The Pursuit of Pause + Throwback Pricing

On July 22, 2019, I completed my notes for my first-ever webinar called The Pursuit of Pause. It was the official grand opening of my sober boutique. My website was live. My first digital course, 🔗 Jumpstart, was ready to go. I was ready to accept students and payments (skip to the end for throwback pricing).

The webinar addressed common fears about sobriety: 

• I can’t quit
• Sober is boring
• I am not an alcoholic 
• I don’t want to quit forever
• I am afraid of what people will think

And the outcomes of my course:

• You will gain confidence 
• Improve your mood and health
• Become more self reliant
• Gain a new perspective

ChatGPT did not write this; I did. I researched for hours and hours to create a free offering of value to my audience. I invested in and learned the necessary technology * to offer this webinar. I put my own sweat and tears into it. Then the day came when I hosted 3 LIVE webinars, with replays. One in the morning, one at noon, and one at night so people in all the time zones could catch it live. 

As the countdown approached for each webinar, I kicked my family out of the house, sat in my shared office space with a plant and motivational saying in the background (trying to mimic Amy Porterfield), applied some lip gloss, turned all the lights on, reviewed my note cards beside me, said a prayer that included "please no barking, Rocky," and watched my body shake with pure fear and adrenaline as I counted down 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... LIVE. 

I pushed record, and off I went, sharing the good news about sobriety with anyone that would listen. My voice was shaking, tears were building beneath the surface, and my heart was pounding out of my chest. I waited for the masses to log in and join, my eyes on my screen like a deer in headlights.

In all three webinars, I had exactly one person total who showed up.

My mom. 

This may sound like a disheartening outcome to you, but it absolutely thrilled me. 

First of all, I had a mom who believed in me beyond reason. I could not be sad about that. I already had everything by having this one VIP person show up. 

Secondly, I did what I set out to do. I hosted 3 webinars. Not only did I figure out how to do that, I got better as I went. By the third one, I was almost comfortable. I taught myself that I could do things all while being scared. Entrepreneurship was like sobriety. I could learn. I could fail. I could improve. This was all the best news to me. It was a practice in showcasing my new abilities at getting better at things through practice. Instead of feeling rejected that no one showed up, my confidence in myself was built because I did something new that freaking terrified me. In my enneagram 3 language, it sounded to me like "I won."

If I could do this, what else could I do? What would I do next? 

Ditched the Drink was on her way to becoming a smashing success, and I knew it. Despite the lack of attendance in my webinars, I had four people in my first cohort of Jumpstart. Four people had chosen me to be their sober guide. I was over the moon about this. I successfully guided all 4 people through 6 weeks of freedom from alcohol. I loved every second of it. I received incredible feedback, I made my first dollar, and I was determined to continue with my mission. I had my first four testimonials.

"Heather is a miracle worker!" - Linda

"I am hooked on Heather!" - Pat (my mom)

"Life-changing program! Heather really gets where you are every step of the way!" - Chris

"Not only did I ditch the drink, I am having fun doing it!" - LuAnn

To me, sobriety was simply paying attention. Where drinking was always numbing, avoiding, escaping, distracting...sobriety was staying online with myself. It is still this way to me. 

Since those first webinars. I have taken on so many projects. I have delighted in so many things. I have been Roy Kent all over the place, everywhere offering 🔗 1x1 coaching, monthly masterclasses, 🔗 an Insider Community, 🔗 The Peripeteia podcast, digital courses, a business community, 🔗 a business course, workplace trainings, an 🔗 Ask a Coach column, retreat experiences, writing newsletters, blogs, and articles, winning awards, and continuing with my training and education.

Recently I have returned to sharing about rest, intention, and a slow-down summer, all while trying to keep up with all the things. I have been in my own Pursuit of Pause, if you will.

What I really want to do is exactly what I have been doing...which is sitting outside with the morning sun, keeping my low-bar writing commitment to myself, and reading poetry.

As the day goes on, I've been making my 🔗 old lady cold plates for lunch and the world's best sides for whatever comes off the smoker for dinner, then eating al fresco on my newly redecorated deck complete with new chairs, pillows, a blanket, and a matching striped yellow tablecloth. Indulging in backyard campfires and s'mores under the stars at night. Spending pool days reading books and ordering nachos, fries, NA palomas, and aperitifs. Taking sunset strolls and middle-of-the-woods hikes and then logging my daily movement in our INSIDER Challenge. Giving and receiving encouragement. Co-regulating our nervous systems on our weekly group calls. Putting my feet in the grass. Exploring my grief ache. Putting on a long, Bridgerton-inspired nightgown after an evening shower. Curating playlists. Crafting. Thrifting. Junk journaling. 🔗 Coloring in a book that Ditched the Drink sponsored. Traveling locally. Taking road trips. Having an Americana summer with festivals and live music. Funnel cakes and lemon shake-ups.  Fresh fruit from farmers markets and whipped yogurt. Writing my memoir. Digging up the things I have been avoiding and sitting with them before deciding what I want to share about my story and what I do not want to share. Noodling. Reimagining. Re-storying.** A love story to myself about myself. 

So, I guess 6 years later I am still or again in my Pursuit of Pause Era. Not just teaching it. but living it. If you would like to join me, I am much more reliable in my 🔗 Jumpstart digital course, which includes the Insider Membership, than I am in my newsletter or podcast (which will both drop when they drop, drip when they drip, but I guess not with weekly regularity right now). 

The Jumpstart course is no longer done in cohorts; you can start at any time and join in live weekly meetings for real-time support. Now is the perfect time to start this 6-week course and set the runway for Dry July. You will get access to a library of 30+ masterclasses with expert instructors on topics from Anxiety to Zzz's (sleep) coming next month. 

You do not need to be ready to quit drinking to start evaluating your relationship with alcohol. You don't even have to quit completely. Take the course and learn more about what I have to say about that. It's been a game changer for many, and it will be for you too.

For me, getting curious and evaluating my relationship to alcohol led to drinking less, which led to gladly drinking none, by choice, once I learned more. I did not start out ready to quit drinking, and you don't need any sort of audacious commitment more than a willingness to learn. 

I am offering a throwback to the pricing 6 years ago. Take $100 off with code JUMP100. This offer is good through June 15th. Join me in a soft summer. Access to  🔗 The Insider App and Community included.

Don't waste another summer being wasted. 

XO!

-Heather

p.s. I will be leading a Coach Connect call for IAPRC next week. The topic is Overcoming Barriers to Growing Your Coaching Practice. I hope you'll join. Let me know if you need a link. Together we'll explore your challenges and find solutions. 

*the technology I use and recommend offers a 30-Day Trial. To learn more, click 🔗 HERE

** For a powerful podcast on Re-Storying listen 🔗 HERE.