Your story matters.
You.
You act out of kindness every day, not randomly.
You’re not motivated by the drive to hustle and make millions some day. Instead, your enormous ideas for life and your work are fired by the desire to make the world better for other people.
Sometimes — maybe too often — you veer into nice. That’s when you give too much of yourself away and end up exhausted.
Still, you insist on seeing the best in people.
You change your mind, often.
You’re dedicated to exploring your own mind in order to understand why you do the things you do.
Sometimes, you doubt yourself when you pivot away from a passion or job. Again. But that’s you. Once you’ve learned everything you can from a situation, you have to move on.
In a culture dedicated to instant opinions and shouting answers, you’re brave enough to decide what matters to you.
And without a doubt, you’re singular.
You’ve never fit into any category, neatly. You’re a weirdo, a goofball, someone who sings her own song. You make mistakes and you’re starting to learn from them, instead of hiding in shame. That’s new to you, this forgiveness thing.
Some people think you’re a bit of a mess. Some people have called you crazy.
And in the past, you let that get to you, and you tamped yourself down, tried to stay quiet and worked too hard to try to fit in.
After too many decades of masking and pretending, you’ve realized that the constant work of pleasing others only made you smaller. And exhausted.
You want to free yourself from all these pressures.
You don’t know how.
Yet.
Ladies, let’s get curious about our stories together.
You don’t have to try so hard anymore.
Embrace who you are.
Welcome to my home.
Here, as Brandi Carlisle sings in “Crowded Table“
The door is always open
Your picture’s on my wall
Everyone’s a little broken
And everyone belongs
Yeah, everyone belongs.
You belong here.
You have a story.
Oh, you might not agree with that statement.
You’ll say you’re not a “real” writer. You don’t have a novel or screenplay in the works.
But deep down, that little voice you could trust says, “Yes. Yes I do have a story.”
Because you don’t have to be a writer to have a story.
The human need to share our stories is far older than writing them on a page.
We need stories.
“We tell ourselves stories in order to live.” — Joan Didion
We tell ourselves stories about who think we are. Or who we “should” be. And we’ve been trying so hard to make our lives match that story. We mask and pretend and blame ourselves that we’re not good enough, rather than looking at the original story. We push ourselves harder and punish ourselves for our actions and our lives not matching the story.
But what if the story you have been telling yourself about who you are is wrong?
What if it was handed down to you through intergenerational trauma? And you’ve never been curious about where that story began? Or if it’s even true?
What if you’re neurodivergent in a world that’s meant to keep us all striving to be productive and perfected, and yet not complaining? What if you have your way of being that doesn’t fit with what this culture expects? And you’ve been told the story all your life that it’s your job to fit in?
What if you broke free of that story and saw yourself anew?
What if you could reunite with your essential self by creating a new story?
This is why I want to welcome you into my home.
I was once where you are — overwhelmed, exhausted, and constantly anxious.
It took me having a mini-stroke 7 years ago to wake up and realize that I needed to let go of anything that caused me stress.
When I began to understand my own neurological stress and how much energy I put into shoving my round shape into a tiny square peg, I started getting curious about my story.
That led to my memoir, ENOUGH: Notes from a Woman Who has Finally Found It, in which I wrote an essay about everything in my life that had made me feel like I wasn’t good enough.
In writing the new story of my life, and publishing it for other women to read, I transformed my life. I let go of all those troubles. I set myself free.
I’d like to save you from that mini stroke and all that neurological stress.
This is profound work.
I’d like to guide you to more ease and joy in your life.
I’d like to be your storytelling doula.
I can support you.
I call myself a storytelling doula, because the word doula, in the ancient Greek language, means “someone who serves.” And through this process, I’m going to help you “birth” your story.
This is why I generally work with people one-on-one in this process. You need someone who is solely focused on you.
I can help you cut down on the intense labor of reunite with yourself through storytelling, reduce your anxiety of writing and revising your story, and support you in sharing your story with the world
Here’s what I offer.
Workshops.
As the late Stephen Sondheim said, “Teaching is a sacred profession.”
Teaching is one of my deepest joys in life. I guide and listen. And over time, that work we do together creates transformation.
I offer workshops about learning to feed yourself with joy to avoid burnout, freeing yourself as a writer, and creating a social media strategy that feels authentic to who you are.
The Written Word.
I’ll be your guide and ally in discovering the power of your own story. It could be the story of who you are becoming. It could be the story of your business.
If writing isn’t your thing, then you can hire me to be your writer.
Editing.
I can help you shape your manuscript into writing that will move people.
Good storytelling is like breath for me. I’m the astute reader and editor you need.
Testimonials.
“ENOUGH isn’t just the incredibly well-written story of Shauna Ahern’s life, it’s also one of the best accounts of human growth I’ve ever read. Through abuse, rejection, illness, romance, motherhood, and finally, authentic truth-telling, Ahern leans into the uncomfortable realities of being a person in the world. Reader, do not be afraid. These uncomfortable truths are told so compassionately, so beautifully, you won’t be tempted to look away. This book reveals the big heart of one woman, and in return, shows us so much of what we can hope to become.”
Shauna Ahern’s beautifully crafted collection of essays ferries us through her courageous journey from decades of shame and uncertainty toward a life of agency, freedom, and dignity. Raw and vulnerable, Enough is a testament to the healing power of a purpose-filled life.
Frank and engaging…[A] beautiful new memoir…Some of my favorite memoirs break down the divide between story and reader, creating a sense that, for a while, readers are living alongside the author. Such is the case with Enough. Ahern’s insights are a gift to readers as she outlines the steps that brought her closer to things that matter: writing, creativity, time with family and community, the cultivation of gratitude and spirituality—as well as all the ways these things are bound up in and amplified by great food.
Next steps.
Want to talk?
Email me at shauna@getcuriousaboutyourstory.com
Tell me about your project and how you’d like to work together.
If I feel we’re a good fit, I’ll send you a calendar link for a free, 30-minute consultation.
That’s where we’ll discuss rates and talk about the details and deadlines.
Looking for a freelance writer for a project?
Email me at shauna@getcuriousaboutyourstory.com.
Are you an agent or publishing professional with an author who could use my help?
Email me at shauna@getcuriousaboutyourstory.com
Want to join my mailing list to receive stories from me every week? Subscribe today and I’ll send you a gift.
I’m looking forward to talking with you,
Shauna