Episode 17: The Path Back to My Creative Self with Ann Harrison

“I'm going to be honest, when I get into that kind of zone, I feel like, I don't know if it's spiritual or what, but I feel like a breeze blowing through me and what my hands do…I just let the music take me”

Welcome to Episode # 17 of The Out of Your Mind Podcast. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to show up for yourself and tune in. 

In this week’s episode, I sat down to chat with Ann Harrison, Author, Poet, and Podcast Host, to talk about her journey through difficult relationships and finding her way back to her creative self. Like many of us, Ann talks about how struggles and disconnect can cut us off from our creative flow, and the strategies that she used to find her way back. 

Ann Harrison is the author of The Spirit of Creativity: Inspirational Poems for the Creative at Heart. Three of her previously published books are in the process of being revised and rebranded. She has also been published in several anthologies, including a devotional entitled God Things: Hope for the Hurting, alongside Jen Lowry and fifteen other authors. Aside from her work as a Christian fiction author, Ann is a professional freelance writer. She also hosts the Inspirational Journeys Podcast. 

What inspired you this episode? I’d love to hear from you. Take a screenshot, tag @yoginipam  and @annwritesinspiration  on Instagram, and share something that resonated with you from this week’s episode with Ann Harrison.

If you’d like to cultivate a more positive interstate and attract greater success, you’re going to want to grab our 30-day Abundance and Manifestation challenge. Where I give you a play-by-play plan to shift your thoughts & beliefs so that you can experience more of what you want from life. My secret sauce to 2Xing my business with ½ the effort and time. Get your access now at www.pamgodbois.com/freebie

Here’s a quick glance at this episode…

[00:05:05] The struggles of starting her podcast and finding accessible resources for her and her guests. 

[00:10:55] The journey to becoming a writer, and learning to just show up and write. 

[00:17:05] Growth is not linear, and the ups and downs are part of the healing. Finding the things that work now to help. 

[00:26:20] Creating is a calling, and how Ann answers that call daily. 

[00:30:35] Finding inspiration in the world around her, Ann uses her other senses to tap into the flow state. 

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple podcasts at https://pamgodbois.com/ApplePodcast Leaving a review helps me to continue to create more content for entrepreneurs, just like you, looking to level up their life and business by stepping into alignment. Click here, scroll to the bottom, and tap “Write a Review” to get started.

Links: 

Guest Website: annwritesinspiration.com
books2read.com/TheSpiritOfCreativity

Let’s connect on Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. 

Thank you so

The best thing you can do for yourself and your kids is effectively regulate your nervous system. And a great place to start >> to wire the brain for gratitude. Research tells us that gratitude increases happiness and a peaceful mindset. Make the shift and watch how things in your life start to change. Sign up today! www.pamgodbois.com/gratitude

Transcript

Pam: 0:00

Hey there and welcome to episode number 17 of the out of your mind podcast. On today's episode. I have the chance to sit down with Ann Harrison. And we talked all about. Anne's journey as a writer. Her healing journey and how writing and music. Time and time again, have brought her back. To connection with herself. Ann as a writer, an editing coach and a podcast host. So let's dive in and have a listen. Well, thank you. And welcome today. We have Ann Harrison met us and thank you so much for joining us today. I really appreciate you being here.

Ann: 1:27

Well, thanks for having me. It's such a, it's such a pleasure to be here.

Pam: 1:31

So, I appreciate one of the things that, that happens on this podcast all the time, as I ask people to be vulnerable. And you're you said, yeah, I'm here. I'm willing to be vulnerable and willing to share my story. And I would love for you to share with us your story from like, where things began to where you are now as a writer, a creator, a podcaster, an editor all the things that you're doing that you're doing today in this current day and age. How did that story come about? What does that look like?

Ann: 2:01

Well, I can actually go back further than I told you before we get started. I was doing I've interned into creative writing contest when I was in school, but I never thought that I wouldn't to be a writer until I read, or I listened to rather new stories from the. Edited by Lee Smith. And she was talking about how she was teaching one of her students, how to be a creative writer. The students said she could write. And so she used some illustrator, illustrated, some points that kind of got me thinking along the lines of a story. Cause I love to read mysteries. I love to I love. Suspense, not the gory stuff. I'm like more of the clean edge fiction. But back in those days, I didn't know I was a writer. Yeah. But I was new at it. Didn't know what I was doing. Wrote the book went through it like several times did not have an editor. Got it published that, that kind of went south, took some time off because if I had dealt with some verbal and emotional abuse and I needed, after leaving my first husband, I needed to some time to recover and music was a big part of that. And that's what got me back into writing. And I've joined the writing group and. Well, I've got I've joined several writing groups and continue to work on my writing, rebranding some of my books and a friend of mine challenged me. Well, inadvertently challenged me to start writing poetry. So like I said, my writing w the writing journey has been, and then I started doing some professional stuff. So my writing journey has been. Oh, they're 12, almost 12 years in the making. When I really got started back into writing. And then as far as podcasting, I've been listening to podcast for two or three years before I even got started. And I talked to a lady at the there's a podcast called ask win hosted by wind Charles. And she helps people launch their podcasts. And I thought at first in my head. And this is all over the place. I'm sorry, but that's okay in my head. I'm thinking, okay, why don't I see if she can help me launch my podcast, but it was like, and I'm a Christian, so I'm going to, I don't have to put it this way. The Lord just know I got this. And so I talked to my friend, Jen Lowery from the gin. Larry writes podcast, us suggested that you contact and she. W I told her I wanted to do a podcast. She's well, maybe that's your next thing because I downloaded the anchor app and I recorded with her on anchor. And then I talked to another lady who's, I'm totally blind by the way. I didn't mention that. But I talked to another lady who's blind who uses anchor. She's oh, it's totally accessible. But I had looked at it and I'd started, looking to see, what labels were, button buttons were labeled, who if I could. And everything. I figured out some of the workarounds and I emailed the support team and said, Hey, look, this needs to be a bit more accessible, but they've grown in the past. They have actually become more accessible in the past three years since I've been working with them. And so I wrote down like a podcast plan. Did my first few episodes. I'll tell you. I was nervous when I got started and I use a braille display. This is a new one. I don't know if you can see it, but anyway, Oh, I didn't know if you had video on or not, but I started working with that and trying to read bios that slowed me down. And a couple months after I started podcasting, I just had the people do their own intros because you can tell your story better than you can. And that's where I came up with. Stories that matter, inspirational journeys stories that matter. That's the podcasting thing. And so, and I love to read and everything. And I was helping a friend of mine. As far as the editing side of things. I was looking at a friend of mine. I was looking at her a book about writing and marketing, your book, writing and publishing your book because she has a series about that. And I found some things that really needed, she needed help on, and I was giving her some pointers. It was a PDF and I was just taking and writing notes and I've been helping other writers in one of my, behind our eyes, the organization for writers with disabilities, I've been helping a couple of writers do some edits, and I found that I have I'm very detailed oriented. And so. And I still do. I still have done some freelance stuff to writing, but I'm very detail oriented. So, and I was praying about that and I took the editing and proofreading with the Chicago manual of style course and living as a career wasn't I, it was grueling work. So I really started looking at story. I didn't think I had the skill, but then I started looking at my, an author friend of mine her book. Perfect. Middle-grade fantasy that she's ready, started looking at it. I'm like, oh wait. Then I looked at story structure and had taken some of the free reading courses. I'm like, oh, I could work with her on this. So, and I found joy in the editing process. So that's why I've started that path.

Pam: 7:07

Yeah, it sounds my when I started out coaching, I started out coaching other therapists. I told you that I was a therapist. I was a yoga teacher. Started. Other people that were doing the things that I was doing. And it sounds even though you haven't labeled yourself a coach, it sounds like there's some of that in you where you're like, Hey, I understand this thing. Let me help you on this journey. And you're so right. Stories are so. Powerful and matter. They matter so much. And and they help people. I to think about stories as they're like a window into our soul. Right. They allow people to see into who we are and what our experiences are, what our struggles have been. And how. How not just Hey, I went from point a to point Z, the emotional experience that goes along with that, and that's what I love about the story process. And it sounds with your podcast and the things that you're doing and helping other people with their writing as well, that's something that you're passionate.

Ann: 8:03

Right. And it's funny, you mentioned that cause I wanted to call myself an editorial coach, but then my friend, Jen, who also is a coach she I'm part of her patriotic group. She said, well, if you're coaching, you need to do this and this. Really. And then my other author friend that I'm working with, she's a client now. She tells me that I'm coaching her through the writing process because I give her, cause I give resources. I, if I find something that will be helpful, I will share those resources. So the authors that I work with, because that will help them refine their stories a lot better. Yes. Some of them helps me refine mine. I'm still rebranding and rewriting the mystery that I wrote and published in 2018. So it's taking a little bit of time, but everybody's process is different. Yeah,

Pam: 8:52

absolutely. Absolutely. So you had said that. The struggles that you had in your life with your first, you said your first marriage, right. Knocked you off the path of writing, right? It and I would imagine your struggle, like struggles do they can pull the creative, the creativity out of us. Would you be willing to share. Like your I guess for lack of better terms, your journey back, like what that journey has looked like of the healing process from that relationship and coming back to your creative your your creative spirit that you are in.

Ann: 9:27

I'm glad you asked me that, because this is a whole part of this is spiritual experiences. I won't go into a lot, a lot of the private, spiritual side of things, but I was praying and I said, Lord, you're going to have to do something. Cause I'm done. I'm done trying to do this on my own. And I, there is a country artist that I really like and he's music. I listen to his music. Because I had it. I had CDs at the time. I listened to his music over and over for the first 12 months after when I moved back to my parents' house, because I found comfort in that music. I found comfort in that. I don't know if you've, if you're familiar with seventies, rock or country, the artist's name is Dan seals who he back in the seventies, he was a duo England, Dan and John Ford Coley. Yep. But the music really, it's not just the lyrics. I learned how to feel the music and delve deep into the heart of a song, because sometimes when you do that, it has a deeper message than what the artist or what the writer has meant for your life. And it really, then that's when I got into instrumentals and things like that. And because of that, it, I started feeling that sense of. Th that creativity, when I got my first, when I bought my first laptop, which was a Toshiba, I don't remember the model or anything like that. It's a boat anchor now, but. Yeah, cause it only had two gigs.

Pam: 10:52

I remember those days

Ann: 10:54

that's about anchor now, but I started writing short stories. They weren't perfect. They really weren't. But then I started really it's like I had these dreams of climbing out of that pit of despair. And so that's where, what was once a journey of faith and now is rebranded to renamed it, A Shadow of Truth of truth. And I'm rewriting it and learning how to write thriller. Which that's hard, but I saw my character was taking me on a journey and God was taking me on a journey too. So it w it, it was all in, in that hole. And I was talking to a friend on the phone who understood the experiences I was facing, because I'm a Christian, but I'm also a spiritual person. And there were certain experiences that she understood I was talking to her about and that she understood. So I was able to. Talk to her about that, ask her questions and then just, just find healing in that. And that's what brought me back to the writing journey. Yeah.

Pam: 11:54

Yeah. It's amazing how whether it's music or whether it's any sort of creative outlet. I've had people that I've talked about, like our expressive arts and embodiment practices that when you can tap into that area of the brain, that all of those things exist in. You're also at the same time healing, the emotional wounds, because it's all in the same center of the brain. Right. It's the same.

Ann: 12:19

Right. And I went through another experience though. I've I saw the red flags, but way before it got out of hand, I was married for I was with this, the second husband for a year. I saw the red flags coming, but I had to journal and I had the music. So it didn't take me as much time to heal and get back. I mean, I didn't lose the writing spark, but get, back into the end of the game, so to speak, I was able to write my way out of that situation.

Pam: 12:44

Yeah, that's such an amazing it's such an amazing transformation for you to go from. I got knocked down. I had this, it was in this terrible relationship. That was, that caused me a lot of pain and. I found something that helps me to do some healing of that pain. And then that allowed me to get back into my creativity. And it took X amount of time. You said you listen to that music for a year. So I'm assuming that somewhere in that timeframe, that's the healing process began and continue to cultivate. And then you're able to jump back into your writing and back into your creative processes yourself. And then the second time around, because you had done that. That healing already, you had built your resiliency. So you not only were able to recognize the red flags, but you were able to, for lack of better terms, bounce back quicker, because you already had the tools on board to be able to go oh, not only is, oh, this is not good for me, but also. Hey I know how I want to feel. I know what these, that music and writing and creating does for me. And so I'm, I need to dive headlong back into that and I need to continue to use these tools to pull myself out of the crap for lack

Ann: 13:56

of a better term. Great. And, I have, I had a go-to song that I would always go to. I just one song it's called the good rain. And. I went I go to that when I was really down, because even though it's a story about a farmer, who's about to lose his farm. That's the story song. It's not just lived the lyrics, it's the music that pulls me back and I'm able to go to that and. Wrap myself in that. And I was able to wrap myself in it and feel safe in that space. And like I said, journaling was very therapeutic for me, but sometimes it still is when I'm feeling down or, having a really rough day or, having that, some people call it imposter syndrome. I just call it, I get that Middlebury. Yeah. Sometimes that turned back to that song because in, because it really. Then, and there are some other spiritual things that go on in it and it space, but not evil stuff. But, I don't share that with a lot of people because I don't want to scare people off. I don't want people to think I'm weird. Well, I am a little weird, but, and I am

Pam: 15:02

like, my show's all about woo. So like it's totally fine here. You're in a safe space. As far as that's concerned, I talk about.

Ann: 15:13

God has blessed me with some experiences there that have really helped me through that too. So, yeah,

Pam: 15:19

I think, but I think there's something really valuable in that with the details of the story or not. I think there's something really valuable in trusting that those, like these blessings that you're talking about, that you're getting insights that you're getting that you're connected to something larger than you and trusting that and being able to trust like, okay, all right, I'm going to, I'm going to keep moving in this direction.

Ann: 15:42

Yeah, lead with the heart. Let your heart, let the Lord and let your heart be your guide because leading with the head would get you in the mind alone. Can get you into trouble.

Pam: 15:52

Yes, it can. It can. Yeah. And not just like I have a 13 year old, so not just in like impulsive 13 year old behaviors, but our mind can get us into trouble as entrepreneurs.******And, you use the term imposter syndrome, whether it's that or not that is a terminology that people, a lot of entrepreneurs understand is understanding that what we believe about ourselves, what we believe to be true, the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves, we believe. And when we believe the stories that we tell are. That makes the stories even more powerful. And so when we say things like, I can't do that or I'm I'm bad at, I used to say all the time I'm a procrastinator. And then everything in life got looked at from that perspective. Well, I can't do that early because of a procrastinator like, oh, well, or I could just change the story.

Ann: 16:41

Exactly. And, It's funny. You should say that I have a 13 year old too, so I totally, I mean, she's with her father right now, long story there, but I totally get the whole yeah. Cause we can go into that childlike space and I can't do this. I don't do I feel like I lost the magic. I really had. Last month I had one. One of those days, it's I lost the magic. I can't get my work on my, I can't get this to work. I can't do this, and I just had to sit back, put on my song, listen to what that my the, listen to the inner. Yeah, I had to feel it. I had to just, and then process it and think it through and then allow my characters to talk to me because my character weren't talking to me at that time. So I had to let my main character. Talk to me and show me things.

Pam: 17:33

Yeah. Yeah. And I think that when you're a creator, right. And whether you're, I teach people how to create courses, how to create online courses so that they can coach and support other people in their growth and all that stuff. Right. So, but whether you're creating a course and trying to speak to a person, or whether you're trying to create your creator in the sense of like writing or music or art or any of the other, like artistic pursuits theater, any of that kind of stuff where you're feeling like you're when you're trying to create something where you're trying to, write a story or get into the character's head of what this person would think, feel or believe When we have our own. We have this lens that we walk around the world with. And when we carry that around and when we, you have a bad day, cause we all have bad days that I think that's really valuable to recognize and to just say and remind all of everybody, all the audience that like, we all have. Like I teach other people how to pull themselves out of their struggles. And I have been a therapist for over 20 years and I still have bad days

Ann: 18:35

if you're human and you're walking this earth, you're going to have your good days. And your bad days, I took the week off last week for awesome.

Pam: 18:43

So what do you was going to say when you do self care with this idea of self-care, self-love putting yourself first, nurturing your spirit, all of those things. What are the things that you do. Now to do that work. Okay.

Ann: 18:57

I read and I don't feel guilty about it. I read in braille, I really listened to audio books. I crochet sometimes I have, I don't use it for what they're really used for. I use it for worship, but sometimes, and sometimes I'll use it to tap into my characters, but I have a Tibetan singing bowl that I. And the vibrations are soothing. And if you channel into that and I usually, try to, say, write your story. I'm like, okay, so what am I supposed to write? What am I supposed to do with that? And I've got Colombia or Karimba, whatever you want to call it that I play, because I love music so much. And if you get lost in that I have been known to listen to hand pan video of YouTube videos of the hand pan. And actually grabbed my charisma and just let her rip and not worry about the mistakes. I might not worry about anything. It's like it's. And when I do that, I'm going to be honest. When that, when I get into that kind of zone, it's I feel like I don't know if it's spiritual or what, but I feel like a breeze blowing through me and what my hands do. My brain just has no, it's I just let the music take. And I got a funny experience about, I got a funny story to share with you about that whole thing. As I was trying to teach myself how to play piano years ago, I quit doing it because of carpal tunnel. But one day my aunt had given me a keyboard, a Casio keyboard that she had before she passed. And it had some samples on there that you could learn from. And it was a really simple one. Let me put it this way. I remember playing the beginning. I remember playing the end, but I have no idea what I played in the middle. It was like, I completely zoned out in the music was just taking me with it. Right. Did you love music as a child? Yes. Always loved music.

Pam: 20:47

It's funny. So my 13 year old plays the violin and what's always interest. She's a creator. Like I don't necessarily consider myself creative in the artistic sense, but I understand also that's the story that I've been told and that I've told myself and all of these things. And so one of the things that I'm working on, but I've been working on for seems like forever, but I'm still working on it is playing the guitar. Because I have like music, all these musicians in my house and I'm like the non-musician. So, but we joke still at 13, we joke that her brain is wired in musical. That as a young child, she EV like when she, like in first grade, when they had to learn, three words, spelling words, the way that she remembered her three words, spelling words is that she would sing them.

Ann: 21:33

Wow. My daughter loves to sing too.

Pam: 21:37

I mean, and so, and she's like a Hummer she's always walking around the house humming. She's always whistling. Like she's always, and there's always like a movement. And when you talk about the playing with different instruments and all the that kind of stuff comes up for me. I'm really curious if that's something that's a thread that you've seen throughout your life, because it sounds like maybe that's the way you're wired and that there is some sort of connection to

Ann: 22:01

let me tell you, homie, I will be working on and I write fiction. I write fiction poetry. I've even done some non-fiction, but I'm working on a story and there will be a song. That gets stuck in my head and it will not leave me alone. And it'll actually feel weird, not in a bad way, but weird. It's it doesn't have to be the whole song. It can be part of a song that gets stuck and I'll start humming the melody. I'll start humming something other than that. And I still come back. And it starts speaking to me. And then I look at Bible verses or I look at, and I look in and see what my characters are saying. And the song just resonates with me because it's telling me something in the book and I will sit there and I will put that may be on repeat until I write what that song is leading me to write.

Pam: 22:50

Yeah. I love that. I love that so much because one of the things that I talk about a lot, I teach meditation and, So I'm a huge meditator. I have a really spiritual practice. And one of the things that I say all the time is that our insights arise different in different ways. And they come from something larger than us. And it doesn't matter to me if you believe in God or whatever his universe or higher self or source or whatever, I call everything source because of. It is whatever your belief system is, wherever you are on that spectrum or whatever you're talking about, source the thing that is larger than you, that is plunked you here in this spot and is allowing you to, is feeding you what you need. Right? And so this idea, this like that, it doesn't matter. It could be sitting in meditation and you get a thought, I'm one of those people that like thoughts just, I will wake up out of a dead sleep with this. And I just allow the, whatever the thing is, like the other day I was like, I woke up out of a dead sleep and I like sat up in bed and I was like, the thought that came to my head was just this$2,900. And I was like$2,900. Okay. I also teach people manifesting. Right. So I was like, all right. So I like sit in meditation and I'm like, Come back to the, and it showed up again in meditation. So then I go and I come back to meditation and I'm like, okay. So I'm just going to do the thing that I do. And I manifest, and I'm going to manifest this$2,900 in two days later, my husband sends me a text message. Oh, Hey, by the way, this old thing that we paid off years ago contacted me today. And they're sending us a check for$2,800. And I was like, okay. So I guess there's another a hundred dollars coming.

Ann: 24:23

Wow. Yeah, totally

Pam: 24:33

good. No. Okay. So that's what I was going to say was like, for you, this music is the, this is like the conduit at which you're spoken to of Hey, this is the direction you need to go in. This is the thing that you need to do. This is the practice. This is, this is where you need to show up today. That's

Ann: 24:47

only one aspect of it. I'm a dreamer and I will get, I will see parts of my books, the parts of the dream, some elements of the dream won't make sense if they're just background things. But there's one thing in that dream that relates to the book and I'll be sitting there. In the bathroom, I'll try, sometimes call my inspiration. Yep. And it'll be like, oh, so this is happening. Oh, that's what that, and I will literally hear my characters in conversation. That's awesome. Literally with each other. And that is so funny.

Pam: 25:22

I know I've worked with people in the past. When I, as a therapist and as a coach that have used writing writing both fiction and nonfiction as like the heal a healing process. And it sounds you've, you have a deep connection to your characters and that's, that is evidenced by what you're saying.

Ann: 25:42

And my two strongest senses are sound. And touch, I have this little beanie. That I use, sometimes I will touch that beanie bear and to try to channel into my characters as well, because I watched a video. I was I was a big, I watched the Alfre runs and I was a big outfit. I watched the Paul Fusco if I'm pronouncing his name. Right. I think so, but I watched an interview with him and his wife that this college was doing and he said he made it. And I had to do research because I did a blog post about this years ago. He said that he was trying to figure out what to write in his script. And when he put the Alf puppet on his hand, the character told him what to write. It's like channeling through that character. So, yeah. Sound and touch. And when I crochet, I will literally sit there and touch the skein of yarn. That may sound woo. Weird. Woo.

Pam: 26:43

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's why people, that's one of the things about pets that are, is really therapeutic as well as when an animal has really soft fur or whatever. But definitely it puts us into all these things that you're talking about. They put, you put us into from a nervous system perspective into the parasympathetic nervous system where you have the ability, the rest and digest. Right. So when I talk about what are the things that you're doing for self care, it doesn't actually matter what the things are. I love what you've shared. But for like our audience, for our listeners, it could be anything. It can be anything that, that lights you up. It can be anything that soothes you. It doesn't matter what it is. As long as it can help you to shift into the parasympathetic nervous system that rest and digest place where you can feel chill and relaxed and at peace and happy. And.

Ann: 27:31

And, one more thing I do. I have, I got a, what they call a hammock swing for my birthday. I'd say the swing off of the stand because it'll get wet and when to blow it off. But I will go out on a nice day, used to do this on my porch because now I'm in a tiny house. But now since I got the swing, I'll go put the swing on the stand and I'll sit there and sometimes I'll sing to myself. Sometimes I will just listen to my wind chimes. Oh, I love my wind drums and the birds and the love hummingbirds because. I don't know if you want me to, but I can share that story in a minute too, but I will sit there and listen and just allow the, the outside world is sometimes I gotta get out of the house anyway, but sometimes my characters will talk to me cause I was trying to work on another book and wasn't satisfied with it. And then I was sitting out there and my main character from shadow truth, Becca Martin. She said, if you tell me if you rewrite and fine tune my story, I'll help you with your. So it's it was like really awesome. But yeah, the hummingbird thing, it was funny. I was sitting on my porch Last year, I think. No. No. It was in the fall of 20 summer of 2020

Pam: 28:42

timeframe or we don't know our times anymore. Yeah, I get it.

Ann: 28:46

And at first it happened twice, but how many bark was chirping and flying back and forth. And then. And it just flew off. But then the next day I heard the wings of the hummingbird came close to touching my face. Wow. That's why I wrote a poem and I put it on my blog. I think I did, but that's why I wrote the poem, the kiss of a hummingbird. And I read that. That means that's a special blessing too. And that's why hummingbirds are my favorite. They're so tiny, but they're. And then of course the same. I don't know if it was the same one, but the hummingbird was hanging around my porch and I heard his wings and it was just a chatter in a way at me. And then he would land on my rail perch on my porch rail. And then last year in the fall, in the late summer of last year, I was sitting in a swing. I had internet troubles because of the storm, but it was nice enough out there. I was sitting in the swing and the hummingbird flew it. Didn't touch it. Didn't come that close. Came up to me and I was on the phone, the hummingbird came up to me like, oh, there's my buddy.

Pam: 29:51

That's awesome. That's awesome. Yeah. I'd love the connection to nature is so powerful and so healing and your ability to just tune into. The world around you and allow the sounds, because you said that the two big census for you are sound and touch. And so allowing the sounds and allowing the feeling, whether it's the feeling of the breeze, the feeling of the hummingbird, coming really close or whatever, allowing the, those two senses to just be bathed in the beauty of nature. And, the world around you

Ann: 30:23

is amazing. Right. Because I, I believe in my heart of hearts that outside of the traditional forms of music that we're used to, the environment is full of music. Yes it is. And sometimes my wind times will speak inspiration to me. Yeah. Where does that sound? That happens.

Pam: 30:44

Yeah. I love wind chimes. I love, I live in New Hampshire and it's cold and snow. I don't know, it's 10 degrees out right now. But yes, it's a little chilly. So in the winter, the, my husband takes the wind chimes down because they're like we have a bunch of different. Mostly wood and he's well, they can't stay out over there. They'll get no salt on them and whatever. Look at damaged. I'm like, but I miss them. So I have one that hangs a little tiny, like glass on that hangs in my bedroom right near my side of the bed. That is there all the time. And he'll be like, why is the wind chime tinkling in middle of the night? Cause the heat's on, but I love this under Winchester as well. It doesn't matter how big or small they are. Right.

Ann: 31:25

I can hear mine outside of the door. I have one, a little one that I was actually hanging on my door. Yeah, it took me it when somebody comes in and, I love that town, so that's awesome.

Pam: 31:34

That's awesome. Yeah. And for some of us that don't live in a place where you can have one time's up all year it's it signifies, like I love the spring. I love the fall. I love the summer. Like I love the warmer weather. We can have the windows open and it, for me, there's a connection there. So sometimes our experiences are so powerful because there's a connection to something,

Ann: 31:52

something else. Right. And would you believe because mine are metal except for the, the wooden hanging the wooden round disc that's on top of the Woodstock trumps amazing grace time though. And the paint's coming off of that. But anyway, when it's cold outside the winds homes, can't, I don't know how to describe it. And this is another woofing as you put it. But the wind tomes when they ring out and it's cold outside, that makes that wind sound even colder. Yeah. Yeah,

Pam: 32:25

I can understand that. Yeah. Ah, that's pretty cool. So, so you've obviously been doing this stuff for awhile. You've been writing, you've been creating you're now podcasting, you're now editing. And it sounds like you're really leaning into, Hey, I'm feeling drawn in this direction and you allow yourself to move in that direction, which I love that is so inspiring to me. You suggest or do you have any tips or recommendations or suggestions for entrepreneurs that are starting. That are trying to figure out maybe which direction to go in or trying to tap into their more creative side. Do you have any

33:08

the

Ann: 33:09

question you want to ask yourself? And I say, do what? Listen to the experts and do what works for you most of the time, but find what brings you joy. What brings you to. What brings you the most joy? What are you passionate about doing, what are you drawn to? If it's copy living fine. If it's writing and whether it's nonfiction or fiction or poetry, whether it's writing, whether it's podcasting, whether it's performing music, whatever creative endeavor, what brings you joy? What keeps pulling you back, the more you step away, that's what you want to look for. What are you drawn to? And yeah. Do what works for you. People, some people say write every day. No, that doesn't always work. Some people say, write so many words a day. No. Or you need to get this out, published out by the end of this year or so even set goals and deadlines. But if you don't reach them, don't stress over it because everybody's process is different. Trust the process, follow your heart. And even though I'm a Christian, whatever your belief system is, find that spiritual connection that, that, that resonates with you find the music that resonate. And sometimes as far as tips and things, and sometimes with me, I will actually start humming because there'll be a melody in my head that hasn't. It has anything to do with anything I've heard, but there's just this melody and it won't go away and it may have something to do with the book or not, but it's just there.

Pam: 34:46

It is.

Ann: 34:47

It definitely is. It's a fun. What brings you peace in.

Pam: 34:52

Yeah. And it sounds like one of the other things that you've done is to pay attention to that. Right. So it's not, so it's like you can find what brings you peace and joy and pay attention and nurture yourself with that. With those things, go

Ann: 35:04

in that knowledge, find other like-minded people. Build yourself, either build a community or find a community of like-minded people who will support you and help you through that along the way. And know that if things don't work out for the very first time, or if it doesn't happen overnight, you have to be okay with that because it's because if not, you're going to stress yourself out. Yeah.

Pam: 35:23

Yeah. So there's like a component of acceptance there that, you know, one of the things that you said when you sent me information, as you said that. That, when you put in the work, it pays off in the

Ann: 35:32

long run, you have to work for what you want. Yeah.

Pam: 35:37

Yeah. And recognizing that, like that may not be one of the things that I say all the time. Because I am a coach now is I say to people like, just because somebody on Instagram is saying that you can make, but you should be making a million dollars in the next 60 days. Doesn't

Ann: 35:51

mean that's true. No. I'm just getting started at the editing side of things. I'm not even sure that I'm charging. You know what, I'm not going to worry about that. I'll let God lead and I will talk to other editors cause I'm gonna be taking some courses in April taking a course starting in April. So I was doing the work that, I'm getting experience working with my author, friends. So. And

Pam: 36:12

I think I love the fact that you've just tapped into other friends, other people that you have that, within a community, because you are also an author. So you've made connections with other authors and you're like, Hey, you're struggling with this thing. I can help you with that. Let me support you in this journey. And let me offer you some resources and let me read through some of these things. And that sometimes that becomes. But that becomes the business, right. That, as an entrepreneur I often find people will come to me and say Hey, I want to do this thing that I have this training in. Right. I'm a, I'm a financial person, you can see how in tune I am with this understanding of what people do in the world of finance. I'm this financial person. And I think I want to help other people in the financial world in some way, but I just had this conversation recently and. The woman was really struggling to she was like, I don't know if I really want to do this. I didn't feel it, but she's also happy. Also happens to be a yoga teacher and loves yoga nidra, which is like a, yoga sleep. It's a meditation deep meditation, and that allows you to go through whatever, all the things. And it's amazing. And it's just a practice that she fell in love with her. And managing her own stress. And I was like, well, why aren't you just creating a program on that? You just got, you got trained in it. You know how to do it, you know how to lead people through it. You're a yoga teacher. Like I don't. And she was like, huh, that's a good question. I think sometimes we, we do the things we think we're supposed to do instead of the things that kind of light us up and feel

Ann: 37:35

ourselves. Yeah, we don't listen to the creatives. Oh my gosh. How many times have I learned that? Through my own experiences? Don't sit yourself. Oh Lord. Have mercy gifts. Do not shut yourself. Cause you will get into soon, much trouble. Even if my process is slow. And even if I'm not making millions of bucks, I'm still doing, what I need to do and making that work and getting that process out there. It may take some time, but I'm getting there. It's not about, it's not about getting to the top. It's not about what happens at the top. It's the. Yes. And let me tell you one more thing. Yeah. It doesn't matter. Cause I know there may be listeners to have a disability. May not. Don't let your limitations stop. You. That is one of the world. And I've seen that with people. They say, oh, I can't do this. I can't do this. And make all kinds of excuses. Why they can't. Okay. I'll tell you what happened with the poetry thing. I kept saying, I can't write poetry. It's rare for me to write poetry. And then my friend, Jen, she did a podcast about her prompt was mermaid fingernails. She was trying, she was talking about the challenging us to write the 50 word story. Well, my story was. Being 51 words, but then it morphed into a poem. And then I wrote three poems that day, try. And even while I was trying to read the 21st century creative course, my brain was often poetry. So a public tree book and a bunch of poems on my blog say that I can write poetry. So, and the holy spirit says, will you keep you say that you can't, that you keep proving? You can. So it's

Pam: 39:08

yeah. And that's the whole, like your stories, your beliefs, all that stuff. Right? That, it's so important that you write the story for yourself, the way that you want the story, it's like you as an author, you're writing, you're rewriting a book, right? You're going in, you're editing, you're rewriting your writing, other things you're writing and creating the story. If you can write and create that story, you can write and create your own. Exactly. You can write the story of an, the way, any way you

Ann: 39:34

want it to be. Right. And it's funny cause I'm still working through that. I thought it was going to take it. Wasn't going to take as long as it does, but I'm actually building a writing. And a writer and I call it the plot stitch method, crafting your story from inspiration to publication. That's why, when I haven't launched them fully launched it, but I'm promoting it because I'm getting experience working with authors, but the thing is, I call it plugs editorial services because I'm stitching helping you stitch your plot together. Yup. Yup. It's just one of those creative and I was talking to her guy yesterday. He's oh my gosh, that's marketing. Yeah, totally genius. Yeah,

Pam: 40:11

that's true. That's awesome. That's awesome. So, and where can our listeners find you if they want to read your poetry? If they want to, if they're trying to get started with writing are in need or needing some support, where can they find you?

Ann: 40:26

Okay. My website is Ann rights, inspiration.com. That's H E N w R I T S. inspiration.com. You can find me at Ann writes inspiration on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest. If you're looking on Twitter, I had to use. 75 because there's only 15 characters, but my display name is Ann writes inspiration on Twitter. I'm on LinkedIn too, but I don't do a whole lot with that. But I, my podcast is called inspirational journeys stories that matter, and you can find it on all your different plot podcasts players. I have a YouTube channel Yeah. I even have a poetry book called the spirit of creativity, inspirational poems for the creative at heart. If you want to get it from your favorite ebook retailer, you just go to books to read.com/the spirit of creativity, which I'll send you for the show notes. Awesome. It's on ebook, audio book and paperback.

Pam: 41:19

Fabulous. I will link all the different ways to contact you in our show notes so that people can click easily and find you. Awesome. Thank you so much. And is there anything else that you wanted to share with our listeners today before we wrap up?

Ann: 41:33

Let me think, because like I said, do what works for you. Find joy and the peace and tap into that creative spirit and. You do you be yourself? Don't try to, don't try to let somebody tell you what you should do. Don't should yourself just listen to that. I want to say inner sanctum, but I don't know if that's the right word, but that the inner voice, that voice inside you,

Pam: 42:02

the inner wisdom.

Ann: 42:02

Listen.

Pam: 42:04

Yeah. Yeah. I love that. I love that. Thank you so much for sharing and thank you so much for being here with me

Ann: 42:09

today. Thank you so much for having me. It has. Yeah.

Pam: 42:13

Awesome. And guys, if anything strikes you as hugely inspirational, or you just want to share your experience of the podcast links in the show notes is your way to contact both Anne and I, so be sure to do so. Let em know how much you loved me having her on the podcast.

Ann: 42:29

Thank you. And there are two more things I want to mention. One thing is when you touch one life, you've touched thousands. Yeah. And remember your story matters. Yes. Yes.

Pam: 42:44

I love that. Thank you

Ann: 42:45

for that. You are so welcome.

Pam: 42:48

So again, and thank you so much for being here with us today and thank you guys for listening. We'll see you next week.