I couldn’t be more thrilled to introduce you to Sue Ann Gleason. We met just recently, last weekend in fact, when she wandered over to Bliss Habits, liked what she saw and decided to say hello and take me up on my guest post invitation. Coincidentally enough, the moxie writer I had intended sharing with you, asked to postpone so I had an open spot in the very week Sue Ann was interested in making her contribution! I love it when things work out this way!
Not to mention my wholehearted delight in finding someone who espouses a “chocolate life!” When you are done here, do head on over to her gorgeous site Chocolate for Breakfast where you can ” learn about what it means to live radiantly.” Take it away Sue Ann:
I get a lot of really cool speaking invitations.
But the day I was invited to be a guest speaker at a telesummit titled, Wise Women with Moxie, my brain began whirling and swirling. I pondered the word moxie. You’d think I’d be excited to be considered wise, but no, it was moxie that mesmerized me.
Moxie: courage, daring, energy!
I immediately took out my writer’s notebook and listed all the things I’d done with courage, daring, or energy.
My list included things like:
- Go back to school and start a whole new career at age 50
- Write a book proposal
- Figure out the next new piece of technology
- Follow your craziest business idea
- 10-day bicycle excursion in the Vosge Mountains of France
- 10-day bicycle trip from Brattleboro, Vermont to the Canadian border
The first bicycle trip was quite an adventure—40 to 60 mile days in the mountains of France.
What kept me motivated? A luscious gourmet meal and a nice, cushy B&B at the end of each ride.
Plus, my luggage was nicely secured in a sag wagon. Flat tire? No problem. The sag wagon had an ample supply of spare tires, nuts, bolts, screws, snacks, and maps. This was a very small tour—a lovely couple and me.
And, a very handsome guide.
One day we visited the remains of a concentration camp. I was so physically and emotionally drained when I left that vista point, I pedaled the wrong way—DOWN the mountain. I can tell you it took a lot of moxie to climb back up that mountain when I realized my mistake.
That was the moxie. Here’s the miracle. A couple years later the guy I was dating asked me if I wanted to take a bicycle trip from Bratttleboro, Vermont to the Canadian border. No cushy B&Bs on this trip. No sag wagon. Gourmet meals? Not a chance.
Me
my tent
and my rations
—all fastened to my bulging bicycle. We didn’t even look for campgrounds at the end of the day. Pitching our tent in a field was Bob’s definition of accommodations. (Name has been changed to protect the innocent.)
Oh, and did I mention the mosquitoes? Vermont was infested with a swarm of blood sucking, ear buzzing mosquitoes that summer. It was a little tough to enjoy the scenery, balance the bike each time a logging truck screamed by, AND scratch those agonizing bites. I wanted to bail out in Montpelier, indulge in a lovely B&B, and just wait for Bob to pedal to the border and back. But I stayed the course.
I keep these memories tucked away in my moxie account and whenever I’m called upon to do something challenging, I call forth the same courage, daring, and energy that kept me pedaling on that trip. If I can bicycle the mountains of France AND Vermont, I can tackle the next project or challenge that comes my way.
Try drawing on YOUR moxie account the next time you’re faced with a challenge. Trust me, it works.
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Sue Ann Gleason is a food lover, food writer, food-based healer. (aka culinary nutritionist). She inspires women to trust their intuition, unravel their food (life) stories and take back their plates, one luscious bite at a time.
Her entertaining, cutting-edge articles on nourishment, the psychology of eating, and the blissful benefits of chocolate have appeared in various publications as well as her own eco-friendly blog: ChocolateforBreakfast.com
When not working with private clients, Sue Ann can be found sampling exotic chocolates or building broccoli forests in her mashed potatoes.
Visit her Conscious Bites website to schedule a ‘Delicious Duo Session’ or to inquire about speaking engagements.
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Great post Sue Ann!
You are amazing! Love the story and I adore the “Moxie Account”! I have just opened mine, and I have quite a deposit myself when I really sit back and think about it. Thanks for all you do!
xo,
Tina
Tina, YOUR moxie cup runneth over, my friend. I draw on the energy of your moxie account every time I meet you online or in person. Hugs to you. . .
Sue Ann I love your story of moxie! I just recently returned from a trip to the Australian outback which involved camping, pit toilets and tromping through snake-infested bush. There were several times I wanted to turn back or wait for the others to do the trek, but I knew this was just fear showing its ugly head. When we have the courage to push through these uncomfortable moments I feel like we GROW, we EXPAND… Thanks for sharing your expanding self with all of us!
Laura, I will never forget that Vermont trek but I’ll probably choose the road “more” traveled from here on out, on my bicycle at least. My business? That’s another story.
Snake-infested bush? Yikes! I’ll bet your moxie account is both full AND entertaining! LOL
Sue ANN! Wow, I had no idea that you have been successful at so many different things and areas of your life. Of course as you know I am a huge fan of your work! This is really such an empowering post for me to read b/c I need that lil push to think bigger and being empowered to do things that are beyond my comfort zone. Thanks so much for sharing so much with as always, your a HUGE force and I am excited for all that still pouring out of you that you so generously share.
Nasrine, Not so much successful, just pushing through the many fears I collected and cultivated throughout my life. (I didn’t learn to swim until I was 21.) I think, in their effort to “protect” me, my parents instilled in me a whole lot of fear. Every day I get a new opportunity to stretch myself out of an old mindset or unfounded fear. But that’s another post! xxxooo
Sue Ann!
How lovely to find you here. Yes… what a word… “Moxie”! and no wonder YOU seized upon it. By these stories you certainly have a well-spring of it to draw from. I LOVE that idea. Drawing from our Moxie account for the challenges we face in THIS moment. Gonna make my list today. It is long.
Your story of the bike tour in france contrasted against the one in Vermont made me think of the ‘how’ we can go about our endeavors. Each of them serve in different ways. Doing the journey WITH pleasure… and doing the journey with endurance. I know the France tour required endurance as well, but you pleasured yourself along the way! When you have a much more arduous leg of your journey, as you say you are going to be able to pull from the rigorous rough ride of Vermont.
What I LOVE in your story is your ongoing adventurous joyFULL spirit! which I absolutely ADORE!
Kathleen, I’m following urges, whispers, and serendipity. And yes, pleasure and permission are the pervasive themes in my life right now. Thank you for leaving a comment here. I think I was called to complete this guest post to give me the courage to launch my new blog next week. Here’s to joie de vivre!
Beautiful Sue Ann! You continue to amaze me with your rich and varied experiences and your beautiful writing. You have certainly been a gift to me and I know yoy are a such a gift to so many others. Miracles and moxie … I love that. And I love the way that genuine heartfelt generosity cycles back again in spades, sparking beautiful miracles along the way.
Laurie, I have you to thank for introducing me to Sue Ann! She is amazing and it is a treat to have her as a guest of Bliss Habits.
Intention, humor, and heart. And yes, I love your comment “heartfelt generosity “cycles” back again in spades, sparking beautiful miracles along the way.” Let’s keep igniting those sparks, shall we?
Great post, Sue Ann! I love the idea of drawing on your moxie account. The idea of inventorying those terrifying moments we somehow pushed through is beautiful, like honoring our spirit and drive (and not just focusing on the fear). Thank you for the reminder to think about our experiences in light of how we succeeded, not just in terms of the craziness we endured.
Oh Stormy, no truer words were ever spoken—honoring our spirit and drive instead of getting mired in the fear. Isn’t it wonderful to know we have an endless reserve of moxie to draw on whenever we need it?
You are an inspiration, Sue Ann! Fantastic post (kindred spirit), looking forward to more wisdom from your pen…or keyboard, as the case may be 🙂
I’m looking forward to our blogging adventure, Shanna. Here’s to wrapping ourselves in words. . .
I love this Sue Ann! Last year, I went on a camping / horse-riding adventure through the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan. I would NEVER have done this by myself but I was reviewing it.
No toilets, no showers, no electricity and no tents but after that, I felt like I could do ANYTHING!
I love the idea of a moxie list – I sometimes forget about this and it would be good to pull it out on an “off” day.
Manifesting moxie? 😉