The Day My Shoes Melted: A Powerful Lesson About Persistence and Finishing What Matters This is my official entry for SKOOLx, and it's now live for voting. My talk is about taking that next step to get to your goal. I'll be honest, putting this together pushed me. I wrote this over so many times and focused on it for days. Then, I practiced it for hours and hours. But I'm proud of myself for finally allowing it to be finished. Sure, it needs work. But isn’t that why they’re having this competition, to help us make it better? If you feel that this resonates with you, I'd really appreciate your vote. Every vote counts and my dream is to make it to the finals! So, I'd love to have your support behind me with your melted shoes! 😉 (No shoes were harmed in the making of this talk) Vote here: https://forms.gle/bbqBf65BFVQaqvmP7 Voting ends on Monday, June 22nd! Thanks for your support! What did you think of my talk? Share in the comments! I’d love to hear your thoughts! @Shirley-Louise Daniels @Abby Davin @Akua Powell @Aisha P @Barbara Walsh @Bettina Lovas @Andrew Belock @Linda Brand @Andréanne Brault @Larisa Kocsis @Amber Griffiths @Karin Olson @Lawrencia Abugre @Linda Thomas @Carol Jenkin @Carly Wiggins @Caly Rohar @Danni Armstrong @Debi Lynn @Elizabeth O'Carroll @Elizabeth Veronique Hoka @Eliza Marin @Eileen MacDonell @Eirini Kapsidou @Elias McQuade @Frances Scully @Diana Frank @Katrin Differt @Danni Armstrong @Karen Dennis @Kevin de Haan @Faizan Ahmad @Faith Adebayo @Faith Romen @Hanni Meier @Mariam Kipiani. MD @Maria Leeper @Gwynne Conlyn @Gouree Gupta @Gaby Sanin @Hanalei C @Harris William @Hafsah Ahamed @Ian Darley @Iam Christian @Irina A. @Dorela iEPAN @Jasmine Collins @JeanAlbert Arnold @Jaime Glasser @Karen Sarmento @Karen Strauss @Kady Adamson @Meriliis Kivimägi @Kris Rather @Kristy Kelley @Ladavia Savoie @Lisa Black @Lisa Steenberg @Me ch Immelman @Aura Mengel @Mercy Helen @Nathaniel Parant @Nika Nika @Natalie Horseman @Naseef Hale @Nikki Hillhouse @Noelle Hyzy @Burcu Onaranel @Chevy Patrick Oneil @Amanda Owens @Phillip Mackey @Pravin Choudhary @pineappleCITI Works @Rachael Bermingham @Rachel Harmsworth @Rachel Yu @Rafaela Moreno @Salma Samaha @Scott Aksamit @Sean Daly @Shawn Helgerson @Sharon Prahl @Shemmiah Lewis @Talya Ring @Tamara Fogle @Tara Hayes @Johannes Tamegger @Kathryn Traff @Uday Sarma @Vasi Smith @Birger Verpeten @Anna V. @Cinthia Varkevisser @Wendy Wiseman @Barbara Walsh @Yulia Drummond @Yan Lin @Yo Me @Kaushik Yadav @Candy Zulkosky@Ryan Clark @Chanie Twersky @Steve Belanger @Steven Cruz @Chris Hanlon @Christina Morales @Joseph Isosaki

It’s a mixture of adrenaline rush drama and mystery. My heart is in contemporary romance. But this story hit me a little different. Don’t let the tagline fool you! Tagline: Beta Tested. Human Approved. Entirely Stolen. Title: SANITY Author: BY KAIDY WRIGHT Chapter One: The Architecture of a Void (1235) Whoa! Time to get up. The command came from a brain that didn’t recognize the body it was piloting. I rolled out of the heavy, silk-sheeted bed. My feet hitting hardwood that felt unnervingly... smooth. As I stood, a wave of vertigo washed over me. I scanned the room, my eyes darting from the high, crown-molded ceilings to the austere, ivory walls. "I’m awake, right?" I whispered. The sound of my own voice felt thin, like a radio signal losing its frequency. I pulled a plush robe over my shoulders—it was soft, expensive, and entirely... unfamiliar. Groggly... I moved and stumbled toward what I assumed was the en-suite. My mind was a sludgefest of half-formed thoughts. The kind of cognitive fog that usually clears after a splash of cold water. I reached for the handle and yanked it open. What? Only to find myself staring at a wall of empty hangers and built-in shelving. "Wait a minute," I muttered, the fog beginning to chill into a cold realization. "What?" I pinched the underside of my forearm. Hard. "Ouch! Okay... I’m awake." I let out a dry, nervous chuckle. "Foolish me. Get it together, girl. Just... a little morning disorientation. Talk it out." I turned to the second door and pulled. This one led to a long, vaulted hallway that seemed to stretch on with mathematical precision. I looked left, then right. The silence wasn't just... the absence of noise; it felt heavy, like the house was holding its breath. "Where am I?" I asked the empty air. "Why does this feel... Strange and wrong?" I took a few tentative steps onto the landing. My hand went to my forehead, checking for the heat of a fever, but my skin was cool. If anything, the cold was starting to seep into my marrow.

The words we choose don’t just describe our world — they create it. Each word paints a picture in the mind and sets the tone for how we perceive and respond to life. This is very relevant when telling stories, whether they're stories of our life, or stories we're creating. Think about it… 🔹Calling something a battle sets you up to brace for impact, armor on, ready to fight. Calling it a journey invites curiosity, growth, and movement. 🔹Seeing an experience as a tragedy anchors you in loss. Seeing it as an opportunity opens space for healing and transformation. 🔹Saying “I have to” do something feels like a burden. Saying “I get to” do it shifts it into gratitude. 🔹“I’m stuck” sounds powerless. “I’m pausing to realign” feels intentional. 🔹“I failed” ends the story. “I learned” keeps it going. Your words reveal your mindset — and they also shape it. By becoming mindful of the language you use, you reclaim power over how you experience your life. Every phrase becomes a brushstroke in the masterpiece of your reality. What’s one word or phrase you’ve decided to reframe lately — something you’re shifting to bring more alignment, peace, or empowerment into your life? How can this translate to your writing?

I’ve been thinking and I know the last time that we did a writing challenge, it helped a few of you! @Stefanie Z. @Mariam Kipiani. MD and a few others said that it helped them get that much needed motivation to keep pushing on with their books. 📚 Now, should we have a writing challenge again, or should it be more focused on promoting your book, specific parts of writing, or anything else that you can think of? Comment below and let me know what kind of challenge would be beneficial for you and helping you with getting your book out into the world! Remember that it be any challenge that helps with your book. That can be research, any effort towards your book, or mentioning it to others. Let me know your thoughts!💭

ATTENTION!! Hey everyone, So, I'm reaching out to all of you since I'm looking for BETA readers for my upcoming book! I'm still at the beginning stages of writing it and putting it together. So, this won't be ready to be read until 2-3 months from now. BUT, I want to start getting people written down that want to be a BETA reader. That way, I already know who I can send it to once it's ready. Now, who would like to be awesome and read my book once it's ready?!? Any volunteers?! @Mariam Kipiani. MD @Stefanie Z. @Joseph Isosaki @Jaime Glasser @Jasmine Collins @Vasi Smith @Amber Griffiths @Karin Olson