I need your advice (please)

by KatieP, in category Health | Sexuality

movie stars{photo source}

[Note: This post is a follow up to this post from yesterday]

I‘m sorry for the really vague ending to that last post.

I’ve been reluctant to talk about something, but it’s long overdue. So here goes …

When I first started this blog after I gave up dieting I had hoped to use it as a way to chronicle my journey out of my eating disorder. I never imagined in a million years that it would have the impact it’s had.

While sometimes I find it hard to believe, I’ve been blessed to have connected with so many people who visit here daily. I get emails from all over the world every day. But what really moves me is when I get an email from someone telling me they’ve spent hours reading over my entire blog and somehow I’ve inspired them.

Some of you have left comments here and on my old blog since I started blogging about health and fitness in August 2006 ~ it’s amazing to think how much we’ve all grown and changed since then. It’s no exaggeration to say you feel like family to me and you’ve taught me so much.

So here’s what’s been going on

Over the past several months I’ve talked with a lot of you about what you’re struggling with. You’ve told me that you sometimes feel like you’re not good enough, that the fear of failure paralyses you and stops you from doing the things you love, and that you’re afraid others will find you lacking in some terrible way if you reveal your true thoughts and feelings. I’ve wanted to help you but I worried that I would be revealing too much of myself and infringing on the privacy of others.

Plus, when I looked at how I transformed from not liking myself much to falling in love with the real ‘me’, I realised I did the opposite of everything the experts said I should.

Oh. And I’m also a bit of a perfectionist. OK “a bit” is an understatement … I’m a full-blown perfectionist but I’m all about accepting my flaws.

Because I’ve come to accept the fact that there’s no way I’m ever going to recover from perfectionism, I realize that if I’m really going to help women like you, it has to be important. As far as I’m concerned you deserve the very best I have to offer.

So I’m seriously considering doing this

Despite my concern about letting you into my personal life, I’m seriously considering pulling back the curtain and showing you everything I know about how to become a confident, warm and open woman who’s comfortable in her own skin, and uses her short time on earth to do what matters rather than please others. (I’d have loved to have had this information two years ago when I was so confused about what to do when I no longer had dieting and exercise to distract me from my problems.)

If I do this it will be a lot of work

I’m excited about sharing stuff with you, but you probably know that my small ideas quickly get out of hand and turn into big ones. As well as posts and articles I’m thinking about e-books, worksheets, animated videos, forums, ninja Powerpoint presentations, MP3s, webinars, mentoring and Q & A sessions. I suspect I’m dreaming of an aeroplane when you only want a bicycle!

I only want to do this if there’s enough interest and I know what you really want.

I’m curious ~

  • What do you think?
  • Should I do this?
  • Would you be interested?

Your feedback and thoughts are the fuel that keeps me going. I don’t even want to think about devoting the time and energy to this unless it’s something you’d find helpful.

Anyway, if you have a moment, please leave a comment below and let me know what you think. It would mean a lot to me and I’ll do my best to respond to each and every one of you. [You can also send me an email by clicking here if you want to be more private.]

Thank you.

KatieP x

PS: If you know anyone else who would be interested in knowing all the secret squirrel stuff about self-confidence and self-love please share this post with your friends and community.

About KatieP

Embracing my midlife sexy while exploring modern love & relationships • Devoted to all things beautiful • Master of Arts in creative writing & non-fiction writing

43 thoughts on “I need your advice (please)”

  2. Darling although our wind may help you sail you in no way need us to say go ahead! If you have the vision it has been given to you for a reason go with it! xxoo

  4. Katie I dont’ think I have left you a comment before, I do follow your blog though.
    I would say go for it, it is in your heart to help people. Your angels are looking after you. Katie you have a gift.
    xox

  6. I say go for it…it’s only when I blog from that personal space that I have the most impact. It’s about practicing, not preaching, and the only way to do that is to lay out the personal stuff. There are times I choose not to name names because it’s about me, not them, and in the end it’s safer and better that way.

    1. Thanks Karen ~ “practicing not preaching” is sage advice.

      [I’m still in awe of you being a published author and all and taking the time to read my blog …]

  7. I would expect that we all have so much to gain and very much to lose if we can’t convince you to take the next step, so PLEASE know that as much as it will help those of us that still struggle, you’ll be continuing to help yourself as well Katie! You’re gifted; you’ve worked hard; you’ve stumbled; yet you persist, and we – all of us that enjoy following your blog and draw inspiration from it – are right there along with you. I for one carry w/me the post you wrote some time ago entitled “how to have a love affair with yourself”! Yep, do you know how it makes me feel when I need a lift, to read it? It feels awesome; it makes me feel womanly, like I should love myself, every day! Thank you Katie!!!

    1. Wow Charmaine, thank you.
      What you don’t know is I wrote that “love affair” post when I was actually having an affair! I’m pleased to know it’s having a positive impact long after the affair is over.

  8. Katie, I can’t tell you how excited this idea makes me! I would LOVE to read the full story of your metamorphosis and have you guide me through my own. I’ve been feeling in desperate need of help lately and I think for so many reasons, that you could be the person to help me AND so many other women. As a terrible perfectionist myself, I’d love to see how you have come to love yourself rather than just fill your head with all of the “shoulds”. I SHOULD love myself, I should know that being me is enough, etc.
    Anyway, you have my full support and if it’s in your heart than I say do it!

    2. I agree with Grace – I’m excited because that was the one line that resonate most with me after yesterday’s post. I’m loving your work right now Katie!

        1. “How to become a confident, warm and open woman who’s comfortable in her own skin, and uses her short time on earth to do what matters rather than please others.”

          This is the line I mean – but the perfectionist part is probably also true.

          I’m not really sure what it means to me – I just find that certain things have to be just so for me to be happy when in reality it doesn’t matter it’s just an element of control. Not to mention not showing yourself (myself) loving kindness.

  9. i would be right there every step of the way!!!! i totally think that you should do it…but i may be selfishly motivated : )

    you know what your blog means to me. i would be beside myself at the opportunity to learn more from you!

      2. oops, meant to agree to your comment about eradicating should : ) But I also agree with the fact that “beside yourself” is a phrase worth examining!

    1. Well hello J.Lynn … I’ve just visited your blog, facebook and twitter.
      I love this on your blog profile ~
      I am a dreamer.
      I aspire to make my dreams come true.
      … and they will ♥

  15. Absolutely do it! Personally, I’m much more interested in learning from someone I know for a fact can relate to me and my struggles, someone who’s actually “been there” not just someone who’s read a lot of books and watched a lot of Oprah. I think the best teacher is the one who learned the lessons the hard way. Your experiences lend a validity and authenticity to the things you teach. It inspires me to look at you and know that you’ve struggled, you’ve survived and you’re amazing! That means maybe there’s hope for me too.

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  19. Katie, it goes without saying that – should you decide to put more effort and energy behind head*heart*health – your readers (including me) will be thankful and grateful.

    Having said that, please remember the guidance and support you have already provided does an enormous amount of good for many.

    1. Thanks Linda — I’m just stepping up to the next level — SUPER awesome!!

      Seriously though, I appreciate knowing that you already get something valuable from my small corner of the internet. Thanks for letting me know.

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