The Mind-Body Way Book Co-Writing Process with Julie Beaulac and Courtney Amo
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Casey: [00:00:00] Hey there, it's Casey here, your host for the Purpose Map Podcast and founder of Worthy and Well, and I am just excited to introduce you today to Dr. Julie Boak and Courtney amo, who are two incredible women who I've been collaborating with for the last three years so that we could put. An incredible new book out into the world.
The Mind Body way, the Embodied Leader's Path to Resilience, connection, and Purpose is now available for purchase. We are so excited. If you're interested in getting a copy in your hands, which why wouldn't you, I suggest you go to Mind Body way book.com. We'll link that link up in the show notes. That's where we share our suggested retailer links, and you can purchase straight from.
This is part one of a two-part episode with these two beauties. We talk in this episode actually about the co-writing process and how the pathway toward putting [00:01:00] this book into the world has transformed us, has connected us, has helped us to build trust and actually live the pillars that we speak about in regards to embodied leadership.
So I'm so excited for you to tune in and get to know. These two humans, Julie and Courtney, my co-authors, and in part two we'll be sharing more about the content of the book. So I hope you enjoy. I'll check in with you at the end. Take really good care. How would you describe Julie, the phase that we're at right now?
The transition and, and, mm-hmm. What part of the process we're in right now, it feels
Julie: aligned with the season that we're experiencing in Canada. Like, Spring with things blooming like it feels like the past three years we've been planting. Well, first preparing the soil, planting the seeds, tending to the garden of this process, and [00:02:00] now everything's blooming.
I don't know how that lands with you
Casey: two. Yeah. Courtney, how does it feel for you,
Courtney: all of that? There's also tracking of mud inside the house.
Casey: What do you
Julie: mean when you say that?
Courtney: That, uh, there's gonna be ups and downs that even though we're at this phase where it feels like one chapter is being completed and we're opening into another chapter, that there will always be these little moments of, of muddy paws sort of dirtying up the floor.
Just keeping us grounded and keeping us humble and yeah, to stay present in the moment. We can't disconnect from any of this. It's still very much live and, uh, mm-hmm.
Casey: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney, this morning I had a, a team meeting for Worthy and well, and I used your [00:03:00] comment about the rugs, like intentionally having a flaw in the rug.
Is that tur? Is it Turk?
Courtney: I think the story is supposed to be, you know, artisan, like highly skilled Persian rug makers Persian. But who knows where, where the story actually comes
Casey: from. Yeah, I, I really appreciated that. So for the listener in our team meeting on Tuesday, so Courtney, Julie and I have been meeting, gosh, since 2020, every Sunday for a couple of hours, pretty much minus a few Sundays and there, and then more recently, we've been meeting on Tuesdays for anywhere.
30 to 60 minutes just to touch base and to ground our bodies and to connect over what needs to be done from the book perspective. And this past Tuesday, we had a call and it was like a call to determine if we were ready to send our book off for printing. So this is after, you know, writing a manuscript.
Uh, how many rounds of [00:04:00] content edits did we do? Three rounds maybe. There were
Julie: so many different editing stages. There was a copy editing the, I forget even all the terminology.
Casey: Yeah. For the different phases of editing.
Julie: Three different big rounds of editing, but within each,
Casey: there was several rounds. Yeah.
And then the five rounds of proofreading. Yeah. And so, and so it was like this meeting where we're like, okay. Do we trust ourselves and do we trust the process? And do we trust the amazing page two team that we've been working with to get our book out into the world? And are we ready to send this out?
And Courtney, you told this story about Persian rugs, whether it originated there or not, but how like, Amazing artisans intentionally leave a little flaw in the work to stay humble and in humility. And I think my response was like, um, if we can avoid the flaws, that's ideal, but, and also thank you for that because there probably will be flaws that we will find and it will be fine.
So I just wanted to thank [00:05:00] you again, Courtney for that because I've used it in other parts of my work and life and just that reminder to like, it's okay to be human and. Flawed and Go ahead anyway, so, Hmm.
Julie: Yeah, I would, I would take it a step further and go, not only is it okay, but it is beautiful to be human.
Mm-hmm. And one of the underlying themes of both our book and our co-writing process is on connection. Being human and having, not even having, cause we all have, there's flaws everywhere. We use flaws loosely. It helps to connect.
Courtney: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think, I don't wanna speak for the two of you, but I suspect we're in similar boths in terms of recovering from perfectionist tendencies. And how [00:06:00] perfectionism to build off of what you were saying, Julie perfectionism keeps us separate. Yeah. Right. It makes others feel like we are
distanced different. Mm-hmm. More able to achieve this impossible level. And it keeps, I know for me personally, throughout my. Striving for perfectionism kept me isolated, lonely, disconnected from others. Mm-hmm. Because generally people wouldn't understand why I kept pushing and pushing and pushing. So I think there's a, mm-hmm.
There's a lesson in that. Um, and just like all things, you know, you have to hold the, hold both the extremes together so that she can sort of see what lies in between. And, um, I think growing up with, with perfectionist tendencies mm-hmm. Was certainly for me, a driver towards [00:07:00] achievement. And I can still hold on to that drive and that desire to do good quality work while now as a, as a, as maybe a, a more and more adult, adult, still growing as an adult.
But, um, in that, Being able to to let go of some of the anxiousness around. Mm. And be a bit softer with, with myself and others around mistakes for sure.
Casey: Yeah. Thank you for that, Courtney. And I feel like that's such a beautiful, uh, entry point maybe into this conversation about the co-writing process. And I'm curious based on what you just shared, Courtney, and I love that you said adult.
Adult or like even continuing to grow in as adult. As an adult. I feel like I knew exactly what you were talking about. Um, how do you feel the co-writing process maybe supported [00:08:00] letting go of perfectionism or how did perfectionism show up for you in this process? I'm really curious of your thoughts on that.
Mm-hmm.
Courtney: Mm-hmm. Well, I remember really early on when we were discussing the co-writing process and how we were going to do it, there was a question that came up and I, I can't recall who raised it, and I think we've shared this story before, but it, it's worth repeating. The question that came up was when we shift from one person writing on one topic and we hand that off to the second author, To go over, refine and add two, do we save the original somewhere?
Do we create a backup? Do we find some way of sort of preserving what the original, uh, author had put in? And I remember us talking that through and very quickly realizing that there was gonna have to be some sort of [00:09:00] letting go because if we tried to keep. Of every single change and every single individual decision.
And try to then bring that to committee, as it were, between the three of us, we'd still be writing the intro, you know? And I don't know that that was maybe, I don't know if that was comfortable for any of us at the time, but I, we all, we all agreed to do it that way. Mm-hmm. And, um, and that was freeing.
That was a unique, um, moment in being comfortable in that discomfort of not being in control.
Casey: Yeah. Thanks for sharing that, Courtney. I know that, you know, in retrospect, looking back, that decision kicked off a healing around collaboration [00:10:00] in a way that I could never have expected. Um, and, and I think part of how that was possible for me speaking about perfectionism is like part of my perfectionism journey has been actually owning that I hold a higher standard than many, and that that might not be a bad thing.
You know, what if the, the positive connotation to perfectionism is having a high standard. And so for me, Looking back to be able to let go so soon in a collaborative process speaks to the standard that both of you hold in your work. The standard that I felt like, uh, early on I was like, whoa, collaboration is so much easier when we're holding the same standard too.
So it's almost at both end, like I almost got to heal my perfectionism by realizing that there's a beautiful part of that for [00:11:00] me, which is like elevating the standard. And then the other side is, is also letting go within that. So, um, yeah, it was really powerful for me. How did that impact you, Julie, that decision?
Julie: I think similarly to what both of you have described, um, it was just a beautiful foundation for
Casey: a
Julie: trusting and connected co-writing experience. It, it really set the stage for everything that followed. It felt natural. It actually didn't, there wasn't a sense of friction for me in making that decision. Um, and I think taking a step back to our initial meeting together, the three of us, and talking about the vision of this book and how we [00:12:00] wanted to even take this journey together.
There was this, just this immediate felt sense of Yes. Like something that we, we,
Casey: I, I couldn't find word to explain.
Julie: It was just a whole body. Yes. This synergy between the three of us works and
Casey: I'm all in. And that was from the, that very
Julie: first Zoom call, the three of us. Um, Courtney and I of course knew each other for a couple decades, but Casey, I'd never met you.
Casey: Mm-hmm. And up until
Julie: recently had not physically met you in person I know. And just the energy of that first meeting and our shared. Vision for this project. It just, it felt, it's felt natural all along there. There hasn't been [00:13:00] friction and I think about the two different states that we can generally be in that of, um, constriction or flow.
And this whole process has been one of flow. That doesn't mean there hasn't, there have not been moments of difficulty challenge or like,
Casey: oh, I'd rather be out hiking today,
Julie: rather than sitting writing.
Casey: But overall, it's
Courtney: just been trusting
Julie: in the process and much more
focused
Casey: on process, which I think makes our writing
Julie: experience.
Unique in many ways rather than outcome. We didn't have a like, this is what we're gonna produce and this is what some publishers told us we need to write. It's, it's been much more fluid and organic and the feedback we're getting now from everyone that's been able to read an advanced copy of our book has been, It's so easy to read and flow so well [00:14:00] and so practical and, ugh, I can't write to read it again and take my time with exercises.
And that's been our vision of, of this book. Yeah.
Casey: Yeah. One of. Uh, one of the folks in my community who has been reading a digital advanced reader copy just messaged me this morning saying, I can't wait to have this book in my hand so I can scribble up the pages and take notes. Mm-hmm. And so I love that so much.
And, and what you said, Julie, about process, um, I'm like, we've been so much in the process that at the time of this recording, like our book is about to come out, listener, by the time you listen to this, hopefully. Hopefully the book is out. You know, like Courtney spoke about like muddy, muddy feet through the room.
We're dealing with some of that behind the scenes at the moment. Um, but speaking of process, this has been so much about the process and being present to the process that I'm kind of in a space of like, oh my gosh, right. Right. We're [00:15:00] doing this to put a book out into the world, like I've almost forgotten about the outcome or the result.
Mm-hmm. And, um, you know, that we're in that space of like, here's the outcome or result, like a book being out into the world. Um, and yet there's still process connected with it. So yeah. I totally agree with that part. Yeah. Yeah. And thanks for sharing about the, the full body. Yes. With us connecting. And I just feel like there's an opportunity to thank Courtney for initiating this whole conversation.
Mm-hmm. And Courtney, maybe you can speak to that too. Like what, what was it that like called you to invite both Julie and I to come together and, you know, you were the common glue, right? Like you and I, Courtney met in India at our yoga teacher training. And you and Julie had known each other for. But there was something in you that sparked the question of bringing us all together.
Mm-hmm.
Julie: Mm-hmm.
Courtney: Well, well, Julie and I had [00:16:00] been talking about doing some sort of a project together. We hadn't really defined it yet. Mm-hmm. I think we had, even Julie started a, a Google drive and started dumping ideas, random quotes and things, but it, it hadn't really taken. And, um, at some point I, I was having to do, uh, a talk about leadership and I felt really hesitant.
Julie, you were using the words sort of constriction and, and flow earlier. I felt very constricted going into that talk, and I remembered, Casey, that you had shared on social media the recording of your TEDx talk. Let your body. And I thought, I'm gonna go watch that talk again and see, and I watched the talk and I rewrote my whole speech in the hotel room the night before I delivered [00:17:00] the speech in the morning.
And it was after that that I, I messaged you to tell you about that experience and the idea of, um, of some sort of project around this was starting to. And I spoke to Julie about it, and I spoke to you about it and then connected the two of you and, and that was it. So it was really just that moment of inspiration of I trusted my body enough to know that I needed to change my mind about what I was going to do.
And you, through your TEDx talk, provided me with a bit of structure and guidance around how to approach. And the fact that Julie and I already had this idea of doing something together that was, uh, was starting to take shape. It just felt right. And I know, Julie, you had a kind of a synchronistic sort of happening at the [00:18:00] same time that made my call resonate with you.
Do you wanna say a bit about that? Yeah.
Julie: Highly synergistic, uh, and synchronistic. Happening. So I remember that call vividly, Courtney, uh, walking home from somewhere on a snowy Ottawa evening. And I had just a couple days before gotten out of a long silent meditation pasta retreat, 11 days in silence. And during that retreat over Christmas and.
New Year's of 2019, leading up into 2020, right before this project started, I had. The word embodiment come to me. And during that call between Courtney and I, um, she says to me, Julie, I have, I have our [00:19:00] project. We're gonna write a book on embodied leadership. And I
Casey: was like, all right,
Julie: yes, yes, yes. We are not sure what exactly that's gonna look like, but it was again, a whole body.
Yes, it. It just felt natural, like, okay,
Casey: yes, of course this is what's next. Yeah. And then Courtney, you had no idea that I had a book on my mind, did you?
Courtney: Well, I remember in India you talking about wanting to write a book. Okay. And um, I think we had had a conversation, a Zoom call after we got back from India where you talk, you talked about it a bit.
So I did have a bit in the back of my mind this idea that you would want to. To write, but really what made me think that you might be a good match for, for Julie and I was just the presence that you had when I met you in India. Like I would listen to your questions and watch you move around the [00:20:00] room and the interventions that you would bring into the conversations, and I was.
In admiration of all of that. And so for me, even though when we were in India, we were very much focused on the teacher training, and there wasn't a lot of time to get to know people super well. We're very, very busy just trying to cover the curriculum. I, I had this sense that you were, you were someone different.
It ties back to what you were saying earlier about that, that standard, right, that perfectionism. The positive dimension of perfectionism is perhaps holding a higher standard, looking for a higher level of, of quality in product. And it just seemed like even every time you asked a question, you weren't just letting in yet letting words flow out of you.
There was some consciousness there, there was some thought there, some intentionality, and I, I was really impressed.
Casey: Hmm. Thank you for saying [00:21:00] that. I feel really seen and, um, when I asked that, like, you didn't know that I wanted to write a book, I, I genuinely thought that you hadn't known, but I'm like, yeah, I probably did mention it at some point.
And thank you for, um, recognizing my presence, which is such an embodied quality, right? Like that. And I had a similar experience with you court where it just felt like, um, What did I feel when I met you? Okay. The words that are coming to me, and I'm not gonna filter them, there's a part of me that wants to filter them is like, that's a woman who could get shit done.
You know? And like would, would, it doesn't just talk about something but actually executes on it and takes it to completion. Like I felt in you almost like a trust and like you're someone who is loyal. You have like a loyal presence. Not flaky, you know? And I think that's actually like worth [00:22:00] really grounding into in spaces, in spiritual spaces, especially in ashrams in India you can, we meet people that are floating from ashram to ashram seeking a spiritual high and are forgetting that like Vish Fiji says like, good yogis are useful to society.
And I remember feeling from your presence, Courtney, this like, she's not just here to. Seek that spiritual high. There's a, there's a deeper reason and there's a service-oriented nature to your being. So in a similar way, it's almost like it's amazing how the body speaks. And of course it does. That's what our whole book is about, right?
Like embodiment, not embodied presence. And Julie, don't worry, I'll get to you when we first met, what, like three weeks ago, four weeks ago in Costa Rica. Um, but anyway, back to the sort of origin story of this book coming together. So you heard like Courtney's sort of perspective and Julie's perspective and I was in a space of having in my Google Drive a bunch of different stories that didn't make it [00:23:00] into the TEDx talk, like automatically in the creation process, it feels like there's.
Even with the three of us, it's like we were writing this book, but I feel like there could be a book about how to co-write. You know, it's like these unknown, unexpected creations that stem from the initial intentional creation. So I had gone through that creative process with the TEDx talk and I had all these, you know, unfinished documents that were like stories and I was just feeling like this could go into a book somewhere.
But I also felt. Maybe I needed that part that I recognized in you, Courtney, like, take this to execution, get shit done, take this idea and pull it through. And in many ways I feel like you have been the glue in this, in this trio that has helped us to ground and stay on track. You know, like when Julie and I are like spit firing ideas and like getting, getting the ball rolling with concepts, you're the one that's.
Recording in the background and, and [00:24:00] like grounding it. So it's interesting to reflect on that now, how our initial impressions of each other were like sparks that we then got to acknowledge and recognize later down in the process. Um, so yeah, that's kind of how it all started through a series of synchronistic events for each of us.
And then, like you said, Julie hopping on that first call and I had that same feeling of like, yep, I can work with these two women. So that was really beautiful. How was it for you, Courtney, in the very first call when the three of us came together? Like how did that feel for you?
Do you remember
Courtney: it? No, I'm just kind of trying to go back to it in my mind and it felt, it felt exciting and hopeful. Hmm. You know, um, I think we've all had experiences. Wanting to start projects with other people, collaborations that that haven't necessarily led to [00:25:00] concrete action. Mm-hmm. So there's always that bit of nervousness when you get started.
First, am I, um, am I using my own time in other people's time wisely in this? And then second, Will we collectively be able to sustain a level of engagement that will get us through? And I remember in some of our early, early conversations when we talked about how long the book would take, the book writing process, uh, I think collectively we all underestimated it.
So there were moments even over the course of the project where I would worry a little bit in thinking like, Ooh, this is longer than what we had anticipated. So how. How will we collectively sustain ourselves so that we do get to the finish line? And I, I know we have that commitment, um, but I've also had in my body the stored experience of previous attempts that, that hadn't been successful, where things did go too long and when people [00:26:00] started to disconnect.
So there was always that, um, A desire to make sure that every interaction brought the kind of value that we were all looking for, so that we would all continue to take those steps forward.
Casey: Mm-hmm. Yeah. And for the listener, that first call, I think, Julie, you mentioned this briefly, or Courtney, I can't remember.
That first call happened in January of 20. And we're now, that's a very important context. Yeah. We're now in April of 2023 at the time that this is being recorded and the time that our book is coming out into the world or is out into the world depending. Um, and so that's a, that's a three year journey through, I'll speak for myself.
One of the most, like life-changing. Experiences of my life and, and maybe collectively. Um, and so Julie, maybe you can kick us off with speaking a little bit more about the process after that [00:27:00] initial call, initial conversation. And actually I'd like to hear like about your personal process. Through writing the book because like we're talking about embodied leadership and I feel like embodiment brings the humanity and the personal back into leadership spaces in a way.
And so yeah. How do you feel like the book writing process. Changed you, transformed, you provide, what did it provide for you over the last three years? You know, maybe especially that first year while we're navigating a whole bunch of new moments collectively, there's so much
Julie: the case. Um,
Courtney: I was actually
Julie: reflecting with a friend yesterday about how grounding it was to have this.
Collaboration and this project over the past three years, it was this constant [00:28:00] point of connection and a authentic connection when so much in our world was feeling more disconnected and isolated. Um, I can't imagine the past three years without, I'm getting teary, without the three, without the two of you, without us, without this project.
Um, yeah, so that's a bit about that. And I guess the other thing that really comes to mind is
what, hmm, how would I say that?
Casey: With everything we do. With everything I do, there's growth and
Julie: thinking back in the early stages of writing, I know you two will agree with me on this, that I [00:29:00] struggled to put more real examples of my own self in the book. And. Show more vulnerability
Casey: for, for me in the book, part of
Julie: that's like the professional side of me as a psychologist and yada yada, kind of the, the messaging I've gotten from my college and from my training that, you know, you keep yourself separate from, you know, your clients and so forth, and the process of getting more vulnerable, telling some of my stories.
Has been an, an invaluable part of writing this book, um, healing and also, um, yeah, healing not just in terms of, uh, the book process, but in terms of showing up differently in my life in a, a more full bodied [00:30:00] way. So, and I, I think this probably resonates with both of you too. We've all grown from the work we've put put out in this book.
Mm-hmm. This has been, you know, a healing process for all of us in different ways, and my, my, my hope is that this can also help everyone that reads the book to continue along their own healing.
Casey: It's lifelong. Yeah. And it's amazing how leadership isn't about just leading others in like your C-Suite position or as an entrepreneur or as a parent, or as a coach or a guide.
It's like leading yourself through. Personal and professional growth. Mm-hmm. So no human is exempt from leadership. Mm-hmm. And, [00:31:00] yeah. I love that you spoke of, of the, you know, Courtney and I encouraging you like Julie, we could use one of your stories here actually, you know, and. And just witnessing you, Julie, in that I, I can see, even though we just met in person recently for the first time, but even through connecting in the digital realm, I could see how that vulnerability through the writing of your own stories translated to other areas of life.
You know, personal relationships or work relationships. It's just you've unfolded in like a, I maybe don't have the right language, but like a more open, soft, uh, integrated way. Does that feel true for you? That feels very true for me.
Julie: Yeah. That line bits, absolutely.
Casey: Yeah. Court. How have you transformed through the writing process?
Julie: Hmm. [00:32:00]
Courtney: Interesting question. I have, similar to what you were saying, Julie, appreciated the, the consistency of our connection. Mm-hmm. That every week there would be this point of contact that would help me to, to ground. And to, to get organized for the, for the week. So yes, we were on a project together, we were writing a book, but we were also doing a lot of sharing around what was going on in our lives.
And that was hugely valuable to have that, uh, that point of contact with, with where, where we could each support each other in staying grounded. We didn't always all show up in the same way to those calls, but I think we would all walk away a little bit more center. A little bit more grounded after the call.
So there was a very, uh, supportive [00:33:00] aspect to that. Um, and then this last year as, as you both know, has been a, an important year of, of loss for me, um, with the loss of, of all of my parents and, um, having this project. As a bit of a backbone to how my time was organized, I feel really helped not only because of what we were, how we were doing the project, what the process was, but, but even the content.
So we all, I think, came into this project with knowledge, with, with good solid knowledge about embodiment and about leadership and how these two elements intersected together. But this book required us to dig really deep and to be confident in the knowledge we were bringing forward. So there's a huge amount of learning, [00:34:00] uh, and discovery that went through that, that happened at the right time.
It created such a foundation for me to, um, to be able to have presence. During this time of great loss, resilience to, to get through it. Um, and also just, just compassion for myself and, and others and, and how we were all going to be living this in a different way. Mm-hmm. So, to me, the, the content, the process, and the content of the book.
Well, it ties into what you were saying, Julie, in terms of it being healing and, and allowing for growth. Yeah, it happened at the right moment and uh, and served in multiple ways.
Casey: Thanks for sharing that court. What about for you
Julie: Case?
Casey: Oh, goodness gracious. Uh, it's amazing to have consistent connection with people in a [00:35:00] certain context for three years, almost weekly and or more, especially in these last few months as we've been preparing for the release of the book. And, um, getting ready for that.
And this conversation is really beautiful as a point of reflection, um, for me. 2020. I started 2020 feeling really expansive and really excited about everything in my personal and professional life. And then when March, 2020 came around, that like led to, from a business perspective, owing $30,000 US in refunds for a retreat that we sold in advance.
And I hadn't managed that money properly. It led to, um, you know, throughout 2020, a lot of. Uh, trauma came up for healing. My body felt very dysregulated. Interestingly, as we navigated [00:36:00] embodiment and regulation and, and were writing about that in the book, it was like I became more dysregulated than I'd ever felt before.
And, um, worked with a lot of practitioners, coaches, and healers and breath workers and therapists and, you know, found a mentor and had, it was like I needed more support than I ever had needed before because some of my own trauma was like ripe for the healing. So for the first year and a half of this book, there were many Sundays where I did not wanna show.
For the writing process. And yet something deep down always was like, show up. That's all you have to do is show up. There's no flaking out of this show up. And Courtney, you spoke of this, but the co-regulation that happened in every single one of those sessions, it was like, wow. And we got work done. We wrote, but it was like the, the work and the [00:37:00] presence and the co-writing, even just the body doubling, you know, having our mics off, but seeing each other's faces and being able to connect back in after a stint of writing it provided a necessary co-regulation that helped me, um, calm my nervous system.
When it was particularly dysregulated, and that wasn't every time of course, but there were certain moments where I really felt that and I really navigated in, in 2020 more than I had before in my life. Insecurities about who I was and what I was doing and my work and like, I think that's a natural response to.
So I feel emotional sharing that, but it was very true and, and in retrospect I'm like, fuck, that was hard. You know, like that was hard. And then I feel like in, you know, the more recent. Previous year, um, I've been living my own comeback story. I've been [00:38:00] like Phoenix, rising from the ashes in my own personal and professional life is what I feel like on the inside.
And so it's been interesting how Courtney, I feel like when your losses started to come in the latter half of this process, my expansion started to come back, my light started to come back. And isn't that beautiful that we could hold each other through all of that in different states? And I feel, yeah, more recently I just, I just really have been experiencing my joy and my bliss and my expansion and my fullness and, um, What a beautiful gift in a collaboration to not have to hide any of those states, regardless of what the other people are experiencing.
To have enough trust in the relationship to like love each other in whatever state we're in. And truly, that's what it feels like. We created deep, unconditional love for one another through this process. Like, A hundred percent we end our emails and our texts with I love you too. Thank [00:39:00] you. I love you. I love you.
I love you. I love you. And it's genuine, you know? Mm-hmm. And we built that level of relationship through this process. And you know, when it comes to embodied leadership, just, I think we need to love our people. I don't, I don't think there's any harm in loving our clients or loving our colleagues, like we need more love in the world.
Yeah. You know? And here the three of us are creating, Honestly, a kick ass book that you all are gonna wanna pick up and read immediately because it's gonna change the game for leadership. And I think part of how it's gonna change the game is it's gonna bring love back into the leadership space as it makes me cry.
You know, and we've, you might notice one trying to case, yeah, we've like this whole episode, this podcast episode, you know, and we got another one coming about the content of the book, but this is about the process of writing and. One thing I feel really proud of is how much we walked our talk as we wrote [00:40:00] about a concept.
We integrated it into our lives and also into how we collaborated. And to me, that's the gift of embodiment is like you're, you're not faking anything. We're walking our talk. We're being the embodied leader. We teach about with circling back to the beginning, flaws and all. Vulnerabilities and all, and using that as a point of connection and of truth.
Yeah. So that's how I feel about this process. Thanks for letting me go off like that. Um, but yeah, I guess as we maybe wrap this, this particular episode really about the process and our personal journeys, I'm curious what, what final words each of you have. To just speak to as it relates to your experience with this process.
Two things come to mind just
Julie: ripping off of, off of, off of you case one is [00:41:00] I absolutely believe that we would not have the book we have if we didn't show up as authentically and vulnerably as we have over the past three years. Um, yeah. And then the other part is just more around the specifics of the process, which I think are really interesting is how we co-wrote the book together.
Not just that we met every
Casey: week virtually in three different time zones across Canada. Um, and had that consistency and the
Julie: trust and not saving, you know, version one, version two, like just, you know, whatever we wanted to change, we trusted one another and making the change and. Having a very flow, full process of the co-writing, but it was also some of the strategies more, more
Casey: techniquey sort of strategies we used in the actual meat of the writing [00:42:00] process,
Julie: how we'd set a timer for 40 minutes.
We'd each take a chunk or a section, work on that section, and then after 40 minutes, Quick cop on the video again, switch and then take over the next section, which someone else had been writing and continue as though, okay, this is where I'm picking up off of and
Casey: I, it's led
Julie: to, or it's resulted in a book that even the three of us can't clearly identify who has written or contributed what.
Like almost every part
Casey: of every part of the book is like all of
Julie: us. It's like this beautiful blend of each of our strengths and ways we've contributed. And I think that is a big part of why our advanced reader audience, our inner circle, [00:43:00] has consistently given us the feedback of this beautiful flow of the.
So that's what I would like to add.
Courtney: Mm-hmm. I, I agree with all of that. And maybe add that
collaboration is more than just working together. Mm-hmm. You can. Share resources. You can co cooperate, do things together, or you can collaborate, which to me means being willing to put your ego aside and bring all of your resources to bear on the project, on the common goal that we're trying to pursue.
And. [00:44:00] That can be really hard for people who have had negative collaborative experiences in the past, but when you can find people who are willing to do that with you, who are willing to, with empathy and with care and love, tell you when you're out of line or encourage you when you're doing really well, um, It is, it is a growth experience.
Work can be a platform for growth. It's not just about earning money. It can really be a platform for your own development. And I think, I hope that that is a message that comes through from the book that as leaders, we can create environments where people can grow as people and become better people because of the work that they're doing.
And guess what? The work will actually even be. Yeah, so there's just so much
Casey: potential there. [00:45:00] Mm-hmm. We haven't mentioned the name of the book in this episode at all yet. It's the Mind Body Way, the Embodied Leader's Path to Resilience, connection, and Purpose, and I think that's a, a perfect place to end.
On that note, Courtney, thank you for sharing those final words. Julie, thank you for your contributions. I love you both so much.
Thank you so much my friend for tuning in and listening to our story, our co-writing, personal Embodied Leader, transformational story. And uh, I'm curious what this brought up for you. You know, if you're listening to this, you likely are a leader in your own life, in your own way, and I'm wondering what insight you received from.
Conversation that might help you to bring embodiment back into your own way of leading. Never hesitate to email info worthy and [00:46:00] well.com. You can DM us on Instagram Worthy and Well or Mind Body Way book. If you wanna chat with Julie and Courtney, I'll put their Instagram handles and links in the show notes below.
And then of course, make sure you get your hands on a book. Read it, enjoy it. Leave a review. You can find all of the details about how to do that at mind body way book.com. Thanks as always for tuning in and I can't wait to see you next week. Bye for now.
