👀 I've been working on something big

Hello everyone,

This email is one of the most important emails I have written in a long time. Not necessarily for you (although it might be), but for me. 

Something I’ve been quietly working on for a very long time is finally out in the open. I get to talk about it. In real life. With you.

Keep reading. 

Despite being someone who’s not afraid to give things a go, I’ve noticed that I sometimes hesitate to act, decide, or create if I can’t control the outcome. If there’s no guarantee it’ll be good, I freeze. I’ve made loads of progress in this area, but that old fear still rears its ugly head at times, especially when the stakes feel high.

And it’s not just me. When I work with clients through the Purpose Pursuit coaching process, I see this again and again: a sneaky kind of self-sabotage rooted in what I’ve recently learned has a name...

Ever heard of them?

Maybe not, but chances are, you’ve got a few. 

Toxic preconditions are the internalised rules or beliefs that tell us we can’t start, commit, or enjoy something unless certain (usually unrealistic) conditions are perfectly in place.

For most of my life, I’ve quietly wondered if I’ll write a book. My mom is the one who always thought I would (probably because I constantly gave her my short stories to read as a child) but instead, I sat on this thought, buried it even, and honestly, I never shared it with anyone. I simply didn’t do anything about it.

Yes, I’ve blogged for a long time now, but that wasn’t the same. I didn’t have the conviction that spending a significant amount of my time on book writing  was indeed worth the time or energy.

I needed some guarantees, someone to tell me it was definitely worth it before I gave over any of my precious resources of time. I wanted assurances, I wanted a sense of control. I wanted someone to tell me it would all be worth it before I gave my all and built my hopes up. 

But then some wise, persistent friends, one in particular (you know who you are!), started asking, “When are you going to write your book?” I brushed it off again and again until I finally admitted: it was something I wanted to do. I just didn’t believe I could: or should.

Being the chronic people pleaser that I am, the nagging got through, and I finally did as I was told. I established a new set of preconditions: I reframed the conditions for success. Writing would be worth it if:

➤  I did it because I wanted to.

➤  I had something meaningful to say.

➤  I made a promise to myself to complete, no matter the outcome.

Still nervous, I secretly joined a book proposal group. I learned how to shape my idea and wrote my first chapter.

That was two years ago. 

Here’s the big announcement I promised. 

Today, I’m thrilled (and slightly terrified) to say that…

🎉 My debut book is going to be published! 🎉

Pre-orders are now open, and it will be on the shelves in December!

And I would absolutely LOVE it if you would help prove my toxic pre-conditions wrong, and pre-order the book. I’ve poured my heart, my work and my weekends into these pages. It’s not been easy, the attention to detail involved has not suited my personality, and life has been really full on throughout the writing process. I’ve sat with a dressing gown on for hours and hours on a weekend chugging away, working on chapter after chapter, edit after edit. 

But, honestly, I have also loved doing it. It has felt important. I know I have something to say that can help people to build more meaningful lives, to feel a couple of inches taller than they did when they started reading (one pre-reader said the book was like a warm hug and I was genuinely so touched by that!). I believe and hope that the book will begin to eliminate the toxic pre-conditions in every reader’s life. Sometimes we need a little helping hand from a friend. That’s what I hope this book will be. 

(Plus: everyone who pre-orders will be eligible for upcoming competitions and events!)

You can also listen to more of the story -  and the conversation about toxic preconditions - in this week’s podcast episode.

Thank you for reading, and for being part of this with me.

With love and excitement,
Hannah x

P.S. Stay tuned for more book news, launch events, and behind-the-scenes soon!

P.P.S. Here's one of the comments from my pre-readers to whet your appetite…