Writing a new chapter

I’ve been writing this newsletter every two weeks since 2016 and something happened over the past couple months that has never happened to me before in that entire time.

I don’t know if you noticed, but I basically stopped writing.

Nothing. Nada. Zip. When it comes to this newsletter — my place to share and connect with you — I couldn’t write a single word.

Okay, it hasn’t been that long (my last issue was January 22), but in all honesty I’ve felt stuck for a while. It’s been hard to meet my own writing deadlines, plus I stopped podcasting, and pretty much anything else that involved expressing myself publicly or professionally.

Want to know the truth? 

I came to a point where I couldn’t write *if I wasn’t being myself*.

And I wasn’t being myself. 

People are complex. It’s not to say that there wasn’t some part of me in there; I was being myself to some degree, but definitely not the whole picture. I was chameleoning myself to appear differently for others, the way they might expect and/or prefer to see me.

If you’ve been reading my stuff for a while you know my business and brand are all about authenticity and sincerity. Expressing yourself effectively — including as a professional and a thought leader — involves bringing yourself and your stories into the mix. 

Without putting yourself into your storytelling in some way, there’s no impact. There’s no heart.

I came face to face with this reality, and ultimately realized that I can’t move forward without being, and sharing, who I really am.

So, I’ve been inching towards this for a while, but I finally came out about being trans and transitioning on Instagram. 

And now, I’m telling my dear newsletter subscribers too:

I’ve changed my name to Cameron, and my pronouns are now he/they, and yes, I am transitioning, which means I look and sound a bit different from previous photos, podcast episodes, etc.

If you’re interested, you can read the full Instagram post here. 

What I’d like to reiterate, is that while transitioning is highly personal, I am certain it will help me be even better at what I do professionally. 

I’m more committed than ever to helping YOU tell your stories, and make an impact with your words and ideas. 

The only difference now is that I now have even more experience in having hard conversations, telling vulnerable stories, saying the uncomfortable things, and putting into words the kinds of things that are really hard to find words for.

So: 

If you have high-stakes messages you need to communicate, ideas that mean a lot to you, things you want to say that challenge you to your core… 

And/or you have big, lofty goals, like the kick-ass book you want to write, or the certification or course you want to make, or the newsletter you’re finally committed to writing…

… well, I can help with that.

Now, if you want to take this as your cue to leave the newsletter, you can unsubscribe. 

But if you stick around, I can tell you: good things are coming.

My exploration of storytelling and what that means for us as thinkers, leaders, and humans will continue, in an even deeper way.

Since disclosing this information publicly, and penning this email, I can already feel the creative juices flowing again. I have ideas and notes for future newsletters, and maybe even a podcast series.

The huge mental block that was sitting like an obstinate, hissing house cat over my creative brain appears to have finally gotten up. Maybe now I can get back to work. ;)

Above all, I remain thoroughly committed to helping you share your voice, because I truly believe the world needs it, more than ever.

So, keep going. I’ll be beside you every step of the way.

One more thing: I recently put out a small zine of poetry about transitioning. My intention is to get it in the hands of more trans people so we can connect over shared experiences. If you are trans (or have someone close to you who is), and live in Canada or the US, I will send you a copy for FREE, as my gift to you. Just reply to this email and let me know where to send it.

Thank you for reading, for being willing to see me as I am, and above all, for being you.

With heart,

Cameron