Picture it: A small, shabby apartment in 2003.
A fairly recent college graduate and new freelance writer, I am inside working on my first book about historical personal ads (then called "matrimonial ads"). I'm finding a ton of great material using both the local university library archives and an online searchable database of newspapers going back to the 1700s.
There were *so many ads* from the late 1800s from folks advertising in the newspaper for spouses. I could not believe it.
It felt as if I was the only person aware that these ads had ever existed so long ago. It was a treasure hunt. Most of the ads were earnest; some of them were joke-y. All of them were fascinating.
It was really, REALLY cool.
Anyway, I can't remember if this was before or after I signed my first book deal for this project, but one night in the middle of my work on the manuscript, I had a super detailed visualization--daydream--about going on Late Night with Conan O'Brien to talk about finding and gathering up all of these amazing ads.
It was odd for me because I'm not a big daydreamer. I'm a very practical, get-'er-done type of person.
Nevertheless, this vision of mine had a lot of energy behind it...it felt so real. I don't think I slept much at all that night. I was too busy charming Conan and Andy. (And selling thousands of books while doing so.)
It may sound strange that now, nearly twenty years later, I remember that particular daydream, right?
After all, I never actually went on Conan.
BUT.
Not long after that, I did get to fly to New York to be on national TV to talk about my book.
I was invited on Good Morning America and interviewed by THE Diane Sawyer.
I can't even remember that day, I was so scared. So out of my depth.
But it happened. And honestly, I think my very detailed and energetic vision about Conan played a tiny part in making it a reality.
You'd think I'd invest more time and energy into my daydreams after that kind of experience, right?
Not really. I didn't connect the dots on it until more recently.
Today, I do spend a lot of time thinking about what I want the future to look like. I picture beautiful spaces and interesting people, but it's not because I want to write books about shiny accomplishments or luxury living.
I actually want to collaborate with people who are willing to get beneath the surface and share their real stories about moments of doubt, moments of "woo-woo" breakthrough, and moments where they felt so lost they thought they'd never find a way forward.
These are the daydreams I have now...which brings us to the title of this post. I was recently on a Zoom with other ghostwriters organized by Marcia Layton Turner, the founder of the Association of Ghostwriters. We all shared our specialties and niches that day, and I mentioned I've been enjoying getting to know my clients on a spiritual level, saying that lately I've been wanting to write more about the "woo woo" part of life.
Marcia quipped, "When I think of 'woo,' I'll think of you, Laura." I loved it! Marcia is awesome and if I had my way, I'd talk to her every week or every day. (She specializes in business books with CEOs, by the way.)
Have you ever experienced a woo-woo moment? Tell me about it in the comments! To me, these are some of the deepest and most profound experiences of our lives.
