Celebrate How Far You've Come -& You're Invited!

"Woohoo!” my writing group friends celebrated, as I held up the proof copy of Real-Life Extraordinary.

“This is fantastic!”

“We’re so proud of you!”

“All that work and it’s finally a Real Book!!!” they cheered, clapping and virtually throwing their hands in the air.

“Yeah,” I smiled. “This one took a village. I met so many Extraordinary people along the way. And I’m thrilled with how it turned out.”

And then, without taking a breath, I shifted gears:

“But the cover still isn’t the right color so I need to make some corrections. And I need to make sure it gets distributed to the book stores for my October launch date. And set up my author profile on the different platforms. And update my website, write the press release, and request early reader reviews. And then there’s social media- where do I even start with that?!…”

I watched as my friend’s faces, grinning with enthusiasm just moments before, dropped with disappointment as they listened to me spin and swirl over my endless to-do list.

It took me 2 1/2 years to write and publish Real-Life Extraordinary. Two and a half years of interviews, research, writing early in the mornings and late into the night. But instead of celebrating this milestone achievement, I was stressing out over the “next thing.” My friends were ready to pop the champagne but- gosh darn it! - I had Things To Do!

Why do we skip the celebration?

Often, we stress ourselves out over all that remains “undone,” and rush past how far we’ve already come. If we never pause to celebrate, we rob ourselves- and others- of so much joy. We snuff out the energy and enthusiasm that keep us moving forward. If we don’t stop to celebrate our progress, and focus just on the destination, we miss the fun of the journey and all the milestones along the way.

I knew all this of course.

In fact, I wrote a chapter in Real-Life Extraordinary about how and why it’s important for us all to pause and celebrate.  But that day? My friends were excited to celebrate with me, and I did a bang-up job of ruining the party. “This is crazy,” I thought. “I know better.” And so, I made myself a cup of tea, cracked open the proof copy, and re-read my own words.

Then I made a list all of the gifts that writing this book had already brought into my life - the stretches, accomplishments, experiences, and the friendships...

• All of the many Extraordinary people I had the privilege to interview. You so generously shared your stories, your heart, and your heartaches, with the hope of lifting another up. (I am in awe of your courage, your wisdom, your light. Truly, I'm blown away. Our world is a more Extraordinary place with you in it!)

• All the fun I had distilling these wonderful, rich stories, examples and tools into a heartfelt, relatable guide to help us let go of that heavy baggage that weighs us down and keeps us stuck— the self-doubt, second-guessing, procrastination, worry — so that we can step up more boldly into the Extraordinary life we are all meant to live.

I sat there, my eyes welling up, as the Universe gently flicked my forehead and...

• Reminded me to DO what I Know.

• Reminded me that my experiences, challenges, skills, and adversity have put me on this breathtaking path of being able to help others on their own journey.

• Reminded me that we are all works in progress...

And we are all Extraordinary.

We live in a culture that glorifies hustle, productivity, and “What’s next?” It’s no wonder we feel burned out, anxious, like we’re never doing enough.

Celebration - and gratitude- are the antidotes.

Celebrating shifts our focus from scarcity to abundance. It reminds us we are making progress.

It gives us energy and joy to fuel the road ahead.

And most important: it reminds us that we are Extraordinary—not because of what we’ll achieve someday, but because of who we already are.

So Let's Celebrate!

🎉 You’re Invited to my Virtual Book Launch Party!!  Woohoo!! 🎉

October 8, 2025 at 7:30 PM ET 

Click here to RSVP and get the link to the soiré!

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I'm planning a fun evening with:

🥳 Giveaways of signed copies of the book!

🥳 I’ll be sharing stories behind the book and reading favorite parts

🥳 Tools and tips to get unstuck and live the life you are meant to live

🥳 Input from YOU about the Real-Life Extraordinary people in your life!

🥳 Plus a few special surprises — including 🪄⭐️ MAGIC! ⭐️ 🪄 (Yes, I happen to know a famous magician. And Tim didn't encourage me at all to write that.)

🥳 Wear your Party Hat!

Let's celebrate the extraordinary people we already are, and see just how much more we can become!

Stay Kind. Stay Strong.

With so much love,

Susan

You can read more about Real-Life Extraordinary here, and download the first chapter of the book.

Happiness Practice : Celebrate Your Progress! 🎉

Take a few minutes to pause and celebrate your wins—right now. Grab a notebook or piece of paper and ask yourself:

1. What’s something you’re feeling overwhelmed with right now—something you wish you’d made “more” progress on? Write it down.

2. What have you already accomplished toward this goal or dream? List everything—big and small.

   • Have you started thinking about it? That counts.

   • Talked it over with someone? That counts too.

   • Jotted down ideas, saved notes, or taken even the tiniest step? Still counts!

3. Look at your list. What does it show you about how far you’ve already come?

Now—pause and savor this. Celebrate the strength you’ve earned, the creativity you’ve sparked, the ways you’ve already grown.

Use this list as rocket fuel. Let it remind you that momentum is already on your side—and that celebrating progress is what keeps it alive.