Write Your Irresistible Book Proposal is a unique, small-group telecourse—part lecture and Q&A, part one-on-one coaching and feedback, part accountability and community support—that guides you through the process of writing a nonfiction book proposal.

At the end of the 6-month course, you’ll have a polished proposal you can confidently pitch to agents and publishers. 15 spots available. Enrollment is open between May 16th and May 25th.

Click here to find out about all the details, schedule, pricing and more!

I first heard about the concept of shipping from author, blogger, and entrepreneur Seth Godin. In a guest post at the blog Zen Habits, he writes about what it means to “ship:”

Ship as in get it out the door. Ship as in make a difference at work. Ship as in contribute your art and vision and expertise and passion to the project you’re working on.

If my life had a theme-of-the-week, this week it would be shipping.

Because this week I’m sharing the project I’ve been developing for the past few months with the world. I’m taking something I’ve spent countless hours creating in my safe little office, with the help of my Apple computer, Jill Bliss-designed notebook, and black Pilot Razor Point extra fine pen, and putting it out there for all to see, consider (or not), and decide whether or not what I’ve created has value to them.

As Seth Godin said on his blog:

Shipping is fraught with risk and danger. Every time you raise your hand, send an email, launch a product or make a suggestion, you’re exposing yourself to criticism. Not just criticism, but the negative consequences that come with wasting money, annoying someone in power or making a fool of yourself.

I’m feeling that risk, even though I’ve shipped plenty before. In fact, each time I write a book or article and send it to my editor or publisher, I’m shipping. But that, somehow, feels safer. That has the legitimacy of a publisher or a magazine behind it, someone who said ‘we value what you have to say and want to hear you say it.’ This? This feels different. This is just me and my idea and no guarantees.

But the key to shipping is to focus on the shipping itself – the launch, the share, the creating – not the outcome.

Because the moment the focus shifts to how something is going to be received or what the result will be, resistance kicks in. Resistance so strong it can prevent you from shipping in the first place.

So, here I go…shipping my new class – a 6-month small-group program for writers who want to traditionally publish their first nonfiction book.

And yes, it’s a little scary.

But it’s also more than a little exciting. In creating this class, I’ve been in the flow for the past few months, and I’m keenly aware that being the flow is where it’s at — not being attached to the outcome or feeling like my efforts will only be successful if others validate them.

Like Seth said…shipping is fraught with risk and danger. But it’s mostly about making a difference and sharing your vision and passion. And that’s worth the trade-off any day.

* * * * * *

You can find out more about my new class — Write Your Irresistible Book Proposal — here. Enrollment is open between May 16 – May 25, and the program begins the first week of June!

So, the other day I posted this gorgeous image on my Facebook page because 1) I love what it says, 2) I believe what it says, and 3) it’s inspiring and beautiful to look at.

I didn’t realize when I posted it that I’d so quickly find myself deep in my own personal well of fear. But that’s exactly what happened yesterday.

I had been asked to be a guest on my local news station’s show Parent to Parent to talk about an article I wrote in Parent Map Magazine about how moms can foster authentic communication with their teen daughters. I’ve done a few TV interviews in the past and had always enjoyed them, so I said ‘sure’ without really thinking about it. And for the most part, I was looking forward to the segment until Sunday night at about 9pm.

With eleven hours to go until my appearance, I started to freak out. My inner lizard was going crazy, asking me what the hell I had been thinking to agree to do a live segment. I mean, what if I had a brain freeze or I forgot my main points? What if I just looked like a stumbling idiot and lost all credibility as a teen expert? (My lizard was having a field day.)

I woke up the next morning at 4:45am, even though I didn’t need to be at the studio until 7:45, and as I laid there in bed, I was in full fight or flight response. So I tapped into my tools, like imagining how I wanted to feel while I was doing the interview, visualizing the sense of accomplishment I’d feel when I was done, acknowledging my lizard fears and politely asking them to go away, taking slow, deep breaths, dropping into wordlessness. You name it, I tried it. But still, the anxiety continued.

As I sat in my car before going into the studio a few hours later, I was still a wreck. I soooo wanted the whole thing to be over with. But as the clock ticked closer to my air time, the voice in my head reminded me that the only way to get through it is to get through it. Put one step in front of the other, sit in that interview chair, and trust in my core that I was safe and everything was going to work out exactly as it was supposed to.

So I did.

And I survived.

And, as the rational part of me could have predicted, I even had fun.

But wow…what a great reminder that facing fear can be tough. Fear can make your insides feel like they’re mush, turn you into a terrified child, bring into question even your deepest, most comforting belief systems.

But sometimes fear is what you have to go through to get to the other side.

* * * * *

(If you want to see how it all turned out, you can watch the Parent to Parent segment here!)

Are you looking for the perfect graduation gift for a high school or college senior in your life?

Instead of going with jewelry, or money, or a fancy schmancy pen, why not give your graduate the gift of an experience?

For the month of May only, I’m offering a special graduation gift:

Find out more about the SENIOR SEND OFF here!

Last night I went to hear hilarious, prolific author David Sedaris speak at an event at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. If you’re not familiar with his work, he’s a frequent contributor on NPR’s This American Life, and has written a ton of humor essay books including my personal favorite, Me Talk Pretty One Day.

Though I’d recognize his distinctive voice and storytelling delivery anywhere, I had never seen him perform live before, and the man was even more brilliant in front of an audience than on the radio. He captured the attention of all 2,500 audience members, as he stood simply behind a small, wooden podium, pencil in hand (he often reads from works in progress and edits on the fly) and a stack of essays to pull from.

As I listened to his comical, candid, sometimes inappropriate diary entries, I couldn’t help but be struck by how David Sedaris had created an amazing life for himself by doing what he loved and by being his pure, authentic, slightly twisted self. (I also laughed so hard I let a loud snort escape from my mouth, but that’s a whole other matter.)

There’s something incredibly inspirational about seeing someone so in the flow – his work and life and passion are melded together as one. He writes in his diary about what he sees and how he experiences situations and then shares his raw and honest observations with the rest of us. For this he is well-paid, well-respected, and well-loved.

And it made me wonder…what would happen if everyone followed their passion and natural gifts and that became the primary focus of their life…if earning a living and living a dream were one and the same?

I think it’s possible. Do you?

Today I’m all about STARTING.

Starting to work on the seeds of a new book idea I’m developing.

Starting to write the website copy for an online class I’m creating.

Starting to clean out my file cabinets to make room for new content.

Starting to read a book that’s been on my queue for way too long.

But sometimes STARTING can be hard. Even when you have a whole day in front of you with no meetings and it’s just you and your computer and your dog at your feet for hours to come.

I know I’m not alone here. I hear from many of my creative clients – writers, artists, entrepreneurs – that STARTING can sometimes be paralyzing, even when what we intend to start is exactly what we want to be doing.

What’s up with that?

Writer Steven Pressfield refers to this force that stops us from starting as the RESISTANCE. Everyone has it, and its sole purpose is to distract us and prevent us from doing our creative work.

In his phenomenal book, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, Steven defines the resistance, where it comes from, why it’s there, and how to beat it. And he talks about the importance of STARTING:

Angel’s are like muses. They know stuff we don’t. They want to help us. They’re on the other side of a pane of glass, shouting to get our attention. But we can’t hear them. We’re too distracted by our own nonsense. Ah, but when we begin. When we make a start. When we conceive an enterprise and commit to it in the face of our fears, something wonderful happens. A crack appears in the membrane. Like the first craze when a chick pecks at the inside of its shell. Angel midwives congregate around us; they assist as we give birth to ourselves, to that person we were born to be, to the one whose destiny was encoded in our soul, our daimon, our genius. When we make a beginning, we get out of our own way and allow the angels to come in and do their job.

Today I’m going to MAKE A START. It’s the only way to beat the resistance and create.

How about you? What will you START today?

I’m on vacation in Los Angeles for spring break this week…just me and my 7-year-old son, Asher. I used to live in LA, so I love coming back to see old friends, visit my favorite spots, and get some serious sunshine.

But as much as I love trips like these, I also find going away for anything more than a few days brings up all kinds of stressful thoughts for me. Thoughts like:

Can I really afford to take time off right now?

Can I get everything done before I leave?

What if some of my plans fall through?

Will I have wifi? How will I stay connected?

What if Asher decides to be cranky and inflexible the whole time and since I’m traveling sans spouse I have no relief?

How will I squeeze my exercise in?

But perhaps the biggest question I grapple with before every trip is this:

Why did I schedule this vacation in the first place? It would be so much easier to just stay put, stick my kid in camp for the week, and go about my life as usual.

This question is a biggie. This is the one that messes with my excitement by filling me with anxiety and regret.

And this is the question that had me scrambling as late as last week to see how much it would cost me to change flights and shorten my trip or bail altogether.

Turns out it was going to cost a lot. And I’m glad, because instead of ditching the vacation, I decided instead to try approaching the trip from a fresh perspective.

I worked hard last week to replace the questions above with thoughts like these:

I wonder what special adventure I can plan for Asher and me while we’re in southern California? (Answer: gray whale watching)

It will be so nice to reconnect with people I love!

How lucky am I that I get to go on a mom/son trip with the most fascinating human I know?

How cool is it that I’m my own boss and I can go on vacation anytime I like?

Four words: Sun. Beach. Hiking. Friends.

Ahh…yes. Well, those thoughts sure felt a lot better. And I’m glad I broke my work routine for a week full of adventures and time with my son. Because now we can enjoy the sun, and my friends, and the whales together. And right about now, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Two weeks ago my writing partner and I wrapped up a book proposal we’d been working on for, oh, about eight, long months. This is a project we’re both super passionate about and have worked our butts off to get just right – passing drafts back and forth, gathering feedback from readers, revising and editing until we felt we nailed it. The finished product was a sixty-plus pager and, as we excitedly passed the baton by sending it off to our agent, we shared a virtual toast. I believe in this project and the ensuing book we hope to get paid to write… I really want to pen this baby.

So that makes it especially hard when the waiting game begins.

I’ve been doing this long enough to know not to obsessively check my inbox in anticipation of an ecstatic reply from our agent. I know getting her feedback could take awhile and that publishing isn’t the biz to be in if I’m looking for immediate gratification. And I know to trust in the process … that with creative projects things unfold as they’re supposed to. As least that’s what I believe.

Still, it’s been hard to wait.

But what I’m super aware of these days is the whole notion of grasping energy – that idea that when we want something so badly our energy around it feels anxious, or reaching, or desperate. Grasping energy is all about dwelling on what we don’t have (lack) instead of what we do have (abundance). And since like attracts like, grasping energy isn’t going to do me any good here.

So, this time around I’m doing three things differently.

First, I’m spending extra time being thankful for what I have. I’m writing grateful lists and spending time playing and doing things I love like running, sitting on the sunny porch with Baxter (my dog), and trying to learn from my son how to do an inside reverse fold in origami. (I still haven’t mastered that last one yet.)

Second, I’m working to let go of my desire for any particular outcome. Easier said than done, but when I remind myself that whatever happens in this situation is perfect for me, I can let go of the attachment for a specific result. At least in that moment.

Third, I’m moving on to the next project. By shifting my focus to another creative project and diving right in, I’m not only filling the hole that was left by completing this book proposal, but I’m ensuring I have more projects in the pipeline ready to develop down the road. So either way, I’m good.

FYI – today we did hear back from our agent. And she absolutely loves the proposal. So now it’s on to the next step…getting it ready to pitch to publishers. And then a new waiting game begins. Good thing this time I have a plan…

Since writing my post on getting vulnerable last week, I’ve been approaching my work and my life differently. And for me, that looks like shutting off the part of my brain that thrives in resistance (this is the part that gets bogged down in research, loves to over think things, and whose perfectionistic tendencies stall me every time when it comes to making things happen) and just putting stuff out there – new ideas, new coaching offerings, new calls, new collaborations.

I don’t remember a time when I’ve felt more in the flow and have taken such quick action on the ideas that come in. It’s been an exciting, motivating, adrenaline-filled week.

But it’s not all good. It’s also been a week of “oh shits.”

Because just putting stuff out there means I might fall flat on my face…big time.

Now, of course I know that failure’s my friend. I mean, it’s where all the good ideas come from, right? I do truly believe this, but still, being a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of gal, while being very fun, is also a little scary.

Still, I’m going with it. What’s my other option, really?

Play it safe? I’ve done that before. It just keeps me in the exact same place, only frustrated.

Do what I’ve done before? Sure, I could do that, but that gets boring. I want to stretch.

Analyze, examine, and research to death until I feel 100% comfortable with taking the step? I’ll still second-guess myself, only this time I’ll have wasted oodles of time in the process.

Hence, the putting stuff out there. If it works, awesome. If it doesn’t, I learn something.

I can’t lose either way.

Every Monday morning I wake up to a “Monday Kickass Quote” in my inbox sent to me by the fabulous Andrea Owen. I look forward to it every week because invariably it perfectly resonates with something I’m feeling or going through. This Monday’s quote was no exception:

“Vulnerability is not weakness….vulnerability is our most accurate measure of courage” – Dr. Brene Brown

If you’re not familiar with Brene Brown, she’s the author of the powerful book The Gifts of Imperfection and a researcher who has spent the past ten plus years exploring shame. Her TED Talk from 2010 called The Power of Vulnerability went viral – more than 4 million viewers watched her bare her soul and talk about how the key to “whole-hearted living” is vulnerability. I loved this talk and recommend it constantly to friends and clients (you can watch it here).

I knew Brene Brown had recently spoken again at a TED Conference, and Andrea’s quote urged me to spend twenty minutes this morning watching Brene’s latest talk. I felt compelled to check it out because for the past week I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about my own risk taking and vulnerability, and realized there are significant areas of my life where I’m still holding back, still afraid to be judged, still worried about what people will think of me if I let the real me come out to play. There are still areas of my life where I’m not fully showing up in the way I want to and in the way I know has the potential to make the biggest impact.

Like her first talk, Brene’s new TED talk, Listening to Shame, taps into something that at our core we all experience on some level – this idea of not be “enough.” Not pretty enough, not smart enough, not interesting enough, not funny enough. And it’s this shame – this deep-rooted belief that we are not enough – that prevents us from being our beautiful, vulnerable selves.

Here’s a great quote from her talk:

I define vulnerability as emotional risk, exposure, uncertainty. It fuels our daily lives. And I’ve come to the belief … that vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage — to be vulnerable, to let ourselves be seen, to be honest. So let me go on the record and say, vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change. To create is to make something that has never existed before. There’s nothing more vulnerable than that.

This quote jumped out at me because I am constantly creating things – books, articles, coaching programs, projects, speeches, blog posts, relationships – with a goal of fostering positive change. And I realized that unless I’m doing it from a place of pure vulnerability I’m not being as effective as I can be. I’m not fully embracing the concept of “whole-hearted living.”

So I want to be more vulnerable. I know it won’t happen overnight, and I know my inner critic is going to have a lot to say about it, but true vulnerability is what I’m going for. I thought you should know.

How about you? Where do you allow yourself to be open and vulnerable? How has this impacted the quality of your whole-hearted life?

Oh, and if you have the time (and I hope you do), you can watch Brene’s talk in its entirety here:

PS. And a special thanks again to Andrea Owen for sending me that lovely quote yesterday…keep ‘em coming!