Sonia Marsh - Gutsy Living

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How to Keep Your Mind Off the Coronavirus

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During these days of coronavirus where we’re all stuck at home, why not brainstorm ideas to either learn something new or think of a passion that might serve others. Here is a new book and course that might be right for us now.

When I started my blog GutsyLiving.com, I tried to learn as much as I could about how to promote your book as an Indie Author. It then morphed into sharing my life in the Peace Corps in Lesotho. During that time, in 2010-2017, I met Chris Guillebeau in LA (when he launched his first book) The Art of Non-Conformity and admired his creativity, and the way he connected with people around the world. I attended 3 of his conferences in Portland, OR, where I met inspirational speakers, some of whom are now famous, like Gretchen Rubin, “The Happiness Project.” I just signed up for his latest book, The Money Tree and his online Master Class, which is free, if you pre-order his book. I’m sharing this with all of you who love to learn and get fresh ideas.

Chris Guillebeau and me at Book Soup Bookstore in LA in 2010 when Chris launched his first book, The Art of Non-Conformity

The class is for you if:

  • You’re worried (aren’t we all!)
  • Remote work feels unfamiliar and a little strange
  • You understand that uncertainty can also create opportunities

It’s that last part that I want to talk about the most. Let’s be clear: I’m not saying there’s anything good about a virus that makes a lot of people sick and threatens our economy. If I could magically make it go away, I would.

I just mean that you should only worry about what’s within your control to change. So yes, wash your hands—and also think about your future. What do you really want? Are you prepared for a new way of life? If you lost everything today, what would you do?

Let’s talk about it! In this all-new, three-hour master class, I’ll be teaching on these topics.

  • Module 1 – Finding opportunities in the midst of chaos
  • Module 2 – Building extra income even when you already have a job
  • Module 3 – Adjusting to or learning to thrive in working remotely
  • Module 4 – Open Q&A (ask anything, I’ll stay as long as there are questions)

I promise that you’ll go away with new ideas and a practical action plan to improve your life and profit in a time of uncertainty.Attend the Masterclass

To Sign Up, Get My New Book THE MONEY TREE

How much does it cost? The masterclass isn’t for sale, at least not yet! And this isn’t something where you get some material in the class along with a pitch to buy something else. You’ll learn everything you need to know, and there is literally nothing for sale.

I expect to sell this course later for several hundred dollars, but the only way to get it for now is by pre-ordering my new book, THE MONEY TREE.

That’s it—buy at least one copy of the book, in any format, upload the receipt, and you’re in. You’ll get an email with a schedule for the workshop. If you can’t make it live, it will be recorded so you can watch it later.

I’d love to see you in the masterclass. Let’s find a new way to see the world!

To your future,

Chris Guillebeau

P.S. I want to reach as many people as possible with this message. The book is very affordable ($26 or less!), but if you really can’t afford it, let me know and I’ll help you out.

Pre-order & Submit Your Receipt to Attend the Masterclass

To register for the Financial Security in Uncertain Times masterclass, simply purchase at least one copy of THE MONEY TREE, and submit your receipt below.

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What are you doing to keep your mind busy while stuck at home?

Are you stuck in a rut? Make a life list

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I’ve been stuck in a rut, going to bed around 9 and waking up at 5. After my cup of coffee, I jump in the car and head to the gym. There I ride the reclining bike followed by the same weight training routine I started 28 years ago. Even my dinners fall into a set routine: grilled chicken, turkey and fish, week after week.

Photo credit Candy TX

My life has pretty much become one boring routine, and I don’t do boring well. That’s when I get the urge to take a trip abroad and experience a new culture; but like most people, I can’t afford that. So I have to change something in my daily life but what? Start hiking? Visit new places in my local area? Sign up for a yoga class?

I feel like I spend my life in a cubicle (kitchen) in front of my computer screen for eight hours a day, including weekends. I need to rediscover joy and passion and make daily life “Gutsy.”

Last weekend something changed within me. I almost canceled my trip to Portland, and that would have been a disaster. You see I was scared of being one of the few middle-aged people to attend the World Domination Summit. (No this has nothing to do with politics or religion.) I soon found out that we were 500 people of all ages and all professions who believe you should make your passion your life. It’s about taking risks and quitting your cubicle job, if you’re fed up with it, and doing something that’s important and meaningful to you.

I was surrounded by inspiring people who have taken risks to pursue their dreams. For example, Judi Ettenberg, decided to save her money and quit her attorney job in New York, to travel the world. She is now a writer and you can follow her journey on her blog Legal Nomads.

 

Sonia (me) and Maggy

I made new friends.

Maggy from London who is fearless, and Brenda from Michigan, who has recently become fearless.
Maggy loves African music and plans on living there soon. As a mother and a wife, Brenda told me she’s been afraid to try new things. Her new motto is to say, “yes,” right away, and so she went sky-diving for the first time at the conference.
When Karen Walrond, a former engineer and a current (though non-practicing) attorney, spoke about “Adventure occurs when you embrace possibility,” and that not all of us can travel whenever we want to, this resonated with me. Karen talked about the importance of writing down your own life list.  

So what is a life list?


A life list is not a bucket list. It must contain about 100 things and in addition to the awesome things you want to do, it must also contain some of the mundane.

For example:

  • Take a gentle yoga class
  • Take a ride in a hot air balloon
  • Make your own ice-cream
  • Learn how to paint
  • Start a blog
  • Start hiking.
  • Start a gourmet dinner club with friends

I realized that I can make changes which may not seem big, but they make a difference in how I feel.

If you feel like your life has temporarily stalled, and you’d like to jump start it, here are ten more tips on how to get out of being stuck in a rut.

Do you like the idea of a life list? Please share some things you want to change in your daily life.

How to become an Influencer

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Are you an influencer? You may be one without realizing it among your circle of friends or you may be trying to become one in your professional life.

What does it take to become an influencer?

  • A different way of thinking and expressing yourself
  • Adapting to things early on
  • Embracing all forms of culture
  • Creating new ideas
  • Inventing new things
  • Recognizing what the next thing is
  • Taking an idea, a brand, a concept into mainstream consciousness


INFLUENCERS TRAILER from R+I creative on Vimeo.
A video on influencers in the entertainment and fashion world, but this information relates to all aspects of becoming an influencer.

Here is your opportunity to become an influencer.

As you may know I’m a huge fan of Chris Guillebeau, an influencer I admire. Here is a chance for you to become an influencer with a huge following, through sharing your story. Chris is looking for case studies of people who started a business after being fired, laid off, deciding to quit a conventional job, or some other major life change. The more unconventional or interesting the story, the better. Your success story might be selected in Chris Guillebeau’s next book which is to be published by Random House.

So if you, or someone you know, wishes to have a chance at getting their success story published in the AONC book sequel, please take a look at this.


Do you consider yourself an influencer? If so, in what way? At home, at work, at the gym, as a mom, a dad, a mentor, a blogger?


Be a risk taker, make a Google connection

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 Jodi Sagorin author of blog
Have you ever Googled a topic that interests you and found someone online that you’d like to connect with?
Well, here’s what happened to me yesterday morning. I Googled “Gutsy People” since I’m intrigued by risk-takers, and nineteen-year-old Jodi Sagorin, and her blog, “If you never did, you should,”  popped up.
I was fascinated by this young woman and her passion for adventure, and risk-taking. Was she born with it? How did it develop? Did it come from her parents? And then I noticed an article in the Orange County newspaper, my local paper, “Irvine teen chooses India over prestigious University.” Jodi wanted to volunteer in India to empower women in poverty-stricken areas.
I sent Jodi an e-mail asking if I could interview her and if she was still in India. She wrote back, and she’s now in Orange County, only one town north of me, and is also a huge fan of Chris Guillebeau’s, “The Art on Non-Conformity.”
So why did Jodi start her blog?
“To show people that it’s possible to live a life of adventure. I traveled a lot with my parents as a child. My dad’s the gutsy one! He’s a skydiver, heli-boarder, surfer, snowboarder, skater, anything and everything.”

How did you become Gutsy? What influenced you? Is it something you’re born with or you develop?

I was definitely born gutsy and I have the battle scars to prove it. My parents had their hands full with me, constantly yanking me out of trees, out of huge surf, you name it. The nurses in the broken bones department in the ER knew me by name. Although my gutsiness is inherent, I’m a firm believer that anyone can be gutsy if they make the decision to be. If you’re not born with it, work on it. Challenge yourself. Get out there. Dive in. Jump off. Launch. It’s so worth it.
What motivates you in life?
Ever since I can remember I’ve wanted to live a full life. Full of adventure and full of experiences. I’m always dreaming, goal-writing, scheming, and sparking. I think that’s what it’s all about. I guess my motivation is the fear of conformity and mediocrity.
What would you like your life to be like at 25, 35, 45?
Toughie! My answers are the same for each one: I want to be running a few businesses I love, traveling the world, jamming and collaborating with awesome people, jumping off things, dreaming, doing, and staying enthusiastic about life in general. I guess you can throw in an awesome guy and possibly some spawn of my own, too.
What would you tell someone who’s afraid of change?
Get over it. Embrace it. Live a little. We’re all a little scared of getting out of our comfort zone, but once you realize that change is progress, life gets a whole lot more interesting. Make the decision to be remarkable.
Who do you admire?
I admire a lot of people and have tons of people I consider heroes. The ones that come to the top of my head are: Seth Godin, Chris Guillebeau, Danielle Laporte, Lachlan Cotter, and Jonathan Mead.
Chris Guillebeau
So tomorrow evening, I shall meet both Jodi and Chris Guillebeau at his Unconventional Book Tour in Los Angeles
at Book Soup (8818 Sunset Blvd.), Friday night at 7pm — hope to see you there!
Do you have any stories to share about people you admire?

Do you believe in setting goals for yourself?

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Marathon Runners
“Whenever you take a step forward, you are bound to disturb something.” INDIRA GANDHI

December is a busy month with added pressures. It is also a time to reflect on what you’ve accomplished during the past year and your goals for the upcoming year. I have come across two interesting theories why it’s important to set goals, and why it really doesn’t matter. You decide.
1. Why you should set goals in your life.
Are you already disciplined and organized? Do you follow a set of goals like the ones below?
  • One-Year Goals: You review your list a few times a year, and have specific categories like fitness, writing, income, travel, family, etc.
  • Five-Year Goals: The “big things” you hope to accomplish, and review once a year.
  • Lifetime Goals: Your bucket list, everything you want to accomplish in your life. You also review this once a year. What memories do you want to have when it’s your time to say “goodbye?” What would you regret not accomplishing?
Chris Guillebeau admits that people who seem to get a lot accomplished, like he does, are not super disciplined but have been able to “create a structure around work” that allows for improvisation. Chris, my new hero, says he takes goals seriously and does work hard, but this is usually a result of him building a good structure to begin with.
2. Why you should not set goals in your life.
On the other hand, Leo Babauta, the author of the popular blog ZenHabits, takes a different approach. He completely changed his life a couple of years ago. At first he focused on goals. He was overweight, a smoker, sedentary, completely stressed and deeply in debt. Goals helped him change his life around and he was then able to run several marathons, get out of debt and start a very successful blog ZenHabits. Now Leo says, “I’ve pretty much given up on goals, though I’m still learning how that works.”
Listening to Leo Babauta talk on FitMarriage I was struck by his statement regarding letting go of goals, and getting away from goal setting. For example, instead of saying, “I shall lose twenty pounds,” Leo recommends focusing on the enjoyment right now, rather than on your future goal. “When you do it that way,” Leo says, “You’re not fixated on where it will get you.” He believes in starting as small as possible, even with exercise. Just five minutes, don’t think one hour.
Leo says, “We give (goals) a lot of credit for our accomplishments, but they didn’t do the work. They might have given us a direction, but in the end, the work is done on a daily basis.”
As Leo points out, “Even with goals, some people aren’t going to achieve anything, because they haven’t figured out how to motivate themselves. Goals don’t do that for you — they just make you feel guilty that you haven’t gotten them done.”
So my advice is to follow what Indira Ghandi said, take a step forward, preferably a Gutsy one. After all, who wants to stand in one place?
Are you a goal setter? If so what’s your style? Any tips are welcome to help us get moving.

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