I fell in love with books early. The art of storytelling and the magic of words captivated my young mind like a siren calling from the sea. Books inspired me to create, explore, and experience. I related to characters and story lines, and they helped me feel not so alone. I yearned to find out where the journey would go and what would happen next.

From a young age, I wanted to create my own tales and connect through words and stories. I grew up in an age before email and text messages, when handwritten letters and pen pals were the norm. I took great pride in being responsive and communicating often by mail or notes passed between friends at school. I enjoyed the process of asking questions and sharing tidbits and stories from my days.

One year, my mom gifted me a subscription to an international pen pal organization. I ended up spending a good deal of my babysitting earnings on postage to communicate with other teenagers around the world. As I read their letters, I daydreamed about visiting my far-flung pen pals who resided in places like Italy, Singapore, and Zimbabwe. Each day I checked the mailbox like a high school senior waiting for a college acceptance letter, hoping to find a light blue, international envelope inside.

Growing up my friends and I spent hours writing and acting out plays. We pretended to be radio hosts and entertained imaginary listeners far and wide. I kept journals, particularly when I traveled, being sure to capture details of the interesting new experiences and people I encountered.

It’s probably no surprise that I was a page editor for my high school newspaper and studied journalism in college. Writing has always been an outlet for me. Creating brings me joy. I found purpose in sharing stories and informing people about events and developments in their communities. I especially liked pairing video and images with words, helping people to understand and connect at a deeper level.

When I left my career in journalism behind more than a decade ago, it became harder to find ways to share stories. I also had lost the structured discipline of deadlines and the platform for connecting.

Now when I write, I often wonder – is anyone even reading? If you post a blog and no one reads it, can it even be called a blog? Doubts about my writing pummel me like waves crashing on the shore during a Category 5 hurricane. Why am I spending my time on this? Am I oversharing? Doesn’t everyone have a blog or a podcast in 2023? Does anyone care? Why am I adding to the noise?

Writing is scary. It’s vulnerable. It’s exhilarating and fun. In the span of two seconds, I can go from thinking I wrote something amazing to loathing it. It’s an emotional roller coaster ride on steroids.

So, yes. I am terrified that some of my deepest reflections and one of my most personal journeys will be featured in an upcoming book of stories about transformation. I am honored to join an amazing group of women as a contributor to Awakening the Power Within: Inspiring Stories of Personal Transformation and Triumph. More details to come. For now, I invite you to join the waitlist to receive a notification on launch day this November.

Mahalo for your support!