How To Break Free and Live a More Authentic Life – Shannon Talbot

How To Break Free and Live a More Authentic Life – Shannon Talbot

Who am I to write a book?  I don’t have enough experience.  Who wants to hear my stories?  Will people think doing exercises in a book are stupid?  These are just some of the thoughts that went through my head after leaving the corporate world to start my own speaking and coaching business.  A book would give me credibility, but I wasn’t ready.

I knew the book I wanted to write.  I wanted to write the book I wish had existed when I was starting out in my career and later as I navigated balancing motherhood with ambition.  I wanted to write the book that showed the messy.  That wasn’t only a how-to but one that included real-life stories of everyday women trying to make it through the day and have a successful career, however they defined success.

But I first had to get over my beliefs surrounding writing.  In my mind, writing wasn’t a career but rather something to do for fun or an outlet to process difficult emotions.  When my husband and I went through fertility treatments, I wrote a blog as a way to process my emotions.  Then when we adopted our two sons, I wrote about that.  Later, when I started my speaking and coaching business, I wrote a blog on how to live a happier, healthier and more present life.  All for fun and with zero expectations.  But a book?  That would catapult me into the world of published author and that was scary.  

So I put the dream aside and carried on.  

Then, I got the question “Shannon, have you ever considered writing a book to share your experiences and tips?”

The seed I’d planted years prior had now been watered.  There was no turning back.  

But how and where to start?

As if my social media could read my mind (or perhaps just picked up on my google searching), a post appeared on my LinkedIn Feed talking about this book coach and editor, Cat.  I was intrigued.  I could have someone edit my book and hold me accountable to writing it?  I set up a call, signed the agreement and we were off.  

Cat asked me the tough questions like who was my target audience, what were the goals with my book and if I wanted to self-publish or pitch my book to an agent to find a publisher.  I’m not the most patient person and the goal of my book was to boost my credibility for my speaking career thus self-published was the path we chose.  

Next came the decision of when I wanted to complete my book by.  One thing I knew for certain was I didn’t want to write for long stretches at a time.  I’d left the corporate world to have more work-life balance to spend time with my kids and so I decided to take a year and a half to write and publish my book.  I envisioned writing a bit every day and that is what I did.  I also did a mini two-day getaway at a quaint nautical themed inn in Niagara-on-the-Lake in Canada at wintertime where I wrote all day and evening and it was magical.  

Life, however, threw its curveballs. The passing of my father-in-law became an emotional backdrop to my writing. However, a longer timeline gave me the flexibility to navigate these tough times and dedicate the book to him.

Then came a difficult yet necessary conversation with my family about including a childhood story. Surprisingly, my parents and brother gave the green light. This story opened up a dialogue on stories often left untold and reinforced the importance of authors being vulnerable to help others feel less alone and more hopeful.

Choosing a title and cover design was both challenging and fun. I’d initially set out with “Unleash Your Inner Tiger” but a connection to a personal tattoo led to “Breaking Free” as the perfect title. Colourful birds flying freely on the cover brought the concept to life and brings a warm feeling to my heart every time I look at it.  

And lastly, my avoidance of feedback, stemming from a negative corporate experience, needed to be overcome. I sought beta testers to read and review my book.  These readers from my target audience provided invaluable insights, making the book more relatable and coherent. Their positive feedback fueled my confidence to dive into marketing.

A launch party marked the finale of this incredible journey – a blend of weird (throwing a party for myself) and exhilaration having chase a childhood dream. I was proud to have my book out in the world, aspiring to reach as many readers as possible. Because, at the end of the day, my aim is to inspire people to embrace their true selves and create the lives they dream of.

You can buy Breaking Free here https://shannontalbot.com/book/

About Shannon

Shannon Talbot is a Certified Health, Life & Transformational Coach. A former corporate leader in the financial services and advertising industries, Shannon started her own company, Shannon Talbot Coaching & Consulting, to help working professionals maximize their well-being and success and have more energy and joy across every area of their life.

Shannon has an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and has been featured on CBC Radio and in Today’s Parent, Chatelaine, LifeHack and Thrive Global. She has helped hundreds of working professionals and dozens of organizations through her coaching and speaking programs. 

Shannon lives in Toronto with her husband, two sons and dog. 

BREAKING FREE

In Breaking Free, former corporate executive-turned-keynote speaker and workplace wellness advocate Shannon Talbot, inspires readers to realize their true potential and live their desired life across all aspects.

Shannon takes readers on her own personal journey, including her struggles with rejection, loss, anxiety and stress, as she balances the demands of motherhood with the reality of being an ambitious career woman. She also shares inspiring stories of women like Stacey Mowbray, former WeightWatchers’ President for the Americas and Julie Cole, co-founder of Mabel’s Labels who have triumphed over life’s hurdles to achieve greater fulfillment.

In addition to motivational and relatable stories, Shannon provides practical step-by-step tips for readers to visualize their dreams, uncover what’s been holding them back and gives them the tools they need so they can set themselves free and go after their dream career and/or life.

This book is for you if you feel stuck in your career or life. If you’ve been holding back at work or at home. If you feel something is missing but you’re not sure what it is or how to get it. If you have big dreams that scare the crap out of you. If you’re done playing small and want to feel more satisfied in your life. If you want to say a big heck yes to living the life of your dreams.

BUY HERE

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: On Writing