Using Journaling to Empower Ambitious Women to Become their Best Selves with Meghan Hurley-Powell

INTRO:

Hey hey, Kathryn here! I’m so glad you’re tuning in. If you’re new to the show, welcome. I’m so glad you’re here. If you’ve been around for a bit, you know I’m all about keeping it real with you. Showing you all the sides of entrepreneurship (& life). I mean it’s all connected, right? 

And it’s my pleasure to have Meghan the author of the book The Power Within Her: Guide to Journaling: Empowering Ambitious Women to Become the Ever-Changing Best Version of Themselves share her story of how journaling helped her to live her best self. SHe’s also a podcaster and professor with a Ph.D. in English. She’s deeply passionate about words, books, critical thinking, personal growth, and self-empowerment for women. When she’s not teaching or writing, she’s likely talking way too loud on the phone, reading, walking, or re-watching Gilmore Girls for the zillionth time.

Now let’s dive into the good stuff for today. 

So without further ado let’s welcome Meghan to the show!

Kathryn Thompson  00:03

Hey, hey, I am super stoked to have Megan on the show today. I'm really excited because as a fellow author, and someone who's self published a book, too, I'm really excited to connect with you and have you share with our listeners what that journey was like, why the book, all of that. So without further ado, I'm just going to turn it right over to you so that you can introduce yourself and let our listeners know who you are, what you do and who you serve. Yeah.

Meghan Hurley-Powell 00:28

Well, thank you so much for having me. So my name is Megan. I am a writer, new author. podcaster, Professor, dog mom, like all the things. I wear many, many hats. I live in Iowa and the United States. And I'm in a very rural, very small, small town like, and when I tell people I'm rural and small, they're like, Oh, yeah. Okay, cool. Like, I bet you still have Walmart. I'm like, No, we don't like the Amish literally clot by in the background. Amazing. Yeah, as I record my own podcasts, I'm very rural. And I teach at a very small college. And yeah, I just, you know, have the side hustle of writing and podcasting, and that kind of stuff really fulfills me. So, yeah.

Kathryn Thompson  01:13

So amazing. And I love that. Yeah, that you're very rural, when you give the example that there is no Walmart around because that is a really good reference of how small your town your community is. So yeah, and I know you say you're a professor, what is what are you a professor in?

Meghan Hurley-Powell 01:30

Yeah, I so I have three degrees in English. So my specialization is literature. But I often wind up teaching writing. So which is which is great, which is really, really great. So, um, yeah, I teach I specialized in American literature, lots of like, pop culture, Margaret Atwood. I'm so jealous that Canadians get to claim Margaret Atwood. She is just oh my god. She's the be all end all of everything. Yeah. For me. So yeah.

Kathryn Thompson  01:57

Awesome. Awesome. And so you being a professor, then you have this like side hustle going on as a podcaster. And author now, you just published a book. Is that your first book that you published?

Meghan Hurley-Powell 02:08

Yes. So technically, I have my doctoral dissertation. But I don't fully count that like that's like a book-length project. But yeah, this is the first book I've actually put out into the world. And it was, it's been one of the most like rewarding, fulfilling things I've ever written to date, because I got to write it in a way that was number one, like, authentically me. And number two, like, I got to co-create it with my community. And that is something I've never done before. Because in the academic space, it's all about what you're going to argue. What's your thesis? Did you prove it? Where's the evidence sandwich, the quote, like all this stuff, all the stuff that I do that I teach my students how to do. And you know, I've never taken like, obviously, you take people's feedback into consideration no matter what it is that you're writing. But this was a totally new experience, where I literally was writing the book with the women in my community, what are your concerns, like, I will address them, like just taking feedback as I went. And it was so fun.

Kathryn Thompson  03:07

So cool, because yeah, it is such a different world academia, writing for academia versus self publishing, or publishing your own book, on your record, right. Like you said, it was totally authentic to who you are, but also in collaboration and co-creation, with your community, which is super cool. So why the book like what, what inspired you to write this book? What is the book? What's it called? Who's more? Yeah,

Meghan Hurley-Powell 03:35

yeah, yeah, for sure. So the book is called the power within her guide to journaling. And so the first part, the power within her, that's my podcast, it's also kind of my brand, like my personal brand that I am building. And it's all about, you know, the fact that we as women have so much more power and potential within us than we realize that we give ourselves credit for. And then the second part is like the guide to journaling, because so many women were approaching me on Instagram, like sliding in my DMs saying, like, Hey, you talk a lot about journaling, you know, like, either like on your podcast like, or, you know, just like showing yourself like journaling on your Instagram stories. And like, I love to do it. I would love to get into it. But I just, I don't know, how was like the huge question and then things of like, where and when, and how much and what kind of journaling? And what do I do when I'm self censoring? What do I do with just like the blank page? It's like, staring up at me, what do I do? Like, I don't know what to do. You know, I'm like, Oh, my gosh, I have answers to all of these questions. Like this is a real problem in the world that other ambitious women are having that I can solve. And so I decided that I was going to write a book. And you know, so it's, I mean, it's just been like a whole big journey to to get to this place, but it's just been so fun because it's happened organically.

Kathryn Thompson  04:56

Yeah, so cool. Did you find that writing this book Did you find the process any different than writing your dissertations? Or any academic papers? In terms of, you know what to write? And like? Did it flow easier or not? I'm just curious to know what the process was like for you?

Meghan Hurley-Powell 05:14

Oh, that's such a good question. Yeah. So in, you know, with writing a dissertation there, there were lots of steps, like a multi-years step process, right? With signatures and exams, and people signing off on things, you know, and my dissertation is 100%, like me, like, I definitely put me into it. It's what I like it was, you know, feminist dystopian literature, like Margaret Atwood was at the center of it, like it was, it was so much fun. It was very me. But, you know, it's it's academic, it's written for a very different type of audience, you know, and some like in and I don't want to say that, feedbacks not not a good thing. But you know, I mean, there are people besides myself deciding what you're going to include what you're not going to include, it doesn't matter how compelling or excited you are about one thing, if they want it cut, it gets cut, you know, I'm very similar to like, the traditional publishing route for some people from what I hear, but anyway, um, yeah, so like, I mean, I, it's been me the entire time, like, I'm the, I'm the writer, I'm the producer, like, I'm the editor, I'm the I'm the person that makes all the decisions. So that was really cool, and really scary, all at the same time. Because I'm like, Alright, there's nobody to tell me, you need to cut this, you don't need to cut that. Like, it's too long speeded up, add more detail. There's nobody else, you know, there, but me and I'm solely responsible for all those decisions. And of course, I did end up hiring an editor. But I still have the final say with everything. So that was very exciting, but also very scary. So I would say that's like the number one difference is you don't have anybody else to answer to. But yourself, technically,

Kathryn Thompson  06:57

totally. And I still resonate with that. Because when I wrote my master's thesis, I self published a book simultaneously with it, because the thesis was so academic, and anybody that doesn't know academia, or you know, hasn't read research papers or anything like that, it's just a very different vibe, and spoken to a very different audience than the public. And I had traveled to the Philippines and lived in a remote village. And so I wanted to share the stories of that is not in an academic way, so that family and friends could understand what I went through and what it was I experiencing, and all that without the academic jargon, so to speak. And without me fighting for one side or the other, right, like making your argument, right is like more of a story, and sharing more of my stories. And so that's why I asked the question about, you know, what was the process like, different? Like, did you feel different in that process? Did you feel like you hit any like, writer's block? Was there any challenging parts of writing the book?

Meghan Hurley-Powell 07:57

Yeah, yeah, I definitely hit some writer's block. And it's because I, I can be such a workhorse, right? Like, I can just, I can lock in, I can go, like, showing up is one of my biggest skills, you know, but So throughout this whole entire process, I had to learn to, to really, like take breaks and decide differently, what showing up meant for each individual day, you know, so, um, that was like one of the biggest things.

Kathryn Thompson  08:30

Yeah, and I hit a similar thing, too. I was writing the thesis while writing the book the exact same time, which was crazy bananas. Yeah, it was bananas. And I remember, like, showing up as my really good badge of honor there for me as well. And it was like, I remember sitting at the computer, like forcing myself to write and I was like, This is crazy. Because the words just weren't flowing. And if anything, the process taught me to take breaks. And to actually, the creative process is more of a journey than it is like, Okay, you give yourself this time frame to do it. And you've got to get it done. So how long did it take you to actually write and publish the book?

Meghan Hurley-Powell 09:09

Yeah. So I started around like a year ago, essentially, a year ago, I made the decision to write the book. And then I didn't like technically start until May, you know, and I had most of it drafted by the end of the summer. And then I mean, it was rough. Like it was really rough. And I sat on it for a long time, because I got in my head about it. I'm like, oh, it's not perfect. Good. Nobody wants to read this. Like just, you know, like, all those things popping up. Yeah. And then, a woman I admire so much. And I think we share her in common patient Fitzgerald. Like I was on the call with her and she's like, I hear you saying it, you know, imposter syndrome. I hear you saying perfectionism. But what you're really saying is that you're not having any fun and you're not asking for help. And I was like, oh with the truth, why always with the truth, right? And so I, you know, and that's when I hired an editor, I was like, I'm going to show this ugly, like, crazy manuscript with somebody else, they're going to rip it apart. And I'm going to make it better like word by word, page by page, this is going to improve. So that was a huge turning point for me. And, you know, part of even solving the writer's block, you know, because it's like I was I was at a point where I'm like, Okay, this is as far as I can take it on my own. I need fresh eyes. I need somebody else to like, loop in and sort of help me. So the entire process, I mean, took about, yeah, about a year. But the revising process, I will say, took so much longer than I thought. And I came up against so many formatting problems, toward the very end, but I conquered I figured it out. And you know, here we are.

Kathryn Thompson  10:43

Yeah. And I love that you shared that. And I loved Keisha Fitzgerald, too. I had her on the show back in September, I believe, but absolutely love her. And yeah, she she'll dish it to your reel, that's for sure. Um, and I love that you shared the process of it. Because I think sometimes when we sit down to do any creative endeavor, like publishing a book or writing anything, I mean writing even social media posts, if you're marketing for your business, right, it's like, we get in our head about what that process should look like. And you mentioned, the editing process was and the formatting and all of that took a lot longer than maybe you had anticipated. And I resonate with that as well, because I equally hired an editor, I also hired someone to design it and put the book together for me, because I was like, I could do this. But same thing, I think I would have probably resented the process and probably maybe not even got the book out the door. But that editor is such a great AI to help refine what you've done, and really massage it to make it even better, right, and then come back to you with and I know that like publishing world can be different editors can hack things out and say no, this isn't going or whatever, they can really control the process a little differently than, like a self publishing process. Right. So I love that you share that because I think that again, like I said, we get in our heads of what that creative process should look like, and that it should be perfect the first round. And it is not when writing really anything, right? Even a dissertation or Yeah, paper.

Meghan Hurley-Powell 12:18

Yeah, for sure. Yeah, we think it's you know, you go from point A to point B, like, it's going to be great, like, I'm going to write a book. And every day I'm gonna sit down, I'm going to crank out the pages, and it's going to be easy, like 123. Here we go. And oh my gosh, like, when I first started, I envisioned the book as like the 60 to 80 PDF, like 125 pages like maximum, right? And it blew up into like a 360. page book Love it. Because even as I wrote, I was like, Oh, I can expand on this. And like, here's another thing I can add, and this and this, and it just kept growing. And, you know, if I would have stuck to the plan, and said, Okay, we're doing all this, like it would have lost so much value. So I think with writing particularly, like, it's good to have a plan, it's good to know who you're writing for what you're doing, but just kind of being open to how much it could expand or even, you know, twist into something else.

Kathryn Thompson  13:08

Yeah, I love that. Because I think that we can put constraints on ourselves in our creative process, right? Where we actually don't allow ourselves to, like you said, add in a lot of the juicy parts that you would have probably left out had you said, Oh, I'm just doing, you know, 90 pages or 120 pages Max, that you would have left out a lot of the good pieces of and the value of it, right. But also being able to let your like imagination really flow and just let the words flow. Right. Not restricting yourself. So in terms of publishing it you self published, right, yes, yeah. And how did you go about doing that? Like, what was your process there for self publishing?

Meghan Hurley-Powell 13:51

Yeah, so I'm not gonna lie. Like that was like, my least favorite part of the whole entire thing. Um, you know, in the future, like, you know, that's something I'm gonna like, hire out to find, you know, the very best like places to do things. But I'm really happy with the, you know, self publisher district, it's probably actually the more appropriate word is the distributor, the distributor that I went through, is Barnes and Noble. It was actually very easy to use on the back end, I learned some lessons and patients by using the back end, but like their stuff is really easy. Easy to use, very straightforward. Like it's it's really cool. So, so yeah, but I had my husband do some of the research for me. But yeah, that's that's not that's not myself. And I read the patience for that.

Kathryn Thompson  14:37

Totally, totally. And so why journaling, like I know you're on this mission to like, empower women to like really see the power within themselves and more than the credit they've probably given themselves their whole lives. So yeah, journaling. What is it about journaling that really helps women unlock that power within themselves?

Meghan Hurley-Powell 14:57

Oh, I love this question. So much. So I know everybody's journey is going to be completely different. But back in like the summer of 2020, I was going through some stuff like my mindset just felt very bruised and kind of broken, right? Like where it was like everything was negative, like I was in a total victim mindset of like, everything's happening to me important you woe is me type of like attitude, right? And something happened with my family and it was kind of a wake up call. And I was like, Okay, this is not who I want to be. I'm so far away from the person I used to be like, I used to get criticized or like called out when I was a teenager saying like, you're so optimistic, you're so annoyingly optimistic like I would find the silver lining and being able to run in the rain at a track meet in high school like people were very annoyed by that. And so I had found myself in a place where I was nowhere near that person anymore. And I was like, Oh, my gosh, what is like what has happened? And so I made the decision to start really working on that consciously. And so I started to listen to podcasts. And I started to find resources to help me sort of work on that, because I'd never actively really worked on my mindset before. And so I listened to a couple of podcasts. First one was the mindset mentor by Rob dial. Just fantastic. It was an episode about being addicted to negative thinking, which I like totally was, you know, and then also, Keisha Fitzgerald's podcast, I found it just by Googling, you know, podcasts, and I really wanted to get into podcasts that were by women, for women. And it was her episode of empower her that I think interviewed Jess Eckstrom, about her book about chasing the bright side. And it was about how optimism is a choice. And just kind of, like, from there, it's like it just kind of like, you know, took off and, and my mindset, you know, started to change, I started to realize things, and I got to a point where I was consuming so many podcasts, I was like, my brain feels like Thanksgiving, and it's just like stuffed full of amazing things that are gonna leak out of my head, you know, so I was at the store with my husband, and I was like, I need to buy a journal. So I started to write down all of these like points or quotes or things that these podcasters were saying. And then I started to notice that podcasters, especially in the personal development space, ask you questions, right, and they don't do this for their own health, they do it for you, right? Because it's really important to do that crucial, critical thinking that crucial inner work to really think about how these concepts they talk about apply to you, or don't apply to you or how you can tailor them to your life. So I started doing the exercises that Rob dial has in like almost all of his episodes, I started to journal out cases, questions, and then that kind of tailspin spun whatever, into me starting to ask my own questions, reflecting on my own life, my own decisions, reframing things like processing things, and it just kind of spun from there. And it was this process of like, finding myself again, kind of like a loss to found and growing into the type of person, you know, because that wasn't when I first started. The journey. It was like, I want to get back to that optimistic person. Yeah, no. And now it's like, I found my way back to autism, or autism, oh, my gosh, optimism, excuse me. Um, I found my way back to optimism. But it's different. You know, like, it's not, it's not the same person that I was like, it's a whole new person, just a whole new way of being and thinking and all this stuff. And so that was a very long-winded answer to your question. But I just think that journaling has so much power because it allows us to process allows us to check in to practice gratitude to track goals to see the physical, you know, growth over time, because I have entries and I go into this in the book, where I talk about like, last fall, just being under all this undue pressure, where I'm like, Oh, my gosh, I have to get to the classroom 10 minutes early. And if I'm not it's a disaster. If I'm not taking attendance as the students walk in, like you're a failure, like, these were like the soundtracks to use Johnny cups phrasing going on in my head. And so I would come home and I would process all the way like through that, I would say, okay, how can I work on this was that look like affirmations, rewriting stories, like I was doing all this work, to get myself to where I want it to go. And now it's like, I look back at those those writings, nice, you know, run my fingers over the, over the, the pages, and you just feel the writing and it's like, wow, I'm nowhere near that person. I used to be in like, here I am over here. So it's so cool. To see that concrete record of where you've been to like where you are now. And I just find that to be really empowering.

Kathryn Thompson  19:37

Yeah, like so. So amazing. Because I know, a lot of people that are listening, and I know I used to be this person to where I'm overly optimistic and I'm always looking at the bright side of things. And so I same thing. I think people get annoyed with it because they're like, Well, what like, what if this goes bad and what I don't like I haven't even thought about That Similarily, you know, I've gone through, we all go through things in our lives that can change and shape us in different ways. And I remember years ago, someone had mentioned journaling, and I was like, now don't have time for it. I'm not sitting down to do it. Yeah. And then it got to a point where same thing, I was just not that person that I was. And I was like, Okay, well, maybe I'll try. And I love to write, right, like, I love writing. And so I would Yeah, I spent time journaling, I do a lot of meditation, too. And so I love the descriptiveness of it of like, where you were to where you are now. So is journaling, like a daily practice? Is it something that you're like, Okay, I'm at work, I'm at the place I want to be right now. Do you stop? Or do you just keep? Is it something you do all the time?

Meghan Hurley-Powell 20:49

Yeah, that's a really, really good question. So, um, my answer to that is actually, like, I don't think that journaling is a one-size-fits-all, I think that it depends completely on the season of life that you're in. And I also think my approach to it is also journaling as much as you need it. So when I first started journaling, I did all the time, like, all the time, multiple times a day, in the morning, at night, sometimes in the middle of the day, especially if it was just like a really trying day, and I was being really, really like brutal to myself. Um, and so and I was writing pages, it was, you know, not like bulleted lists of gratitude or just like listing anything, it was like pages and pages and words and sentences and paragraphs of me, processing fully trying to capture what I felt, try to reframe it, like all that kind of stuff, it was a lot of processing, a lot of my early journals are about that. And then as time moves, moves forward, and things are getting better, you know, different classes, like you know, life goes on, you figure out how to teach in a pandemic, it's not as challenging, right. And my entries started to shift like, it wasn't long pages of processing or picking topics or themes to reflect on, it shifted more toward, like, gratitude and just like checking in, and sometimes I'd have longer entries, sometimes I'd reflect about goals, sometimes I would meditate, and then afterward, reflect on that. So it's like, it changes. And it should change over time, right? Because we're in different seasons of life. And that would then demand different types of journaling, to meet yourself where you're at. So for example, if you're in a season of life, where you're not confident, you're like, I need to build up my confidence. Dang it, right. Yeah. Then, you know, affirmations like intentions, like those would be really good things to to dig into. And you know, even longer entries of processing. Like, why don't I feel confident? Like, where does that come from? In what situations do I not feel confident? Do you know what I mean? 

Kathryn Thompson  22:47

yeah, yeah. So did you start with because I know, you said you started with a podcast where people had questions for you. And then over time, you started to be able to kind of like, ask yourself questions. Is it recommended for somebody to start with guided questions, because I know when I started meditating, it was like guided meditation because my brain wouldn't shut off. And so unless I had someone walking me through it, there was no way. Whereas now I can sit in silence, and meditate on my own, because I've now cultivated or created that environment, within my own brain that I can actually shut it off for a minute. So is journaling the same way for people? If they're like, What do I even journal about? Where do I even start? Like, is it recommended? Is your book The thing that's going to guide them in that?

Meghan Hurley-Powell 23:34

I love this question? Yes. I mean, so of course, like, selfishly, I'm gonna say, yes, my book is gonna totally guide you that way. Um, but I mean, yeah, like, without podcasts, I mean, I probably wouldn't have been journaling. Yeah, you know, so and I mean, that's like how the how the book is sequenced, as well. It's like the first chapter like you have all the introductory materials. first chapter is using personal development as a springboard to journal chapter two is like a ton of different methods on how to journal independently. So like, separate from any prompt or question, right. And then the third chapter is actually kind of more entrepreneurial for like content creators, where it's like a ton of different ways to journal to create that sense of content to create your, your purpose to create programs, like all that kind of stuff. And then the concluding materials is just using journaling as as a record. And I tie all of that together, to say, you know, it's about your personal growth, but it's also about the progression of your ideas over time, too, because it drives me crazy. When I say, oh, this is a bad idea. I'm just going to let it go. Like, no, I don't care how crazy backwards inside out like weird. It sounds like you have to write that down somewhere because you never know how that could develop. For the for the future. Right. So yeah, so I mean, I do think it's very helpful to have that sense of like guidance from other persons questions. or, you know, like a podcast or getting you to, you know, journal, something out. But I do think that it's the variety of different methods and then the different season of life that you're in where like the real magic happens, and my book takes you like through those through those steps.

Kathryn Thompson  25:16

So cool. So if somebody was interested, obviously, your book is available on Barnes and Noble now, so they can go there and purchase it as a hard copy and as a digital copy. It is not

Meghan Hurley-Powell 25:28

currently digital, I could only do one thing at a time. And that was a whole other beast. So right now, it's only in hardcopy, and it's only available like through their online store. So like, if you went to Barnes and Noble, you wouldn't find it. Because you have to sell X amount of copies before that's, that's the goal. But yeah, like I can, I can provide you a link to where you can like find it in their online store. But yeah, it's only in physical paperback right now.

Kathryn Thompson  25:53

Brilliant. And would you say that journaling is for everybody? Or like, Who do you feel like it's the most suited for? Or is that even an answer?

Meghan Hurley-Powell 26:04

Yeah, no, I like that question. Um, you know, I think anybody could get value out of my book if you want to learn how to journal, but it's specifically tailored toward that ambitious woman who really wants to work on herself who wants to grow, and really use journaling as a vehicle for that growth. I also get other women just the other day, someone told me, they were like, I really, I want to journal but like I physically am incapable of doing so like, it hurts my body to sit for, like, any amount of time. And I was like, wow, like I so appreciate you reaching out to me to tell me this. And there's a whole entire section, I think it's in chapter, it's the second or third chapter where I talk about all the different, like, you know, talk to text or you know, the voice memo, like other ways that you can still journal to capture your thoughts to be able to process you know, all that kind of stuff. Because, you know, some people don't like to just sit or like, they literally like, can't sit, um, I hear from verbal processors all the time. They're like, Oh, this and that of, you know, verbal processing, I'm like, great, just hit the Voice Memo button on your phone as you're verbally processing. So that you don't have to lose that stuff, even to this day, like, I need to get better at that when I go for walks around my neighborhood with my husband will be having a conversation and he'll say something or I'll say something, we'll be like, what did we just say? Like, I need that exact wording? What did we just say? I don't have to like, quick type it on my phone. But if you know, you're getting into the groove, and you're like, Okay, I think I'm gonna want to come back to this later and just like hit that voice memo, because that can be kind of like a verbal journal diary.

Kathryn Thompson  27:40

Yeah. So what is the benefit of the different way? Because I guess I always just thought of journalists like sitting down getting your book and writing in a book. Yeah. But there are different ways people process the information. And so you talk about the different techniques in your book, right? So it's not just having a journal where you're handwriting, and in a book, you could voice note, as well.

Meghan Hurley-Powell 28:08

Yeah, absolutely. And there could be different stages like to journal as well, like, I, I've done it multiple ways. And actually, I don't think I really go into this as much into the book so cool for you know, yeah, I'm sad for your listeners. Um, but, you know, there have been different times, it's like, I really like just like me to walk and sit and like mull over what it is I'm thinking about. And then when I'm kind of done walking, and mowing, all flip open the journal, or there are other times where I'll just be like, annoyed by something or like, need to process something, it'll go straight to the journal. And then after I'm done, I'll like take a walk, or whatever it is. So it's like, you can journal in different places where you're at in the thought process as well.

Kathryn Thompson  28:51

Ah, so interesting. Because yeah, you get this idea that like, and I think I That's why I probably struggled with journaling at the beginning, because I was like, I can't, I'm not sitting here and writing this, but I Voice Note myself all the time. Yeah. Or I'll write out stuff in-text notes, right? Or just in my phone that may or may not ever be turned into anything. It's just, they're just there to like, get it out. And so, that is pretty interesting, because I think that anybody that's listening that might be like, you know, I just can't sit in a journal. It's actually just a vehicle to process whatever is going on in your brain, right? It's a great way to just get it out and to process it. And it doesn't have to be like that one size fits all or cookie cutter where it's like, okay, I have to sit down every morning at 9 am and write it's like, yep, because that's the other thing. I know that a lot of the listeners will say, you know why I'm not putting this. How do you put this into a routine Right? Like, it doesn't have to be it's just a matter of like you said, we're walking around the block with your spouse, and something could come up and you're you get it down on voice note or text or whatever. Yeah. Brilliant. So there's in one of the chapters, there's math, you go through all of these methods, like the different ways in which you can do that. How many are there?

Meghan Hurley-Powell 30:09

Yeah. Oh my gosh. So, um, total with the book, oh my gosh, I have no idea. There's like, I'm just gonna, like, throw a number out cuz I don't know. Um, but I think I mean, throughout the book, there has to be at least 20, like 20 different ones. And then in chapter two alone, I think there's like 11 or 12 ways to just independently journal separate from anything, it's just, it's just you so

Kathryn Thompson  30:33

brilliant, brilliant. So lots of options for people, if they're listening right now. And they're like, you know, I don't want to sit and write in a piece in a book. That's just not my thing. There are other ways and other options that people would do it. So what I know is you share the benefits of your journey with journaling, what can you share with our listeners? Like, what are some other benefits? That it helps them with?

Meghan Hurley-Powell 30:58

Yeah, so that's a really, really good question. So we've talked a lot about processing, right? Um, for me, and I know that this like, some people have resistance to this, and that's okay. But for me, like, one of the most bread and butter kinds of journaling methods for me, is what I call the check-in method. And this has been huge for me in terms of like burnout in terms of like, knowing when to take a break, when I need some fun to just refill creative, the creative cup, you know, it's just like that check-in method where you literally just kind of like sit down, you just take a deep breath, you're like, okay, like, how am I right now? Like, how am I actually doing right now? What am I thinking? What am I feeling what's on my mind? And you just kind of answer those questions, you explore what's there. And sometimes, like, we're just so busy, or there's so much on our plates. And we're just like, we're like, so focused on the next thing, that we don't even realize there's tension in the body, we don't even realize that we need that break that extra sleep that night off. And I think, you know, the check-in method is just really important to just kind of being human. Yeah, it's a way to sit still, it's a way to actually check in with ourselves. And honestly, it lends itself I think, to wellness, and wholeness, and all that kind of stuff.

Kathryn Thompson  32:20

I love that because I also know that a lot of listeners are going to be the high achiever ambitious entrepreneurs that probably don't slow down as much as they should. And so to just give yourself that opportunity to just check in again, there's this idea, I think, even my own belief around journaling, because what was taught to me about it, right was like, set, build it into your morning routine, and right, and all these sorts of things, and I had resistance around it. But even just that small little check-in, it doesn't have to be this big thing that you're adding to your routine, it can just literally be like, Okay, how am I doing? What do I need? Because, like, you mentioned, that creative process for you, in case I'm pointed out was like, It's not that you're trying to get this perfect, or by any means doing that. It's, you're not having fun with it anymore. Right? And that's the other really cool thing about any creative process is like, where do you lose that steam of fun, right? Like having to actually publish the whole tech stuff with Barnes and Noble all that, right? Like that piece of it can be maybe, you know, deplete that creative flow that you had. And it's like, can you just take a moment and take a break and step away for a minute and then come back, rejuvenate. And I know, when I wrote my thesis, and the book, that was exactly what I learned, one of the biggest lessons I learned was like sitting and trying to force myself to write was like, the worst thing I could have done and actually was why I needed to, like, continue to add extensions, because I was just trying to sit at a computer, and what benefitted me was going for a walk or, you know, stepping away from it. So I know we've covered a lot and I know there's so much more in your book. And now I'm really intrigued to get your book. Because you've opened my eyes to the world of journaling, and that there are multiple different ways to do it. And it doesn't have to be just like, that traditional way, I think that I expected or thought it was. And that yeah, you can integrate it into your life. Depending on the season. It can be something you do daily, or it can be something you do when you hit a road bump or a challenge or whatever, or you catch yourself, you know, running negative thoughts. So is there anything that we haven't covered today that you want to share with our listeners about journaling about the book about publishing any of that?

Meghan Hurley-Powell 34:41

Yeah, um, oh my gosh, many things. No, um, I just I had so much fun writing this book. And it's it's not written in that academic sense of like, I'm going to tell you what to do like, like a robot-like it's Yeah, it is literally like a choose your own adventure approach to journaling and I'm in it with you there. Raw, and real scans of my journals throughout like throughout the book where it's like I'm in this with you, I really want it to feel like we are friends chatting in a coffee shop or like you know, like on your couch with a wine like we are in this together, I'm not just telling you what to do like I am living breathing proof that you know, you can use journaling, to grow to do whatever it is like that you want to do. It's also chock full of mindset advice, tons of exercises, there are prompts in the back based on my own podcast, and like, you know, tons of general prompts that you could use as well, tons of resources. And my favorite part about the whole entire book is that I charged more for it. Because I'm part of the proceeds funnel directly into a scholarship fund that I'm starting for young women to be able to apply to college. And that is just the tip of the iceberg of all the different philanthropic things I want to do. Like I want to move mountains and so this love it. This is my first step.

Kathryn Thompson  36:01

love it love it. Well, yeah. So we'll link up the link. So in the show notes so that people can run and grab that book. But I love that you're giving back. And that is just the tip of the iceberg and that you have all these other things in the work. So it's been such a pleasure connecting with you. And like I said, you've sold me on the different ways we can journal which I think is super cool. Like I said, I'm a processor, so I do lots of voice notes and stuff to myself. So I'm excited to get my hands on your book and check it out. Is there any final things? Is there any? Where can our audience find you if they want to connect with you? Yeah, yeah,

Meghan Hurley-Powell 36:39

for sure. So I'm on Instagram at Dr. Dot Maggie Murray. And I'll give you the spelling because I'm a weirdo that spells it weird. Um, but that's where I am on Instagram. And then I have my website, which is also Maggie Marie calm. And there are so many free juicy resources on that website. So just go to the free tab. Like there are so many things on there. And the only other thing I'll say is just that I have a podcast and it's the power within her it releases every single Tuesday. Brilliant,

Kathryn Thompson  37:07

awesome. And we will link all of those up again in the show notes so that people can quickly access that awesome. Thank you.

Meghan Hurley-Powell 37:15

Yeah, thank you

Kathryn Thompson - Now onto Episode #49 - I have a very important topic I want to share with you, and that’s how to go against the grain in a world that rewards same, same, cookie-cutter ways of being. If you don’t know by now I created a quiz that isn’t like any other quiz on the market, that helps entrepreneurs identify what their elevated edge, what makes them unique but speaking your truth, going against the grain is easier said than done, and I want to share my own story plus shares ways you can truly express yourself authentically.