You can spend a long time getting ready—learning more, refining an idea, questioning whether it’s good enough, or waiting until you know exactly what you want to say. But at some point, you have to give away what you know so someone else can receive it, whether in the form of a post, conversation, workshop, book, or video. Preparation has value, and so does letting an idea percolate. There's also a moment when the idea needs to be released so we can see where it lands. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately as I’ve looked more closely at the body of work I’ve created over the years—and how much can remain unseen when we don’t bring it forward. So perhaps the question isn’t, Is this ready? Perhaps it’s: What is one thing I can bring into the world now? I’m curious: What have you previously written that might be ready to be shared?

The moment I heard about Dolly Parton yesterday, I thought about Miley Cyrus. I think we shall all remember where we were and the clasping of our chest when we heard that Dolly had transitioned into the Spiritual Realm. This is part of what I wrote in this morning's Co-Writing Session. First, I looked up her birthday, January 19, 1946 and saw she was an 8 of Diamonds - The Sun Card. Of course, she was. Dolly's Light will continue to shine bright. She was a legend and her legacy will continue to ripple through the generations. Dear to my heart was her generosity in providing millions of children the gift of receiving books. The Imagination Library has provided children with 300 million books to date, and was inspired in 1998 by her father who couldn't read or write. Dolly's voice was angelic, and she was a prolific songwriter with 3000 songs to her credit. More than anything she was an extraordinary storyteller. Her light and lightheartedness will be missed by all who loved and admired her. My heart goes out to her family and all who Dolly embraced as family. We shall always love you, Dolly. January 19, 1946 - August 25, 2026. The day the angelic realm receives the glorious voice of Dolly. What is your favourite memory or song by Dolly?

When the words won't come, our instinct is often to try harder. Think harder. Rewrite. Search for the right words. But sometimes the next step isn't more effort. It's to pause. Become Present → Listen → Recognize The Sacred Pause is a simple practice to help you step out of trying to produce an answer and listen for what might already be there. You'll now find The Sacred Pause PDF in the Classroom for Premium + VIP members. If you're currently on a free plan, this is a good time to upgrade and unlock this Classroom experience, including practices like this one designed to support you in the actual process of writing and publishing your book. Use it when the words aren't coming, when you're overthinking what you want to say, or anytime you need to reconnect with what you already know.

So much of what we practice inside The Language Portal begins with pausing to listen. We become present, and the noise quiets. We stop trying to force the perfect sentence and listen for what is already there. Next week, I’ll bring some of this work into a much bigger room when I speak at Elizabeth Ocean's Catalyst event. And look at the women we'll be learning alongside! Renée Warren, Kristen Boss, Kelly Roach, Anita Guerini, Lady JB Owen, and Elizabeth Ocean are the keynote speakers, and many more women will share their wisdom throughout the week. I'm excited to be part of it, and I'd love to have some Portal Pals in the room with me. If you'd like to join us inside, drop CATALYST below and I'll send you the link.

We've been exploring emotional mastery in our VIP Sacred Writing Sessions, using Gloria Wilcox's Feeling Wheel. Today at 10:00 AM PDT, we're having an OPEN MIC coaching session. Bring something you've been writing and let's look at it together. We do this once a month. Next week, we'll have an OPEN DISCUSSION for our Sacred Conversation. Before we begin, here's something everyone in The Language Portal can try. Tap into what you're feeling right now and see if you can pinpoint the emotion on the Feeling Wheel. If you find yourself under Sad, Mad, or Scared, identify the emotion you're feeling and then look directly across the wheel. What do you notice about the emotion on the other side? For example, Sad sits across from Joyful, Mad from Peaceful, and Scared from Powerful. Have you worked with Gloria Wilcox's Feeling Wheel before? If this kind of exploration intrigues you and you'd like to join us for Sacred Writing and coaching sessions like today's OPEN MIC, you're welcome to join us inside VIP.