26 Nadine Kenney-Johnstone: She turned life's challenges into a memoir
Nadine was devastated when fertility treatments failed, but she found hope and resilience, publishing a memoir about her struggles and eventual pregnancy. Nadine also discovered her knack for helping other writers finish and publish their pieces and thus began a new chapter as a writing coach.
Curiosity and a willingness to try something new will often lead to wonderful things. Nadine was willing to go to Fl for the weekend, move to MA, try coaching, and write a memoir.
If you find yourself thinking catastrophic thoughts, ask instead, "What's the best thing that could happen?'
It's maddening when there's no guarantee things will work out, but sometimes if you hang in there anyway, magical things will happen.
Trust your instinct (like when Nadine felt pulled to leave MA and move to Chicago). Pay attention to those "pulls."
Just because you decide something doesn't mean you're stuck in that decision forever. You're allowed to change your mind.
You can have visions of what you want, but be open to treasures and nuggets that appear along the way (like Nadine thinking she was moving to the city and being open to each step along the way, she ended up living outside the city and having chickens)
Use medical setbacks to slow down, prioritize and reconnect with yourself and maybe as a life lesson of not having control over a situation.
By setting your hope on something despite all odds, it can completely change your energy about a situation (like when Nadine's relative told her she would have a baby one day, of this much she was sure)
Collect evidence and proof of your talents and skills by helping one person at a time. This will boost your confidence and validate you.
Invest in yourself. Ask yourself what's sustainable for you and hire out the things you're not good at/don't enjoy. You can't serve if you're pouring all your energy into things you don't enjoy.
We take our own expertise for granted. We assume everyone is good at whatever our particular gifts are. We each have expertise in an area. Nadine knew how to write stories faster and more effectively. She knew how to navigate the publishing industry. Sometimes it's so close to your face you don't even recognize it (Nadine's husband's chef skills).
Imagine yourself a few years ago when you're trying to decide who to serve with your skills and talents. What did you need or wish you'd had to make your path easier?
Think about how you want to feel and then go back over times in your life when you felt that way. Nadine wanted to feel joyful and engaged. She remembered how helping women was one of the things throughout her life that gave these feelings.
Take your hobby to a more committed level by signing up for a workshop, class, or course. This will require you to "show up" in a way you might not do solo. It's like going to a workout class at a gym. You're more likely to show up, work hard, and feel fabulous afterward.
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