I'm so excited that today, Amanda Abella, is “Speaking From the Heart” and sharing her experiences with all of us. I have had the privilege to be coached by Amanda and will tell you she really is a fireball of inspiration.  We connected randomly a couple years ago as we were both recent grads who had a lot in common.

Amanda Abella is a certified life coach and motivational speaker who has been helping millennials have success with work and money since 2010. That year, Amanda created GRAD MEETS WORLD – which turned into one of the internet’s premier blogs where college grads and twenty-somethings come for career, money, entrepreneurship, and wellness advice. It was a new kind of blog that has resonated with a new kind of generation. Need Advice About Blogging? Check out Amanda's Wonderful Advice in a talk here.

As a certified life coach, Amanda has expanded into igniting the lives of way more than just recent college grads. She has created compelling content, workshops, lectures and coaching programs that strive to help each individual live from their Inner Fire, create the lives they dream of, and have a good time doing it.  She is also the author of Make Money Your Honey: A Spirited Entrepreneur’s Guide to Having a Love Affair with Work and Money. She lives in Miami, Florida. Read her interview below.

What is your record worthy practice?

Meditating Outdoors.  I've had a meditation practice for years. That, coupled with some exercise, is the only remedy that worked for my anxiety. As of late I've been making it a daily habit to sit outside for a few minutes, take in my surroundings, and just breathe. I've also been going on walks and meditating at a nearby park.

Why do you believe self-expression (speaking from the heart) is important?

For one, it’s incredibly cathartic. I’ve been writing in journals since I was a kid and I always found it very helpful in terms of working out whatever teenage issues I had. I lost the habit in college which definitely resulted in being less self-aware. Fortunately, when I found myself in the pits of unemployment a few years ago I started doing what I do best - writing online. This has opened up so many doors, not just in terms of monetary opportunities but also with self discovery (which I think is more important than money anyway). 

How has writing empowered you in other areas of your life? 

Writing online and publicly announcing things forced me to start getting my life together after college. I was so lost in terms of career and finances and publicly outing myself pushed me in the direction of needing to fix my own problems. Little did I know that so many people out there would resonate with my story! I love that I get to be vulnerable, pick myself up by my bootstraps, and inspire others to do the same.

How did you find your authentic voice through writing?

This is a true process! At first I was very strategic following all the advice about how to write a proper blog post. With time I became more comfortable showing my true self - struggles and all!

I think the real turning point for me was when I openly admitted on my blog that I’d been through a breakup and was just trying to put the pieces back together. I wrote two posts during that time: one about being compassionate with yourself when you’re hurting and another about how to get over a break up without going bonkers. Not only did it help keep me sane while I dealt with my emotions, but people started coming out of nowhere to offer their support and say how I’d helped them overcome their own heartache.

From that moment on I decided I needed to be more transparent. The more me I became, the more people kept coming to my writing.

How did you develop the courage to stand tall (i.e., get the courage to share your writing)?

You know I didn’t experience this problem until recently when I wrote my book. I’d always been confident about putting my work online, but for some reason seeing my book in my hands made me freak out a little bit! It was the first time I can honestly say I felt intimidated about sharing my work!

I shook myself out of it by acknowledging that I’d hit a major milestone for myself. Furthermore, it wasn’t really about me, it was about serving my clients and readers who could benefit from the information in the book. Switching gears and remembering that I’m being of service through my words helps me get out of my own way rather quickly.

When you have a hard time writing, what do you to work through it?

This depends on what I’m writing. When it comes to my blog or my book I get a lot of material from my own life. I kind of see it like a journal in a way, just written for other people instead of my eyes only.

When it comes to writing for clients, every once in a while I’ll have a hard time just starting. Once I can do that it flows pretty naturally.

How did you find your support group?

By calling myself out through my blog and by doing what I say I’m going to do. People dig it when you’re authentic.

Also, by acknowledging that every single person is on the same road of self-discovery as I am. I tell people all the time that I am no different than them - they can do everything I’ve done - and I really do believe that! Readers have really resonated with that over the years, because even though I’ve had a lot of success I try my best to stay grounded and keep it real.

Any advice for new writers/authors?

Just start and forget about what others may think. No writer is perfect. Even the best had help along the way! And when you really think about it, there isn’t a single person on the planet who knows everything there is to know about writing. That’s part of the beauty of it, we can create whatever we’d like with our words!

Thanks for speaking from your heart and empowering others, Amanda! Keep up the fantastic work and enjoy the beautiful city of Miami! You are so close to the Florida Keys too which is a place dear to my heart. Follow Amanda on Twitter at @amandaabella. If you have any specific questions for Amanda about her writing process, please feel free to ask.

What lessons did you learn from reading Amanda’s interview? Write the lessons down and why they spoke to you. If you met Amanda, what would you like to tell her? Share your thoughts in the “Comments” section below or in your personal journal. 

Thank you for reading and your presence at this beach retreat. You Rock! I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section below.

See you at the beach!