Your book is still on your vision board. You’ve talked about it for years. Maybe you’ve even outlined it in your head. But you haven’t started. Or you started and stopped.

This episode is the companion journaling session to Tuesday's conversation with Kim O'Hara. We’re not talking about publishing strategies or writing routines. We’re looking at the identity gap between wanting to write the book and becoming the woman who actually does.

The real reason it’s still sitting there might not be time, discipline, or your kids’ schedules. It might be something deeper.

Strategic Journal prompts

1. Why do you want to write this book? Not the polished answer. The real one. Do you want credibility? To feel like an expert? To prove something? Or is there something inside you that needs to be said? If no one ever read it, would you still want to write it?
2. Write down every reason you haven’t written it yet. I don’t have time. I’m not an expert. I don’t know where to start. People will judge me. My story isn’t interesting. Put all of it on paper.
3. Go back through those reasons and circle the ones that are really just “I’m not enough” wearing different masks. For those circled beliefs, ask yourself: What would have to be true for me to feel allowed to write this book? Is that even my voice?
4. Think about the version of you who doesn’t write the book. She waits until she feels ready. What does she believe about herself? How does not writing the book keep her safe? What is she protecting by staying small?
5. Picture the version of you who writes the book. Even if it’s messy. Even if no one reads it. What does she believe about herself? What identity shift has to happen to become her? What has she been trying to tell you that you keep ignoring?
6. What is one small act of joy you are going to do this week just because it sounds good? Not because it’s productive. Not because it makes money. Just because it fills your cup.

This episode is for you if your book has been living on a to do list, a Notes app, or a vision board for longer than you want to admit.

Work with me:

1. Breakthrough Intensive - You already know you should slow down, delegate more, stop overcommitting & be emotionally present. So why can't you? That's what we figure out in 90 minutes + integration call 2 weeks later. Book your Breakthrough
2. Exhale: Private Coaching - For women ready to do this work until it sticks and you can't revert back. 3 open spots: Work with me

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Welcome to the strategic journaling episode where we are going to dig into why writing a book has been sitting on your bucket list or your vision board for years and why you still haven't done it or maybe why you haven't completed it. If you have been telling yourself that someday is when you're actually going to start it or maybe that you're not an expert enough yet or who would even care what I have to say.

then this is the episode and the journal prompts that will be super beneficial for you. Because here is the gap that is happening, the gap that's between knowing that you want to write a book and actually doing it. It's that you're treating the book like a credential that you have to earn instead of the story that you are allowed to tell. And so today we are digging into what you are really chasing by wanting to write a book.

what belief is keeping you from starting it, what identity shift has to happen before you give yourself permission, and what small delicious thing you are going to do this week to build the self-trust you need to actually write it. You might be able to tell, but I am smiling as I am saying this, because these are deep prompts. You are going to have a lot of breakthrough moments, I think. And so because of that,

I hope that you really take your time with this. You can definitely pause in between or save this episode and come back to it. And the prompts will also be in the show notes. save it, follow this episode because it's going to be incredible. And the truth that Kim shared on our last episode is what inspired it. And she said that if you can't follow through on buying a banana bread or taking the dance class, then you're not going to follow through on writing a whole book.

so this is the companion episode to Tuesday's conversation with Kim O'Hara. And if these prompts resonate and you love them, go back and listen to that full episode with Kim. And it's going to be amazing. All right, let's dive in.

Prompt one. You've been saying that you want to write a book, maybe for years, however long. And so I want you to write down why you want to write the book and not the polished answer, just the real one.

whatever comes up. Do you want the credibility of being an author? Do you want to feel like an expert? Do you want to prove something to someone? Or do you have something burning inside of you that needs to be said? Just be honest and then also ask yourself, if no one ever read it, would I still want to write it?

prompt too. Now I want you to write down every reason that you haven't written it yet. And everything from I don't have time, I'm not an expert yet, no one will read it, I don't know where to start, people will judge me, my story isn't interesting. Whatever comes up, write it down.

Prompt three, go back through those list of reasons in prompt two and circle the ones that are actually just quote unquote, I'm not enough, wearing different masks or hats. And then ask yourself of those circled ones, what would have to be true for me to feel like I'm allowed to write this book? And who decided that that was the standard? And what is...

even my voice? Is that even my voice or is it somebody else's voice? Really question those reasons from all different angles.

Prompt 4. Think about the version of you who chooses to not write the book. She stays busy, and she keeps waiting until she's ready. What does this version of you believe about herself? And how does not writing the book keep her safe? What is she protecting by not writing? Maybe writing her book means that she finally has to tell a certain story that she's scared for her mom or her husband to hear.

And so not writing the book means that she's staying safe from judgment. Or maybe writing her book means that she'll actually be visible, like really visible, and people will have opinions about her. She'll be taking up space, and she won't be able to hide behind just a good mom or just doing my job anymore. And so not writing the book means that she gets to stay small and manageable and safe from being too much.

Prompt five. Now imagine the version of yourself who does write the book, even if it's messy, even if no one reads it, even if it's not perfect, or even if it becomes a best seller. What does she believe about herself? What identity shift has to happen to become her?

And what has she been trying to tell you that you keep ignoring?

Prompt 6. Kim said something that stuck with me. She said, if I can do all those other little things for myself, I can do the book. These small delicious moments, as she calls them, they build self-trust that you need to follow through on the big things. And so here is your assignment. Write down one small act of joy that you are going to do this week just because it sounds good. Not because it's productive.

Not because it moves your day forward or your book forward. Not because it makes you money. Not because of any reason other than the fact that it fills your cup. Maybe it's adding the fancy banana bread to your coffee in the morning. Maybe it's trying the belly dancing class that you've been curious about or buying a beautiful journal even from Amazon and filling out a page or two at that coffee shop for 10 minutes.

or just sitting in the coffee shop doing nothing. Maybe it's just giving yourself permission to be more present in the moment and decide in the moment. Whatever it is, go ahead and write it down.

Amazing work. You just worked through a lot. That was work. And I don't know why I was so obsessed with the coffee shop just then. However, I only gave you a short time to write in between those prompts. And so I really hope you come back to this episode and explore further. And in that final action that you just wrote down, I hope that you really commit to it and know that following through on this tiny promise to yourself is

one moment of choosing joy instead of grinding and hustling is actually what creates the space and the creativity and the trust that you need to write the book. It seems like it's completely unrelated, but it so much is. And this is the work. This is how you build that muscle. So I'm so proud of you. And again, feel free to go through these prompts or...

If something specific stuck out to you within these prompts that you want to dig into, download my free Calm Mind Blueprint that walks you through clearing the mental load and the overwhelm so that you can make decisions from clarity instead of that overwhelm and feel that calm confidence and inner peace. The link for the blueprint and again those prompts are in the show notes. Thanks for being here with me and I will see you next Tuesday.