Interview with Acclaimed Author & Motivational Speaker Amberly Lago

I am so thrilled to welcome Amberly Lago to the blog today! I read Amberly's book TRUE GRIT & GRACE in a matter of days and was so inspired and moved by her story. This is a book that will change the way you see yourself and the world -- it will open your eyes to the possibilities before you, and will help you tap into the grit and grace inside yourself. 

Amberly was kind enough to stop by the blog today (in the midst of her busy schedule and book tour!) to answer some questions about not just writing and publishing, but also strength and resilience. Grab a mug of tea, turn off your cell phone, and sink into her insights and words of wisdom. 

It is such a pleasure to present to you... Amberly Lago!

Can you tell us about you that you’d like the readers to know?

I was an athlete and professional dancer turned fitness trainer when a horrific motorcycle accident severed my femoral artery and shattered my right leg almost beyond repair. Months in the hospital and 34 surgeries—along with plates, pins, and sheer will—eventually spared my leg, despite the initial recommendation to amputate. As a result of the trauma, I was diagnosed with an incurable nerve disease called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, dubbed “the suicide disease” because it is ranked highest on the pain scale. But giving up was never in my wheel house. By embracing gratitude, acceptance, and self care, I found the ability to thrive despite living in constant, chronic pain.

I started sharing my story of hope and inspiration to small assembled crowds and then before I knew it, I was being asked to speak at conferences, schools, and institutions. My heart was instantly filled with joy the more I shared my story and made connections with others. Although I had never written a book before, I was passionate about writing my story in hopes of giving others a shift in their perspective and to leave them believing in themselves a little bit more. I wrote True Grit and Grace: Turning Tragedy Into Triumph and it was published earlier this year by Morgan James Publishing and launched on the Megyn Kelly TODAY Show.

Take us through your writing and publishing process. 

The thought of writing a book was a little overwhelming and I knew I needed help. Although I always did well in school, I didn’t even have a college education. I started asking around if anyone knew of a writing teacher. Three different people told me about an incredible teacher named Jack Grapes. I looked him up and enrolled in his Method Writing class. Method Writing is an organic approach to the creative process, a way of finding your deep, authentic voice. The Method does not take the traditional approach, which emphasizes structure and form; instead it focuses on truth and organic process. Method Writing deals with the inner voice and how it can be used to create unique works of art, true to your own voice and style, true to your own vision and point view, and true to your own life experience—whether writing a book, poem, recipe, Instagram post, or ransom note.

So along with writing every day in my journal, I made an outline for my book, and used Jack Grapes Method Writing class as a way to start writing. I wrote every day, even if it was just a page, and it took two years. I had to find the time to write between working, being a mom, being a wife, and trying to have any kind of social life. There were a lot of days I just wanted to keep pushing the snooze button, but I would wake up at 4:30 every morning to get my writing in before my day officially started.

It took a total of two years to finish my book, and then came time to find a publisher. I attended a conference called “Author 101” where I learned about everything from publishing to marketing and literary agents. Although I left there feeling even more overwhelmed, it’s also where I ended up finding my publisher.

What is your favorite thing about writing? 

My favorite thing about writing is getting things out of my head and onto the paper. When I was in the hospital and stuck in the hospital bed, writing was a way of coping with my situation.

I opened my journal and immediately began a gratitude list—that is, all the things for which I was grateful. So instead of staring into darkness, I focused on what was light in my life, and as the list grew longer, the less depressed I became. This was my medicine and it worked. Psychological depression, as opposed to biochemical depression, doesn’t occur in a vacuum. It occurs in negativity, when “what I don’t have” seems greater than “what I want to have.” We human beings rarely know how to value what we have until we lose it. And I was determined to beat those odds by listing and acknowledging all my blessings. Gratitude turns denial into acceptance, makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates hope for tomorrow. Writing a gratitude list keeps me in a place of gratitude, and when you are grateful you don’t have room for self-pity. Writing down all my emotions is healing and takes me out of my head and keeps me in my heart.

Your writing is so authentic, honest and vulnerable. How do you push past fears, doubts, or self-criticism that is inherent for so many of us in the creative process?  

I try to write like I speak—straight from the heart. Sometimes I will read a post I have written for social media and I think to myself, what was I thinking writing that?? But it is how I was feeling at the time. I have found when you own your story and accept where you are on your journey it strengthens your resilience and allows you to make meaningful connections with others. Plus, it’s much easier to write when you are just keeping it real and letting the words flow.

Do you have any advice for other writers, or for anyone going after their dreams? 

Write from you heart and write vividly, using all your senses. Keep it real. I think readers can smell when you aren’t authentic. I started writing my memoir like I was telling a story and it was less intimidating for me to get started. The secret is to just get started. This is your perspective on life and events, and if you can share what you think, feel, and have gone through, others gather the wisdom and benefit of your experiences. No matter what, keep writing every day.

Can you share a few of your favorite books or authors? 

One of my favorite authors is Brene Brown and I love her book The Gifts of Imperfection. I start my day by reading several of my favorite spiritual books to center me before my day gets crazy. Some of those books include Each Day a New Beginning: Daily Mediations for Women, published by Hazelden; I’ve Been Thinking: Reflections, Prayers, and Meditations for a Meaningful Life by Maria Shriver, and The Wisdom of Sundays by Oprah Winfrey.

What inspires you? 

My two daughters inspire me to be my best and my biggest motivator is anyone who tells me I can’t do something.

 What are you working on now? What’s next for you? 

I am still on my book tour and have one last stop in Charlotte, North Carolina at Barnes & Noble. Next I will be delivering a keynote “Claiming Your Resilience When Living In Chronic Pain” at the annual RSDSA conference and also leading a 5K fundraising walk “Fight the Flame” to benefit those diagnosed with CRPS. I am launching an online inspirational fitness course soon, and my dream is to do SuperSoul Podcast with Oprah AND a TED Talk—Hey! I always say if your dreams don’t scare you, then they aren’t big enough!

Anything else you would like to add?

What I have learned is that life is a series of choices we make regardless of our circumstances. I could either make the choice to give up and let my life be determined by my circumstances, or fight to create something positive out of my situation. My choice is to notice the gifts life offers, which are particularly plentiful when you look for them. I believe in seeing the good in every situation and learning form it.

I believe we can have the life we always imagined, even if our circumstances have narrowed our possibilities. My sincere wish is that my book will help each reader claim their own power and belief in themselves and their dreams, and find their own resilience to move forward and choose a life filled with laughter and love, even when things don’t go as planned. We can’t choose what life throws our way, but we can choose to be happy and live a full life, despite our circumstances. Through our trials, we can embrace our challenges, connect to our innermost resilience, and change our perspective on life. We are strong, but together we are unstoppable.

Connect with Amberly:

• Purchase True Grit & Grace on Amazon
• Instagram: @amberlylagomotivation
• Website: www.amberlylago.com
• Facebook: @amberlylagospeaker
• Twitter: @amberlylago

Writing to Please Yourself

A couple weeks ago, I was delighted to be the keynote speaker for the June meeting of the Ventura County Writers Club. I had an absolutely wonderful time and met so many fun, friendly, creative and driven people! I focused my talk on "writing to please yourself," which was inspired by a piece of advice I received from novelist Elizabeth Berg, who I met a few years back at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference. My brother Greg was kind enough to record the first part of my talk, so now I can share it with you! Please spread the link to anyone you think would enjoy it!

Think P.I.N.K.: An interview with author and businesswoman Erica Moore-Burton

Erica Moore-Burton moved to the United States in her early twenties with $800 in her pocket and, she says, "a whole lot of faith that I was going to do well as a professional here." She didn't know anyone in the state she moved to, didn't have a job, a permanent place to live or any contacts. Moreover, she admits, she didn't really know what she wanted to do with her life. "I had a myriad of things that I was interested in, but wasn't ever been that person that knew at eight years old that I wanted to be a doctor, lawyer, accountant," Erica says.

Today, she has a successful career as an executive director for a national placement firm, professional speaker/coach, and author. Her book, The Little Professional P.I.N.K. Book of Success, tells her full story, and introduces readers to the P.I.N.K. Principles, which she used to build her career: Passion, Integrity, No Limits and Knowledge.

We caught up with Erica to discuss the book, her life as a writer, and her advice for all of us striving for our dreams!

Tell us about The Little Professional P.I.N.K. Book of Success. What was your inspiration behind this book?

I read an article written by Michelle Obama the other day, and loved when she said, "When you reach any level of success in life, it's not just enough to sit back and enjoy it. You must reach back and help others." Essentially, this book is about me giving back and helping others through my experiences, and my successes and failures in life (both big and small). It started when I worked for a Fortune 500 company and managed an office with over 60 individuals, many of whom were young women just starting out in their careers. I was a mentor to a few of them and was really surprised at the many questions that they would ask, that I thought were basic knowledge. In turn, I thought that an attractive, yet concise handbook would be great to help them navigate their careers.

There is a scary statistic that I reference in the book about individuals not reading when they finish college, so I wanted it to be a quick read, yet really valuable and packed with tools to help women. For those who want more, I have a book list at the end for further reading. My book is a short, yet informative read and has been endorsed by many human resources managers and women that are more senior in their careers too. Most have commented that they wish they had the book when they first started their career, and they also found golden nuggets that helped them in their roles today.

I start the book with talking about finding your passion, and there are exercises to help individuals find their passion from looking at their past. The book goes on to talk about networking, guarding your reputation and using it to help you get to the next level, how to use failure as a tool for success, how to conduct a 360 review with your peer group, finding mentors and getting the best from the relationship and other success principles!

What have you learned through writing this book?

Patience was the biggest thing. Also I learned how to handle being vulnerable. You are very vulnerable to criticism when you put information out there, and through writing this book I had to learn to be comfortable with that. Some people will like it, others won't, which is okay. As long as my message is heard by the right audience and my intention in helping women is met, then I have accomplished what I set out to do. I have been using this mantra lately: "Some will, some won't ... so what next!"

What is your writing routine? Do you write every day? Do you have a certain time or place you write?

It's funny, I don't really have a routine per se. I have to be in the mood to write, and when I am in the mood, I write in spurts. For this book, I wrote every day for a few months. It was typically at the same time of day. There were many days when I didn't feel like writing, but thank God my husband is a motivational speaker, and he helped me on many days with his "work 5" technique. Just write and commit to 5 minutes, that 5 minutes always leads to more. In my case (most of the time) it lead to a few hours! I write in my home office which has brightly colored orange walls and a huge painting of a Caribbean setting -- I kind of feel like I'm on an island when I'm in there, which is very relaxing and conducive to writing. Other places, the usual... Starbucks with a nice latte!

What was your path to publication like? 

Long and as I referred to it earlier, a lot of patience was required. I worked with a couple of different editors which at times was frustrating! Things went wrong along the way, which was frustrating. There were days I was tired of writing, which was frustrating! There were days when I doubted myself... which was frustrating. With all the frustration around me, I kept my eyes on the prize and used some of the visualization techniques that I disclose in the book, and just knew that I would be holding a copy of the book in my hand when it was all said and done!

You are not only a successful writer, you are also a professional speaker and career coach. How do the different components of your life enrich each other, and how do you stay balanced?

I wear a lot of different hats in my life and I think that they all compliment each other well. I love speaking because I think I can really effect change in people's lives by telling my personal stories live. I actually fancied myself as an actress many years ago, and when I'm on stage, I really feel alive and genuinely enjoy teaching others. The personal coaching is really great because I get to work one on one with individuals and build a relationship. When I can see changes before my eyes in their lives and general mindsets, there is an immense sense of gratification. Again, I love helping and connecting others, it feeds me.

How do I stay balanced? Meditation and an attitude of gratitude. I am so grateful for my life, the opportunities that I have had and continue to have; to be living in this country; to have fresh food every day; to the warm water coming out of my shower. Gratitude exudes through every pore of my being for both the big and small things, and with that, it helps me to remain very balanced.

What is your biggest advice for young people reaching for their dreams? 

While you're young, take risks and go for it. When I was younger, the biggest risk I took was coming to America. A lot people talked to me about what I didn't have. I often think about what would have happened if I stayed, and am again grateful that I didn't... even though I was scared. So, my advice is to take lots of calculated risks while you're young and really take advantage of all the wonderful resources that we have available to us.

In the book, you speak about the importance of finding a mentor. Can you speak a bit about what you have learned from the mentors in your life? 

I have had so many mentors that have helped me in so many different ways. I suppose the biggest thing is to use mentors as an additional resource, most of my mentors have suggested efficient ways to get things done. Other mentors have shown me how to really appreciate life and live it to the fullest.

Is there anything else you would like to add? 

I would like to add that it's important not only to read the book, but also to do the exercises at the end of each chapter. In most cases, experience is the best teacher, so by going through the exercises you will really learn a lot about yourself and will be able to use the information to help you in specific areas of growth.


Connect with Erica:
www.pinkprofessionals.com

Order the book:
http://www.amazon.com/Little-Professional-P-I-N-K-Book-Success/dp/0615313035/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1289081426&sr=8-1

Guest Speaker at Ventura County Writer's Club Meeting

One of my favorite parts of being a writer is getting to interact with other writers -- whether it is at a writers conference, book festival, or club meeting. I have been a member of the marvelous Ventura County Writers Club since I was in middle school, and was delighted when they invited me to share the story of my writing journey as guest speaker at their meeting last Tuesday night. They were such a welcoming and attentive audience -- some people took notes, others nodded at my talking points, and many even chuckled at my attempts at humor. :)

I loved being able to chat with members of the Ventura County Writers Club after my talk. To be sure, one disadvantage about writing being such a solitary endeavor is that it is easy to feel very alone, especially when dealing with an especially tough case of writer's block or a disappointing rejection letter. Which is why it is so important to have writer friends -- people to turn to for support and encouragement, who have been in your shoes and understand, indeed who are likely going through the very same thing themselves.

Looking to meet more writing friends? Find a local writing club in your area -- libraries and bookstores are great places to check out for possible club meetings. Search online for critique groups. Join an online writing community like http://www.absolutewrite.com, http://writersontherise.com, or my own http://www.zest.net.writeon. Subscribe to writing magazines and online newsletters (to subscribe to my Write On newsletter, simply drop me a line at dallaswoodburn@aol.com.)

And, of course, if you are looking to meet other writers, go to talks by authors at local bookstores, libraries, or events. Many newspapers list "Literary Happenings" and bookstores print up calendars of events. This is a terrific way to not only gain advice and inspiration for your own writing endeavors, but also to meet other writing and reading enthusiasts. And think of it as good karma for when you embark on your own book talk tour!



Thanks again to Lisa Baretto, Greg Elliot, and the Ventura County Writers Club for having me as a speaker!