Every writer experiences doubt—in our abilities, in the worthiness of our creativity, and more. But it doesn't have to stop us in our tracks, according to Amy L. Bernstein, a novelist, award-winning journalist, blogger, and certified book coach. Her forthcoming book Wrangling the Doubt Monster is set to publish in January 2025, and she explores the topic of creative self-doubt in her Substack Doubt Monster.

This deep, inspiring conversation delves into the causes of creative doubt and how Amy says we can prevent it from derailing our writing practice.

We talked about so much great stuff:
• making a late-in-life career pivot into writing
• finding the freedom to work with many forms of writing
• the emotional sources of self-doubt
• the role that culture plays in keeping us creatively stuck
• why the hard work of revising can be a rewarding investment in yourself
• finding motivation to go the distance with your writing

Listen in for a confidence injection!

For more, check out:
https://amywrites.live
https://wonderwell.press/
https://maggielangrick.com/

And follow:
instagram.com/amylbernstein
instagram.com/maggielangrick
instagram.com/wonderwellpress
instagram.com/selfishgiftpodcast

Timestamps:
00:00: Introduction to Amy Bernstein and the Topic of Doubt
02:47: The Prevalence of Doubt in Writing and Creativity
08:48: The Role of an Accountability Partner in Overcoming Doubt
11:54: Challenges Faced by Professionals Transitioning into Writing
24:30: Creating the Right Conditions for Creativity
29:25: Embracing the Joy of the Creative Process
33:31: Giving Yourself Permission to Create
34:52: Understanding Your Creative Appetite
37:02: Exploring Openly Without Limits
38:39: Alleviating Doubt
41:28: The Importance of Rewriting and Revision
46:31: How to Persevere with a difficult piece of work
49:15: Authenticity in Building Your Platform
01:02:21: Choosing Joy and Purpose in Your Creative Journey

Melissa Urban is a truly inspirational human who has dedicated her life to helping people boost their health and happiness.

She is the co-founder and CEO of Whole30, a 30-day food elimination and reintroduction program that helps identify hidden food sensitivities and restore a healthy relationship with food and the body. The original Whole30 book (just one of Melissa's seven New York Times bestsellers!) was published in 2015. For 2024 it has been entirely re-imagined and updated with new recipes, rules, and a wider range of accessible and culturally relevant foods.

On her Substack XOMU and her Instagram page, Melissa is beloved for her empowering and encouraging messages, and also for her down-to-earth realness and relatability.

In this episode, we talked about:

• What's new in the updated Whole30 book and why fans of the program should pick it up, even if you already have the original edition
• How Melissa maintains her mental health and connects to her spirituality through daily practices
• How Whole30 came to be, and what drove her to expand it into a huge lifestyle brand
• Her writing practice: where, when, and how often she writes, and why it is like "brain candy" for her
• The boundaries she puts around her social media content creation to keep it authentic and fun
• Some fun BTS facts about her publishing journey
• Her advice for women with a big vision for their lives

If you dream of reaching millions of people with your book and business, do not miss this inspiring conversation!

For more, check out:
https://whole30.com/
https://blog.melissau.com/
https://wonderwell.press/
https://maggielangrick.com/

And follow:
instagram.com/melissau
instagram.com/maggielangrick
instagram.com/wonderwellpress
instagram.com/selfishgiftpodcast

"If you can read, you can write." - Terri Trespicio, author of Unfollow Your Passion

We don't just have one major passion in life or a single road to success, and fixating on finding yours could be making you miserable and keeping you stuck. That's the core message in Terri Trespicio's book, Unfollow Your Passion. It's also the topic of her TEDx Talk, which has been viewed more than eight million times. In this episode of The Selfish Gift, Terri tells Maggie the surprising story behind that talk—and her unconventional road to success as an author, speaker, brand consultant, and writing teacher. (And did I mention she's also a poet?)

Terri is a licensed instructor of the Gateless Writing Method, developed by Suzanne Kingsbury, which had a huge impact on Terri's writing and personal growth. In this conversation, she describes the Gateless approach to writing, explores the misconception that writing is only for professionals, and emphasizes the power of writing as a tool for self-discovery. She also shares her personal, story-led writing process and the story behind the publication of her book.

If you have ever worried that you're spinning your wheels and need encouragement to trust yourself and keep moving forward, listen in.

Takeaways

• Don't feel pressured to know your purpose or passion; it's okay to try different things and not have it all figured out.
• Failure is a part of the learning process and should not be feared.
• Success often comes from a winding career journey and trying different paths.
• Mindset is important, but it's not everything; skill development and practice are also crucial for success.
• Expanding one's comfort zone is more important than seeking discomfort.
• Writing is a tool for self-discovery and personal growth.
• Craft in writing is essential for effectively sharing one's story or expertise.
• The Gateless Method is a transformative approach to writing that focuses on craft and removes criticism and judgment.
• Sharing one's work can be challenging but is a powerful and transformative experience. Know and love your work before seeking feedback from editors or agents.
• Be flexible in the writing process and trust the inherent qualities of your work.

For more, check out:
territrespicio.com
maggielangrick.com
wonderwell.press

And follow:
instagram.com/ttrespicio
instagram.com/maggielangrick
instagram.com/wonderwellpress
instagram.com/selfishgiftpodcast