I Took the Leap!

Until I JUMPED, I didn’t know if I could do it. But a few months after Covid started, I took the leap and started my online book-coaching business.

It was exciting and at the same time, terrifying. But I’ve never looked back and these days, I’m not only surviving, I’m thriving. And I’m here to reassure you that if you’re thinking about taking a big leap and writing your book, you can do it: you just need to know how to start.

But before we get to that, I want you to think about where your ability to pursue your dreams comes from because so often we sell ourselves short. We make excuses for not doing the things we want to do, like writing a book. We tell ourselves it’s not the right time or we don’t have the time, or we don’t have the ability or enough money, or we worry we’ll be rejected and nobody will want to read it. And we put our dream on the back burner, meaning to do it ‘one day’ but never getting round to it.

When it came to starting my business, I realised that ever since I was a little girl, I’d always believed women could do anything they wanted if they really put their minds to it. This belief came from the family stories my Mother told me. My Great Aunt in Germany loved singing. So she became an opera singer, emigrated to Italy, and joined La Scala. My Irish Grandmother decided she wanted to fly. So she flew a plane under the Boyne Bridge in the 1930s and was fined £1.

And my Mother who loved singing and performing, sang her heart out in musicals while I was growing up. But the story I loved most, was when my Mum smuggled her beloved pooch onto a plane under her coat when she moved to England in the 1960s.

So I grew up believing in my heart and soul that I could do and be anything I wanted: if the women in my family could perform and fly planes and smuggle their dogs into places, then I could do it too: I felt empowered by those stories even though I didn’t know it at the time.

In my life, I’ve followed in my family’s footsteps. I pursued my love of performing and won the Best Actress award at the Granada Film Festival. I was dying to fly a plane like my Granny, so I did: from Lough Derg across to the beautiful Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. And I pursued my love of writing: I founded an international writing festival and became the Head Judge of two international writing prizes. I became a published writer with a publishing imprint and offline courses which helped and encourage aspiring writers to progress all the way to publication…

Admittedly, I’ve never smuggled my dog onto a plane, only into a hotel (twice) but the point is the stories I heard inspired me to pursue it all.

So, getting back to the question: where does your ability to pursue your dreams come from? Have you seen and heard stories about people you know who reached for their heart’s desires and did the things they wanted? If you have, then you already have proof that doing what you want is possible. And that possibility begins to feel real for you when you get intentional about it.

Intention directs the flow of your energy and when you give something your attention and you’re doing it on purpose, that’s where the magic starts: it’s the beginning of the creative process.

When I started my online business, I had no idea what I was doing, but I could see other people creating and running businesses online so I knew it was possible. And I told myself I could LEARN it so I jumped in, feet first. And bit by bit, I learned how. And I’ve put those learnings into practice. Sure, I’ve fallen flat on my face a few times, but that’s a normal part of the process. And I did that because I believed I could: I never doubted myself, not for a second.

So if you believe you can write a book, get intentional about it. Ask yourself, what do I have to do to start? (Answer: read the blog post on The Best Way to Start a Nonfiction Book).

But if you don’t believe in yourself enough, or you don’t have evidence around you of being able to successfully reach for your dreams, what then?

You turn to your imagination. Because if you can imagine writing a book and being an author, that’s proof that you can do it. Quantum physics tells us that what we create in our imaginations must also co-exist in probability and after that, you bring that thought to life by taking action. And you do that by learning the skills you need.

I can teach you those skills and I’m here to tell you, you CAN write your book and you SHOULD. Whether it’s to use your voice to share your message, or your method, or a life-changing experience that you believe can help more people, or to build your business and become a recognised authority, it’s negligent to ignore the desire and keep putting it off.

Why?

Because somebody, somewhere is waiting to hear what you’ve got to say. And their life will be changed as a result of it. And the longer you put it off, the longer you’ll make them wait.

I know I’m in the perfect place to help you because I’ve gone out there on my own, thinking big and taking action. And I know women can do anything they want when they put their minds to it. I believe this in my heart and soul because my Aunt, my Granny and my Mum have all inspired me with their actions.

And I’m here to inspire you to take action and get started: that’s what this blog is all about.

So now, if you’re ready – and if you’re still reading this, you ARE – read the posts and download the free stuff to help you get started.

Anna