How to Create an Online Home You Love: a one-night live event in NYC with Holstee, my hubby & me.

Posted on September 17, 2014January 10, 2016 by Sarah K Peck

How’s your internet home treating you? Are you loving it, hating it, indifferent towards it, or … not making it?

If you’ve ever wanted to start a blog, write an e-book, or create your own online home powerhouse to showcase your creative ideas, then it’s time to make it happen. I’m thrilled to announce a LIVE evening workshop with some of my favorite people (@Holstee!), an extra-special co-teacher that I happen to adore — and be, well, married to.

And — YOU, of course!

If you’re in New York on Monday, October 20th, you’re invited to the Holstee laboratories in Brooklyn for an evening event focused on crafting your voice, your art, and your work — and translating it to the online world. The Holstee studio and company, home to the to the globally-loved This is Your Life manifesto, are focused on mindful living practices and creating art, experiences, and opportunities to change the way people look at life.

Do what you love and do it often — @Holstee

In our first-ever LIVE class together, my husband Alex and I are going to be teaching a workshop focused on creating your own online home — and navigating all the tools and opportunities to discover how to best showcase you and your work in this increasingly noisy (internet) world.

There has never been a better time to have your voice heard and your work seen.

From book publishing and graphic design, to content strategy and thought leadership, Alex and I have each spent over a decade working in communications, design, and publishing — and we’re bringing these goods to a private, 20-person laboratory style event. Think of it as a guided session built around our best-knowledge combined with all your questions.

Join us at the live event! We’ll look at:

Understanding where you want to go and what tools you can use to get you there;
The nuts-and-bolts for creating great graphics, imagery, and words to reflect your personality and soul.
How to hone your voice with Sarah’s “content strategy toolkit” to help make writing easier, more manageable — and published!
Best-practices for working with designers to execute your vision — distilling Alex’s experience in the industry working as a designer and design strategist with global leaders;
The art of creating your online home and how to craft a meaningful space that resonates with who you are.

Want to create an online home that you love?

By the end of the evening, you will have practical insights for how to develop your own online space in a way that feels uniquely YOU. From what to write about to how to create imagery that stands out in the crowd, this workshop is perfect if you want to get started on (or revamp) that project you can’t stop thinking about.

All the details —

Monday, October 20th. 7:00 – 9:30 PM.
Brooklyn, New York City.
Holstee’s (New!) Learning Laboratory
Read more + register here.

Only 20 spots. Sign up to join us at the live workshop.

PS: This is the inaugural session of the Holstee Learning Lab (and I’m honored to be a part!) so if you want to join us + sign up before October 1st, you get a 20% discount. (Just use the code EARLYBIRD20 when signing up).

I’d love to see you (and meet you!) there.

Sarah — and Alex!

sarah signature

You don’t have to do it alone. [an epic resource + event + spiritual program guide.] All my favorite programs for you, right now.

Posted on July 31, 2014July 31, 2014 by Sarah K Peck

Many of us want similar things in life. Freedom. Love. Money. Safety. Security. Happiness.

Depending on where you are in Maslow’s theoretical hierarchy of needs, your next immediate problem might either be finding a meal to satiate your hunger—or it might be reaching out to new meetup groups to make more friends.

It might be heading out on date after date with OKCupid (true confessions: I spent two years going on first dates until I was so sick of first dates I finally gave up. Then I met this nerd on the internet.)

The good news is that whether the goal is to make more money, to discover your heart center, or to become a better writer—there are GREAT programs and guides out there to make it easier.

You don’t have to do it all alone. The internet is filled with hundreds of resources to help you save time, make money, and come alive in your own life.

I’ve compiled a list of my favorite projects and programs into a brand-new resources page on my site. These are programs + resources that I love — and if you’re in need of support in your business life, spiritual life, or writer’s life, there are so many options for you to check out to support you in your adventures, explorations, and growth. Check ’em out, below.

(Also, if you’re a New York or SF resident, I also have a few free share codes for Breather, Handybook, and Plateddown at the bottom). And lastly, if you’re looking for a good book recommendation, hop over to my book list.

Otherwise, read on! The epic resource + event + spiritual program guide begins here:

resources :: to change your life

Satya Columbo — The Fire of Love Experience. A journey of spirit, flow, and practical magic for rebel souls. A monthly membership program focused on awakening the fire of your soul and adopting practices of centering into your core strength in order to support you in living the life of your highest calling. I’m delighted to be a featured speaker in the program this time around — and the deadline to join is August 1.

Seeing with new eyes — with Tara Mohr. Tara’s got a new book coming out, Playing Big, that I can’t wait to dive into — but she also has a few programs and words on her site that continue to speak to me. This short + sweet 15-day program focuses on “changing how we see and experience the lives we have, so that we experience more joy and contentment and vitality — without changing a thing on the outside.” Perfect for a life-refresh or when you want to press the re-set button on your tired mental schemas.

The Desire Map. “The permission slip you’ve been waiting for.” — a guide to creating goals with soul, and a renewed look at what we desire—and why that’s the key to understanding how to get what we want. A beautiful program by the ultimate Fire Starter herself, Danielle LaPorte.

Listen to your instincts. What feels like the next right move?

The Fire Starter Sessions. Speaking of starting fires —this guide to creating success on your own terms, The Fire Starter Sessions reframes popular self-help and success concepts to cut through dull thinking and fear. Another fabulous find to dig into (and come back to over and over again) by Danielle LaPorte.

Wild Soul Movement with Liz Dialto. I have been blown away by the audacity and bravery of this woman. She keeps carving out her programs, processes and wisdom into further distillations of beauty, and this recent emergent program is knocking my socks off. Move. Nourish. Expand. I feel like she took the words right out of my mouth. Here’s hoping she opens up a Fall Session.

The Empire Building Kit: How to build your own business in 365 days (and become an emperor, obviously). Includes one action-item to take each day to help you fight overwhelm and make progress—featuring simplified steps, smart tactics, and 15 bonus case studies of real entrepreneurs who made it work. From Chris Guillebeau and the Unconventional Guides series, this program gets you going.

resources :: to share your voice

Your Big Beautiful Book Plan. A book is always more than just a book. Much more. Writing a book could direct the course of your career for the rest of your life. It could lead to infinitely important connections, multiple revenue streams, spin off products, international relations. It could send more business your way. It could pay for a trip to Tahiti or just pay the rent. It could change one person’s life for the better. It could start a revolution. You need a plan. Danielle LaPorte and Linda Silverstein team up to create this book-making magical resource to guide you through the process of creating your own master plan. A digital program for people who want to get their word into the world — where it belongs.

How to Connect With Anyone, by Scott Dinsmore and Live Your Legend — The deepest gem of this online resource is the community that lives behind-the-scenes once you join the program. Looking to connect to your right people, and learn how to make it happen? Scott’s resource explains why people are the key to your next business, program, or personal endeavor. Connecting with the right people means everything.

Make Money Freelance Writing. Another gem from the Unconventional Guides suite of resources, The Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing is packed full of practical tools to help you grow your work from wherever you’re at— whether you’re a budding night-writer aspiring to land your first gig or an established wordsmith wanting to build their client base. Building a financially rewarding writing career or simply selling your words for supplemental income is possible, and the time to get started is today. You will write. You will be paid. You will be published.

Write Your Damn Book, by Paul Jarvis — this self-guided (and free!) email program that Paul Jarvis developed and I love it — it’s super-short, with 13 actionable lessons and fewer than 5,000 words to get you from wanting to writing. I love the work Paul puts out in the world, and this one is a great self guided program!

Of course, The Writer’s Workshop — now available as a self-guided program! This past summer, we put the finishing details on the Writer’s Workshop, and it’s now available as a self-guided program where you can access the lessons, lectures, audio + video recordings on your own schedule.

Accessing your inner soul is the most important work you can do. Writing is one way in.

resources :: to get smarter money-wise

Get Rich Slowly: The Master Your Money Toolkit. From the mastermind behind the blog Get Rich Slowly comes J.D. Roth’s latest project: a money-makeover toolbox designed to help people leave debt behind, master their money, and achieve financial independence. Featuring a “Money Mondays,” email series, 18 audio interviews with money experts, and a comprehensive “Be Your Own CFO” guidebook, this course collects wisdom from financial gurus Ramit Sethi, Pam Slim, Adam Baker, and more.

Designed to Sell. Ever wonder what it takes to shape an idea into a best-selling business or product? This project is designed specifically for artists, designers, crafters, and anyone with a dream of making something to sell. This collection goes behind-the-scenes to show you how to create, design, and launch your project—and how to make it sell.

experiences :: live events, conferences, and retreats

REtreat

Replenishing your soul and restoring your faith in community are not indulgences. They are necessities.

Yoga retreat getaway August 8—10: If you’re in the NYC area, join some of my favorite yoga teachers, Aaron Angel, Keely Angel, and James Fideler for a 3-day weekend retreat full of music, movement, yoga, and delicious food.

I’m teaching yoga! Saturday Yoga classes this August at ABHAYA in Brooklyn — if you’re looking for a community class to join, I’m teaching some of my first classes at the gorgeous Abhaya Studio this August on select Saturday mornings! Join in on one of my community classes or pop in at one of the other time slots (and let me know if you’re coming by so I can say hi).

Speak Like A Pro virtual conference with Jenny Blake and En*theos. A free virtual conference held August 25—29, Jenny will be holding 25 compelling conversations with authors, TED speakers and the world’s leading experts on influence and behavior change.

The Freedom Immersion with Kate and Mike WATTS! Check out this fantabulous newly married couple and dig in for a weekend of freedom October 3rd through 5th — in money, life, and business. Head up to Maine for a private weekend with Kate and Mike and a deep-dive into your business. It’s a mastermind with giggles, gorgeous views, and two fabulous souls. Yes, please.

October 11th — hold the date — Hannah Marcotti and I are making something special happen up in her Loft. It’s happening. Rumor is true! Details are coming later this month. So far this is what we’ve got:

Screen Shot 2014-07-31 at 6.30.26 PM

In her skin: a workshop about pleasure & the rise of your sexual self — Join Hannah again at the Loft in November as she and Mara Glatzel host a two-day event focused on conversation, visioning, and truth-telling. A weekend dedicated to your sensuality, your pleasure, and “stoking your internal fire to cultivate the language of your intentions and awakenings.”

daily pleasures :: breathing space + other coupons

Last but not least, if you want to try any of the following deals, I’ve tried ’em and love them:

Curious to try out Breather in NYC? I’ve got a special code that gives friends one free hour (click here to try it out).
Want to learn how to cook? Plated has been lovely, and I believe my referral code gets folks 2 free plates. They send you dinner ingredients in a box, with a recipe, and you cook it up. So far, I’ve made Shakshuka, Grilled Halibut and a delicious Frisee salad — it’s been awesome!
My Handybook discount gets you $25 off your first cleaning — and yes, I get $25 back, too. Enjoy the discount code SARAH6801 and pass it on!

Got something awesome that people should know about it?

Have a favorite book, tool, resource, or community group that this community would dig? Share it in the comments!

Also: curating these resources, book lists, and program reviews has taken me hundreds of hours of my time. Some of the links here are affiliate links—meaning that I can get paid if you end up buying something from my recommendation. I never share things I don’t personally love, and if you want, you can always search for the product independently from my recommendations. If you do buy from my link, warm internet hugs to you because it means that I can keep doing the dorky things I do and make more of my work in the world.

Here’s to connecting your bright self to the right community + program to build your work in the world.

Want to be a better storyteller? Two new online workshops, April 24th and 29th.

Posted on April 18, 2014April 18, 2014 by Sarah K Peck

Humans are born storytellers. The way we tell and share our stories about who we are, what we do, and what we want affects who sees us, hears about us, and whether or not the right people connect with us.

If you want to learn how to describe yourself or your business (or both), join me at one of the following live storytelling workshops.

I’ve taught storytelling and narrative writing workshops live across the country—from the World Domination Summit to Bold Academy to General Assembly, and now I’m teaching two of these workshops as live online webinars that you can access from anywhere. Previously these workshops were only offered in person—if you’ve wanted to attend a class (or you’re curious about the upcoming writer’s workshops), join this one-day class.

Join me on Thursday, April 24 and Tuesday, April 29 for two 90-minute sessions on storytelling, narrative, and psychology.

“One of the best classes I’ve ever taken at General Assembly.” — Craig, General Assembly workshop participant

“Amazing class. I learned so much—left with pages packed full of notes.” — Joel, WDS workshop participant.

Storytelling 1.0: Crafting narratives for individuals and businesses. Thursday, April 24th, 1pm EST. $30.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: This introductory class will cover narrative form and storytelling tools that are practical and quickly implementable for many communication needs ranging from a personal biography to the description of your company. Understand the role of your audience; the psychology of your readership, and why asking certain questions will make storytelling much easier.

You’ll learn how to dissect the various mediums where messages are told, how to modify your story based on the place you’re telling it; how to identify your values and your audience’s values, and the power of lyrical descriptions in your story. We’ll also cover basic psychological principles of understanding and why this is important for how you craft your message.

HOW IT WORKS: This private online webinar will be hosted LIVE at 1PM EST. The webinar includes 90-minutes of lecture, visual, and presentation materials followed by 30-minutes of open question-and-answer sessions—ask anything you’d like and get feedback on your story + listen in to the questions of others!

Can’t make it live? The webinars will be recorded with a private link of the recording sent out to all participants.

PREPARATION: Bring pens, paper, and notebooks to write on. Bring a draft of your current biography and/or business description (you’ll be asked to re-write it during the webinar based on the key principles we cover).

Register here: Storytelling 1.0: Live Webinar, Thursday, April 24th 1—3pm EST. $30.

“Sarah goes over five different frameworks for how to tell stories — this was the first time the Hero’s Journey really made sense to me in a modern context.” —Anne S.

“I never thought about how important value systems were to storytelling—once she described it, it was a huge “Ah-ha” moment for me. Now I know which stories to tell when.” — Jeremy H.

“The simple idea that we all have many stories to tell took a lot of the pressure off—we don’t need to pick just one story. We can switch them out based on our audience and the medium.” — Leslie.

Storytelling 2.0: Leadership, sticky messages and the psychology of persuasion. Tuesday, April 29th 1pm EST. $30.

ABOUT THIS CLASS: This second session of the two-part storytelling series can be taken independently or in conjunction with Storytelling 1.0. In this class, we look at the stories that great leaders use to inspire; why (and how) to use emotion in your stories, and the persuasive benefits of a great story. This class includes a deeper dive into case studies of great stories (and not-so-great stories) to better grasp the concepts. In our time together, I’ll even show how Finding Nemo can teach us how to engage audiences from the beginning of your story with clever hooks and curiosity gaps.

Can’t make it live? The webinars will be recorded with a private link of the recording sent out to all participants.

Register here: Storytelling 2.0: Live Webinar, Tuesday, April 29 1—3pm EST. $30.

“It makes so much sense—leadership stories are different than other stories, because the objectives are different. Now I can see how people tell future-based stories and I realize how powerful they are.” — Sam

“This class takes a deep dive into your own personal Hero’s Journey narratives based on the work of Carol Pearson—I finally understood how I was living out my own Orphan narrative. This class was better than therapy.” —(Anonymous).

“Sarah is one of the warmest and kindest people I know. Work with her, she will be a change-maker and an incredibly valuable asset to your team or life.” — Jana Schuberth, Owner, Love Work Now

How do you combat loneliness? A brand new talk at ALIVE in Berlin + an epic scholarship opportunity worth $400.

Posted on April 2, 2014April 2, 2014 by Sarah K Peck

Loneliness by Deviant Art

How do you deal with loneliness?

The problem with my first job wasn’t the job itself—it was how few people I knew at the company. In most structures throughout my life—family, school, college, sports—we bonded as teammates and community members because of shared goals, ideas, and dreams. Yet at work, I barely had friends. Perhaps it was the age disparity; the fact that people started quietly only a few days per year, or because we didn’t have a common lunch area. Being busy chasing financial goals didn’t help, either. At the end of my first year, I found myself tired, alone, and unsure of what I was contributing as an entry-level employee.

I made a vow to change a few things. I joined two sports groups—a morning swim team and a triathlon training group. I signed up for my first yoga community practice. And I started going to events. I found meet-up groups, lectures and workshops, and conferences to attend. In one year, I met more than 500 new people—many of whom are now, ten years later, some of my closest friends.

What is loneliness? Where does it come from?

What is loneliness? Where does it come from, and why do we experience it? How can we combat it—and better yet: why is it useful?

For the past year, I’ve been researching loneliness, community and the power of connectivity, and I’ll be debuting a new keynote at ALIVE in Berlin this May looking at the structures that create loneliness, why community and connectivity are so important, and what we can do to help reconnect both to ourselves and to other people. As a bonus, I’ll also be teaching a workshop on the power of connection—and tips on how to connect with other people through understanding the physical body (your posture and stance); through your story (and what you say); and by being open and asking questions.

One of the most important ways I’ve met new people and found my tribes is through attending and joining conferences that gather like-minded people together. From WDS (Portland) to Big Omaha (Nebraska) to The Feast (New York + Global) and TED (Global), each time I’ve taken the jitters of traveling alone, taken a deep breath, and tried to meet kind faces and reach out and extend my ties to the world by meeting more of the humans we share space with.

[tweetable hashtag=”@sarahkpeck @aliveinberlin”]The strength of your life comes from the people you surround yourself with.[/tweetable]

What does a woman who lives with hens and roosters on a farm out in the middle of England decide to do after building a thriving virtual and in-person coaching practice? Start a conference, of course.

Jana Circle
I met Jana Schuberth at the first World Domination Summit (one of my favorite conferences—you can check out the yearly recaps as a testament to the experience). We both wandered through Portland, Jana with bare feet, me in my yoga clothes—and chatted about nutrition, exercise, paleo diets, motivation, and personal development. She’d made the trek over to the States from Loughborough, England, and our late night chats meant it was an instant kinship—we still chat by Skype as often as we can schedule it across projects and time zones.

I had a chance to sit down with Jana and interview her about her story, how she writes, and the challenges of blogging. As she says, “I’m probably a bit crazy to be doing this all, but I looked around and I really wanted the WDS experience here in Europe.” She describes chatting with a mentor about wanting someone to build similar conferences in Europe and her home country, Germany; to which her mentor replied:

“If you really want something like this, you’re going to have to be the one to build it.”

[tweetable hashtag=”@sarahkpeck @aliveinberlin”]“It’s your job to build what you want to see in the world.”[/tweetable]

With a bit of excitement and nerves, she realized—Yes, that’s it. Somehow, we’re going to throw a conference next year. Alive in Berlin was born.

Alive in Berlin Banners—1

Alive in Berlin: A global conference for change-makers

I have a soft spot in my heart for do-ers and makers; and this conference aims to collect them in one space. If you’re curious about the conference, check out Alive in Berlin (and read the end of this post for an incredible scholarship opportunity to the conference).

Some things to know: The conference is in Berlin. Registration fees are £349.00. Dates are May 30-31. It will be gorgeous Springtime in the epic city of Berlin (I’m staying a few extra days to explore the city—I’ve heard the street art is phenomenal and the late night dance parties epic, in addition to exploring the cities’ rich and vibrant history).

From the ALIVE team:

“Alive in Berlin is not just about getting a temporary hit of inspiration, it’s about making deep connections and coming away with a solid plan of action. Rather than leaving with your head in the clouds, overwhelmed with information and ideas and ultimately coming back down to earth with a bump, we want you to feel confident, re-energised and ready to wholeheartedly step all areas of your life up to the next level over the long-term.”

“The two-day event will include 8 brilliant expert speakers from a wide range of disciplines, space throughout the weekend for relaxed conversation and interaction, daily Q&A sessions where you can interact directly with many of our speakers and coaches, and opportunities to get active and involved for those who want to. There will also be a chill room and coffee corner to relax, reflect and take time out if you need to!”

Together we’ll explore the common threads that connect us and make us come alive.

And the EPIC April Giveaway: One scholarship space to ALIVE in Berlin—all the details (and a short application)!

Want in?

The thing about conferences is, they often cost a couple of bucks. I know—one year I went to 24 different events—from Big Omaha to The Feast to WDS to Startup Weekend Los Angeles. I was averaging a conference or event every other weekend—and I was exhausted. And it was the bulk of my eating and entertainment budget for the year (let’s just say I ate a lot of granola bars and hardboiled eggs).

But I wouldn’t change that year for the world.

The thing about conferences is, they’re also one of the best places to meet new people. People in your tribe, people who speak your language, people who have what you want, people who want what you have to offer. Sometimes it’s a late-night chat and a fitness conversation; sometimes it’s a life-long friend, sometimes it’s the right designer for your project or a place to crash the next time you travel to that new city.

[tweetable hashtag=”@sarahkpeck @aliveinberlin”]Finding your tribe—people who understand you—is life-changing.[/tweetable] As adults, there aren’t as many opportunities to mix up the sandbox and say hello to knew folks. To meet new friends. When you have the same job, the same commute, and the same screen every day, our opportunities for adult summer camp and friendship quickly dwindle. Conferences are places to let you come out of your current storyline and try a new route for your own adventure.

As a bonus—because I’m a speaker at the event—I have one scholarship ticket to ALIVE in Berlin to gift to a lucky reader in this community.

If you’re itching to go to Berlin, to shake up your life, or find a new community, one lucky winner will get to win ONE ticket to the conference.

How do you win? Here’s what you’ve gotta do:

First, leave a comment down below! Tell us a conference story: what have conferences done for you? Where do you find and meet new people? What’s been the best event for you so far?
Second, share this post. Heart it, tweet it, post it, write about it. Simple. Click to tweet: [tweetable hashtag=”@sarahkpeck @aliveinberlin]Epic April Giveaway: One scholarship space to ALIVE in Berlin![/tweetable]
Third, apply for the scholarship with this application form.

Winner will be picked on Friday, April 11, 2014. Turn in your application by Thursday, April 10, 2014. You have one week to enter—good luck!

The scholarship is for £249 off the ticket price. The scholarship ticket will be £70 (to cover basic event fees + registration fees) towards the ticket price. If selected, you will have one week to purchase the ticket.

[tweetable hashtag=”@sarahkpeck @aliveinberlin”]Bravery is encouraged. Authenticity rewarded.[/tweetable] Tell us, what makes you come ALIVE?

To listen to the full interview with Jana Schuberth and Sarah Peck, listen here:

The Write Life’s bundle: massive sale for writers!

Posted on March 17, 2014March 17, 2014 by Sarah K Peck

The Writer's Bundle: Epic Resources

Writing is powerful stuff.

I teach several writing courses as a tool to gain insight into your inner wisdom, access your inner soul, and pen your own stories. If you’ve been itching to write, yesterday I shared several of my favorite resources in the March edition of my behind-the-scenes newsletter.

Today, I’m excited to share a few more awesome resources on writing, publishing, and marketing that you might love. If you want to know learn more about publishing, writing, building your own business, and marketing from some of my favorites—Seth Godin, Jenny Blake, Chris Guillebeau, Ali Luke, Alexis Grant and more—keep reading.

The Write Life Bundle—an epic steal at $79:

Want to know more about publishing, creating kindle books, marketing your book, developing your business, promoting your work, and engaging your audience? The Write Life packs a powerful punch in this bundle of nine different e-resources—a collection of books and courses that normally runs for more than $700 individually.

The bundle features:

Chris Guillebeau’s Unconventional Guide to Publishing (ebook and audio, retails for $129)
Jeff Goins’ How to Start Publishing for Kindle (ebook and audio, retails for $47)
Kristi Hines’ The Ultimate Blog Post Promotion Course (course, retails for $197)
Jenny Blake’s Build Your Business (course, retails for $75)
Tom Ewer’s Paid to Blog (course, retails for $29)
Sophie Lizard’s The Freelance Blogger’s Client Hunting Masterclass (course, retails for $98)
Alexis Grant’s Social Media for Writers (course, retails for $99)
Danny Iny’s Interview on Building an Engaged Community (audio + transcript, exclusive)
Ali Luke’s The Blogger’s Guide to Irresistible Ebooks, plus Publishing an Ebook Audio Seminar (ebook and audio, retails for $29 + $19.99)

The catch? It’s available for three days ONLY; the offer expires Wednesday, March 19 at midnight EST. That means if you’re interested, you’ve gotta act now!

Click here for more details and to get your hands on this bundle.

What is it about writing that’s so important?

People ask me why I teach a writing course.

To me, it’s so much more than writing. Writing is just the surface.

My deeper belief is that we’re all in need of connection to ourselves, as well as connection to each other. Writing, marketing, copy—it’s all just a way to tell stories and share them with our tribes. With the people that matter. When I look around, I see too much loneliness and disconnection. In plain English this means we’re kind of miserable, kind of bored, and kind of lonely—and we don’t know why.

Writing is one of the many tools we have to connect more deeply into our own inherent wisdom—and to tell stories that connect us to other people. Sometimes we forget how extraordinary writing is. It takes us out of our heads and lets us share a part of ourselves beyond our physical presence—we can share our ideas and our words in a space where other people can connect and learn about who we are.

Because of this, I’m sharing the writer’s bundle—for you to keep writing, of course!

Seth Godin’s Marketing Master Class—Another crazy steal at $10 for the class:

Want to learn more about mastering marketing with one of the all-time best marketers to date? Seth is offering another great skillshare class, available for $20 (or only $10 per student if you use my link). The course covers the following aspects of marketing:

11 questions about your role and your leverage;
An action theory of marketing;
The 14 “P” words that you need to know;
Specific marketing concepts and exercises;
Case studies in action.

$10 for a marketing class with Seth Godin?

Crazy. CRAZY SAUCE. Am I right?

Previewing next summer:

But what about your courses, Sarah? When are you teaching again?

Awww, thanks for asking!

Many of you know that today’s the day I wrap up teaching three different courses—our Writer’s Workshop, the Content Strategy course, and the Grace & Gratitude courses that I’ve taught this Winter quarter. It’s been a pleasure and a joy to journey together with more than 160 different faces through each of these workshops. After 3 months of back-to-back teaching, I’m editing and refining the program and will be brining out the next round of courses sometime later this Spring or early Summer (mark your calendars!).

Until then, go get your hands on one of these amazing programs, and — keep writing.

Are you itching and ready for change? So many beautiful ways to start the new year. Here are a few programs and classes I love.

Posted on January 3, 2014January 3, 2014 by Sarah K Peck

I have a confession to make.

I signed up for three courses this January, and I’ve got so many notebooks and pens and pencils out that I’m doing geeky little dances around my apartment, although my apartment keeps getting messier and messier. Magazines, scissors, glue, crafts? Check. Class on financial awareness and making money as a creative entrepreneur? Check, check. Advancing my skills in writing and storytelling by taking more writing classes? Absolutely.

If you’re itching for growth and change like I am, the new year is always a beautiful time to try out new classes, habits, and ideas. I find I work best in community with other folks, and with a regular routine or schedule–so this month of January, I’m setting time aside to do more creative writing and crafts. But what will you do? What are you hoping to work on this year? What changes have you been itching to make in your life?

Earlier I posted great gifts for the Holiday, and as an addendum, here are several more programs that might be exactly what you need this January. (Obviously I want you to sign up for both the Writer’s Workshop and the Content Strategy course, but your needs and finances are diverse, so pick and choose what’s right for you).

Here’s a list of books, ideas, courses, and free self-guided programs to help kick off the new year.

Master Classes + Masterminds:

RevolutionU with Good Life Project and Jonathan Fields. A band of visionaries and creatives join together in an intensive 8-week mastermind with the one and only Jonathan Fields. Jonathan has been a voice of strength and courage and I’m constantly learning from him. I’ll admit, I’m tempted.
Jenny Blake’s Build-Your-Business Bootcamp. Itching to get moving on your creative projects and make your business, well, make sense? Jenny has been an instrumental friend and coach–I’ve often called on her to work through ideas, but now instead of one-off coaching, she offers this powerful class.
Weekend in the Woods: Yoga & Writing Retreat with my friend Dave Ursillo in Rhode Island. January 17-19, limited spaces left.
The Writer’s Workshop and Content Strategy for Thought Leaders. If improving your communication is something you want to focus on this year, sign up for the January 13th and February 17th courses. Since so much of our world (read: the internet) exists in written form, improving your writing chops helps you in every area of your life. Sign up before January 10th to join me in the first workshop.

Business + Creative Courses:

Willo’s Harvest & Thrive modules for Creative Entrepreneurs: I signed up for three of the modules and I can’t wait to learn from this lady. Clarifying your vision, creating structure and focus, and thriving financially and the heart of this creative endeavor. ($49 per module).
Hannah Marcotti’s Spirits of Joy January Course: (Begins January 2).I’m enrolled in this and you can follow some of my progress on my Instagram feed if you want a peek into what’s happening. $29.
Alexandra Franzen’s I Heart Email Course: This lady speaks my language. We write every day in email, thousands of words per day, and it could be so much better. The course runs at your own choice of donation amount (honor system). I’m so looking forward to this.
Jeff Goin’s 500-words writing challenge: Want to write 500 words a day? Join in with writer Jeff as he and his community write 500 words a day. (Sign up on his blog and leave a comment
Leo Babauta’s Sea Change Program: A monthly membership designed to help you implement and stick to changes in your life. The subscription is $10 a month and you are not obligated to stay for the full year.
Seth Godin’s SkillShare Master Marketing Class: Opens January 15th. (This is an affiliate link, which means I get $10 if you sign up–so I can take more classes, tell you about them, and generally make the world better. Things that are good. Thank you!)
Tara Gentile’s KickStart Labs: a place for entrepreneurs and small-business owners to feel less alone. Twice-monthly calls and a community of success-focused and vision-driven microbusiness owners just like you.

Athletic courses, coaching, and challenges:

Amber Zuckswert’s EPIC Self 3-week online challenge. I worked with this lady in Bali, and she’s a wonderful yoga and pilates instructor. Full of wisdom and motivation, her 3-week pass is an absolute steal. $150 for downloadable DVD’s, bonus coaching sessions, and healthy recipes.
A Shrink Session with Erin Stutland in New York City (digital classes available). I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about this lady. Blends workouts with positive affirmations. Mind-changing. I love movement, so yes, I’m trying one of these this year.

Books + Self-Guided Programs:

Your Best Year Yet: A 2014 Creative Calendar from Andrea Genevieve and Krystle Lilliestierna. Featuring 12 interviews with entrepreneurial women (yours truly is in the guide!), the calendar breaks down marketing, business strategy, and steps to take throughout the year in conjunction with the calendar.
The Artists Way. Pick up a copy of Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way and write 750 words each day and rediscover your creative self. It’s a 12-week self-guided program. (I’m doing it with a few friends from January to March. So excited!)
Pam Slim’s latest book, Body of Work. I picked it up and I think that it is her best writing to date. It’s not always easy to describe what your threads are, but it’s a phenomenal set of exercises that help you see your life as a complete body of work–filled with various projects and drives–and less about a singular definition or job. It’s also a huge relief, because you don’t need to nail one job or one description; it’s not about arriving.

A note: pick one and start small.

In order to make change in your life–particularly if you want different outcomes, you have to do something different. Change is hard. It’s really difficult to do new things and to make time, space, and be accountable for the changes you want to make. Pick only one of the things above if it really and truly aligns with your goals. Make wiggle room for growth and change.

In my experience, the most successful things I do start small and happen gradually. They also happen in community–where people can nudge me if I drop off and encourage me to get back on track. There are some things I’m more successful at self-guiding and other things I need lots of accountability for. People, schedules, and finances are great ways to encourage accountability. This is one of the reasons why I signed up for Yoga Teacher Training–to have a program, schedule, and giant financial commitment that would encourage me to do what I wanted to do.

And a quick note on finances:

PS: If you’re short on cash or chasing financial freedom, you don’t have to do any of these things. An $8 notebook and your own brain will serve you just fine. Email someone and ask if you can do a creative swap to join their course. Sign up for 750 Words and start your own January writing challenge.

The benefit of financial investment comes from supporting the work of people you love (one of the reasons why I sign up for so many things), joining a community (which helps you stay accountable), and putting your money where you want your heart to be (also an accountability move). But if you can’t afford it right now, be honest with yourself, too. I support conscious consumerism.

Do you know any great programs that should be shared?

Link it up in the comments and I’ll edit the post to add it!

What are you doing to make this your year?

Let’s Go For A Walk and Talk: Experiments in a Creative Series.

Posted on January 17, 2013March 24, 2013 by Sarah K Peck

“Modern literary theory sees a similarity between walking and writing that I find persuasive: words inscribe a text in the same way that a walk inscribes space. In The Practice of Everyday Life, Michel de Certeau writes, ‘The act of walking … is a process of appropriation of the topographical system on the part of the pedestrian, it is a special acting-out of the place … and it implies relations among differentiated positions.’ I think this is a fancy way of saying that writing is one way of making the world our own, and walking is another.”

— Geoff Nicholson, The Lost Art Of Walking.

Walking is critical to thinking, yet we are an increasingly sedentary society. Let’s move, think, wander. There is language and brilliance in movement, in walking and exploring.

Or, perhaps as Austin Kleon says: “You are a mashup of what you let into your life.”

This past year, I designed an event series around spending time walking and talking with a small group of people in San Francisco (and expanded to Boulder, Colorado for a special session with the Bold Academy). The purpose of the Walk + Talk series was to explore different conversations and new spaces, as well as to test an idea that I’d been mulling over for some time: That walking (and movement) are critical to thinking, and that a walk can enable more vulnerable and in-depth conversations in ways that sitting and talking don’t always do.

For each event, I put together a set of ideas loosely related to a particular topic (with suggested readings and prompt questions), but certainly allowed for people to be free to wander off point and engage in their own imaginations.

Over the past dozen events, there have been several emerging themes and realizations. There are several reasons why walking is conducive to better thinking, from the positioning of our bodies in space, the the idea of a destination, to the elevation of our heart rates to 100-110 beats per minute. When you design scenarios that enable trust–and walking with friends can be designed to create a space of safety and exploration–the ideas and innovations and possibilities that result can be astounding. And sometimes, you just need to walk it out. Just as the peripatetic philosophers did years ago, let’s engage in a short walk and ask good, hard, interesting questions.

I believe in the importance of conversation and wandering and connectivity, and I’m exploring a theory that movement is essential for unlocking the thinking in our minds. I also want to create a space for respectful, fearless conversations, idea exchange, and explorations. Particularly or equally important was the group curation–I invited minds that I admired, thought leaders and people willing to be vulnerable and inquisitive; and kept the size small enough to create space for long-form conversation.

The fact that we’re creating a small but growing group of philosopher-wanderers who gather to muse about the future of the world, modern issues, and other topics at hand makes me incredibly excited. Each walk, a new theme is put forward, with suggested reading passed around in the group.

If you’re in San Francisco, ask about next event or email me to find out more–I tend to keep the groups very small, so space is limited. The idea, however, is free. Walking and talking are inherently human activities and no one owns them, and I’ll be posting the reading sets for people to borrow on this website (please, take them!). If you find more readings or articles related to movement, thinking and consciousness, please send them my way. The world needs more walkers and philosophers. (And as a bonus: if you come up with your own reading set, send it my way and I’ll use it for a future group).

Thoughts and musings for the afternoon:

How often do you take a walk?
Are you a solitary walker or a group walker?
When do you do your best imagining and thinking?
Is thought and movement related? How is movement important (and critical) for innovation and creativity?
Do you wander in places that are familiar or unfamiliar?

“It’s not about where an adventure ends, because that’s not what an adventure is about. Let’s get going.” – Matt Damon (In the movie “We Bought A Zoo”).

Tell me your story in the comments! I’ll be writing more on movement and consciousness in several future posts, and I’d love to hear from you.

World Domination Summit: Day 2 and Beyond

Posted on July 19, 2012July 19, 2012 by Sarah K Peck

Sometimes I get caught up in the whirlwind of the weeks that it’s hard for me to find time to sit down and write my posts – it’s been about a week and a half since the epic second rendition of WDS concluded, and I went straight back to work, followed by a weekend spent with the Bold Academy teaching another storytelling workshop; This week I’m traveling to two of our seven SWA offices to interview the partners in a new project recording the oral histories of a 55 year old firm. But more on all of this later–for now, I’m backtracking and catching up on the part two of an epic weekend itself: a weekend called World Domination.

As Chris says, there’s more than 160 posts out there that have recapped the weekend, so I’ll focus on my take-aways from the sessions that impacted me: World Domination, Day 2 – Sunday

This year, I was picked to lead one of the workshops – an event both terrifying and immensely satisfying; as part of my long-term goals, I want to get more involved in teaching and public speaking again. While I’ve worked for years as a swim coach and teacher, as well as a private instructor, formalizing my experience in the architecture and psychology worlds still feels new to me, and I’m joining toastmasters, taking acting classes and generally nerding up on all things public-speaking in order to continue to get better at it (As with everything I’m doing – I’m sure I’ll have resources coming soon!) For anyone with questions about public speaking or presentations, leave them in the comments – it will help me get better at doing it! But back to last weekend…

WORLD DOMINATION: DAY 2

Chris Guillebeau kicked off the event by reminding everyone that inspiration is nothing without action – everyone who comes to the conference to get inspired must also leave knowing that they are going to do something to make change in the world they see.

Now that a week has passed, I wonder: what are you taking action on this week? Have you taken steps to make shit happen? Have you mapped out a plan to keep yourself accountable? I have one goal for the next three months – and it involves 12 steps (or, once-weekly check-ins every Friday). What about you? Continue reading “World Domination Summit: Day 2 and Beyond”

Reinvent Business Hackathon: Fast Company, Frog Design + 200 Hackers in San Francisco

Posted on June 16, 2012December 31, 2012 by Sarah K Peck

“Reinvent Business” Hackathon – Winning Concepts from frog on Vimeo.

After a whirlwind week, this past weekend I was part of the inaugural frog design, LRN and Fast Company‘s weekend summit “Reinvent Business Hackathon.” It was a 2-day intense creative event with 180 people from around the world to break into small teams to change business and re-humanize the structures by re-thinking how, why, and what we do in business.

I learned an incredible amount, met some stunning faces, and am still processing all of my thoughts – more in an upcoming article soon! Check out the comments on Twitter (#reinventbiz or @sarahkpeck) where I’ve been posting updates.

The purpose of the event, in the words of the organizer:

“The financial crisis, environmental crises, growing income disparity, unemployment, corruption, Occupy Wall Street, public resignation letters, etc. – the ‘trust gap’ between business and society is widening. Companies are facing a crisis of meaning, and they are challenged by a deficit of trust. They have developed global compacts, company values, codes of conduct, compliance policies, and entire corporate departments to foster social responsibility and encourage more values-based decision making. Yet we continue to witness near-term, siloed behaviours across industries that seem disconnected from society’s needs.”

Changing business from within?

“The need for a real understanding of the common human values that connect organizations and individuals is becoming ever more important. Transparency, inclusivity, inspiration, and organizational responsiveness are crucial in nurturing businesses’ social fabric and facilitating empathy and collaboration. But the challenge remains: How do we translate these values into tangible, personal experiences? How can social technology unlock the human potential inside organizations?”

A Recap List:

The best articles I’ve read to date to summarize the event–because my non-stop brain and work is a bit fried at the moment–are as follows. It was an incredible weekend, pushing the limits of my creativity, challenging how I worked with others with an urgency to innovate and collaborate in a short 48 hour time frame.

Have you ever been part of a hackathon? It’s an incredible way to meet people, learn quickly, build things–and maybe even find an idea or a team for a side project. I’ve done a handful of hackathons and innovation meet-ups over the past year and met brilliant people as a result. I definitely recommend it.

Life Doesn’t Always Go According to Plan… Hospitals, Applications, Hackathons, and Other Adventures.

Posted on June 12, 2012December 31, 2012 by Sarah K Peck

Image from Murray Mitchell.

OVERWHELMED.

That’s the word of the week.

First: I am grateful. For you. ALL of you. You’re stunning. More updates on the Start Something Project project in just a bit.

As you know, it—LIFE—sometimes doesn’t go exactly as planned.

Scratch that – it never goes according to plan.

Yet here was the plan last week: a quiet worknight, reading applications to the Start Something Project, putting together the final touches on an article with Metropolis Magazine, and reading a bit more of the history of SWA Group for a project I’m working on with my company later this summer. I was really looking forward to reading all of the Start Something applications, but for some reason, my stomach wouldn’t stop hurting. Continue reading “Life Doesn’t Always Go According to Plan… Hospitals, Applications, Hackathons, and Other Adventures.”