How have you been?

Me: grieving my dad as these holidays approach, prepping his car for winter. My husband and I got our hands dirty and yanked the roof rack off on Saturday so it fits into the garage. Just in time for snow!

Taught a great class on Sunday about digital organization class about making project hubs. It was very exciting and gave me a free, clear feeling, helping people know their next steps to make progress.

And I have some big news about something going on this month….

This month I’m doing 3 things:

1. On Mon, December 18: The next ​FREE 21 Day Heartfelt Writing Challenge​ starts! The theme is reinvention.
2. On Thurs, December 14: Writing Class 1: Foundations for the ​6 Month Winter Writing Group,​ Paths of Service. Know your next step even if you have many projects spinning right now.
3. Ongoing: One spot open in the ​Deep Coaching 1-1 package​. Write about your personal story or life experience, and decide how to share and write about it.

For fun, I will be writing and hanging out with my husband this month! Working on a new Medium article about our Japan adventures.

I know you may be busy so that’s the basic rundown for what I’m doing this month.

Let’s talk about being busy + juggling things that get in the way of writing.

Do you have a million things going on in your life right now?

I can understand that…

When I started getting serious about writing, I worked 60 hours a week.

I worked Monday to Saturday as an Americorps volunteer in Philadelphia schools,

7 am – 6 pm helping inner-city children.

I was 22. I woke up to a blaring alarm at 5:40 am every day,

“Grahhhh I hate mornings,” I thought. “I wish I could snooze this a little longer.”

I’m a chronic snoozer, but I had to be strong and get up.

My roommates said to “Be in and out of the shower by 6:00 am so I can take mine.”

Work said, “Be late to work 3 times and there are serious consequences.”

For context, I’d have normally woken up at 1 pm.

Life was tough in general: I was stressed, I was poor, I was single and looking to mingle but very full of self-doubt.

It was 2009 (post-crash) and thinking of my future plans after this job made my stomach tie up in knots.

To add insult to injury, my 12 year olds students thought my uniform was ugly and uncool:

Pleated khakis that made my butt look huge.

I felt gross.

When I came home, I only had three hours max to eat and rest before I had to sleep and do it all over again.

It wore on me. A lot.

• But when I wrote during my 30 minute lunch break I felt more like a human, and less like an ugly lump.

• When I woke up at 5:20 in the am to write for 20 minutes before work, I felt more sane. I even had time for a little eyeliner so I felt pretty.

Writing helped me, so I squeezed it in by waking up even earlier at 5:20 am (GAH!!).

It was worth it:

I started to feel more grounded at work.

The rude kids couldn’t push me around as much.

I gave my energy mostly to students who thanked me for my help and clearly wanted, rather than ones who wasted it.

The hard work I put into my job finally seemed worth it since I was making a difference.

Plus my personal life was better.

I felt creative, like an artist, a writer, and not a cog in a machine.

I did more in my 3 hours off than watch Netflix until bedtime.

I read poetry at open mics, worked on short stories, and recorded original music.

And I realized what my next steps were for my career:

to start a business so I could help people.

I know the holidays are coming and it can be a busy time for people,

but I decided to host my free Heartfelt Writing challenge this month anyway.

I have JUST decided that the 21 day writing challenge starts on December 18th

​You can sign up here.​

Will you have time to join us?

Only you know if you can fit writing into your busy schedule this month.

***Note: Sometimes you really can’t fit writing in and I get that.

You are only human!

And life is freaking complicated!

But if you CAN fit it in, you’ll probably feel better.

Even if it’s not daily: any little bit counts.

Maybe you can try to fit a little writing in this month for your own sanity.

Seriously: it makes everything better.

***What if writing this December isn’t an obligation or work but instead a nourishing gift to yourself?

Just another way to think about it, in case it helps.

21 Day Heartfelt Writing Challenge starts December 18

-Create a daily writing habit ​

-Unlock inspiration to write for your personal stories, book or business ​

-Feel the LOVE of the friends, followers or clients you attract ​with heartfelt writing

​Sign up for all the free 21 day writing challenge announcements + resources here.​

There’s a free digital tracker to help you build a daily habit + a free facebook community,

with prompts and inspiration from me to help you know what to write to connect to your heart.

Have a cool day

P.S. Here’s a video about all the good things that started happening when I wrote daily!

What’s up? Hangin in there?

I just had my 1 year wedding anniversary and it snowed so we went outside together. ❄️

Today I have the burning urge to share my fix for STOPPING and STARTING.

This is totally different from what I expected today.

I had all these plans, I already drafted a beautiful email…

But I’ll talk about it later, we are going to stop and pause on that.

I had an idea for writing, I started, and then I stopped.

Sound familiar?

If you are experiencing this stop-start pattern with writing for your book or business and you have not yet finished,

you are not alone.

I’ve helped many clients with this.

But for years I’ve been making a really big mistake.

I’ve been telling people that I can help them with their pattern of starting and stopping, as if I can eliminate it altogether.

I never directly said it but I fear I have implied it.

Stop-start pattern begone! Consistency forever!

Sometimes. But I think what I’m really capable of doing is something so much better than that.

What’s better than getting something done easily and fast?

Well, experience has taught me the value of patience.

I’ve seen enduring, deep work come out of days, months, and years on a project.

Cool things come out when you’re really committed through the twists and turns.

To get something done over the long haul, however long it takes, can give you priceless insight.

Long-term projects can be dope.

Big things are possible when you realize stopping and starting is NOT the main problem.

And when you embrace stops as inevitable on a long-term journey.

Meeting that REALITY is when you can get more done.

If you think starting and stopping is like failing: meaning you never finish…

That’s not true. It’s a temporary pause in the process.

I’ve written and published online lots over 20+ years,

a lot of writing, producing, sharing, and selling in public.

From outside, you may see me writing and sharing in a pretty constant stream.

But behind the scenes, I must admit it doesn’t look so linear.

I’m a creative octopus. I juggle a lot of projects at once.

I start and stop one, and another pops up in its place. And so on. Several things in a day.

I’ve started, and stopped on a lot of writing!

–but the thing is I also finish a lot, too.

I have no desire to fully end my starting and stopping ways. I like it.

If I need to get something done ASAP then I’ll stop everything to finish that, but that’s not my preference.

My preference is many things at once, or what I call braiding projects, with tiny stops and starts in a short time.

From the outside, you don’t see my process:

you see finished results.

My brain isn’t linear.

That doesn’t stop me from publishing and finishing things.

I like me, my brain and my productivity level.

In sum: to be on track you don’t necessarily need to fix stopping and starting on your writing.

Your ideas or projects are threads.

You can weave them and braid them together like a friendship bracelet.

OK BUT HOW DO YOU FINISH THINGS?!

Read on to understand…

The real PROBLEM is not stop-starting,

you just need to do two things.

A. Stop getting down on yourself for uncontrollable things that interrupt your projects

Getting sick,

having to work,

being triggered,

another deadline to handle, or

your project just isn’t RIPE yet.

Creativity is mysterious, and divine timing is real.

Sometimes you have to stop writing something.

Getting down on yourself about things you can’t control is extremely disempowering and anti-productive.

So get rid of that.

And tackle the next problem:

B. Get organized so you stop wasting a lot of time

You stopped writing a while back. Now you want to start.

Don’t reinvent the wheel–find your notes.

But where is that piece of paper?

That document with the thing?

Which document? (if there are a lot of documents)

When you find it, you think, “Where was I?”

“What was I thinking the last time I worked on this?”

“What did I intend for this?”

You can’t remember. You are overwhelmed.

You don’t know where to start next.

You either can’t find your notes or cannot make sense of them &

Now you have to reconstruct some things just to be where you ended off last time.

This is annoying, exhausting, and not very gratifying which can cause you to lose motivation and stop.

That is a waste of time and energy.

You need a better system so you can start right where you finished: remember what you were doing and plug right in.

I have a system for this.

I have a million projects but it is okay.

When I want to write my next email, I already have my ideas.

When I want to work on my next Vlog (video blog), I know where everything is for that.

Notes on every project are in one single place for each, which I call a hub.

I can find notes on anything easily so I finish things more quickly.

The key is that I have my notes.

MY NOTES ARE ORGANIZED.

This is a big deal for me and something that took me forever to figure out.

But now it’s a whole new world.

Namely, because I know how to jog my memory to finish things

–I just go to my hub and look at my notes. They make sense so I get to work.

If “plugging right back in” is something you struggle to do,

then it’s time to work on having a better system for your writing and work projects.

Stop reinventing the wheel every time you start or sit down to write.

Organization makes everything easier:

you’ll start feeling less confused or overwhelmed, and

more focused, clear, and excited.

Because maybe you don’t need

-a ton of pressure to finish it all in the next 30 days.

-another self help book

-to have an expert tell you what to do.

Maybe you already have what you need,

YOU JUST CAN’T FIND IT OR CAN’T REMEMBER.

Assume you’ll always have to start and stop, and learn how to better prepare for it.

Treat pauses as inevitable, like taking a sick day, and optimize for that scenario.

Don’t leave yourself hanging when you come back after a pause with no idea what you were doing…

If you want a new way to solve the problem of stopping-and-starting in your writing:

Plug back into your projects more easily with my new digital organization membership.

This way you can never lose your place again.

Don’t waste as much time, energy and momentum each time you try to make progress.

When you are organized, your breaks will be more satisfying.

You will be re-inspired afterwards, rather than feeling behind.

When you are well organized, you can hop back in after a long period of time and immediately get writing done,

it’s fulfilling and you’ll feel a deep sense of accomplishment.

Do you want to experience that sense of accomplishment?

Develop a system to organize your writing so there’s only one place to go to find things.

A new Digital Organization Membership open now:

❄️ Everyone in the ​6 Month Winter Writing Group 2023​ is getting early access!

And there is still time for you to join and receive a new program to take action to:

-Clean up wherever you keep your business, project or writing files and notes so you can focus on what is important now and going forward.

-Develop and Gain Clarity on your priorities, intentions and vision for your project so you can birth it in the real world.

-Organize your next steps so you know what to do next and captured that in an easy to find place

How does it work?

First, you pick ONE PLACE to put the most essential notes, learnings, documents, and keys to your writing and business projects.

AND

Second, you update this at least once a month to stay organized.

We will set this hub up and check in monthly together:

In monthly live zoom calls, you’ll make and maintain a digital hub to organize your projects.

Use free or cheap software like Notion, Google Docs, Word, Obsidian, Evernote, Microsoft Word, etc.

The group meets monthly on weekends for 1 hour:

First, a quick 20 minute lesson.

You’ll learn a new organization skill, do a written reflection, or check-in on your projects.

Then you’ll implement what you have learned live with me.

That co-working time is so you implement and organize right there on the spot and it gets done.

I’ll help you know what to do and how to stay organized. You can ask me questions. We can chat.

And over the next 6 months, we will have at least 2 special sessions just to sit down and organize your CONTENT.

Content includes any documents, emails, blogposts, book chapters, scripts, articles, transcripts, pages, paragraphs, ideas, drafts, or completed written works you want to share with others.

Together, over 6 months we will organize your writing in the live monthly zooms,

And you’ll get Q&A, self-study organization classes, templates, and more.

By the end of 6 months you’ll be better organized and have a better system to finish your writing

(even if you stop and start).

Why does this work?

I’ve been using a system of having ONE PLACE to check my projects and making regular check-ins for about six years.

The way I’ve refined the system has been a GAME CHANGER for me.

From having a million ideas hidden on a shelf, with who knows how many gems…

To now, finding my ideas quickly across any computer or my phone, building on them seamlessly over time, and publishing more of the work I like.

Finally, I finish things I’m proud of and show up more, so people see me at a higher level and I’m feeling the love.

Less is dropping into the cracks.

I’m not so overwhelmed or confused.

Every valuable idea gets the attention that it deserves.

Your ideas are valuable, too, and getting them out matters!

Let’s make sure you can act on them and finish your projects by being more organized.

Make faster progress and finish writing projects more easily with organization:

The bonus Digital Organization Membership is included as a free bonus if you join the ❄️ 6-Month Writing Group this Winter.

We start organizing on Sunday, December 2nd!

❄️ ​Check out the details here.​ ❄️

Have a cool day.

Are you feeling any of this?
​

I’m so sick of the WORLD massively critiquing everyone else’s words all the time and treating them like crap.

If you try to think of what to say, it’s like 3D Chess.

​

3D Chess vibes come from trying to please everyone, speak to everyone, tackle every argument before you have it.

​

If you fail to do it right, you face punishment: being misunderstood, getting mean comments, or being treated like scum.

​

That is not safe.

You need safety to think with your whole brain! And be creative! That helps you write.

​

SAFETY IS SO IMPORTANT.

So I am really into creating it for myself and for others when we talk or try to write.

​
I work hard to make my 6 month writing group a safe space. It is for nonfiction writers working on a book or business content.
​

​
But do me a favor, you can bring your HEART that is aching from whatever into my zone (that is fine)

but I need to keep that super divisive political arguing OUT. Keep that out of my groups.
​

​
Not just for other people to feel safe, but also for me…

I’m done playing 3D CHESS!

​

The beautiful thing I am not alone.

I’ve been writing and sharing how I feel with others over the past few weeks, and I’m finding like-minds.

​

There are many (maybe quiet people) who are done playing 3D Chess too.

​

People who are looking for a little respite from the storm outside.

Who just want to dig into the writing they feel called to do for their book or business,

so they can help people and connect with their whole heart.

​

That’s all they want to do, and guess what….that is ALLOWED.

You are allowed to say that you don’t feel like playing 3D chess.

​

If that’s you, I’m calling you in.

There’s another way to write that speaks to your soul, no 3D chess included.

​

I’ve got a group.

It’s small. It’s cute. It’s secluded.

​

You are welcome in my Winter Writing Group (open now) to seek safety from 3D Chess games and just write.

​

Not interested? Then come join us in the Free 21 Day Heartfelt Writing Challenge happening in a few weeks.

​

Just FYI:

Everyone in my Winter Writing group signs an agreement to treat each other with mutual respect and not dive in with endless criticism that people never asked for.

And to avoid super divisive topics.

​

Join us in the Winter Writing Group​

and be 3D Chess free

​

​

​

​

Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving if you celebrate it

(yes, I know it has a terrible history but I like food).

​

xo

Sofia Wren

​

​

​

🧜🏼‍♀️💃🏼🎉 The Winter Writing Group

​

🧜🏼‍♀️💃🏼🎉 Weee! 🧜🏼‍♀️💃🏼🎉

​
6 Months program to make progress & write for your book, business, emails, posts, blogs, videos, website copy

​

• Know what to write next because you have clear vision and inspiration at every step.
• Make important decisions so you do the right thing for you and your projects. ​
• Share your book or business so the right people get drawn to your work.

​

​The 6 Month Winter Writing Group open now

​

15 Spots 9 Spots still available!

​

​

​Go Here to Read More about the Winter Writing Group​

​

​
“I have accomplished so much this summer, and I’ve been writing a lot of different things and having a lot of breakthroughs in the area of ease and flow. I’ve been putting a lot less pressure on myself around what I need to get done. It doesn’t need to be difficult. Thank you for this beautiful space.”

-Kate Burkett, Inner Beauty and Founder of Kate in Paradise

​

“Sofia Wren is awesome! She had an amazing writing course that I got to take and it was OUTSTANDING. I learned a lot, and (I’ve been writing since I was 12) and she gave so many helpful tips. I really enjoyed so much of my time with her, she is an incredible person, it was a no judgement zone, and I write novels on the more… interesting side. So to see this kind of thing, it was amazing. I don’t have enough words to describe this incredible human being!”

-Lisa van der Wilt, Author, VA, and Multi-passionate Biz Owner

​

“I could not figure out what was missing in my business. I knew I had all the information. I knew I had the skills. I really pressured myself forward. And that put me into full stop mode and nothing worked anymore. There was procrastination. I wasn’t fired up. There’s so much to do and it’s just frustrating. You have to do it, you should do it, but you just can’t seem to get yourself to do it.

Since joining the mermaid group, I’ve started to realize that you cannot force it, it’s not one straight line. It all comes together, it all flows together. I’m in the flow. It’s working.”

-Uli Dieter, Health & Wellness Coach

​
🧜🏼‍♀️💃🏼🎉 The Winter Writing Group is Officially OPEN!

​
6 Months program to make progress & write for your book, business, emails, posts, blogs, videos, website copy (with help as low as $55/mo)

​

• Know what to write next because you have clear vision and inspiration at every step.
  
• Make important decisions so you do the right thing for you and your projects. ​
  
• Share your book or business so the right people get drawn to your work.

​

​The 6 Month Winter Writing Group open now

​

15 Spots 9 Spots still available!

​

NOTE: The $55/mo plan expires Midnight Tuesday night, November 22nd

​

And here are the FAQS!

Question 1: Who is it for? ​

Answer: This 6 month group coaching program is for people who want to write.
​
It’s for the sensitive types, the free spirits, the mermaids-at heart who don’t fit in a box.

You want to write for nonfiction books, website, emails, posts, articles, blogs, video scripts or other content.
​
Your ultimate goal is to write, help people while being yourself and FEEL the love coming back.

​

Question 2: What is it?

Answer: A comprehensive 6 month group coaching program for up to 15 people.
​

It includes 6 levels of support:
​
​1. 12 LIVE WRITING GROUP ZOOM CALLS

Sessions include lessons and writing exercises to write for your book or business and be of greater service.

7 Classes: 1 hour teaching and exercises + 15-30 minutes of Q&A

5 Co-working sessions: 1 hour connecting & writing together

$1200 value

2. 6 EDITING OPPORTUNITIES

Improve your product or service descriptions, blog posts, emails, and more.

Submit up to one 1-2 page document per month to Sofia Wren for editing or feedback.

$300 value

3. 6 MONTHS UNLIMITED GROUP VOXER COACHING

Ask questions about writing or business with texts and voice notes to Sofia and the group.

Shared in a private group in the free Voxer app for 6 months.

$1500 value

4. 6 MONTH ACCESS TO VIDEO VAULT

Instant access to the online Video Vault so you can enhance your writing at your own pace.

Worksheets & 40+ videos on writing, creativity & productivity

$777 value

5. BONUS DIGITAL ORGANIZATION TEMPLATES & CLASSES

Organize your ideas, and projects in a simple way so you can get more done. Everything is customizable!

Classes cover free technology you can use to organize your writing and goals like Notion and Obsidian.

Includes Digital Template Sets + Video Training

$122 value

6. BONUS DIGITAL ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIP

NEW! A monthly implementation meeting for digital organization and planning.

-Clean up your business, project or writing files so you can Focus on what is important to do next.

-Develop and Gain Clarity on what to do next to Finish your Project and make notes so you don’t ever forget.

-Organize your next steps so you know what to do next and capture that insight in an Easy to Find place.

Includes 6 Zoom Calls, scheduled monthly on weekends
​
$1332 value

​

Total Value of This 6 Month Program… $5231

​

Question 3: What are the payment plans? ​

Answer: Currently there are 3 options, but only for this week!

​

– 1 payment of $470​

– 6 payments of $79/month​

– 9 payments of $55/month

​

(The $55/mo plan expires midnight EST of November 22nd, Tuesday night.)

​

Question 4: When is it?

Answer: Below are all the live meetings but if you can’t attend, you can still get virtual coaching.

​
​Digital Organization Bonus​
Bonus zooms will be monthly on Saturday or Sunday & times will alternate.
​
Dec 3rd, 2023 at 11 AM EST (Sunday)- First Meeting for the early birds!
​
Jan 6, 2024 at 2 PM EST (Saturday)- Yearly Planning Meeting
​
More classes TBA

​

Writing Classes & Coworks​
Main class zooms will be Thursdays 2 PM EST / 1 PM CST / 11 AM PST / 8 PM Sweden
​
Dec 14, 2023 – Class 1
Holiday Break
Jan 11, 2024 – Class 2
Jan 21 – Cowork
Feb 1 – Class 3
Feb 15 – Class 4
Feb 29 – Cowork
March 14- Class 5
March 28 – Class 6
April 11 – Cowork
April 25 – Cowork
May 9 – Cowork
​

Replays and transcripts will be available + if you can’t make it live you can still receive virtual coaching.

​

Question 5: How do I read more?

Answer: You can read all about it on my website

​Go Here to Read More about the Winter Writing Group​

​

“I have accomplished so much this summer, and I’ve been writing a lot of different things and having a lot of breakthroughs in the area of ease and flow. I’ve been putting a lot less pressure on myself around what I need to get done. It doesn’t need to be difficult. Thank you for this beautiful space.” -Kate Burkett, Inner Beauty and Founder of Kate in Paradise

​

“Sofia Wren is awesome! She had an amazing writing course that I got to take and it was OUTSTANDING. I learned a lot, and (I’ve been writing since I was 12) and she gave so many helpful tips. I really enjoyed so much of my time with her, she is an incredible person, it was a no judgement zone, and I write novels on the more… interesting side. So to see this kind of thing, it was amazing. I don’t have enough words to describe this incredible human being!” -Lisa van der Wilt, Author, VA, and Multi-passionate Biz Owner

​

I could not figure out what was missing in my business. I knew I had all the information. I knew I had the skills. I really pressured myself forward. And that put me into full stop mode and nothing worked anymore. There was procrastination. I wasn’t fired up. There’s so much to do and it’s just frustrating. You have to do it, you should do it, but you just can’t seem to get yourself to do it.

Since joining the mermaid group, I’ve started to realize that you cannot force it, it’s not one straight line. It all comes together, it all flows together. I’m in the flow. It’s working. -Uli Dieter, Health & Wellness Coach

​

​Go Here to Read More about the Winter Writing Group

How are you doing out there?

I am scared and I know that I am not alone.

There are many of us afraid right now but I hope this email brings you comfort and grace.

So many reasons to be scared,

🌊 an ocean of negative voices and conflicts from every side, fighting, and trying to pull us in.

Who is benefiting from these constant squabbles, actually?

Is our energy going towards actual change or perpetuating endless conflicts?

I see so many writers struggling, and who are they really fighting?

FEAR itself. The biggest enemy of art is fear.

We have to interrupt a dangerous cycle of attaching to and spreading fear.

Not everyone online is a real person or someone with good intentions. They whisper some untrue, toxic words in a few ears and it spreads like wildfire.

As a result of that, many people are scared of doing and saying the wrong thing and being unjustly attacked.

It’s the vibe now.

I blame ​Russian trolls​ who provoke people to “take a stand or be gone”, excited to take them down when they do. And people copy that.

Possible unjustified character assassination: Reason not to show up?

NO.

For me, I decided long ago I can’t let fear decide my life or it’s like the bad guys win.

I hate what is going on right now in the world. I don’t like it.

Part of me wants to retreat and I am 100% not alone in feeling this way.

But I can’t let it sap all of my power.

I have seen fear sap the inner power of writers, artists, and business owners. Sensitives and healer types.

What people don’t realize is: your individual fear can be tied to collective fear.

Scary environments can make you more critical of yourself.

Emboldened, the inner critic starts side-swiping your confidence until you stop trying to do anything.

• trying to write your book or for your business…
• trying to make a difference…
• trying to showing up…

I am all about self-care and taking needed pause but whittling yourself out of a full life existence is not the way.

I’ve grappled with fear from a child, but I learned to show to be of service, anyway.

My anxiety was super bad after my dad died but now I’m helping a nonprofit in Sierra Leone, Africa, helping my writing clients, and now I’m trying to help you.

How I survive being scared: embracing my duty to others, not as a weight but as a form of inspiration.

What does the world have to lose if you totally give up right now?

Maybe you think, “not much,” but I disagree.

Fear doesn’t care if you have an eyebrow hair out of place or you are a total dictator

—if your inner critic is alert, it will rip you to pieces regardless.

So focus on something else.

Remember: it is not about you, it’s about your duty to be of service.

And ​service doesn’t have to be painful or boring​,

it’s can be a WIN-WIN freeing you from fear.

Figure out your path(s) of service, because

CLARITY is power:

You are on track. You are doing a good thing.

Get clear on your real priorities and focus on your service…

& You’ll stop over-assessing your flaws to the point of freezing 🥶

and show up in the world to serve others.

Questions to Ask:

So what are you on this earth to do? What was the reason you were born?

How many people would want to be in your shoes? Why?

A hundred years from now how will you be remembered? Even if people don’t know your name?

What gift will you leave the people who live behind you? Or ahead? To the thousands of people in the years to come?

Wondering the answer?

​Watch this 15 minute class​ to find clarity.

Focusing on my path, my service, inspires me and gives me strength, and I hope the same for you.

YOUR TIME AND ENERGY IS PRECIOUS, don’t lose it all to fear.

​Watch this clip​ to get clear on the change you are here to make.

P.S. Did you hear about the Black Friday sale?

It’s in 3 days + it’s for people who are on the waitlist!

The 6-month writing group + private writing coaching sale starts Nov 16

⭐ But you have to join the ​WAITLIST​⭐

Join ​here​ by November 16th.

P.P.S. You can watch this blog as a video!

If you want to write nonfiction, check out these events:

1. Black Friday Sale on Nov 16
​2. Free 21 Day Writing Challenge in Dec

​

​1. Black Friday Sale on November 16th

​

​Do you want to write for your book or business? Do you struggle to get organized + stop and start on projects?

The 6 Month Winter Writing Group is going on sale.

​It’s for PEOPLE ON A MISSION to serve others with nonfiction writing for your business, website, salespage, content, or a book.

​

• Know what to write next because you have clear vision and inspiration at every step
  ​
• Make important decisions so you do the right thing for you and your project
  ​
• Share your book or business so the right people get drawn to your work

​

A live online group to tap into your genius, and have FUN writing and reaching the people you’re here to serve.
​
15 people max!

​
+ It includes a NEW Digital Organization Membership to get you organized and on track even if you tend to stop and start.​

The program goes on sale for Black Friday + you can get private coaching on sale, too.

 Note: This sale is ONLY FOR THE WAITLIST

​

You must Join the Winter Writing Group waitlist by November 16th.

​

​

“This class is making such a difference. I have never done anything like this at this level before.”

Monisha Mittal, Embodied Play Architect & Somatic Coach

​
2. ​FREE in December: 21 Day Heartfelt Writing Challenge

​

​​

Coming next month:

​

• Create a daily writing habit
  ​
• Unlock inspiration to write for your book or business
  ​
• Feel the LOVE of the friends, followers or clients you attract

​

Get daily nonfiction writing prompts and access to a community of other writers.

Plus even more free resources to build a daily writing habit.

​
​

​Sign up here for the upcoming free challenge​

​

​

​

“Sofia Wren’s gentle and wise encouragement kept me writing. She makes accountability fun & brought me back to my love of writing.”

-Tanya Levy

How is your day going?

I hope you are doing well.

​

ME: my head is still a little fuzzy from being sick and

There are a million things I want to do, write and share…

​

Like my post today.

If you read all of my last “greatest hits” series of emails,

You’ll have seen hints of this theme woven through

​

​(If you missed any, you can find them all on my blog)​

​

🌼💜📣 I’m taking a stand for self love.

​

I know this whole idea is seriously overplayed,

to the point that ‘self-love’ feels like a meaningless concept.

​

Also we act like self love is this thing that you can just turn on instantly when you remember it,

​

like, “Did you know your house is wired for electricity?

Yeah, it’s all paid, just flip the light on!”

​

The truth is navigating life is a lot more complicated than switching on a light switch…

​

or at least it has been for me.

As someone

​

-highly sensitive

-empathetic

-feeling

​

plus:

-creative (although I didn’t use to think I was)

-a survivor of traumas and losses galore…

​

My first survival responses were to shut ALL THAT DOWN.

The feelings, the traumas, the ick.

​

And the softness, the creativity, the good stuff, too.

It had to go.

​

Why?

I needed to protect myself at a young age.

​

That was self love then, protect, supress, hide, get through it.

​

But it had a price. I lost myself.

​

I didn’t even know who I was.

I was ‘cool with everything.’

I rarely said what I really thought.

​

​

To survive,

I distanced myself from feeling hurt and afraid, and

I stopped listening to my thoughts of how to escape an inescapable situation.

​

​

Good news: it worked.

I slipped through the cracks just like I planned.

​

My methods of self protection got me out of harms way, to where I am today.

That was self love at the time.

​

But it sucked to keep living like that when I was out of acute danger.

​

Without fear I didn’t notice dangerous people.

Without hurt I let bad things go on to long.

​

And I missed so much of the joys of life.

​

My life’s work has been in the undoing and unlearning.

Especially now.

​

The last few years have changed everything,

​

My dad’s death tanked me in so many ways,

and I’m doing self love 2.0.

​

I’ve been trying to energize new patterns to meet this moment.

​

Note: this is NOT an instant light switch moment.

​

These are new patterns I’ve spent years expanding and exploring.

New patterns of self love.

​

Now I spend more time de-armoring.

​

I still watch my purse in a crowd,

but when I’m by myself I want to be soft.

​

🌼💜📣

I want to be warm.

I want to be held

I want to be gentle.

I want to be loved.

​

🌼💜📣

I don’t want to always have to be strong anymore.

I don’t want to wait until XYZ happens to rest.

I don’t care if my goal is almost there.

​

We’ve played these games before, my demons and I.

I’m skeptical of these promises of just push a little bit longer.

​

There’s nothing on the other side.

​

I want my shoulders to stop being up at my ears.

I want to feel less anxiety.

​

My inner child is tired of waiting.

My heartbreak is tired of being suppressed.

​

It’s over.

​

And I didn’t really decide this.

​

Since my father died, my last parent,

my tears don’t stay in my eyes anymore.

​

The time to buck up is over for me.

My father was taken.

​

Everything I had learned, and experienced reached a tipping point.

​

I did the writing and healing work for years but

my dad’s death was the final straw.

​

THE DESCENT OF PAIN.

​

Things changed and

I was changed.

​

🌼💜📣 But I decided to go with that change.

I decided to ride the wave.

​

What did I decide to do this year?

​

I took a lot of time to write and get really, really clear on my focus for 2023:

​

🌼💜📣 To focus on my relationship with myself.

​

This has been the foundation of my year.

​

And I’ve been digging into the foundations of a lot of things,

tax things, health things, legal things, car things, tech things.

​

Rearranging things increased my business profit.

I published over 25 articles before summer started.

I was a writing expert at a conference.

​

I did new stuff, big stuff

BUT

​

🌼💜📣 In 2023 my goals didn’t come first,

unlike every single year as far back as I could remember,

​

I put me first.

​

My relationship with myself is the FOUNDATION.

​

All year I have taken a stand against the voices that say:

​

-You should be focusing on your work.

-This is going to hurt someone.

-This is so short sided.

-You didn’t earn this, you don’t deserve this.

-It’s not safe to.

​

I took the time to discern if they were lying.

Are they on my side or are they not?

​

Because I know ordinary people can be wrong, very wrong.

I check my work twice.

I have my integrity.

​

Navigating the questions is not an instant light switch moment every time.

​

I write to figure it out.

I take time.

​

There are so many words I write that you never, ever see.

​

I figure things out day by day,

what’s true and what’s a lie.

​

I do a lot of different things but always writing.

​

​

What is the question you are asking yourself about?

​

For the person of two minds,

grappling with the many voices.

​

Let me take a minute to assure you.

It’s okay to take your time to figure it out….

and:

​

🌼💜📣 When you know, you know.

​

Those moments of clarity.

You know you’ve reached a wall or a limit,

​

and all the voices, all the logic,

everything in the world can tell you you are wrong,

but you know, yes, in this case

​

YOU ARE THE EXCEPTION OF THE RULE

​

You can be free of the container,

you need to be free of it.

​

You’re ready for something new.

It’s time to leave something behind.

​

🌼💜📣 Yes you can. You can be free.

You can pursue the desire, the plan, the vision.

​

And I know other people have said they were the exception

and been wrong,

but just because they were wrong doesn’t mean you are.

​

When you know, you know.

You know what’s right for you and

you have to find the courage to do it.

​

Stop looking to the narcissists and the murderers and the thieves for your examples.

​

You are not like them.

🌼💜📣 YOU ARE YOU.

​

​

Take the role of standing in your own defense.

Explore it, write it out, and stop ruminating in your head.

​

GET IT OUT ON PAPER.

Right now.

Set a timer for 5 minutes and write about it.

​

I’ve spent a lot of time as a writer exploring what is important,

important to ME and

I’ve found my answers.

​

Important:

Myself, as the person who has ALWAYS had my back.

🌼💜📣 Being my own best friend.

​

It’s worth taking the time to stop and listen or rest.

It’s worth prioritizing the things I say I need.

It’s worth taking a stand for self love.

​

I’m worth writing about.

​

I’m worth taking a stand for.

​

Self love is worth taking a stand for.

​

​

If this resonates with you,

Scroll below for some ways I can support you on this journey.

​

I’m looking forward to talking more about this theme over the next month.

​

I’m looking forward to talking more about this theme over the next month.

​

​

​

Join the next Heartfelt Writing Challenge, a free event happening in December.

​

🌼💜📣 21 Day Heartfelt Writing Challenge:

​

Use writing to tap into a better relationship with yourself,

which is a worthy goal in itself,

and get clarity on what to do next in your book, business or life goals.

​

Free writing prompts and community.

Sign ups are coming soon.

Stay tuned!

​

​

​

Join the next Winter Writing Group during the Black Friday Sale!

​

🌼💜📣 6 Month Winter Writing Group

​

My inner circle of writers who receive classes, personal feedback and help from me to write over 6 months.

​

The theme for the season is Paths of Service,

which for me means honoring my self first and using writing to stay on track with that.

For you it might be working on a book or business.

All are welcome, because self love is a service.

​

The group goes on sale for Black Friday.

Spots are limited.

We’ve sold out a couple times.

​

And one or two writers or entrepreneurs can get the new Deep Coaching 1-1 upgrade on sale, too.

​

🌼💜📣 Get the sale (ONLY FOR THE WAITLIST)

& write with us at the best possible price:

​

Hear more about the Black Friday Special by signing up here: Winter Writing Group waitlist​

​

Hope you are having a wonderful week.

​

I am still recovering from being sick but I am a lot better.

And this week marks the final week of my hiatus.

I’m mentally preparing myself to return to the world in full force November 1st.

​

These days it feels like the world wants everyone to wear a million hats.

​

When I was in college, it seemed like people used to specialize in order to become

a lawyer, a politician, a PR expert, or an international historian.

​

I majored in politics with a concentration in international relations, and let me tell you:

if I wanted to be a lawyer or a politician, I would have decided to be one…

​

But by the end of college, I was clear that

I was just too sensitive for that kind of job.

​

I’m not a fighter, I’m a healer.

I wanted to make my own personal difference in the world one person at a time through the services I provide.

​

Then my writing became an avenue to help others, as well.

It took time for these to fit me but it felt right.

I’m good with these hats.

​

These days it’s like everyone is expected to wear every single hat.

It really can give me a lot of anxiety.

​

I feel pressure to wear a lot of hats, including some hats that don’t feel comfortable to me.

​

I think that other people are probably feeling this pressure:

​

a pressure to write and show up in the world with an opinion on every major horrible thing that happens.

​

And then you have to deal with people having an opinion about your opinion, or your not having an opinion,

or the exact way you worded something, and

it feels like a million headaches.

​

And sometimes you weigh that against the possible positive impact it could have

(like if it does indeed have one).

​

But the truth is that people are individuals.

You also need to take into account your personal factors.

​

Maybe you have been ill, or

you are swamped with other life things, or

your mom just died.

​

We used to only expect politicians or people with a full-time career dedicated to this kind of thing

(and a few assistants)

to have the perfect public response to horrible events…

​

and you’re just a regular person.

​

As I said, last Wednesday I just needed to focus on taking care of myself because

pondering global crises was giving me sinus headache.

I was ill.

​

So I did that.

But these questions were definitely in my head:

​

But how do you know when you’re really in alignment with what you should be doing?

Versus just being lazy?

How do you know what hat you should be wearing at any given time?

​

Because sometimes life does call on you to wear new uncomfortable hats, and

sometimes that is just arbitrary and

it’s ok to dig your heels in and say, “Actually this is not the hat for me right now.”

​

Which is it for you?

Do you have something you are thinking about doing or writing that doesn’t quite fit comfortably?

How do you find clarity on what to do next?

​

Well, today I have the perfect finale to my “greatest hits” series.

​A clip from a class I taught earlier this year,

​

This exercise that will help you determine what to do next:

​

• should you be focusing more on yourself right now? How?
• should you take some other kind of action to benefit others? What?

​

​

​I highly recommend trying this exercise if you are feeling, lost, confused, purposeless. ​

​

It’s a really powerful exercise that I discovered in these last few years since my father died.

It helped give me a purpose and anchor.

​

In addition to helping me to balance the needs that I have in my grieving process,

​

I’ve used it to find clarity and purpose by being of service through:

my business, my writing and the nonprofit I support in Sierra Leone, Her Future Foundation.

​

After doing this exercise again in the past week, I took my necessary rest time.

I repeated it daily to help with my anxiety and I began to gain clarity on what else I wanted to do.

​

Eventually, I felt called to tell a few folks that I called my elected officials for a ceasefire. So I did.

​

That was my experience this time, it’s different every time and for every person.

​

Today the most important thing felt like sharing this limited replay with you.

It’s a recording of me teaching this exercise about six months ago.

​

Find clarity on what is right for you right now.

It’s available to watch for free until November 25th.

​

​Click here to watch and do the exercise so you know what to do next​

​

If you enjoy this clip, I have more like this.

It’s from this year’s Summer Writing Group on using your writing as leadership.

​

Sign up for the next writing group and you can watch the replays from the previous groups in the Vault.

The Video Vault has about 50 videos on creativity and writing,

including copywriting, writing as service, and tapping into your intuition to know what to do next.

​

​

The theme for the next group is Paths of Service,

because there are many ways to be of service with writing, including just writing for your own pleasure.

It can all be a win-win.

​

Make sure to pursue the path that is right for you.

​

If you want support to write and honor what is right for you right now,

The “PATHS OF SERVICE” Winter Writing Group will open for enrollment November 16th.

​

​Sign up for the waitlist to show your interest (with no commitment)

You’ll get first grab!

​

It’s a low-priced but high-touch group writing experience.

Spots are limited.

​

​

​Have a great week and enjoy the clip!

Wow, how are you doing? I hope you are hanging in there okay.

​

This week I am sick!

And I’m bothered by the craziness of the world, it keeps coming to mind.

​

But I know I just need to focus on taking care of myself because anytime I start pondering global crises my head starts to hurt and I get a sinus headache.

​

Well, I have the perfect addition to my “greatest hits” series.

Below are words from an email I wrote in 2021,

it feels like a time that was quite a world away, but yet….so very similar in some ways.

​

And I just added a few notes at the end to wrap it all up.

​

Here it is.

—

​

​
Sending lots of love since, as you might have noticed, things in the news have been intense.

I want to say it’s been intense only just lately…but really it feels like it has been for years.

​

With all this, I’m going to put on my coaching hat and remind you that:

​

it’s important to find a balance between those things that make your heart hurt,

and the things that bring you comfort and stability.

​

Easier said than done, but I hope you find some opportunities to take care of yourself this week!
​
(Because you deserve it, we all do.)

​

One of the things that has brought me comfort lately is reflecting and sharing my values.

​

I’ve been meaning to send this email for some time, but because values are so important. I took a while because wanted this to BE perfect.

​

Given that my life seems like one constant move,

(this week I’m driving between Baltimore, Maryland and my soon-to-be home in Madison, Wisconsin)

perfect really isn’t anything I can manage right now.

​

So although this is a little imperfect now seems like as good of a time as any to share my values.

​

​

​

These are the values that guide me and my work as a writer, writing teacher & coach.

​

This world is crazy but I still choose to be here and serve because of all the lovely things that remain inside of it. <3

​

(If you are disheartened, don’t lose sight of what is good.)

​

​

#1. You have wisdom.

​

My greatest joy is to help you connect to yourself, and the genius inside of you.

That holds the key to inspiration for your writing for your book, business and more.

​

Writing and connecting more deeply to my own inner wisdom

helped me make tremendous positive changes in my life as an abuse survivor.

This goal of re-connection is central to everything I do including coaching, workshops, courses, and prompts,

all designed to help you have aha moments and clarity on what to do next.

​

​

#2. We all deserve respect.

​

Yup. I respect everybody and all my course members are expected to do the same.

​

My writing groups now include an initial agreement among all members where everyone agrees to demonstrate that respect in specific ways.

​

Safe space is important to me!

​

​

#3. We all have a place.

​

This world is vast and there are many ways to make a difference:

there is a need for all kinds of people, doing all kinds of things.

​

Everyone plays their part in a wider puzzle.

People make a difference in their own way and it’s all needed.

​

YOU DO YOU.

​

​

​

There are many PATHS OF SERVICE,

so you can pick your own…

​

Or maybe you don’t pick it, maybe it chooses you.

Sometimes it’s a calling or the only thing that feels right.

​

Sometimes taking a breath to rest and heal can be the most radical thing that you can do.

Not everyone will see this as a “service.”

You may feel judged for not doing more.

​

But I believe hurt people hurt people,

and healed people hurt people less.

​

Taking time to meet your needs and try to come into coherence with the best of yourself,

through meditation, or journaling, or whatever tools you have access to,

can be incredibly wise.

​

This is a path of service that can be a win-win and indirectly benefit others.

​

Remember that:

Writing for your own self-healing and self-love is a service.

Even if it is private and never shared.

​

​

PATHS OF SERVICE is the theme for the upcoming Winter Writing Group

opening to the waitlist November 16th.

​

(Please note, service doesn’t only mean serving others directly.)

​

​

See you next week for the final installment of the “greatest hits” series,

which will help you clarify what path of service is right for you now…

Make sure to sign up for my emails to get it first!