Dear :

Perfectionism hit me hard last month. I intended to send this on the 20th, then the 25th, and then the 30th. And now, it's June and here we are.

Those weeks were filled with the agony of seeing earlier versions of this email languish in my drafts folder while I added "just one more thing," revised it, deleted the whole thing, retyped it from scratch, then added still "one more thing."

You see, despite all that running, meditation, writing practice, therapy, meds, and various other mental health tools, I still have a tricky mind. Depression and anxiety present themselves in rashes of self-doubt. I've lived through these "rashes" for nearly six decades. Despite my best attempts, no certificate, award, publication, praise, attention, 5-star book review, compliment, or reassurance makes them go away forever.

So, I'm going to let you in on a secret. No, not THAT secret. That one nearly killed me. More on that another day.

The "secret" I'd like to share is ** drumroll please **

I'm not an authority.

Yes, I have expertise, several college degrees, a brand-spanking new meditation leader certificate (I'll explain below), and an award-winning book, but I'm not an authority. 

I don't need to be.

People don't want me to tell them what to do.

They want to know what I DID.

I don't need to step on a platform and tell you how to get well or how to save yourself (or your loved ones) or how to fix your "pain point" (I've been watching too many marketing videos).

The only thing I need to do (and the thing for which I'm uniquely qualified) is to share my experience, strength, and hope. On that—especially my experience—I AM an expert.

And yes. I wrote this more for me than for you.

WHEW! What a relief!

MEDITATION LEADER TRAINING

One of the main reasons I wanted to get this letter out earlier was to invite you to check out the SAGE INSTITUTE 200-Hour Meditation Leader Training. I just "graduated" and WOW! What a way to study the tricky mind.

If you've considered a deep dive into meditation training, whether you intend to lead groups or not, please consider Sage. Sensei Sean Murphy, the mentors and staff are phenomenal.

The next cohort begins August 23rd. Ask about the early bird discount.

Nature Meditation

Music Video

Did you see Jason Didner's music video for Run with My Troubles? If you missed it, be sure to check it out. That's "the ravine" where I started running.

DHAMT and YSBW featured in the media:

40 Best Books about Depression

Don't Buy Another Journal Until You Read About These
 

BOOK CLUBS

I'm so honored that the New York Road Runners chose Depression Hates a Moving Target for their July book club book.  

If you're in a book group and would like me to join you for a virtual author visit to discuss any of my books, please contact me. I'd love to meet your group!

I created a kit to foster discussion: Book Club Kit!

Running Books

According to a recent study, "People with a greater sense of purpose in life may be more likely to engage in physical activity. At the same time, physical activity can contribute to a sense of purpose in life."

I build today the road I travel tomorrow.—Anonymous

On the Blog - Wellness author and podcaster Polly Campbell was my latest  (very willing) "victim." Check out her answers to my nosy questions.

Make My Day!
Thanks again for the positive reviews of Depression Hates a Moving Target and You Should Be Writing. If you enjoyed either book and haven't had a chance, please leave a review. Even a few words go a long way.

These direct links to Amazon make reviews easy:
YSBW - Paperback
YSBW - ebook
DHAMT - Paperback
DHAMT - ebook
DHAMT - Audiobook

Don't have your copy yet? Purchase Nita's books here!
 

Events & Classes

Events and classes are still online. No matter where you live, you can join:

June 22nd at 6pm ET - Facebook Live! Break Down to Wake Up: Facebook Live with Nita Sweeney and Jocelyn Bellows

July 9th at 3pm ET - How To Be Creative When You Have Depression or Anxiety with Nita Sweeney & Karen C.L. Anderson SAVE THE DATE!

July 13th at 11am ET - Roundtable Talk Show w/ Sharifah Hardie - Watch Nita on the show on Facebook Live!

August 8th from 2pm to 5pm ET - Writing from the Inside Out

SEE ALL MY EVENTS ON MY WEBSITE

Stuck in your writing process?

Whether you're a new writer, already published, or somewhere in between, chances are I've faced what you're up against. I'd love to help.

We'll hop on zoom or that phone thingie. You'll tell me your quandary, and I'll share my expertise. I have a ton of resources, and decades of experience heading people in the right direction.

I wasn’t sure where to start. Your ideas provided a 'heads-up here’s where you need to go' path. The biggest challenges with new authors are the deep-dive editing surprise, the author platform, and the publishing world. It was helpful to know what to expect.—Susan

Email me at [email protected] to discuss this service.

Reach Out

If I can help in some other way, please ask. Email is always the best way to reach me.

Take care and be well.

About Nita:
Nita Sweeney is the award-winning wellness author of the running and mental health memoir, Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink and co-creator of the writing journal, You Should Be Writing: A Journal of Inspiration & Instruction to Keep Your Pen Moving. A long-time meditator, three-time marathoner, and former assistant to writing practice originator Natalie Goldberg, Nita founded the group Mind, Mood, and Movement to support mental well-being through meditation, exercise, and writing practice, and The Writer’s Mind , to share how to use writing practice to produce publishable work. Nita also publishes the writing resource newsletter, Write Now Columbus. She lives in central Ohio with her husband, Ed, and their yellow Labrador retriever, Scarlet. Follow her on your favorite social media channels!