Our art and our books don't sell themselves. It's our connection with other people and the stories we share and the experiences we relate to, that we capture hearts and minds.

I talked with Emily Silva Hockstra about this on the show today. In 2014, Emily quit her job to pursue her dream of becoming an author. She got a one-way ticket to Bali and set out to write the next Eat, Pray, Love. But when she got one rejection after another from agents, she decided to put it away and focus on her coaching business. She was contacted by her publisher weeks later with the pitch for her first book Moonlight Gratitude.

Emily's commitment to sharing her book and presenting it to the world has led to the sale of over a hundred thousand copies, each representing a life touched and transformed by her words.

"We're all kind of making it up as we go along, because who even knows what it's supposed to be anyway? And why should it all be the same?" – Miriam Schulman

Here's a few lessons from Emily:

• Embrace the natural flow of your journey; don't force outcomes.

• Remember that selling your book, your art, your work comes from personal connections.

• For people to know your work, you have to share your work.

"People don't know the magic that you have. So harness your bravery and share what you're creating. Who knows who you'll affect?" – Emily Silva Hockstra

For full show notes, go to schulmanart.com/259 ++++++++++++++++++++ 🎉FREE GOODIES!🎉 Don't forget to check out the Inspiration Place goodie bag. Go pick up your party favor over at SchulmanArt.com/freebies. Whether you're a passionista or a passion professional, I've got something just for you. ++++++++++++++++++++ 🎤NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! If you loved this, I've got more inspirational episodes coming your way! Please make sure you hit the subscribe or follow button in your podcast app. And if you're feeling extra generous- leave me a review-- https://schulmanart.com/review-podcast ++++++++++++++++++++ BTW If you pop your Instagram handle at the end of the review, I'll even give you a shout out over on my IG stories! ++++++++++++++++++++ I'd love to chat with you on Instagram: http://instagram.com/schulmanart