Writing Your Life Story: Coaching with Melessa (Session 2, Part 2)
Have you ever thought about writing your life story?
In this week’s Slow Living podcast, Melessa opens up about the creative and emotional process of writing her first book—a story shaped by resilience, faith, and self-discovery.
As she works to narrow her book’s focus, she reflects on the challenge of putting her life on paper: from surviving an abusive relationship in her teens to growing up within (and eventually beyond) the Mormon faith.
It’s an intimate, vulnerable conversation about how we make meaning from the hardest parts of our past—and how sharing our stories can become an act of healing.
Together, Melessa and I explore what it means to set healthy boundaries, write with honesty, and honor your story with grace. We also talk about the bittersweet experience of leaving the family home where her children grew up, and how a simple “closing ceremony” can help mark a new beginning.
As Melessa finds her footing as a writer, I offer a few creative strategies to help her stay inspired — like using voice memos to capture story ideas, or shaping her book’s theme to read like a novel rather than a list of memories. These small, practical steps make a big dream feel both possible and sustainable.
Because the truth is: You Aren’t Dead Yet.
There’s still time to do the things you’ve always said you would!
Now is the time to write your story.
To paint the picture.
To take the trip.
To start the business.
To live the life you’ve imagined — in a slow, steady, and On Purpose way.
–> Listen now to Episode 214: “Writing Your Life Story” wherever you get your podcasts, or online at stephanieodea.com/podcast.
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