing since I am less likely to be roped into extra tasks during the week - because everyone else is busy working!

What do we do when we can’t take a break? 

Sometimes life gets extra crazy, though, and we actually don’t have time for a full stop break from everything. We’ve all been there (some of us more recently than others) and it’s awful. So what can we do when this happens?

We schedule down time.

If you are a planner, this will probably be a piece of cake. If seeing obligations on your calendar stresses you out, though, this might be difficult the first few times you do it. 

Scheduling time for a break should be no different than any other commitment you make. It’s a commitment that you need to make to and for yourself. 

When we can’t take a whole day to ourselves, or maybe even half of a day, we need to schedule some time. Maybe that’s an hour or two in the afternoon after work. Or maybe, if you’re an early bird or a night owl, you can get some quiet at the beginning or end of the day. 

We say yes to doing things all the time, and then we block that time on our calendars. Scheduling time for a break should be no different than any other commitment you make. It’s a commitment that you need to make to and for yourself. 

We say no to new commitments.

We can sometimes feel guilty for not saying “yes” to positive opportunities. In fact, the word “no” tends to have a pretty negative connotation. 

But that doesn’t have to be the case.

When we’re up to our eyeballs in stress and prior commitments, saying “no” to something is the best response for everyone. It’s good for you, because you don’t then feel the pain of having to try to fit yet another responsibility into your already packed life. 

It’s also a plus for the person or group being told no because what are they actually getting when you say yes? They’re getting an overwhelmed overcommitted helper who doesn’t have the time and dedication they need to do a good job. So even though you show up, you can’t give it your best and therefore both parties are unhappy.

We find a way to relieve stress without a full stop break.

There have been days where I have gone from one place to the next without even having time to stop for a snack. If this has happened to you, you know the pain. 

The stress is high, but there’s no outlet so it stays pent up.

If we can’t schedule downtime or say “no” to a new responsibility for whatever reason, we have to be able to handle the situation on the fly. As someone who likes to plan, I hate this. I hate it when I’m trapped in back-to-back responsibilities without reprieve. 

"No" doesn't have to have negative connotations.

Some of the best outlets I’ve found in these circumstances are journaling, listening to calming music, or meditating. These options should be tailored to what suits you best because not all of them are appealing to everyone. 

4 Benefits of Taking a Break 

I love fall, and the holiday season, but I also think we all need a reminder to take a break where we are able. And if we “don’t have time,” schedule some in.

There are 4 major benefits of taking breaks:

We Feel Better

We feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally when we take a break. Our bodies can release the stress we’ve been holding onto and our mind will feel less burdened. 

Because we’re less stressed, we will be able to deal with our human emotions better and more effectively prioritize when the stress starts to creep back.

Our Relationships Improve

When we get in a whirlwind of prioritizing and trying to get everything done, something inevitably has to take the backseat. Many times these are relationships with our family and friends.

We tend to feel bad about it, but nevertheless proceed because we assume (sometimes rightfully, sometimes not) that they will be waiting for us when our life gets less hectic. So, when we take a break we can finally make the much needed time to build and maintain these relationships. They thrive with the attention they need.

We’re More Productive

Do you know that feeling you get when you’ve been looking at something for so long that even small noticeable errors fly under the radar? The pre-break glazed over look and attitude that screams “I can’t do this anymore”? 

Breaks have this incredible power of giving us clarity of the daily grind.

Taking a break fixes that! When we take a break, we create a critical distance from our work. That critical distance can really help spice things up when you go back to it because your brain had time to remember what the heck it was supposed to be doing in the first place. It also has room for new ideas that got pushed out due to stress.

We Gain a New or Refreshed Perspective

Taking a break allows you to remember why you love what you do, or shows you something you once loved is now lackluster. 

If you remember why you loved what you were taking a break from, you’ll be excited to get back to it! If you discovered you no longer like what you do, or knew that but were gritting your teeth to “get it done,” it might be time for change. Breaks have this incredible power of giving us clarity of the daily grind.

The best thing we can do for ourselves is be kind! Not that we want to hold ourselves to lower standards - on the contrary. Allowing (or forcing) ourselves to make time for breaks is beneficial in all the best ways, including more efficient productivity.

My challenge to you is to figure out how you can take a break this week, even if it’s just a small one.

Need help figuring out how to manage your time and make time for breaks? I can help! If you’re a business person who could use a writer to free up some of your valuable time, learn more about how I can help here. If you’re a professional and/or creative who just needs someone to help them figure things, out, click here to read about how I work with individuals just like you. Let’s make time for you to take the break you want and need.

What do you think about breaks? How does that play out in your life? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a comment below or email me at rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com!