My foot is crooked & tucked on top of the opposite knee.

My knuckles are pressed into the floor.

My nose? Grazing my shin.

Resistance burns in my belly.

My thoughts turn (as they so often do) to thoughts of cornmeal-blueberry pancakes & maple syrup — which I’ll soon be enjoying, once this ‘ordeal’ is over.

Just another Saturday morning yoga class.

The teacher — a rail-thin yogi with ginger hair & a soft-spoken timbre — makes a gentle announcement.

“If you’d like to take the pose a bit further, here is the next option.”

 
He gracefully tilts into a masterful arm balance that I’m sure must be called “Boneless Levitating Pigeon Pose” — nonchalantly defying (by my count) all three of Sir Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion.

Beams of enlightenment radiate from his crown.

Somewhere, a choir of angels sings in perfect harmony.

The class falls (even more) silent than usual. The collective sentiment? “Um, that looks hard. Not in this lifetime, dude-friend.”

The teacher unravels himself with ease, noting:

“The pose I just demonstrated is a wonderful challenge — something to work towards, if it calls to you.”

A nearly-imperceptible smile crosses his face.

“Fortunately, it is not required for happiness.”

Oh right. Not required for happiness. Optional, encouraged, impressive — but ultimately, un-mandatory.

Forgot about that.

My mind immediately starts racing (I know, how un-yogi of me! somebody slap me with a patchouli stick!) to all of my other lofty ambitions that are “not required for happiness.”

“I’d sure love to hit 5,000 mailing list subscribers & 7,000 Twitter followers by June. Fortunately, it is not required for happiness.”

“Damn, it’d be amazing if both of the books I’m launching this fall become instant bestsellers. Fortunately, it is not required for happiness.”

“I should really start drinking cold-pressed kale juice every morning. I’ve heard it’s, like, the thing to do. Oh wait … Fortunately, it is not required for happiness.”

Once you start thinking about it, it’s incredible how many of our focal points are, ultimately, “not required for happiness.”

And once you filter out all of the “not required’s” — what’s left?

Everything one might suspect: food, sleep, H20, intimacy, touch, sunlight, moonlight, music, a little bit of mystery & magic. OK, fine — and high-speed wifi.

I’ve spent the last week releasing a few of the most tiresome “not required’s” from my to-do list, inbox & mind. (And let me tell you, there’s no discernible downside.)

Now, it’s your turn.

Fill in the blank (and breathe a siiiiigh of relief):

“It’d be really amazing if I could __________________. Fortunately, it is not required for happiness.”

Annnnnd … go.

XO.

p.s. photo of me by jenn kelly.

When Andrew was a little boy in Jamaica, his mama gave him a six-string guitar.

 
He didn’t know how to play it, and nobody was willing to teach him, so he hid it under his bed.

But all he wanted to do was sing & make music.

Then one night, he had a dream — a vision of an old man giving him a new guitar, big & yellow.

But this guitar was different — it had only one string. In his dream, Andrew played his one-string guitar, while lions & elephants whooped & cheered.

When Andrew woke up, he popped the strings off his guitar: six-five-four-three-two … one. He was jazzed. He was thrilled. He was making his dreams become real.

His uncle laughed & told him, “there’s no such thing as a one-string guitar.”

But Andrew started to play that one string, anyway.

 
And play.
And play.
And play.

Until one day …

In time, Andrew earned a nickname — Brushy One-String — and began to travel the world, delighting audiences from Japan to England to New York City, securing national radio coverage & even a significant role in a documentary film.

There’s a lesson here, so clear & pure that I barely even need to articulate it.

But I will.

If you have a simple dream, simply do it.

If you have an un-simple dream, strip it down to one string.

And play.
And play.
And play.

XO.

I’m writing to you from my Besk (aka, my Bed + Desk), donning my favorite lounge-wear ensemble.

After an uncomfortably packed + intense week, I’ve been enjoying a weekend of hula-hooping, yoga-doing, magazine-perusing, letter-writing, cookie-baking and wholly inappropriate amounts of Netflix-streaming.

I have a veritable treasure-trove of treats for thee. Oh yes. I’ve been savvvving ‘em up.

Here’s a cavalcade of weekend inspiration, encouragement + surprises.

Behold …
 

ϟ HuffPo, yo!

 
I made my debut on The Huffington Post a few days ago. (Totally surreal!)

Here’s my first piece — how to say ‘no’ to everything ever — plus a collection of ideas on how to de-stress your spirit + find a sliver of serenity, every day.
 

ϟ MindBodyGreen

 
I also made my debut on MindBodyGreen, this past week. (Muy cool.) Here’s my piece on how to deliver criticism without breaking anyone’s heart — or your own.

I’ll be writing a series of pieces on compassionate communication for MindBodyGreen, in the weeks to come. It’s a tremendous honor to see my scribblings featured alongside some of my personal heroes (um, hi, Pema Chödrön). HUGE thanks to Kerry over at MindBodyGreen for inviting me to play!
 

ϟ The Daily Love

 
I LOVE being a contributing blogger at The Daily Love! What an extraordinary community of dreamers + doers.

Here’s my latest piece: 30 mini-love notes for someone you appreciate + adore. (Say … your momma?)
 

ϟ Speaking of moms …

 
My mom is kinda awesome. And today is Mother’s Day!

Let’s harken back to this vintage post: A year’s worth of wisdom from my momma.

Prepare for such inspirational, emphatic, all-caps gems as:

“LIFE IS UNCERTAIN BUT TAKE HEART LEST YOU DESPAIR, IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN. DO YOU THINK IT WAS EASY FOR THE CRO MAGNONS? TRUST ME, THEY WEREN’T JUST DRAWING IN THOSE CAVES ALL DAY!”

Well put, mom!
 

ϟ You’re (more than) ready.

 
If you’ve got a new project you’ve been keeping a “secret” because it’s “not perfect yet,” I wrote a little script to help you unveil your work, with pride.

Because waiting forevvvvver doesn’t make you better. Just later.
 

ϟ Multi-Passionate Must-Haves

 
As Mae West once said, “Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.”

If you want to stuff your gullet with $1,379 worth of e-books, courses, resource kits + other highly-useful delights devoted to writing, self-discovery, career development + creativity — all for $97 — this is your lucky week.

Starting at midnight on Tuesday, May 14th, there’s going to be a ridiculous 72-hour sale hosted by my dear friend Michelle Ward, aka The When I Grow Up Coach.

Prepare for a sumptuous cornucopia of treats for multi-passionate souls — including my latest wee-book, How To Describe The Indescribable.

Wait until midnight on Tuesday (oh, the suspense!). THEN, head over here + go buck-wild.
 

ϟ My book!

 
Boom shaka laka! My first print book — 50 Ways To Say You’re Awesome — is now available for pre-order on Amazon.

(The release date is September 3, 2013. OH. MAH. GOD.)
 

ϟ The great I AM worksheet

 
During my last trip to NYC, I spent a blissful afternoon at The Breslin, whipping up a fresh worksheet for y’all.

I call it The great I AM worksheet.

It’s designed to help you create a simple one-page declaration of who you are + why your work matters. And it’s meant to be completed in 20 minutes, flat.

Because when you write fast + loose — and STOP over-thinking — magic transpires. (Trust me on this.)

Right-click here to download the worksheet (for free), set your stopwatch and GO.
 

Have a beautiful week, friends.

High fives + hip-hip-hoorays to one + all.

XO.

The word “ready” has its roots in the Old English ræde, meaning “ordered + arranged.”

 
Which is interesting.

Because somewhere along the etymological line, we’ve drifted away from that original meaning. Instead, we’ve started using the word “ready” as a synonym for “perfect.”

When we say:

“Don’t look — it’s not ready!” or “I can’t talk about it yet — I’m not ready!”

What we (usually) mean is:

“Don’t look — it’s not perfect!” or “I can’t talk about it yet — I’m not perfect!”

And statements like that are undeniably sucky + creativity-squelching.

So.

I vote that we bring back the original meaning of the word “ready” — and keep it that way.

 
Because “ready” is good. “Ready” is solid. “Ready” is totally respectable. All systems go!

With that said, onto some practical lingo …

Here’s a script to help you reveal your latest theory, philosophy or project — and invite folks to see it / dig it / try it / love it, too.

 
Even if it’s not perfect.

Even if it’s not pristine.

Even if {fill-in-the-blank}.

Because waiting forevvvvver doesn’t make you better. Just later.

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

Hey.

Ready. Set. Whoa.
And awaaaaay we go!

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

XO.

Fill-in-the-blank, if you please:

“Even though it’s not perfect, I’m ready to announce / unveil / start publicly talking about __________________. Like, today.”

Sometimes, it feels like the entire world is designed to make us feel terrible about ourselves.

Not fit enough, not rich enough, not smart enough, not quick enough, not fresh, new, hot or “original” enough.

And sadly, there are many, many industries that profit … when people loathe themselves.

I’ve had mega-low-confidence days & weeks — just like everybody else. Hell, I’ve had low-confidence years! Like that one time I enclosed myself in my dreary concrete apartment with my laptop, my World of Warcraft account (Night Elf Rogue, if you’re wondering) and un-classy bottles of cream-flavored booze. (Dark times.)

Here’s what I’ve learned about confidence, self-esteem & the art of liking yourself.

At a certain point, you have to decide:
 

“From this moment forward, I am choosing to believe that I’m PHENOMENALLY AWESOME. I will eat, sleep, write, speak, work, play & conduct my affairs accordingly.”

And once you’ve made that decision, you’ve got to fuel that powerful new belief — with a potent regimen of Confidence Vitamins.
 

Confidence Vitamins =
little mood-boosting gems, with no harmful side-effects.
To be taken daily. Twicely. Or thricely.

 
Chew them. Swallow them. Crush them up & mix them into salted caramel ice cream, if necessary. But take them.

Because it’s OK to be awesome. And you know it.
 

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #1: Memorize a killer joke or parlor trick. Perform it, often. Bask in the applause.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #2: Swing on a trapeze. Or {insert-astonishing-feat-of-equivalent-insanity} here. Show yourself that you can.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #3: Do one more push-up, sit-up, or lunge than you think your muscles can handle. You’re so crazy-strong.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #4: Make a promise & keep it. Do it again & again & again.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #5: Mentor a teenager or child — even if it’s just for five minutes, at the “kiddie table” at a dinner party. (Remember: to somebody else, you’re a hero, a champion and a fountain of knowledge.)
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #6: Pull a random Tarot card from a deck & write a 60-second poem in response. (It’s a game I invented called TAROT-ETRY!). You can do it. Look, you’re practically done.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #7: Knead dough. Assemble a couch from IKEA. Make something tangible with your capable hands.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #8: Sign up for a daily IV drip of confidence-boosting reminders — like Jen Louden’s Self-Trust Kit, Gala Darling’s Radical Self-Love Bootcamp, or the #Trust30 Challenge.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #9: Sweat, stretch & holler out inspiring affirmations — “I can feel my pooooower!” — with the ridiculously foxy Erin Stutland.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #10: Send Danielle LaPorte’s classic Ask-A-Friend survey to three people who adore you. Watch the love & encouragement tumble in.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #11: Have a talented human take a gorgeous photo of you, looking your best. Frame it & look at it. Lots.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #12: Take a cue from Goddess Star Monroe and groom thyself. Thoroughly.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #13: Find a confidence wing-woman or fella. Instruct them to gently nudge you out of your security-zone (“Oh yes, you WILL sing karaoke!”). Even if you whine.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #14: Change someone’s flippin’ life. Write that destiny-altering email introduction — or send an anonymous gift, in a desperate time. Damn, you’re powerful.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #15: Throw a Self-Confidence Soiree! Gather together a few friends, form a witchy circle, and spend a few hours complimenting one another until everyone has run out of happy tears. Best. Party. Ever.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #16: Make a “So, THAT Happened…” list of everything good & remarkable you did, over the last 30 days. Good lord, you’re productive!
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #17: Steam a pile of spinach. Eat the whole plate, and imagine that every bite is filling your cells with pure confidence, Popeye-style.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #18: A very wise woman once told me, “I just assume that everyone is attracted to me & wants to ask me out on a date. All the time.” Experiment with thinking like THAT.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #19: Travel to a foreign land. Bonus-round: LIVE THERE. You’ll feel capable of anything-and-beyond.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #20: Stop. Giving. Away. Your. Finite. Time. And. Brilliance. For. Free. If. It. Makes. You. Feel. Bitter. And. Resentful. Just stop it. Saying “no” — and feeling good about it — is the Ultimate Confidence Vitamin.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #21: Choose a project & rrrrrrrreally focus on it for three hours, flat. Give it your ALL. Flabbergast yourself.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #22: Ask 10 friends to record a 60-second message for you, touting your awesomery. Create a playlist & keep it on your smartphone, for emergency playback. Make sure the final track is “The Eye of the Tiger.”
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #23: Two-ish words: Lightning-bolt panties. That is all.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #24: Four words: temporary inspirational mantra tattoo. Correct.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #25: Assume the position. (No, not the fetal position.)
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #26: Work with Erika & find your Pocket Superhero. (Mine is named Voltaic Victoria!)
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #27: Give “terror” a sexy new name, like these smart scientists recommend. “I’m not nervous, I’m just electro-beam alive!”
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #28: Sit in the front row. Raise your hand. Allow yourself to be seen.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #29: Join Kylie’s Itty Bitty Adventure Club. Do small & wonderful things, often.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #30: Throw a faux-TEDx (FEDx?) conference in your living room. Invite your friends & neighbors to deliver a ten-minute talk on something they know TONS about. Give a talk of your own. Film it. Be amazed.
 
 
And one more, for good measure …
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #31: If all else fails … TAKE IT TO THE DANCE FLOOR LIKE MR. ROGERS!!!
 

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

 
XO.

 

Feeling thoroughly pumped? Me tooooo.

Let’s keep this list rolling.

What are your favorite Confidence Vitamins?

8 days ago, I was trembling. Like, knees-knocking-together-trrrrembling.

 
I had traipsed up six or seven flights of stairs to the tippy-top of a crude, concrete building overlooking the Hudson River. Michelle, Kylie, Mary and Jessica were there too. And we had this crazy idea that soaring on a trapeze was going to be … easy, breezy & fun.

None of us had ever done anything like this before. Like, ever-ever.

 
And so, I assumed that our trapezery instructors would give us, oh, say, a full two hours of training & safety preparation on the ground, before we lifted a single toe into the air.

Not quite.

 
Our pre-flight “training” went a little something like this:

“OK, cool! So, this is gonna be fun. Legs apart. Knees bent. Hips forward. You’re gonna just, like, jump off. (Not that big of a jump, Alex.)

You’re gonna keep your arms straight, plugged into your shoulders. You’re gonna tuck your legs on the bar, release your hands, arch your back, and do a flip.

Basically: just do whatever Abby says. Oh, that’s Abby, over there on the ground. Cool. ALL RIGHT! LET’S GO!”

Um … what?!

No safety drill? No emergency parachute? No let’s-practice-this-six-or-seven-or-a-hundred-times? Just … “do whatever Abby says”?!

I quickly scanned the ground, looking for signs of crushed bones & dead bodies. All clear. In fact, everyone looked pretty elated.

Guess I … might survive?

It was bitterly cold as I climbed the ladder to the platform, rung by terrifying rung.

 
I shivered, despite three bundled layers of t-shirts & long-sleeve tops, thick black socks & my favorite emerald green jacket.

I got to the top, and the view was heart-stopping. “Time to die!” I privately declared.

I put my legs apart. I bent my knees. I pushed my hips forward. I listened for Abby’s cue.

The next hour was a blur of cold air & adrenaline.
But one thing’s for sure. THIS happened:

 
 
What?! Yeah.

I know.

I can’t believe it either.

There are three lessons here:

1. Do whatever Abby says. Seriously.
2. You don’t need as much “preparation” as you think.
3. You are capable of astonishing yourself. Just leap & see.

That book that you need to “research” for seven years, before you can begin writing? Naw. Today is good.

That degree that you have to complete, before you can start teaching & sharing your ideas? Nope. Do it now.

That talk that you have to practice (and practice, and practice, and practice) before you can deliver it, live? You’re ready-enough. GO.

No matter what kind of leap you’re planning next — don’t overthink it. Don’t analyze it to pieces. Just follow the next cue.

Sometimes, being rash, hasty & stupid is the smartest thing you can do.

 
XO.

What’s one rash, hasty & stupid thing that you’re ready to DO, this week? (Could be small & non-gravity-defying. Do tell!)

This has been a rough + rowdy week for many of us …

 
… especially those of us here in the USA.

We’ve seen visuals of gore + horror, flashed across our screens.
We’ve felt angry, violated, and at times, simply baffled.
We’ve collectively wondered what could possibly move someone to do something so unspeakably heinous.

As author Harlan Coben once said, “Tragedy is one hell of a teacher.”

 
And the lesson I’m taking away from the tragedy in Boston is three-fold:

1. We are damn strong.
2. Anyone can be — as Mr. Rogers puts it — a “helper.”
3. Art, play + creativity matter (more than ever, ever, ever.)

On a personal note: I’ve been quietly planning a writing workshop / pop-up artist colony / birthday party in Hawaii, for a while now.

But in light of Monday’s tragedy, I found myself wondering whether it was “appropriate” or “sensitive” to announce it, this week.

I found myself thinking, “isn’t writing, creativity, self-expression, entrepreneurship, all of my work … just … like, frivolous?”

Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. But one thing’s for sure:

Having LESS art has never made the world a better place.

 
Now is the time to write what needs to be written.
Now is the time to say what needs to be said.
Now is the time to express yourself to the fullest.
And now is the time for radical celebration.

So, yeah. Consider the announcement officially MADE: I’m throwing a freakin’ celebration.

It’s happening this December.
It’s going to be glorious.
I hope you will come.

And in the meantime …

Hold those you love close. Keep creating with fervor.
Don’t worry if your work is “too small” or “too frivolous.”

 
It’s not. It’s beautiful.

And we need it more than ever.

XO.

This December …

Bring your magnificent brain + a meaningful project to a writing workshop / pop-up artist colony / birthday party in Hawaii.

(Yeah. Not too shabby.)

Join me + 20 bodacious new friends for the grand finale of my 2013 workshop tour … a 5-day festival of wordsmithery, in paradise.

 
Outline that manuscript. Roll out that book proposal. Sketch out your dreams + must-dos for 2014. Dive deep into a personal writing (or business) project, for days on end. No excuses. No distractions. Just space, support + a sensational ocean view.

We’ll have structured workshop time in the mornings, and then you’ll have 3 full hours every afternoon to work on your independent project — and pull me aside for some 1-on-1 brain-time.

It’s going to be loose, yet focused. Playful, yet purposeful. The perrrrfect way to wrap up 2013, and hula into the New Year on a high note.

Registration costs $1350, and includes 12+ hours of lively writing lessons with yours truly …

 
… plus delicious, deeeep-exhalation space for independent writing + creation.

The vibe is going to be: “pop-up artist colony” — and yes, if you’re an “entrepreneur,” then you are most definitely an “artist.”

My dream is to attract a gaggle of glorious humans, put just-the-right-amount of structure in place, and see what transpires.

You’ll get loved-up with a glorious breakfast + lunch each day, all the coconut water + chocolate-covered macadamia nuts you can handle, beachside yoga classes, and plumeria-scented hugs.

Your registration fee does not include airfare, hotel accommodation, lap dances, or the ability to levitate. (OK. Maybe one lap dance. But only if you bring your four-string ukelele.)

All the tropical details…

 
ϟ WHEN: Saturday, Dec 7 – Tuesday, Dec 10, 2013 (my birthday!) — with a farewell breakfast on Wednesday, Dec 11, 2013.

(Plan on arriving on the Big Island on Friday, Dec 6 — so you don’t miss a beat.)
 

ϟ WHERE: Our headquarters = a gorgeous Hale Aloha (that’s Hawaiian for “Awesome Beach House of Love & Good Feelings”) on the Big Island of Hawaii.
 

ϟ TIMING + FLOW:

We’ll converge at the Hale Aloha at 9am each day (fresh-squeezed guava juice, anyone?) and stay + play (and write + work) till about 5-ish. (It’s a very different kinda 9-to-5.)

Your day will look a little somethin’ like this …

9am: Breakfast + Kona coffee at the Hale Aloha, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

10am – 1pm: Workshop time! Practice writing with style, simplicity + power … play with creative marketing scripts + approaches … field-test your latest product idea (or business direction) with the group … clarify who you’re becoming (and who you’ve always been.)

1pm: Lunch, coconut water + conversation with new friends, beneath the palm trees …

2pm – 5pm: Work on your independent project. Bask in the sun. Dip into the ocean. Walk, think, muse, create …

5pm: Sunset yoga, to seal up the day.

Evenings will be open for you to explore the island, chillax in your hotel room, or take a sunset swim with your new friends. Y’know — utter bliss, in every conceivable form.

There will be impromptu dinners + gatherings. There will be spontaneous dancing. And if my previous workshops are any indication — there will be outbursts of song, improv performances, and basically, a tropical symphony of self-expression.
 

ϟ WHAT TO BRING: A notebook (or laptop), a pen (or two), comfy clothes, a bathing suit, your finest coconut shells, sunblock, a hot + meaningful project to work on (or the willingness to discover one!) and your sparkling brain.
 

ϟ FLIGHTS + LODGING: Fly into Kona International Airport + book a room at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel or Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel — both are walking / swimming / surfing distance from our workshop HQ.

There will be a (complimentary) shuttle from the airport to your hotel. And yep: we’ve arranged a special hotel rate just for thee. Not a huge discount, but a little somethin’ to sweeten your stay. (You’re welcome.)
 

ϟ NOURISHMENT: You’ll be fed a lovely breakfast + lunch each day, plus a celebratory birthday dinner on Tuesday, Dec 10th. (Chocolate-coconut birthday cake = pretty much mandatory!)
 

ϟ HOLY WOW: Laurie Wagner — the founder of 27 Powers, and a magnificent writer + teacher — will be our island hostess. And she’s bringing along two friends from the mainland to be our private chefs. Effin’ fancy.
 
 

My promise?

 
ϟ You will be (gently) encouraged to unplug, completely. Just think: 100+ hours without email, Twitter or Facebook. Life. Altering. Space.

ϟ You will think new thoughts + have ideas that would (probably) never occur to you, anywhere other than that precise moment when the sun dips down beneath the horizon of the Pacific Ocean, while the sea breeze is caressing your hair …

ϟ You will have ample time to crystallize plans, projects + language with me — possibly while wearing a bikini.

ϟ You will write. A lot. And like it.

ϟ You will be surrounded by smart, passionate, articulate people who get it.

And get you.

ϟ You will wrap up 2013 feeling clear(er) about what you want to deliver to the world.

And you’ll have a really crazy feeling … like maybe … it could be easy.
 
 

Want in?

 
Holy smokes + hot papayas!

The Big Island workshop sold out in less than 24 hours. Island power!

I’m building a just-in-case waiting list, of course. If you want to be on it, toss a note to me at alexandra@alexandrafranzen.com.
 

SOLD OUT!

See you on the island!

 
Coconut love + a pineapple hug …

XO.

Praise for my teaching & workshoppery…

 
 
“I wanted to sincerely thank you for bringing your amazing, gorgeous self in front of all of us + for sharing your wisdom so beautifully.

–Cynthia Haynes, Storyteller + Portrait Photographer
 
 
 
“To work with Alexandra Franzen is to know her genius, her speed and her incredible ability to see who you are and celebrate it. (Then, she magically translates this into fluorescent words + copy).

–Andrea Scher, Creator of Superhero Life
 
 
 
“During Write Yourself Into Motion my business plan for 2013 exploded in a soulfully satisfying {and crazy successful} way. Two months after the workshop I released my Write Yourself Into Motion concept, content, and copy into the world and here’s what happened:

–Gemma Stone, Psychologist + Guide | Creator of the Great Life Redesign
 
 
 
“Alex: you are the brightest light I’ve seen in a long time, and I was drawn to be in your space. Often, in my day-job, I feel like I’m a right-brain gal in a left-brain world. This weekend was a huge recalibration for me — a soul tune-up.

WRITE YOURSELF INTO MOTION connected me with other bright minds, gutsy ideas and inspirational energy. I feel my creative breath moving again … and I’ve got permission to live out loud!”
—Kim Berube, Founder of Big Love For Girls At Risk
 
 
 
“You may know Alex Franzen as a brilliant writer, strategist and dispenser of panache-filled entrepreneurial wisdom. But she is so, so much more. Her secret is out … she’s an astonishingly gifted teacher.

—Angie Wheeler, Online Business Manager + Founder of Easywk
 
 

More sparkling praise, just around the bend …

Evolutionarily-speaking, we are designed to understand + be understood.

We’ve got five distinct senses.

We’ve got a whole brain region devoted to connecting abstract ideas to words + symbols.

We’ve got 45 miles of nerves running through our bodies, with impulses that travel at 325 miles an hour.

And — depending on your belief system, or how many glasses of Gewurztraminer you’ve imbibed — we’ve got a soul. An essence. A source of intuition.

As human beings, we’re uniquely gifted with the ability to dive deep, to probe + connect, to soften the barricades that divide us, and to really get each other.

We don’t always succeed, of course.

But maybe we’re not asking the right questions …
 

Here’s a collection of 100 questions to inspire self-discovery + understanding … and maybe your next blog post, journal entry, book outline, first date or dinner party conversation. ❤

 
Enjoy the Q’s. Go learn something new. Revel in the miracle of your capacity to understand + be understood. (Enough preamble: c’mon, just play!)
 

ϟ What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?

ϟ What’s one thing you’re deeply proud of — but would never put on your résumé?

ϟ What’s the most out-of-character choice you’ve ever made?

ϟ If a mysterious benefactor wrote you a check for $5,000 and said, “Help me solve a problem — any problem!” … what would you do with him or her?

ϟ What’s going to be carved on your (hypothetical) tombstone?

ϟ What are you FREAKISHLY good at?

ϟ What’s one dream that you’ve tucked away, for the moment? How come?

ϟ What are you STARVING for?

ϟ If you could have tea with one fictional character, who would it be?

ϟ Do you have a morning ritual?

ϟ Do you believe in magic? When have you felt it?

ϟ Is there something that people consistently ask for your advice on? What is it?

ϟ Have you ever fantasized about changing your first name? To what?

ϟ When was the last time you astonished yourself?

ϟ What’s your personal anthem or theme song?

ϟ Do you ever yearn for your life, before Facebook?

ϟ What’s your definition of an ideal houseguest?

ϟ If you had an extra $100 to spend on yourself every week, what would you do?

ϟ If you could sit down with your 15-year old self, what would you tell him or her?

ϟ What are you BORED of?

ϟ What’s the best birthday cake you ever ate?

ϟ How do you engage with panhandlers on the street?

ϟ Do you think LOVE is chemical, intellectual, spiritual — or completely undefinable?

ϟ Have you ever dreamed about starting a business? (Or if you’ve already got one — a new business?)

ϟ Are you afraid of flying in airplanes? (How come?)

ϟ What’s your most urgent priority for the rest of the year?

ϟ If you could master any instrument on earth, what would it be?

ϟ Have you ever been genuinely afraid for your physical safety?

ϟ What are you an expert on? Is it because of training, lived experience, or both?

ϟ Has a teacher ever changed your life? How so?

ϟ Are there any household chores you secretly enjoy? Which ones — and why?

ϟ How do you reign in self-critical voices?

ϟ If you could custom blend a perfume or cologne, what would it include?

ϟ What does FEAR feel like, in your body?

ϟ Do you think you’re currently operating at 100% capacity?

ϟ What do you value most: free time, recognition, or money?

ϟ If you could save one endangered species from extinction, which would you choose?

ϟ Are there any laws or social rules that completely baffle you?

ϟ Would you like to write a book? (About what?)

ϟ If you could choose your own life obstacles, would you keep the ones you have?

ϟ Have you ever SCREAMED at someone? (What did they do?)

ϟ Do you think there’s going to be an anti-technology whiplash, in our lifetime?

ϟ Where + when do you get your BEST IDEAS?

ϟ Have you ever met one of your HEROES?

ϟ What’s in your fridge, right this moment?

ϟ Can you tell when someone is LYING?

ϟ Can you tell when someone is telling the TRUTH?

ϟ Have you ever pushed your body further than you dreamed possible?

ϟ Are you living your LIFE PURPOSE — or still searching?

ϟ Have you ever had to make a public apology? (How come?)

ϟ What’s the WORST piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

ϟ Do you think we’re designed for monogamy? (Why or why not?)

ϟ How do you CELEBRATE your victories?

ϟ Would you consider yourself an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert?

ϟ Do you ever hunt for answers or omens in dreams?

ϟ Do you think everyone has the capacity to be a LEADER?

ϟ Is WAR a necessary EVIL?

ϟ Are YOU a starter, a finisher, or an implementer?

ϟ Have you ever unplugged from the Internet for more than a week?

ϟ Do you think we should live like we’re dying?

ϟ Do you have any habits or quirks you wish you could ERASE?

ϟ What was the most AGONIZING hour of your life?

ϟ Have you ever dramatically changed a habit, or gotten yourself out of a rut? How’d you do it?

ϟ Would you rather be a lonely genius, or a sociable idiot?

ϟ How would YOU fix the economy?

ϟ What was your very first JOB?

ϟ What brings you SHEER DELIGHT?

ϟ Are you highly useful in a CRISIS?

ϟ Do you like to be SAVED — or do the saving?

ϟ What’s one mistake you keep repeating (and repeating)?

ϟ If you were heading out on a ROAD TRIP right this minute, what would you pack?

ϟ Do you have any irrational fears?

ϟ When you see peers + competitors getting things you want, how do you react?

ϟ If you were to die three hours from now, what would you regret most?

ϟ What’s something you’ve tried, that you’ll never, ever try again?

ϟ If you could enroll in a PhD program, with your tuition paid in full by a mysterious benefactor, what would you study — and why?

ϟ Have you ever had a complete + total nervous breakdown? (How did you recuperate?)

ϟ Have you ever set two friends up on a date? (How did it go?)

ϟ Have you ever questioned your FAITH — or lack thereof?

ϟ What’s your recipe for recuperating from extreme heartbreak?

ϟ Have you ever had a psychic reading? Did you believe it? Was it accurate?

ϟ Have you ever (actually) kept a New Year’s Resolution?

ϟ Have you ever met someone who was genuinely EVIL?

ϟ Do you believe that everyone deserves redemption + forgiveness?

ϟ What was the BEST KISS of your entire life?

ϟ Do you secretly miss Polaroid cameras?

ϟ Do you have any physical features that you try to cloak or hide? How come?

ϟ What makes YOU so special, anyway? (No, really.)

ϟ What’s in your pocket (or purse, or man-purse) right now?

ϟ Ever fantasize about being in a rock band? What would your group be called?

ϟ What’s your guiltiest of guilty pleasures?

ϟ Who’s on your panel of imaginary mentors?

ϟ Have you ever stolen anything? (Money, candy, hearts, time?)

ϟ When was the last time you saw an animal in the wild?

ϟ What’s the hardest thing you ever had to write — and why?

ϟ Who’s the last person that deeply disappointed you? (What happened?)

ϟ Have you ever won an award? What was it for?

ϟ How long can you (comfortably) go without checking your emails or texts? How do you feel about that?

ϟ What do you deserve + get to receive, no matter what?

ϟ What are you ready to set into motion, today?

XO.

P.S. Choose your favorite question and answer it, below.
Let the games begin!

You are not confused.

 
Storming with electric anticipation? Sure.

Roiling & rumbling with pre-flight jitters? Quite possibly.

Wrapped in the wonder of rapid evolution? Well, naturally.

Experiencing a sudden convulsion of comparison chaos? Correct.

Terrified of releasing the vise-grip of perfection –
to tip, tumble & surrender to this, this, THIS! Yes.

But confused?

Please.

Don’t make me laugh.

You know who you are.
You know what you want.
You know your next move.

I know.
You know.
You. Now.

Say it with me.
Say it for you.
Let it dance in your hips, lungs & bones:

I am not confused.
I am not confused.

I AM NOT CONFUSED.

 
 
XO.

 
P.S. This poem / reminder (pominder? roem?) was inspired by two beautiful friends — Dyana Valentine & Catherine Just — and all of the humans who came to my most recent workshop in NYC. We are NOT confused.