Amy Schmidt, CANNONBALL!
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[0:53]The sponsor for this whole Labor Day book last week is firstbook.org.
[0:58]Obviously, the pandemic is crippling education for millions of students, especially those in low-income communities.
[1:04]The widening digital divide and extended quote unquote summer slide due to COVID is devastating.
[1:10]Apparently, 40% lack access to reliable internet and functioning digital devices
[1:15]they can use for online learning, making the need for physical books and resources to prevent
[1:20]further educational backsliding absolutely critical. First book breaks down the barriers to education
[1:25]for children living in low-income communities. By providing its network of more than 475,000 educators,
[1:32]serving children in need with free and affordable new high-quality books, educational resources,
[1:38]and basic needs items through the award-winning first-book marketplace nonprofit e-commerce site.
[1:44]They need your support to ensure these children have what they need to learn during this
[1:48]critical time. Visit firstbook.org to help Amy Schmidt is the author of Cannonball,
[1:54]Fearlessly Facing Midlife and Beyond. She's the host of the podcast Fearlessly Facing 50,
[2:00]which I was on even though I'm only 44 right now, but that's okay. And she has a blog at
[2:06]FearlesslyFacing50.com. You should definitely check out all of her stuff and listen to our episode.
[2:12]Welcome, Amy. Thank you so much for coming on mom. Don't have time to read books.
[2:16]I'm thrilled to be here. Thank you, Debbie. This is amazing. Awesome. I had so much
[2:20]fun going on your podcast. So it's so great to know how you're on my podcast.
[2:24]Fun. Hey, women and podcasting. It's a great thing, isn't it? It is. I love it. It's like
[2:29]the secret ingredient and being able to like be at home and be with the kids and yet work and whatever,
[2:35]so. And learn something every time I do it. You know, I sit back and I'm just like, wow, that's
[2:39]so cool. Like I learned something from everybody I talk to, and that just, that just feeds me.
[2:43]I completely agree. I know my kids are like, why do you work? I'm like, it's not like work. It's like,
[2:50]it really, yeah. So anyway, funny thing, it's a funny thing. And there's no button for a podcast.
[2:56]What do you mean? What do you mean? Not that on my podcast. You were like, I remember asking you,
[3:00]when you started your podcast and you were like, yeah, there's no button to start a podcast, you know,
[3:04]got to learn it. I love that. I use that a lot actually. I give you Fred, but it's like,
[3:10]that it's so true. It does take time to learn it, but then when you do, it's amazing. Yeah,
[3:15]there you go. And you are like the inspiration to a whole generation, essentially, with
[3:21]fearlessly facing 50 and now the book version, which you called cannonball fearlessly facing midlife
[3:27]and beyond. By the way, in terms of fearless, the fact that you put yourself in a bathing,
[3:32]that's not, is that, this is you, right? Oh, yeah. That is me. That's the real deal. Yeah.
[3:37]I don't know if there's enough money in the world that I would take to put myself
[3:44]from behind in a bathing suit on the cover of the book. I don't think I would do it.
[3:49]It's crazy. And I never really, we had other, you know, covers that we were thinking about.
[3:54]So I happened to be on vacation for my 50th, right before the whole COVID thing. And I actually
[3:58]have my sunglasses on in that picture because just before that, my girlfriend was like,
[4:02]can't make those because, of course, they're like bifocal sunglasses. They're expensive.
[4:06]Like, I don't think so. But what was going through my mind too at that point was like,
[4:11]how am I going to get out once I jump in? Like, it's not going to be pretty. And that's what we
[4:16]have to get over as women. You know, it just put yourself out there. It's not going to be pretty.
[4:20]Do it. Make your splash. Why not? So how did you end up starting the podcast and writing this
[4:25]book at the stage of your life? Great question. You know, for me, it was just a time in my life
[4:30]where I knew there was more of me to give, to do, to learn. Those were the three big things.
[4:35]I had taken on this role of what I call in the book, Traveling Spouse, which some people go,
[4:40]oh, I ate that. And it's not my favorite term. But it is something I did and I embraced it and
[4:44]I have no regrets doing it. You know, at 22, I was ready to set the world on fire and
[4:49]broadcast journalism was my thing. And then ended up getting married and three kids later,
[4:53]things happened, life shifts. And you just kind of navigate the course as it goes. And you learn
[4:59]so much. So I'm sitting there about six months before I turned 50. And my kids are grown. I've
[5:05]got one at home still. But you know, I have more time. I have more experience. And every conversation
[5:10]I was having with everybody was the same thing, aging parents, body changing, you know, like
[5:16]relationships changing. Now I'm sitting across from my husband a lot more than I was before,
[5:19]because I was always going here with kids and there with kids and he was traveling. We're all
[5:24]talking about these same commonalities. But yet, no one was really opening the dialogue and being
[5:28]vulnerable and putting themselves out there and saying, you know, we can deal with this
[5:33]and build a community around it. So I went forward and launched this podcast. And like you,
[5:38]I had no idea what I was doing. I knew the interview part of it and the research and the
[5:42]guessing would be something I can do. That's something I've done in my past. But actually learning
[5:48]the technology part of it was really challenging. So that's my first, anybody listening out there,
[5:53]challenge yourself around learning, continue to do that. Embrace new challenges. Take those
[5:58]risks. Get uncomfortable. You know, it's okay. And so I wanted to share my story. But more
[6:04]importantly, with the podcast, I wanted to open the dialogue for other women to share their stories,
[6:09]their journeys. And so people can sit back at the end of the podcast and say, wow, like she's
[6:14]inspired me to do something to take action in some way. The story may resonate in a way
[6:19]personally for them or the story may resonate with a neighbor of theirs or a sister. So it's been
[6:26]awesome. And I have everybody from women that share incredible stories, journeys and challenges
[6:32]that they've taken on and how they've propelled forward to expert some top of mind topics.
[6:37]You know, we talk about health. We talk about relationships. We talk about gray and silver divorce.
[6:41]It's a big deal. We talk about empty nesting, all of those things menopause, which is like a big
[6:46]taboo word, which my mom never spoke to me about. It didn't even know if she had a hot flash.
[6:51]So we talk about all that. And then I have celebrities on as well. So it's been amazing. And like
[6:55]I said at the beginning, after every time I just sit back and it's like, wow, I just learned something.
[7:00]So it's really been a cool journey really has. And that's why I started it. I wanted just to change
[7:05]the narrative around midlife from crisis to opportunity, because it really is. It's a great opportunity.
[7:10]It's true. By the way, did you ever connect with my friend who started this is brightly?
[7:14]Yes. Okay. I forgot to follow up. Probably should not have done this in the middle of a podcast,
[7:18]but no, we were supposed to meet in New York City and then literally like March 15th.
[7:23]So we've been just chatting virtually. And it's awesome to know that all these resources are
[7:30]being developed. Like I will be 50 and oh my gosh, in six years, almost six in a little bit.
[7:35]And I'm like, I need to know that when I jump, there'll be like a soft fluffy mattress down there
[7:42]to catch me. So I'm sort of like pulling these resources in close so that they're waiting for me.
[7:49]Not that it should be such a jump, but you know. Yeah. No, totally. No. And that's a great platform.
[7:54]And it really is. It's about, you know, using your resources and asking for help and using your
[8:00]experiences that you have and just propelling forward. It's it's a great, I never thought at 50,
[8:04]I would be saying this because I can remember my mom turning 50 and standing with her,
[8:08]putting her, her pro necklace on and thinking, I think I was 13. Wow, that's old. And I was
[8:16]recently asked on an interview, you know, Amy. So what's the next 10 years look like for you?
[8:21]And that was a really, wow, I'll be 60. I mean, if you would have asked me at 30,
[8:27]I would have said, I'll be outdated. I'll be old. What am I going to be doing at 60? And now it's
[8:32]like, I'm living my best life, you know? It's really crazy. Really crazy. It's great. It's like
[8:38]why, why stop. I don't know. I feel like it's such a fertile time because women who have been
[8:45]like now that we're all living longer and are so well educated and trained, then why not come back?
[8:54]It's like our brains don't go away. That's like part of why I like doing spy guests, like just because
[8:59]we have kids and maybe we're at home making sandwiches every day or whatever, you know, doing the
[9:03]laundry and like whatever. It doesn't mean all those like interesting neurons and thoughts aren't
[9:08]firing all the time. Right. And then we aren't still creative and wanting to contribute and helping
[9:13]others and all that other stuff. So it's like as soon as our kids get older, I don't know. I
[9:18]think it's like so exciting to have this just wave of women flourish back on the scene. You know,
[9:25]it's like pulling back to the curtain and everybody comes like rushing out. It is. It's amazing.
[9:30]It really is. And I've been able to surround myself with incredible women that just keep building
[9:34]up and it's a cool, it's a cool time. You'll enjoy it. You'll enjoy it. I bet. It keeps getting better,
[9:40]you know. So let's talk more about your book. When did you decide to make it into a book at all?
[9:46]And then how long did it take to write? What did you do to write it? You had such a great mix.
[9:50]I was just telling you earlier of personal stories and yet an advice with some bullet points and
[9:55]ways for us all to conceptualize the ways.
[10:00]to live more mindfully essentially and then like how you did it.
[10:04]So just tell me a little of the backstory
[10:06]and all that great question.
[10:08]I've always been a writer.
[10:09]I mean, I always had even in all of those years
[10:11]after I had my kids and during all of these things,
[10:13]I would sit on boards and immerse myself
[10:15]in the community and do all these things,
[10:16]but I was always writing.
[10:18]And one of the parts I write about in the book,
[10:20]one story I share is I've lost both my parents.
[10:23]And at the time I was living in Europe
[10:25]and my dad had Parkinson's a little bit more,
[10:28]I guess you can say expected my mom was completely unexpected,
[10:31]but I had to travel back and I remember
[10:33]Luke Tanza Airlines flying from Frankfurt to Chicago
[10:36]and then trying to get to Milwaukee.
[10:37]And it was funny because I got there
[10:39]and of course if you travel internationally,
[10:41]these flights are never delayed
[10:43]and Luke Tanza especially is never delayed.
[10:45]And on both occasions when I'm trying to make it back
[10:48]from my parents, they're both delayed.
[10:50]And I didn't make it back in time for my mom,
[10:52]but for my dad, I just remember walking down the hallway
[10:56]and here in ICU and having I have five further siblings
[11:00]and one of five and walking in the room and was overwhelmed.
[11:05]And saw my dad and hopefully I still to this day
[11:08]know that he knows I was there.
[11:10]But I had a panic attack, a full on panic attack,
[11:13]which I'd never experienced in my life.
[11:15]More and more women talk about this over 40.
[11:18]I think it was part of that whole changing of hormones
[11:21]and things as well, but it was just I was there by myself.
[11:23]My husband was with my kids in Germany.
[11:26]And I just felt the walls closing in
[11:28]and I went out into the hallway and just kind of collapsed
[11:31]and my brother came around me until I have to say,
[11:33]oh, the cover of the book he said,
[11:35]are you really good away or swimsuit?
[11:36]I mean, so this is my brother that, you know,
[11:38]he just keeps me in fact.
[11:40]He came and sat with me, I was sitting on the floor
[11:42]of the hospital and just couldn't get my breath
[11:43]and he put his arm around me and he just said aim.
[11:46]He knows you're here, he's proud of you and write the damn book
[11:49]because I'd always said for all these years,
[11:52]I'm gonna write a book.
[11:53]And I went for it.
[11:55]I finally allowed myself to let fear just go aside,
[11:58]not get stopped with it trying to be perfect.
[12:01]I wanted it in my own voice.
[12:03]I wanted to share my stories because I knew that,
[12:05]you know, I'm Amy, I mean, it's me, I'm sharing it,
[12:08]I'm being vulnerable, but so many women
[12:10]will be able to resonate with what I'm writing.
[12:12]And that really gave me the power to share what I shared
[12:16]and then, you know, incorporate other women's stories
[12:18]that I've encountered in my journey that have helped me.
[12:22]And then at the end, like you said,
[12:23]there's just strategies to apply to your life anytime
[12:26]whatever your circumstance or story is and recalibrate.
[12:29]So for me, it took me a long time to write it
[12:31]in terms of, it took me a long time to put pen to paper
[12:34]and get it done, it's been a journey,
[12:36]but there were six months, it took me more than six months,
[12:39]but six months before I turned 50 when I started the podcast,
[12:42]my brother's words resonated with me,
[12:44]I thought about my parents, I thought about the experiences I had
[12:46]and I said, I'm gonna go for it,
[12:48]I'm gonna be brave, I'm gonna stop being caught in fear
[12:51]and cannibal, do it, make my splash.
[12:54]And that's how I did it.
[12:56]Went through a lot of editing processes
[12:58]and all those things, as you know, with writing a book,
[13:00]it's a challenge.
[13:02]But, and there were days I wrote three sentences
[13:04]and there were other days I didn't get out of my pajamas
[13:06]from talking to my kid on the bus until he came home.
[13:10]And he was like, mom, seriously, come on.
[13:12]Like, shower, it's like, well, no.
[13:16]But I'll get you dinner, it was processed,
[13:18]but I'm so happy I did it.
[13:20]And I think, too, at 50, I'm proud of it.
[13:23]Like, I'm proud of it.
[13:24]And somebody said, it's really like,
[13:26]there's a lot of details in there, Amy.
[13:28]And I said, it's okay, you know?
[13:29]It's all right, that's what I wanted to do.
[13:31]You have to be vulnerable, you have to be brave.
[13:33]It's amazing.
[13:34]And tell me about your publishing journey once you wrote it.
[13:37]Well, I sent it off to, you know, a million,
[13:39]I'd never done it before and honestly, the power of Google
[13:42]and talking to other authors.
[13:43]It's like, okay, literary agents this way, this way.
[13:46]And I learned from, and I really did engage
[13:48]with a lot of other authors and talked to them
[13:50]who had self published and who had not
[13:52]and who had gone the traditional publishing route.
[13:54]I have one gentleman that I just really relied on.
[13:56]He really is a mentor for me in the business world
[13:59]and he's written several books and he's self published.
[14:01]And he said, you know, the thing about traditional publishing
[14:03]is sometimes they take away your voice.
[14:05]And I think your book is so much to you.
[14:07]Like, you're a writer that just sits on the couch
[14:09]next to somebody and that's how you feel.
[14:11]That's the kind of writing you have.
[14:12]I want it to be in your own voice.
[14:14]And so after many, many, many rejections
[14:16]from sending them out to, you know, publishers here
[14:18]and they're trying to find agents.
[14:20]Midlife, the genre right now is huge.
[14:22]There's a lot of women writing about, you know,
[14:25]their journey.
[14:26]And I connected with Free Tomatoes publishing
[14:28]out of New York City who got back to me and said,
[14:30]listen, we only take so many projects a year.
[14:33]I love your story and I'll keep it in your own voice.
[14:37]And they only published women's work over 40.
[14:39]And it was a perfect fit for me.
[14:42]She was a perfect mentor for me.
[14:44]It was just, it was a really good learning process.
[14:46]And now I'm fueled with so many tools
[14:48]to go forward with my next book.
[14:50]Ooh, tell me about your next book.
[14:52]Well, there's gonna be a workbook.
[14:53]And then the next book is just gonna be a continuation.
[14:56]And really how I use what I talked about in the book,
[14:59]all of these reflections and how I constantly go back
[15:02]and recalibrate and sit back
[15:04]and have to recreate my highlight reel
[15:06]and have to recreate my greatness statements.
[15:09]And just continue, you know, just continue that journey.
[15:12]So yeah, it'll be similar, but different.
[15:14]Awesome, that's exciting.
[15:16]Oh my gosh.
[15:17]Well, some of the strategies I thought were so great.
[15:19]Like reflections on changing your to-do list
[15:22]to be your to-be list.
[15:23]I know that's so like minor, but so hugely impactful.
[15:28]And you put an example to be my best.
[15:30]For example, to be my best, I will exercise today,
[15:33]as opposed to I have to just get on the elliptical
[15:36]machine.
[15:37]Yes, exactly.
[15:38]It's just a mind shift.
[15:40]It really is.
[15:41]But these mind shifts are like, you know,
[15:42]the biggest difference in having a good day and bad day.
[15:45]Honestly, I mean, that all our minds control everything.
[15:49]Your greatness statement.
[15:50]And I love some of the ones that you put in.
[15:52]Some of yours, for example,
[15:53]and you're challenging all of us to write our own
[15:56]greatness statements and there aren't any roles
[15:58]and guidelines you say,
[15:59]be certain your list will inspire you,
[16:00]make a copy of the list.
[16:02]And some of yours are love boldly, smile and laugh often,
[16:06]be loyal, always listen often, be a kind person,
[16:10]make time for your husband and partner,
[16:11]know you are needed in this world, trust your gut.
[16:14]I mean, this is good.
[16:15]It's great to just have it written down,
[16:18]like your own mantra of sorts, right?
[16:20]Like who you are, what's important to you?
[16:22]Because otherwise, the days can just, you know,
[16:25]lie with that being intentional.
[16:28]Yeah.
[16:29]When you laugh, you know, when I just go in
[16:31]and during this whole pandemic, you know,
[16:33]one of the best days in Connecticut
[16:35]was just having my husband come around me
[16:37]and like just put his arms around me.
[16:40]And it was like, wow, like I feel great.
[16:42]I feel safe.
[16:43]I feel all those little things you take for granted
[16:46]and sitting and making your own greatness statements.
[16:48]And especially for women,
[16:50]because we just don't stop in favor of those moments,
[16:53]we just go to the next thing
[16:54]and we don't realize all we've done.
[16:56]And we do amazing things.
[16:58]So true.
[16:59]I also love how you say we can't judge.
[17:01]The people around us without knowing their stories
[17:03]and how sometimes you have to look up
[17:04]and you share a story about running into a woman
[17:06]at the New York Public Library
[17:08]when you were trying to work.
[17:09]And at first, you know, she wanted to chitchat
[17:12]and you were trying to so hard to focus.
[17:14]And then she talked about how she had actually lost
[17:15]her husband and realized that there was such a story
[17:19]and sort of like put your work aside.
[17:20]And now of course you included in the book.
[17:22]So it's like it all came full circle.
[17:23]You're able to use it.
[17:24]But tell me more about that moment
[17:26]and the importance of stuff is looking up.
[17:29]And I have goosebumps because her name is Babs.
[17:32]I want spoiled the whole thing,
[17:34]but I will just say that I was caught up
[17:36]and I knew I was meeting my daughter.
[17:37]She works in Manhattan at a certain time.
[17:39]I was done with a couple of meetings
[17:40]and I had a window.
[17:42]And it was like, okay, this is my window.
[17:44]I'm putting on my headphones.
[17:45]I'm going to the library
[17:45]because it's my favorite spot in the world.
[17:47]And I love to write there.
[17:49]And I sat down and I was just in the zone.
[17:52]You know how we get?
[17:52]It's like turned my phone off.
[17:54]And I'm like, I have this time.
[17:55]I need to get through this chapter and just write it.
[17:58]And of course, you know, you drift off
[18:00]and you see a couple sitting over here
[18:01]and you look at all these people that are coming in
[18:03]and this overwhelming smell of garlic is next to me.
[18:07]And it ends up being the most amazing conversation.
[18:13]I sent her a book.
[18:14]It's for us to take time because we learned so much
[18:16]from other people and you never know
[18:19]until you embrace that moment.
[18:20]I added value to her that day.
[18:22]She added so much value to me.
[18:24]And I could have so easily not looked up
[18:27]and just kept going and just saying,
[18:28]I got to finish chapter three.
[18:29]This is the lady's driving me crazy.
[18:32]I can't get past the garlic smell.
[18:33]Why is she moving your chair over toward me?
[18:36]You know, seriously, like I'm listening to John Mayer.
[18:39]I am in my writing zone.
[18:40]And it's one of the true gifts that I've experienced.
[18:44]So pretty cool stuff.
[18:46]That's amazing.
[18:47]And it takes a lot of discipline to shift out of those times.
[18:51]Like I feel like, yes.
[18:52]Like what you were saying with, I have a window.
[18:54]Like that resonates so much.
[18:56]Cause I'm like, this is when I've allocated time to do this.
[18:59]And if I don't do it, then I won't be able to do
[19:01]the other six things that I was going to do later.
[19:03]And then the whole thing.
[19:04]And it's like a whole snowball.
[19:05]And when am I ever getting any done?
[19:06]And that thing's going to finish.
[19:08]And it all like weighs on you so much.
[19:10]And anyway, so I love this.
[19:13]I feel like I needed the story personally.
[19:14]So yeah, thank you.
[19:15]You give yourself permission to take those moments.
[19:18]Cause you never know what's going to come out of them.
[19:20]And I hope through writing this book
[19:21]to my kids see that a little bit more.
[19:23]Because, you know, I've got older kids
[19:25]and they're navigating this uncertainty right now.
[19:28]And they're thinking about their futures
[19:30]and what's September going to bring?
[19:32]What's October?
[19:32]I don't think I can move back into the city until January.
[19:35]You know, all of these things.
[19:36]And it's like just embrace the moment that you're in.
[19:39]And that's easy for a 50 year old to say.
[19:41]It's not easy for, you know, to translate to a 23 year old,
[19:44]but it is so important to take those moments
[19:46]just to look up.
[19:47]And you never know what you're going to learn.
[19:48]I made an incredible new friend.
[19:50]And that's not easy to do with midlife.
[19:52]I talk about it in the book friendships.
[19:53]It's like, you know, some evolve, some evaporates,
[19:56]some, you know, new ones bloom.
[19:58]You just never know.
[19:59]You never know.
[20:00]and you don't know what people are,
[20:01]what just happened to somebody who crosses your path, right?
[20:04]You don't know what tragedy or what anything.
[20:07]And you can't make assumptions.
[20:08]I mean, of course, now I cross paths with basically nobody.
[20:11]It's like my husband and I am my kids just like crossing the same,
[20:14]like, etched into the kitchen floor,
[20:15]like, you know, they're like grooves at this point
[20:18]between the table and the kitchen after like being here
[20:20]for so long.
[20:21]Totally.
[20:22]And choreographed.
[20:23]I'm not sick, I'm just getting a bed all in school.
[20:24]Yeah, I'm so happy.
[20:26]But a girlfriend of mine just finished reading,
[20:28]at Lacey Crawford's new book, The Memoir about her time
[20:31]at St. Paul's where she underwent sexual assault and all this.
[20:34]And my friend actually knew her at school
[20:36]at a later stage of her life.
[20:38]And felt like she had made some assumptions about her
[20:41]without knowing her story.
[20:42]And she said now reading her book,
[20:44]she's like, wow, I'm not going to make assumptions
[20:46]about anyone ever again, because you don't know.
[20:49]So for her, that's what it took, you know, for you.
[20:51]It might have been, you know, an afternoon at the library,
[20:54]but just at some point we all just have to, you know,
[20:57]you just don't know.
[20:58]I mean, it sounds easy to say,
[20:59]but you have to like learn it somehow yourself.
[21:01]So, yep, yep, exactly.
[21:04]Odd on, anyway.
[21:05]So do you have advice to aspiring authors now that you've,
[21:08]oh, gosh, yes, cannonball out into the world.
[21:12]And PS, I love my little blurb here.
[21:14]I was so excited when it came and you included me.
[21:17]So thank you.
[21:18]That was awesome.
[21:19]I was honored.
[21:20]Yeah, for anybody, anybody listening, just do it.
[21:23]You know, just do it.
[21:24]And don't let that fear set in.
[21:27]When I talk about cannonball,
[21:29]I always, you know, talk about visualizing myself
[21:31]going to the pool when you're a young kid
[21:34]and you're running to get to the pool at the club
[21:36]or at the public pool and your mom's trying to
[21:38]allow their own, you know, sunscreen is quick,
[21:39]but you're just jumping in and you're making this splash
[21:42]and you're saying, mom, watch me, you know,
[21:44]watch me again and do it again and do it again and do it again.
[21:46]And then we hit this age where we so want to jump in
[21:50]fearless like we used to.
[21:52]And we want to go to the top of that high dive
[21:54]and we get to about the third tier, the third run,
[21:57]and we look up and something stops us.
[21:59]And it's fear of perfectionism for women a lot of times.
[22:02]It's fear of just that power procrastinating
[22:04]and putting it off.
[22:05]I'll do it when I have more time tomorrow
[22:07]or I'll do it when the kids get bigger.
[22:09]So for anybody that's thinking about writing a book,
[22:12]it's your cannonball moment.
[22:13]That's what I call it, cannonball with confidence.
[22:15]Doesn't have to be perfect.
[22:17]Doesn't have to adhere to a certain timeline.
[22:19]Maybe you'll never finish it,
[22:21]but at least you started.
[22:23]And I think there's so much power in that.
[22:25]You know, get up, get dressed, get going is what I always say.
[22:28]And those days when you just want to pull the covers over
[22:30]and you want to say, oh, just make this go away.
[22:32]The uncertainty that's coming for all of us
[22:34]and the fall navigating kids and routines
[22:37]and work schedules, we don't know what's coming.
[22:39]Get up, get dressed, get going and just start.
[22:42]And maybe it's a sentence.
[22:43]Maybe it's three.
[22:44]Maybe you can write three chapters.
[22:46]Doesn't matter.
[22:47]But just get over judging it and just do it.
[22:50]I think that's my best advice.
[22:52]That's great advice.
[22:53]And also I love the analogy of the cannonball
[22:55]because there is no such thing as a perfect cannonball.
[22:57]I mean, the whole point of a cannonball
[22:59]is to be sloppy and messy and splashy
[23:02]and just like all over the place.
[23:05]So it's just the perfect.
[23:08]And you want to be able to do it with confidence
[23:11]so that anybody watching that waves are spilling over
[23:14]the side of the pool and you're in your tankini
[23:17]and you probably are worrying about getting up the ladder
[23:19]or trying to pull yourself out of the pool.
[23:21]Because that's what we do now.
[23:22]It's like, I'll do it.
[23:24]Maybe I'll do it.
[23:24]But how am I going to get myself out of the pool?
[23:26]You'll get yourself out of the pool.
[23:28]You'll get yourself out the ladder.
[23:29]You just got to do it and make your splash.
[23:31]And that's what it's all about.
[23:33]Love it.
[23:34]Well, Amy, thank you so much.
[23:35]I love this chat.
[23:36]I knew I would and I did.
[23:38]And thank you for this one.
[23:39]Oh, I feel like just went and had coffee
[23:41]with a friend or something.
[23:42]So thank you.
[23:43]I know, me too.
[23:44]Me too.
[23:44]It was fantastic.
[23:45]Thank you for having me.
[23:46]I so appreciate it.
[23:47]I'm so proud of you of what you do.
[23:49]I watched your journey and it inspires me.
[23:52]And I've told to be this before.
[23:53]You were a mentor.
[23:54]You really are for me in many, many ways.
[23:56]And I encourage women to have mentors.
[23:59]They don't even need to know you sometimes.
[24:01]I mean, I have mentors that don't even know who I am,
[24:03]but you need those people in your life
[24:06]to continue to inspire you.
[24:07]And you do that for me.
[24:08]So I applaud you with what you're doing.
[24:09]Thank you.
[24:10]Well, you're inspiring me with your book.
[24:11]So there we go.
[24:13]And they feel beyond the cover with your swimsuit.
[24:15]Somebody asked me, what swimsuit is that?
[24:17]It's kind of cute.
[24:18]Oh my gosh.
[24:19]Don't even know.
[24:20]It's true.
[24:21]I mean, it's very flattering.
[24:22]I like it.
[24:23]Yeah, thank you.
[24:23]Yeah, thank you for having me.
[24:25]Thanks for coming.
[24:26]I have a great day, Amy.
[24:27]All right.
[24:28]OK, bye.
[24:30]Thanks so much to firstbook.org for sponsoring
[24:32]this Labor Day book blast.
[24:35]Please consider giving to firstbook.org
[24:37]to help their network of 475,000 educators serving
[24:41]children in need.
[24:42]Thanks for listening to this episode of Mom's Don't Have Time
[24:45]to Read Books.
[24:46]Don't forget to follow me on Instagram, at Zippy Owens,
[24:49]and at Mom's Don't Have Time to Read Books.
[24:51]Also sign up for my newsletter, at Zippy Owens.com,
[24:53]and sign up for my virtual book club,
[24:55]and meet lots of authors on Zoom every other week.
[24:58]Thanks so much to Steve and Ryan at Texture Sound
[25:00]for the Sound Editing.
[25:01]And thank you to Morning Moon Productions
[25:03]for providing this fantastic intro and now trim music.