I just returned from an overnight marketing retreat with my beautiful, talented friend, Cindy Kay. We discussed how to reach the next level of our creative careers, drank wine, and made up randy songs on the slide whistle someone had left behind at our AirBnB (listen for the "The Vagina from Carolina" to hit the airwaves soon. Wait, don't).

I came away with inspiration and ideas, but here's what has really sunk into my bones: a reminder that much of social media is curated, and shiny, and designed to sell something, whether it is an image or a book or a spiralizer. Sometimes I forget that, feel envious, feel small, feel lazy. The getaway with Cindy reminded me how important it is to be authentic, and to connect, and to remember that we all have our pain and struggles, and we all deserve healing and light.

For me, the journey from one to the other takes shape in stories.

There is power in telling our stories, either in memoir, or fiction, or even writing them onto a piece of paper that we burn up immediately after. Look for more authentic posts coming up as I prepare to share with you the process of writing my most intense --and autobiographical--novel yet. In the meanwhile, here's the link to my Rewrite Your Life TEDx Talk. Maybe write down a paragraph of your story today? It'll let a bit more of your light into the world, even if no one ever sees what you write.

Big love to you.