What if you never get the chance to pass along to a new generation your legacy, because you were too concerned about what other people thought about you and what your story was? Are you holding something back for the world to see because of the lack of confidence? Lack of direction? Lack of ability to articulate it effectively? Michelle Vandepas, a successful publisher and coach, has helped countless individuals and businesses transform this type of thinking into successful models that have helped to create the opposite effect: lasting legacies. Today's episode discusses the importance of not letting that book that you have die inside of you, and find ways to create those lasting impressions for others to see. Even the smallest footsteps in making progress can make such a significant difference in your life, and the unlimited potential in others, to achieve that success they always wanted (and much more!)

BONUS! Are you interested in taking one of Michelle's MasterClasses regarding writing your non-fiction book? We are an official affiliate partner of her class which is available as a free and paid version. Take a look at the links below if you are interested:

1. Free Version - https://theauthorpath.com/the-writing-path-free-masterclass/?ref=105
2. Paid Version - https://theauthorpath.com/the-writing-path/?ref=105

Guest Bio

Michelle Vandepas is an accomplished professional who captivates with her empowering message and unwavering support. As a seasoned author, speaker, and coach, she has a wealth of experience and profound insights into publishing, online marketing and living with purpose. Michelle lives in the mountains of Colorado, where she lives with her family, 40 goldfish, and the occasional mountain lion or bear (oh my!). Michelle is often walking through nature thinking of new ways to help her clients live their most authentically successful lives, and also grounding herself in the beauty of the world around her, whether at home or through her travels.

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.vandepas

@MichelleVan on Twitter

@Michelle.vandepas on Instagram

Website: https://www.michellecoaches.com

• Toastmasters International -Home (https://www.toastmasters.org) - Toastmasters is an international organization that has allowed many of my guests to be on the show through personal and professional connection, combining all kinds of different types of communication and leadership development. Learn more about this organization at the link provided, plus check out the "Find A Club" option where you can locate an in-person or virtual club closest to you and your likings!
• National Speakers Association Homepage (https://nsaspeaker.org/) - The mission of the National Speakers Association (NSA) is to empower professional speakers to thrive and influence. They elevate excellence, share expertise, and challenge one another to improve. Learn more about this organization at this website which was discussed during today's episode!

Visit Our Website: https://speaking-from-the-heart.captivate.fm/

Visit Our Business Website: https://www.yourspeakingvoice.biz

Support The Mission Of The Business! Donate Here: https://speaking-from-the-heart.captivate.fm/support

Intro/Outro By: Michael Dugan, Podcast Host: Voice4Chefs

Welcome to the podcast where relationships, confidence, and

2

determination all converge into

an amazing, heartfelt experience.

3

This is Speaking From The Heart.

4

Joshua: Welcome back to episode number

90 of Speaking From the Heart, and

5

today we have Michelle Vandepas with us.

6

She is an accomplished professional

who captivates with her empowering

7

message and unwavering support.

8

As a seasoned author, speaker, and

coach, she has a wealth of experience and

9

profound insights into publishing, online

marketing, and living with a purpose.

10

Michelle lives in the mountains of

Colorado where she lives with her

11

family, forty goldfish, and the

occasional mountain lion or bear, oh my!

12

Michelle is often walking through nature,

thinking of new ways to help her clients

13

live their most authentically successful

lives, and also grounding herself in the

14

beauty of the world around her, whether

at home or through her travels, and I

15

think in this episode today, in which we

talk about a variety of different subjects

16

relating to inspiration and encouragement,

and just taking that big step forward,

17

although it's very small in the big

scheme of things, it can make such a big

18

difference in the wins that we have in

our lives, let alone the things that we

19

share, not only that is on our hearts,

but also in the books that we publish, the

20

things that we do for ourselves to make

sure that we have that hero's journey,

21

which we talk about, but also never

letting that story die within ourselves.

22

I think that we often go through life

thinking that we have to have this

23

driven purpose, time and time again,

but Michelle's story, let alone her

24

experiences working with others from all

around the country, has really shown her

25

purpose, and her ability to drive forward.

26

I think that we have to figure out

a way, if we ever are going to get

27

through some of the biggest, toughest

struggles in our lives, to get to that

28

other side, we have to be open to the

vast amount of possibilities that exist.

29

But with that, let's go to the episode.

30

All right, we're here

from Michelle Vandepas.

31

Michelle, thanks for sharing

your heart with us today.

32

Michelle: Oh, heart to heart.

33

I can't wait.

34

Joshua: I can't wait either, and I mean,

we've been super excited about this.

35

You're like one of those idols of people

that I am striving to be one day, so

36

like, I'm really been like giddy about

this whole entire thing, so thank you

37

so much for being part of the show.

38

I really want to ask you

this first question, out of

39

the fact that I am a coach.

40

I've been doing coaching now

for a little over a year.

41

What got you into becoming

a coach in the first place?

42

Michelle: Wow, great question.

43

I don't know that, with life in general,

there's never just a direct line, right?

44

It's never a direct line, so I've

been an entrepreneur my whole life.

45

I had a business where I was selling

medical equipment and two holistic

46

practitioners, like chiropractors and

nutritionists and so forth, and what

47

I discovered is they are all so good

at what they did, but they had no

48

idea how to take this equipment and

market it to help their practice, so

49

I started coaching them on marketing,

and as they say, the rest is history.

50

It evolved.

51

This is like 40 years ago almost, right,

30 something years ago; I'm showing my

52

age, but all of that was really coaching.

53

It was consulting, it was coaching, it

was helping them with marketing, and

54

so, I've been doing this in one form

or another ever since my late 20s.

55

Joshua: Do you still enjoy doing what

you're doing today with coaching?

56

Do you feel like you

are making a big impact?

57

Michelle: I feel like

sometimes I make an impact.

58

Sometimes I feel like I shout

into the wind and I don't know

59

that it's my job to judge that.

60

I think I show up and do what I do,

as you say, with full heart, right?

61

I show up, I do what I do.

62

The people that can use it, use it,

and I show up the next day and do

63

it again, and some people take it;

other people don't, and it's not

64

my job to discern why or why not.

65

Joshua: Yeah, and I think that it is

important for anybody that is going

66

through some sort of program, or even

just trying to evaluate where to go

67

in their own life, that we take a step

back and maybe listen to some of those

68

things that are being said, because those

could be some of the building blocks

69

for what we build, which I actually

want to lead into this because it's

70

one of the things that I wanted to talk

about with you, which is really living

71

your purpose, and I was wondering if

you could share a little bit about

72

what you mean by living your purpose.

73

What does that mean for you?

74

Michelle: Well, it definitely does

not mean chasing it, because I

75

spent 30 years chasing purpose.

76

I chased it so much I ended up writing

a book about chasing purpose and how

77

not to chase it, and really, purpose

is about living and being and not about

78

doing, so we think our purpose is being a

podcaster, being a book publisher, being

79

a coach, being a nurse, and that's our

purpose, but actually, our purposes are

80

more verbs like inspire, heal, nurture,

share, love, and so when you think

81

about the verb, so if you're a podcaster

or a coach, what is it that you do?

82

Do you teach?

83

Do you nurture?

84

Do you love?

85

Do you listen?

86

What are the words that come to

your mind about which pieces of

87

those verbs resonate, and then

bring that into your daily life.

88

Bring that into your being instead

of always out there doing, and

89

the more you can be in that, the

more you are in your purpose, but

90

some people are natural healers.

91

Some people are natural teachers, but

not everybody is, right, so you're

92

going to have unique verbs that

speak to you in living your purpose.

93

Joshua: Yeah, and I think it is really

important to find those verbs, because

94

we often live with negative verbs, and

I have even shared with my audience

95

numerous times about the fact that for a

long period, it's really been about, "Oh.

96

These are the stereotype thoughts that

I should have", but really, it's about

97

exploring maybe what new verbs would

look like to in my own life of being

98

able to help others, be able to heal

others, so I think it's so important

99

for all of those things to be happening

all at once, which, as a coach, you talk

100

about really empowering that mindset

and giving success principles with that.

101

I was wondering if you could talk

about that a little bit with how you

102

run that, especially in your own life,

even your businesses for that matter.

103

Michelle: Well, light always overcomes

dark, right, so when you're talking,

104

I presume about like negative self

talk or whatever verbs you have that

105

are negative, I can't think what those

would be, but like run; I don't know,

106

but the light and the positive always

outshines the darkness, and so, even when

107

we don't feel empowered or courageous,

when we can give ourselves a small

108

win, it will help us be in that space.

109

I'll give you an example.

110

I tell some of my clients to get

on podcasts, and they freak out.

111

They get full of fear.

112

I say, "Go find someone that

doesn't have a guest yet.

113

He's just starting, and be their

first guest, and the two of you go

114

do it together", and you will both

be like, "Hey, we did it right?"

115

A win for both of you, and when you do

that, you're like, okay, I did that.

116

Now I can go do another one, so

we need small wins to overcome all

117

that self doubt, so mindset and

being empowered is giving yourself

118

permission to have small wins.

119

We don't all hit it out of the

park making six figures in 90

120

days, or whatever they tell you

online that you're supposed to do.

121

Whatever your small win is, go do that and

pat yourself on the back and celebrate it.

122

One of the coaches online that I follow

sometimes talks about having one foot

123

in gratitude for exactly where you are,

and the other foot and desire for where

124

you want to go, and I love that, right?

125

You've got to be okay with where

you are, so totally grateful, and

126

have vision for where you want to

go in life, and so mindset and the

127

coaching that I do is all around that.

128

All around bringing your

purpose into your business.

129

If you're an entrepreneur, or I

think you know I'm a book publisher,

130

so I publish lots of books, and how

do you bring your purpose into your

131

messaging and your books, and then

your business, and promote all of that.

132

It's all interconnected for me:

empowerment, purpose, all of it.

133

It's all interconnected in

the humanness of who we are.

134

Joshua: Sometimes finding those values,

like even the verbs that we're using to

135

be able to create that sometimes they're

buried underneath all these layers of

136

our culture or the negative thoughts that

sometimes surround us, so it's almost

137

like sometimes being able to meditate

to go through that thought process, and

138

I know starting out as a coach myself,

which I don't hold a candle to what you

139

have accomplished, Michelle, yet, but I am

going to do that, and that's just what I

140

think we always have to say to ourselves,

and I think you put it so accurately.

141

It's about having that baby step, or

baby steps, to get to where that is, and

142

I've had many baby steps starting out.

143

Michelle: Well, and I still have baby

steps, right, and let me remind you that

144

I probably have a few decades on you, but

there are also plenty of coaches 30 years

145

younger than me that are doing amazing

things and are really great, so it's

146

not age, but sometimes it's experience.

147

Sometimes it is an innate ability

to do one thing better over another,

148

right, and there's all different

kinds of coaching, and so you probably

149

haven't even found your best drive

yet because you're fairly new to it.

150

Joshua: I definitely

agree with you with that.

151

It's really finding my identity and

being able to do that, but you just

152

said something that really perked my

curiosity because you've been doing

153

this for decades, but you said that

you're also doing baby steps, so

154

I'm kind of curious, just to be a

little bit vulnerable with everybody.

155

What is it that you're currently

working on right now to kind of expand

156

or make you feel like you're growing?

157

Michelle: Well, I'm going through a little

bit of a rebrand and we're in the era

158

of TikTok, and I'm not an online dancer

or anything, so I'm trying to figure out

159

how I fit there, so it's not necessarily

a baby step, but I am trying to be true

160

to who I am and who my audience isn't

expecting me to be dancing on TikTok,

161

right, so it's not per se a baby step, but

it is kind of going into new territory,

162

rebranding a little bit, pivoting a

little bit, and choosing how to show up

163

in a new way and still being who I am.

164

I think the world we're in right

now means every day is learning.

165

Every day is showing up

expecting maybe a little, maybe

166

adversity or chaos or, you know.

167

My Internet's down at home.

168

Luckily, I don't work from home full time.

169

I do sometimes, but my internet is down

and was probably going to be down for

170

a couple of weeks, and there's not a

dang thing I can do about it, right, and

171

that seems to be sort of the way of the

world, and it's slightly different than

172

what you're talking about, but it's still

about just being with what is, and fixing

173

what you can, and having a good attitude,

and putting one foot in front of the

174

other, and as my daughter says, sometimes

getting out of bed is a good day, right?

175

Joshua: Yeah.

176

I was going to say that it is sometimes

just a struggle just to get out of bed

177

and be able to say, "Yes, it's going to

be a bright, wonderful day.", although

178

it's pouring rain outside, and you also

have to drive into the office, or whatever

179

the case might be to do what you do.

180

Michelle: And I do think this is

a case, so, I find it interesting.

181

I think there's also different

generations handle this differently,

182

right, so, me being without internet,

it's a pain in the butt, but...

183

I can do it.

184

My 20 year olds at home are not as happy.

185

We also live in the boonies.

186

We live out in the wilderness.

187

We don't have cell service where

we are, so we're basically dead.

188

Joshua: Yeah.

189

Michelle: Right?

190

Joshua: And I have to rely sometimes

on the being in the boonies too.

191

Not so much though, because I'm kind

of in a metropolitan kind of area, but

192

sometimes certain spots, rural areas,

because Pennsylvania is really known for

193

a lot of rural areas, still have that.

194

I'm kind of curious, because now

you've mentioned about your children

195

and you've seen the evolution of

this, especially with the decades

196

of experience that you have.

197

What would you say, especially in the

world that we live in today, what do you

198

think is one of the top things, one of the

biggest challenges, for people, especially

199

when they come to you for coaching?

200

What is the one thing that you

would say is something that people

201

are looking for to get help with?

202

Michelle: Yeah, so I'm going to

break that up into two answers.

203

The people that come to me for

coaching tend to be a little bit

204

older, have had some adversity,

or something in their life, and

205

I know I have something to share.

206

How do I share that, and my job is to

help them be fearless, not worry about

207

how it's going to be received out there.

208

If they have something to share, go

ahead and share it on a podcast or

209

in writing, in a book, and you can

always refine it as you move forward,

210

but you got to just start, right,

and so be fearless, just start.

211

Don't worry about how

it's going to be received.

212

Don't worry about are people

going to like it or not like

213

it, all that kind of self doubt.

214

That comes from having expectation

about what other people think.

215

The second half of that question though,

is what I think the world really needs,

216

and what I think humanity really needs

is the ability to be bored, because that

217

helps us tap into our creativity, and

that's a piece that I think is really

218

difficult for a lot of people to just

be bored: be out in nature, be without

219

internet, be without anything, just sit

on the park bench and look around, because

220

that's where we can really tap into the

depths of who we are and be creative

221

and need new creative solutions moving

forward in life, so the combination of

222

those two things: tapping into your own

creativity and being fearless with who you

223

are, is really what my coaching is about.

224

Joshua: You say something that

really resonates with me is the fact

225

that we had a lot of time, a.k.a.

226

boredom, during COVID, and that's why

I find it so fascinating, especially

227

some friends of mine that have opened

businesses, gone into ventures.

228

I feel like I kind of started a little

bit later after COVID, but I still started

229

with it because I had that idea planted of

wanting to start something that would help

230

others, and speaking of helping others, I

know that you are involved with the book

231

publishing business more specifically.

232

I know that you're involved

with Grace Light Press.

233

I think you own that, correct?

234

Michelle: Yeah.

235

Grace Point.

236

Grace Light, and some other, and

PowerPress, quite a few different ones.

237

Yeah.

238

Joshua: How did you get into the

book industry and publishing?

239

Michelle: If we go back to what I

said about I was consulting holistic

240

practitioners and helping them learn

how to market, so fast forward a

241

couple of decades, right, and I

wrote a book about how to market, how

242

holistic practitioners can market.

243

This was still 25 years ago, 26 years

ago, so back then: no Amazon, vanity

244

press, the whole thing, but I used it

to help me share my message with the

245

people that I was consulting with, and

with the people that I thought needed

246

to hear it, how they could go market

themselves, and in that process, I

247

learned a lot about book publishing, and

I started helping some of my clients then

248

go create their own books, and then I've

been in that business now for 25 years.

249

Of course, that's changed a lot,

right, because this is way back when

250

you actually got boxes and boxes

of books delivered to your garage.

251

I think I still have a box somewhere.

252

Now you can get 20 books delivered to

your garage, not 10,000, so a whole

253

different model, but it did evolve

from that, and I have consulting

254

where I help people self publish.

255

We do hybrid publishing.

256

We do all the different models

of publishing that's out there

257

because there's not one broad

stroke that's right for everybody.

258

Joshua: I've had plenty of authors on the

show, especially a good friend of mine.

259

His name is Dan Armstrong.

260

He's published several books in which

I've had the opportunity to talk with

261

him about how he's even got started, and

I think it's just so fascinating to me

262

that so many people nowadays can simply

go and self publish themselves with a

263

nominal fee and be able to distribute

widely, but I think it's so important

264

though, like you said, there's so many

different ways of doing it and modeling

265

that is so important, especially with

what you're doing, and what you're trying

266

to sell, so when you're working with

an author, let's just say that there's

267

somebody like me that approaches you and

says, "Hey, I have this self help book

268

that I want to get published out there."

269

What would you recommend as a model for

somebody, and I'm sure there's probably

270

some people that are probably interested

in this answer because they've been

271

thinking about it for a long time.

272

Michelle: Yeah, so congratulations to

your friend, and I work with a lot of

273

people who sell publish and then the books

don't do anything, and so for someone

274

who has a book, especially that is tied

up with something that they want to use

275

kind of as a business card, like they're

building their business, or they want

276

to go speak, or bring people into their

podcast or show themselves as an expert

277

in the field, right, for whatever reason.

278

You really got to make sure it's a book,

number one, that's going to get read.

279

It's going to get good reviews, has a

great cover, has good interior design,

280

understand how distribution works

and doesn't work anymore, understands

281

how to get your audience to buy your

book, so for that person, I would

282

say hire me for consulting to take

you through all those steps, right?

283

It may be that we would actually publish

your book for a fee, and then you keep

284

royalties or most of the royalties, right;

there's all kinds of models out there,

285

but really the place that I see people

put out a pretty good book, but fall

286

down, is they didn't test the keywords.

287

They didn't test the cover.

288

They fell in love with the cover, or

fell in love with some picture and put

289

that on the cover, and that's not exactly

what's going to sell, so there's some

290

marketing research that has to happen.

291

What goes on the back cover is just

as important as what goes on the

292

front cover; those kinds of things,

and so we consult with lots of people

293

who want to publish a book or self

publish book and relaunch books.

294

People who put out books and they haven't

done as well as they'd hoped, and then we

295

come in and refresh and relaunch the book.

296

Joshua: I like that you

actually go swooping in.

297

It's like, "Oh yes.

298

I need you to help me out.", and you do

all that awesome creative work because,

299

yeah, it is about not only what you're

branding yourself for, but also what

300

is going to be the end product, even

after the book is done too, and I don't

301

think anybody really thinks that out.

302

Is there a certain number of steps

that people should think about

303

when they're writing that book,

even after that book is written?

304

Should they be thinking

about the marketing?

305

What are some things that they should be

considering, if you don't mind sharing?

306

Michelle: So at the very, very beginning,

like if you just have an idea, you

307

should not think of any of that, because

it'll stop you at the writing process.

308

The very first stage, you just

got to get words on paper.

309

Think about what you want to say.

310

Do an outline.

311

Don't worry at all about what you're

putting on paper, because you'll

312

self edit, and that's not the stage.

313

The second stage is, okay, what do I

really want my reader to take away?

314

Who is my reader going to be?

315

What do I put in this book to help my

reader, and then the natural outreach

316

of that is, how do I find that reader?

317

What's the marketing going to be, and it

may be things like podcasts, social media,

318

email lists, book signings, speaking;

could be all kinds of things, right?

319

There's three stages.

320

That first stage, you don't think about.

321

The second stage, you start to think

about it, and then by the time you go

322

into publishing, everything should be

connected in that marketing for maximum

323

impact, including, do you have an opt in?

324

Do you have a website?

325

What's your book cover look like?

326

Are you doing a course along

with the book, or a retreat?

327

Are you going to use it to help you get

on podcasts, whatever it is, right, so

328

kind of three stages to think about.

329

Joshua: I think those

are all valuable tips.

330

I know I was writing them down as

we're going through them because that's

331

really helpful, even for me, as I

continue to build out myself, because

332

I think that we're not just thinking

about what we need to do in the short

333

term, especially even business leaders.

334

We need to be thinking about the short

term, but we also need to be thinking

335

what's the long term vision with that, so

even with books like that's so important.

336

Michelle: Books often get forgotten.

337

Authors and the readers, you know,

they forget after two or three months

338

and it sort of sits, and so we work

with authors to relaunch and refocus

339

on their book a couple times a

year maybe and do a new push on it.

340

Joshua: I definitely don't

want it collecting dust.

341

That's for sure-

342

Michelle: Right.

343

Right.

344

Joshua: Michelle, as we get closer

to the end of our time, I really want

345

to talk about your public speaking

career, because I, being a public

346

speaker myself, I'm budding and I'm

really trying to get myself out there.

347

I noticed that you're a TEDx speaker.

348

You've been on that stage several times.

349

Everybody's pretty familiar with what

TEDx is now that's evolved over the years.

350

What is your keynote message that

you usually give at TEDx, and even

351

when you are giving your keynote, are

there things that you would recommend

352

to somebody that is going to be

presenting, whether it's at TEDx or

353

even the big TED stage, if you will-

354

Michelle: Yeah.

355

Joshua: Because I know there's a distinct

difference, which if you want to talk

356

about what the differences are from our

listeners that don't know, feel free.

357

Michelle: Yeah, so TEDx is

usually local and it's a licensing

358

agreement, I think, right, where-

359

Joshua: Yup.

360

Michelle: It's someone local putting it

on, and TED itself is the big stage, and

361

to get invited onto TED, you got to be

pretty big, so just to clarify, I've only

362

been on TEDx once; maybe I'll go again.

363

Joshua: Oh, I think you got more than

enough, Michelle, to be able to go again.

364

Michelle: Yeah.

365

I was a TEDx speaker coach, so I

was helping other people craft their

366

message to be a speaker on TEDx.

367

I got to say, too, just because

I think you'll like this story.

368

The night before I was supposed to be on

TEDx delivering my speech, I was curled

369

up in a ball telling my sister to call in

sick that I wasn't going to do it, right,

370

so, I had to coach myself, and my sister

had to basically kick me, and dragging

371

and screaming to show up and do it, and

I paced like everyone else was on stage.

372

I was freaked out.

373

I was so nervous, partly because

I didn't get a coach, and I wasn't

374

really as prepared as I could have

been, but also partly because I

375

hadn't done something that big

before, and, of course it was fine.

376

Would I be better today than I was then?

377

Of course I'd be better today.

378

Would I do it a little bit differently?

379

Of course, but I did it, and it was a big

win, not just a small win, right, but I

380

thought you might like that story, because

it was excruciating the night before.

381

Joshua: I do, and I'll

tell you this real quick.

382

I had a friend of mine that did a

TEDx in the Virginia area, and he went

383

with his wife, because his wife was

also going to be on the TEDx stage.

384

He accidentally fell.

385

He broke his nose, and he had a nosebleed.

386

I swear to you.

387

He made it, and he did it, but the

ironic twist to the whole story?

388

They forgot to set the requirements

up for the stage in a proper

389

manner, so they had to go back and

re-record the whole entire showcase.

390

It was-

391

Michelle: Wow.

392

Joshua: It was just a crazy amount

of different things happening all at

393

once, so I've heard stories for sure.

394

Michelle: Absolutely; lots of stories.

395

I think the biggest thing that people,

and probably myself included, right,

396

because we teach what we need to learn,

but I think really not thinking through

397

your speech and making sure that it has

a beginning, a middle and end, maybe

398

a hero's journey, and a real specific

takeaway for the audience, and then

399

practice it, practice, practice, and

then don't memorize it; just practice it.

400

You got to know your material inside and

out, and the mistake that I see is people

401

think they can just wing it, and yes, you

and I are winging this podcast interview,

402

but I know my material inside and out.

403

I've done this for a long time.

404

You can ask me anything, right,

and so I feel pretty confident in

405

giving an answer, and I think on

any big stage, you have to know your

406

material, the point that you want to

get across, and do it in a succinct

407

manner so you don't lose your audience.

408

Joshua: Those are some of the very famous

words that I even say to some of my public

409

speaking clients too, being that I've been

trained for over a decade in Toastmasters,

410

learning that craft so well, and hoping

to get into the National Speakers

411

Association as my next step, which is

what I should really be at this point so

412

that I know how to market myself, which

is, if you never knew that difference,

413

most people don't know that difference.

414

Michelle: Right.

415

Joshua: Yeah; that National Speakers

Association, for those that are listening,

416

if you want to market yourself, learn

how to market yourself, you go to those.

417

If you want to learn how to

actually give a speech and deliver

418

effectively, go to Toastmasters.

419

I'll put links to both of those

organizations in the episode notes if

420

you want to check the both of those

out, which I've been an advocate for

421

Toastmasters for many years as a result.

422

MIchelle, we're getting closer to

the end of our time, but there's

423

something that stood out to me that

I really want to ask you about.

424

You have this mantra of don't let your

book die inside of you, and that really

425

resonates with me since we were just

talking about publishing and talking

426

about what are some tips for authors.

427

What would you say to somebody

that might be afraid of that

428

book dying inside of them-

429

Michelle: Yeah.

430

Joshua: What would you say to

someone to kind of get them to start

431

moving in that process of being able

to share it before that happens?

432

Michelle: Yeah, and I see it all the time.

433

People get halfway through a

manuscript and get scared, or

434

they don't think they're scared.

435

They just think they don't know what

to say, or they not good writers, or

436

whatever, right, and they never finish it.

437

If you've got something in your

heart that wants you to get a book

438

out, then you've got to finish it,

and so I do all kinds of things.

439

I beat with wet noodles.

440

I cheerlead.

441

I threaten.

442

I drag.

443

I pull.

444

Everybody needs a slightly

different approach, but I would

445

say, don't write thinking about

who's going to read it, yet.

446

You will think about that when you go

into editing stage, and the biggest

447

thing that people stop- I read a

manuscript today that was brilliant.

448

It's taken this guy a long

time to get me a hundred pages.

449

He finally did.

450

I'm like, "This is amazing",

and he's like, "Well, I was

451

so afraid it wouldn't be good.

452

I was so afraid to send it to

you.", and I'm like, "Who cares?

453

That's what editing is for-"

454

Joshua: Mm-hmm.

455

Michelle: Right?

456

I mean, even you talked about editing.

457

Joshua: Don't, don't, don't worry.

458

I'll be editing this show.

459

Michelle: That's what editing

is for; don't worry about it,

460

and that's what stops people.

461

They're so afraid of, "Oh, I don't

want to throw Uncle Joe under the bus.

462

Oh, I'm afraid about what

my mother's going to say.

463

What if my boss finds out?

464

I really believe this."

465

Don't worry about any of that,

because that's what stops

466

people dead in the water.

467

They get partway through their manuscript,

and they hit the difficult part, and they

468

don't know how to say it, but it's going

to be well received, and I'm saying,

469

don't worry about it being well received.

470

Just write it.

471

We'll edit it out later.

472

We'll fix it later.

473

Just write it.

474

Joshua: Yes.

475

It's always important to just write it all

out and we can go through it and edit it.

476

Just like it is for speaking.

477

We-

478

Michelle: Yeah.

479

Joshua: Can write your outline.

480

Even if you have to write

verbatim, we'll start with that.

481

We'll take care of that, but we'll make

it so that you seem natural and eloquent,

482

but that editing process is so important

and I'm really glad that you touched

483

upon that, because I have lived in a

life that I don't want my book to die

484

inside of me, so I'm passionate about

what I'm wanting to do, and I want to

485

keep doing the good things, and even

if I make mistakes, I know that those

486

mistakes are going to make me better

because, Michelle, I'll tell you, I have

487

made plenty of those, and some of my

listeners that know me for many, many,

488

many years, know that for a fact, so-

489

Michelle: Yeah.

490

Yeah.

491

Joshua: But Michelle, I really

appreciate you being on the show.

492

I want to give you the last few minutes.

493

Can you share how people can reach

out to you if they're interested?

494

Maybe they have a manuscript

that they want you to review.

495

Maybe they want to work

with you and your coaching.

496

Can you just give us a few details,

maybe about your business as a recap,

497

and also how they can reach out to you?

498

Michelle: Yeah.

499

The easiest way is I've got a

kind of a catch all website.

500

It's michellecoaches.com and

it's Michelle with two L's.

501

MichelleCoaches.

502

com.

503

It links over to my publishing site.

504

It links with different

ways to connect with me.

505

You can even just book a call with me.

506

20 minutes and we'll chat and see whether

there's any kind of mutual interest

507

in working together or not, right?

508

I'm pretty low key about all of this.

509

I do have a manuscript review, and

I've also got a course that'll help

510

you outline your book in an hour, so

I've got all kinds of things for people

511

at all levels, and really what I love

to do is help other people live their

512

purpose and get their message out in

a way that's right and best for them.

513

Joshua: I find that funny that

you say living their best purpose,

514

because I talk about learning how

to use your voice, and I use voice-

515

Michelle: Yeah.

516

Joshua: In quotation marks, in

this changing world, and it's

517

really about not only the things

that we say, but the things that

518

we do that are really important.

519

Michelle: Yeah.

520

Right?

521

Joshua: Michelle, I have to tell

you, like I said, I was really

522

excited to do this interview because

you're a very accomplished lady.

523

You have done so much.

524

It's one of those things that I look

at some of the most successful people.

525

I even think of people in my world

of Toastmasters, like Ed Tate, Les

526

Brown, even John Maxwell, like-

527

Michelle: Right.

528

Right.

529

Joshua: All those people.

530

Michelle: Old school.

531

Joshua: Yeah, yeah.

532

Michelle: You've gone old school.

533

Joshua: But, they are definitely what

have set the standard, but has allowed

534

me to realize that, yes, they have their

legendary times, but also we have, as

535

many coaches do, their legendary times,

to keep on building and rising, and I

536

love the fact that you are adapting to

that and being vulnerable, sharing, "Yeah.

537

Technology.

538

TikTok.

539

I don't know about that.", but you

are still pursuing that and you're

540

helping so many people, so for all those

reasons, Michelle, thank you so much

541

for being on Speaking From The Heart.

542

It was really a privilege

to talk to you today.

543

Michelle: Thank you.

544

Joshua: I really want to thank

Michelle again for allowing me to

545

interview her and be part of the show.

546

She is one of those people that I am

looking forward to becoming, and I know

547

that I'm already becoming, as a result

of exposing myself to people that have

548

walked the walk and talked the talk.

549

I think that we often have all these

different types of people in our lives

550

that we look up to, to help us understand

and create, not just those opportunities,

551

which yet again, we have another episode

we're talking about opportunities, but

552

it helps us to also get that framework

that if many people have done this,

553

we are able to do just the same, and

I think Michelle's story today, let

554

alone all these valuable points that

she shared, should be something that

555

you should put on your playlist and at

least listen to once again, because we

556

have to shout to the wind that we have

these opportunities to inspire, heal,

557

nurture, and share, as she's talked about.

558

You have to be able to overcome the things

that are needed in order to become that

559

best person that you always wanted to be.

560

Here we are.

561

We're talking about being that best

person, and we always talk about this,

562

and we always say that this guest or that

guest have all these great qualities,

563

but what does that mean for me, Josh?

564

How do I use that to my benefit,

listening to all these different people

565

and their different perspectives?

566

Well, we can go all the way back to the

very first episode with Chris Hulse, and

567

we can start to take notes on all these

different people that have been able to

568

overcome and live those opportunities,

despite the struggles, or the animosities,

569

or even the businesses that they have

formed, to create that value for others,

570

but it all started with just a small win;

a small curiosity, a small little inkling

571

of being able to move forward, and that's

all it takes, ladies and gentlemen, if you

572

ever want to create that opportunity in

your life, is just to have a little bit of

573

curiosity and persistence to pursue that.

574

To be able to lean into that interest so

that you have that opportunity to have

575

those small wins, but you have to be

able to fix the things in your life that

576

allow you to do such a thing, which is

why rebranding yourself, which I've seen

577

plenty of my friends, and even some very

guests that I've had on this show in the

578

past, rebrand themselves, and be able to

take that first step forward out of the

579

fear, persecution, and the freedom that

they really want to live in their lives.

580

Michelle is no different.

581

She's been able to do the same thing, and

she's been able to help so many different

582

people, not only in the publishing

industry, not only in the things that

583

she will leverage her legacy in, not only

in the entrepreneurial spirit that she

584

has living in Colorado, but allows you

to know that no matter what kind of fear

585

that you might have, you have to live a

fearless life in order to achieve them.

586

That is so good to hear, especially

from me, sometimes living in that fear,

587

and it's funny because 89 episodes

ago, I was living exactly that fear.

588

Now what do you mean by that,

Josh, you are living in that fear?

589

I didn't know what to

expect from this podcast.

590

I didn't know what to expect from my

business when I was just about five months

591

in when I started Speaking From The Heart,

and I had to do a lot of homework, not

592

only on myself, but on what I really

needed to do to overcome the fear of maybe

593

putting myself out there for the first

time; to be a little bit more vulnerable

594

than I have ever been; to be open, to

be able to express myself in ways that

595

I never thought I could ever express.

596

Sure, we've talked about in a lot of my

earlier episodes about Toastmasters, and

597

how that really helped me to overcome;

to really show what that journey has

598

been all about; to be able to use, as

Michelle put it in today's episode,

599

her why, but it's not enough to just

know your why, and it's not just

600

enough to just keep saying to yourself,

"If I just have the right keyword.

601

If I just have the

right social media post.

602

If I have just the right sphere

of influence, I will be able to

603

do what I need to do.", because

those are all external things.

604

You need to look internally to not only

the opportunities that you have, but what

605

you have already gained in your life, and

I am so thankful that when this all comes

606

to fruition for myself, when this whole

new reality is born, that I will be living

607

a life just like Michelle Vandepas is.

608

That is something that we can all

achieve, no matter what kind of

609

background, no matter what kind of

situation, no matter what kind of

610

circumstances were presented to you.

611

It's about knowing what your

homework is, and knowing what you

612

need to do to study up for it.

613

Let's go back to the fact that 89

episodes ago, I was really afraid of

614

what I would ultimately become, and

I think that even now, as I sit here

615

and reflect on it, and I'm less than

10 episodes away now from sharing with

616

you the exciting 100th episode of this

program that I've been doing for almost

617

a year, that I have finally realized why

Michelle said the phrase that she did:

618

"Don't let your book die inside of you."

619

I have learned that I don't want to let

my book die inside of me, because if I

620

let that go, if I don't give myself that

grace, and that opportunity, to share

621

with you these exciting adventures that

I've had in my life of learning so much

622

about myself and learning with others,

let alone the opportunity to be able

623

to outline what I need to do to achieve

that success, I think that I would be

624

very disappointed in myself, and it's

funny because I have a client right now

625

that has been talking about how to write

that book for themselves, and we've been

626

batting around those ideas, but it never

came to my mind that it was actually

627

something that I needed to hear as well.

628

We have to be able to learn to lean

on what is not just in our hearts, but

629

we need to create that material that

surrounds ourselves in becoming not

630

just that best version of ourselves,

as I preached on this show; not just

631

those relationships that we need to

form; not just that interest of creating

632

that determination and that confidence

that we have, but it's about what we

633

can do with all those great things.

634

So enough about me; what about you?

635

What are you doing today to create

that best value in your life?

636

Are you walking around the mountains of

Colorado to be able to do such a thing?

637

Are you creating those opportunities, day

in and day out, by leading an authentic

638

life, whether that's in business,

whether that's in your profession,

639

let alone in your personal life?

640

What are you doing to leave a lasting

legacy and leading your purpose?

641

Your children are important, but

that's not just enough, ladies and

642

gentlemen, when it comes to you being

able to create that opportunity.

643

You have to live it for yourself.

644

Nobody else will give you that

responsibility to do it, unless you

645

empower yourself to do just that, and I

think Michelle's testimony today really

646

speaks to the fact and the importance

of being able to live in that purpose.

647

No matter if you have 40 goldfish or all

kinds of other animals surrounding you.

648

You have to be able to live for

yourself, and if you're not living for

649

yourself, who are you living for, and

I know that for many of us, we have

650

different answers to that question.

651

Who are we actually living for?

652

A long time ago, in one of my episodes,

I talked about the lighthouse, which,

653

that episode is still available

if you want to check it out.

654

It's one of my earlier episodes in which

I discuss what was my real purpose in

655

being part of this world, even after

I tried to commit suicide, but one of

656

the things that I have learned, even

through this journey as I approach my

657

100th episode, and even talking with

Michelle today, and even being part of

658

this adventure that I've been on with

opening my business, is that it isn't just

659

about the people that you interact with.

660

It isn't just about the things

that you do to run your business.

661

It isn't just about the things that

you do to take care of yourself.

662

It's about what you can be in that

hero's journey format, that can create

663

those opportunities, those exciting

adventures, those authentic purposes

664

that we're all trying to seek out.

665

The question is really back on you.

666

What are you doing today to create

that opportunity, not just for

667

yourself, but for others as well?

668

What are you doing today to

live that purpose filled life?

669

Even if you don't want to hire a coach,

even if you don't want to hire me as

670

a coach, and you've been listening to

this episode, and you've been listening

671

to all other 89 episodes, and you're

still asking yourself that question of

672

what you need to do today, I think that

to Michelle's testimony, and what she

673

has shared about not letting your book

die, it's something that should give

674

you great ponderance, great pause in

your life, to think about what you can

675

do, to not just do your homework, to

not just live on a keyword or a social

676

media post or the next TikTok sensation.

677

It's about just having that small win,

and if you can have that small win,

678

if you can just empower yourself to

create that opportunity that you never

679

thought possible, I think that you are

living a life not just purpose filled,

680

not just creating that opportunity

of a lifetime, but you're definitely

681

creating something that is worth living

for, and I know that you are worth it.

682

You've always been worth it, and I know

that your purpose is just beginning.

683

Thanks for listening to episode

number 90 of Speaking From the

684

Heart, and I look forward to

hearing from your heart very soon.

685

Outro: Thanks for listening.

686

For more information about our podcast

and future shows, search for Speaking From

687

The Heart to subscribe and be notified

wherever you listen to your podcasts.

688

Visit us at www.

689

yourspeakingvoice.

690

biz for more information about

potential services that can help you

691

create the best version of yourself.

692

See you next time.