Courage to Exhale
“We are closer to the people we serve - than the people we serve think.”
Have you ever had an idea where everything around that idea begins to take a radical shift as it comes into reality?
Last week I had the amazing opportunity to put my day-to-day life on hold and give 100% attention to the written words that I have a burning desire to create in the confines of what will be my 3rd book.
Under the leadership of bestselling authors Michael Port and Mike Michalowicz, I rolled up my proverbial sleeves along with 19 other authors at this writer’s retreat. Together we explored what work we needed to do moving forward as we were fortunate enough to share the space together in a beautiful home on the Chesapeake Bay.
Michael and Mike shared openly and generously the ups and the downs of what it truly takes to get your written words fully out into the world. They walked us through their closely held strategies in both the traditional and non-traditional worlds of publishing and allowed us their vantage point of what has allowed them to be such great successes as authors and thought leaders.
What I found so intriguing about the experience is that each us of that attended (most of us strangers prior to this event) were so different, yet by sharing this common dream and desire it bonded us together. Many wonderful conversations and emotions were shared during our 5 days together.
As I have been sharing with you my book title to this point and current podcast has been under the name of “The Courage to be the Difference.” So here is the interesting thing that came to pass for me: I ended up changing course a bit and changing the title of my book!
Now after the work done this past week and bouncing ideas around with this group, I found the new working title for this book, “The Courage to Exhale – Lose the guilt, do the thing, and be the difference.”
A subtle shift which was in fact the action I needed to take over the course of this retreat. It has changed my perspective immensely as I start to dive fully in the months ahead of me in writing this book and creating my strategy for getting it out into the world.
What has also become even clearer is the leadership that develops from the art of writing as you take your thoughts and share them with those you serve. Through this process you realize just how close your lives actually intertwine. It really has been the basis all these years for my writing this Victory Letter. What is usually best read and absorbed are the words most relatable to your own lives.
The word retreat is defined among other things as a quiet time, a quiet place, a safe place, and a period of seclusion. Something each of us can use to dig further into all those little details that matters most to us. Through the process of allowing our mind to get out of the daily demands of life, we can allow our best self to shine and be of better service to others.
How about you? What is within you waiting to come out that could use some time of self-reflection? How could it assist you to better lead like it matters?
Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.
To Your Successes and Victories,
- Cheri
Cheri Ruskus
Author, Business Growth Coach,
and Founder of the Victory Circles
www.VictoryCircles.com
