Big Dreams Come True: Megan Winkler

Welcome to the ‘Big Dreams Come True’ interview series where I interview fabulous people (just like you!) about having their Big Dream come true. This month my guest is the wonderful Megan Winkler, CNSF Fellow, author and Happiness Coach from www.thebrainybabe.com. Here’s Megan’s Big Dream Come True Story…

What Big Dreams have you had come true? Tell us all about them.

I’ve been so lucky to have many of my dreams come true, but the two that really come to mind – probably like most people – have to do with my work. When I was working on my master’s degree in military history, people asked me all the time what on earth I wanted to do with that degree. My answer was always, “Write and teach.”

Well, I don’t write or teach much history at this point, but I have published several books both by myself and in collaboration with others, am published all over the internet, and I teach people how to improve their lives through mindfulness brain training as a Certified Neurosculpting® Facilitator Fellow. For me, that’s a dream come true!

What was the catalyst for this dream – what made you want this?

There’s never been a time in my life when I was not writing. I recently came across a number of notebooks that had been living in storage for a couple of decades. They were full of my girlhood scribbles and fantasy worlds. It was all very fluffy and bad, but fun to read.

What really provided the catalyst for the current iteration of my work is I have always been the person friends come to for advice. One day, a friend of mine said, “You should get paid for all the advice you give.” That’s when I decided to write my first book, a dating advice book called Transmissions From Dating Land. And these days as a coach and mentor, I’m getting paid for my advice in helping people reach their goals or improve their lives.

What obstacles/challenges did you face along the way and how did you overcome them?

The biggest obstacle was believing in myself. I think worthiness is something that most people struggle with: Why would anyone want to read what I’ve written? Why does my opinion matter? Etc.

I really had to get my mind in the game and decide that what I had to say, and the knowledge I have, is worthy of being shared. Neurosculpting® definitely helped with that – and I always say I was Neurosculpting® before I knew what it was – and I have the most supportive partner in life. He’s my biggest cheerleader and reminds me all the time that I’m rockin’ it.

Did it turn out as you expected?

Not at all, but I have – so far – gotten everything I’ve ever wanted, just in a different form than I imagined. I think a lot of us really get stuck on how things “should” look in our lives that we miss out on those moments that are exactly what we’ve been looking for. All because they don’t look the way we think they should.

I am a writer and a teacher, but if I’d had my blinders on and only accepted being a history writer and teacher, then I would feel like a complete failure. I always wanted to be married. I got married twice and divorced twice before I was 30, but now I’m “married” to a man who would never have been my type and it’s better than I imagined.

What is the best thing about your dream coming true?

The lives I touch. It’s so gratifying to help someone push through old barriers in coaching sessions or to read a review of one of my books where the reader just fell in love with a character or “saw the light” in their relationship approach.

What is the worst thing about your dream coming true?

Finding the time to write all the damn sequels I’ve promised my readers! I AM working on them – I promise! – but it definitely feels like I’m letting my readers down sometimes when they want to learn about what happens next and I just haven’t gotten there yet. Really, time is the biggest challenge, and I’ve had to seriously work on managing my time, so I don’t burn out.

What advice would you have for other people who want to make this Big Dream come true?

If you want to become a writer, don’t get mired in the junk you read on Facebook about how “real writing” is about hating yourself or staring at the screen hopelessly. That’s crap. If you’re blocked, then just start writing about what you can literally see at the moment. It gets the brain going and engaged.

If you want to become a coach, find something that sets you apart from others. It seems like everyone is a coach these days, but how can YOU add value to people’s lives? That’s the important thing.

No matter what your Big Dream is, it’s going to take hard work, dedication, and you must, under every circumstance, do what you say you’re going to do.

What’s next on your Big Dream list?

In the immediate future, the release of my revised and expanded edition of Transmissions in early 2017. I’ve also just got to the place in life where I can be more mobile with my work than ever before, so expect to see some pictures of more exotic locales on my social media profiles. I’d also love to host a different, quirky meditation retreat that’s about living in the moment and self-exploration, but without the pressure that some retreats seem to present to people. It will probably be on a beach somewhere!

ABOUT :

Zen cowgirl Megan Winkler, CNSF Fellow and Happiness Coach is the author of Transmissions from Dating Land, Wake of Darkness, Revolution 2, and other titles. She has been featured locally and across the nation in publications including elephant journal, CultureMap, The Alternative Daily, Earth911, and the Neurosculpting® Institute.

Fascinated by the brain and obsessed with asking for the why behind problems, Megan began studying directly with the founder of the Neurosculpting® Institute, Lisa Wimberger in 2013. She found that remnants of her former struggle with depression were still rooted deeply in her mind, but through Neurosculpting® meditations and brain training, she could move past those old stories.

She completed her Tier 1 certification in 2014. In 2016, she completed her fellowship training with the Institute, where she also serves as the NSI Editorial Coordinator and the Youth Program Co-Developer. She lives in North Texas with her partner Mike, daughter Emma, and a revolving cast of roommates and houseguests. You can find Megan at TheBrainyBabe.com and find out more about the Neurosculpting® Institute at www.NeurosculptingInstitute.com

Connect with Megan here:

Thank you for sharing your Big Dream Coming True story Megan. Have you had a Big Dream Come True? I’d LOVE to interview you about it – get in touch and share your Big Dream Story.

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