Why I Wrote A More Beautiful Life
I’ve always been a goal-setter with big dreams and big ambitions. I thought SMART goals were the key to success, but in 2012, I failed after first setting, and then doubling down on a series of SMART goals. I was crushed and defeated; nothing about this system felt doable or achievable or realistic. I thought setting SMART goals was the first step on the path to success, so I’d set the goals. But clearly, something was wrong.
Why hadn’t it worked? I was frustrated and disappointed, but instead of giving up I wiped the proverbial slate clean. I started to research and soul-search, and over time, I developed my own system for goal setting.
I call it HEART goals, and I created it because I want people to realize beauty isn’t something you achieve, it’s something you live.
The more I’ve refined and tweaked my HEART goals system, the more I’ve seen the benefit in my daily life of using it. As I’ve experienced the benefits of approaching goal-setting this way, the more I’ve grown passionate about sharing it.
The first seeds of the idea for this book were planted when I started developing the HEART system. As I’ve implemented the system in my own life, I’ve grown more and more passionate about sharing the message of HEART. When I sat down to start writing this book, I knew I wanted to help others pull the focus away from achievement and more towards finding contentment in the everyday goodness of life.
Writing a whole book was a little intimidating when I started thinking about it, but then I realized there was so much I wanted to share.
I wanted to share the story of how I rebalanced my life, and how I keep it balanced now. I wanted to give people the basics of the system that helps David and I raise our kids, strengthen our marriage, and love our lives. I wanted to point people towards the “true beauty experience”. It’s one that I believe involves emotional healing, almost like a 12-step program.
I wanted to tell my story. I still do.
This summer, I realized I felt overwhelmed, creatively drained, and exhausted. I decided to take a break. I shut down our shop for the whole month of July. Despite having just launched a book, I wasn’t packing my schedule with podcast interviews to promote A More Beautiful Life. Taking a break was counterintuitive. It felt indulgent. I experienced plenty of guilt.
But taking that break—taking time to take care of myself—that’s exactly what HEART preaches. If I wasn’t willing to put into practice the system that I just wrote a whole book about, well, I had bigger problems. So, I put work on hold and doubled down on focusing on the stuff that matters FIRST. Instead of spinning my wheels while I was in an unhealthy place, I took the time to rest and rejuvenate. Now, instead of feeling overwhelmed by the work tasks on my to-do list, I’m excited and energized. My creative energy is back.
Now that A More Beautiful Life has been out in the world for a few months, I’m starting to hear more stories about how it’s working in YOUR life, changing the cadence of your days, and bringing benefit to YOU.
And that’s exactly why I wrote this book: I wanted to help you live a more beautiful life.
