I’ve been writing consistently for just about a year now.
At first, writing was just a cathartic exercise to help me express myself and feel relief from the things I struggled with. In all honesty my first post was about a woman that I liked and how I didn’t feel good enough for her.
I started writing at a time when I felt like I had no one to talk to. I know that I have many people in my life that care about me, but I didn’t want to change the image they saw of me.
So I wrote everything down online, and for a long time no one paid attention. I didn’t mind that.
But eventually people started relating to my stories. I always tried to put a positive spin on everything and focus on solutions to these struggles, instead of the endless negatives that came with them.
Fast forward a year and 2HelpfulGuys has released our first book.
“Not So F.A.Q.: Common Questions, Uncommonly Asked.”
It is a compilation of questions Leroy and I receive on a daily basis. Some are the most common questions about confidence and health etc., and some are more specific questions that strike a chord within us.
In this book I wrote my answers as if the asker and I were sitting outside looking at the stars in deep conversation.
I answered with my heart and put my own experiences with these struggles out there for them to relate.
Although I was answering one person, this conversation would not be for their eyes alone, and that scared me. Not only was I revealing myself to anyone who would care to look, but people would be paying for these insights.
I’m not good at asking people for money. With this book I’ve had a really hard time asking people if they’d like to buy, simply because I want to share this message with everyone without strings attached.
But the problem is that I want this to be my career. I want so desperately to have the resources to continue to spread our messages and help the people we resonate with.
Leroy and I at 2HelpfulGuys have dreams so big that they would surely be laughed at, but we have a deep routed attraction towards these dreams and the good that they will accomplish.
Even with this in mind, I still have a hard time asking people if they want to buy our book.
This made me worry.
I didn’t know if I was good enough, after all, I’m still a work in progress. I’m not perfect and I’ve never been perfect. I’ve often felt like I’ve been worse than most people out there.
But someone left a review to our book that made me realize that all of this worrying and fear was unwarranted. One specific thing that they said struck a chord with me.
“This book is inspiring because the authors pull back the polished masks folks wear and show the teeming process that is happening underneath. The reader is invited to actively think along with the answers being presented, and instead of being the last word on the subject, the answers that the authors give are more like a jumping off place.”
I don’t have all the answers, and I would never try to say that I am better than anyone else. I am still going through the process of improving myself every single day, and this reader understood that.
I was so worried that people would expect our answers to be a one stop cure to everything that they struggle with, but the truth is, we can only offer each other a new path to journey; a new perspective and new tools to carry with us in our growth.
Writing these articles week after week, working through my problems with you and hearing your insights has helped me to grow in ways I could never have imagined.
So I’m writing this post for you, our readers, as a thank you for giving us the opportunity to grow with you.
I’ve written about my fears, my dreams, and my mistakes, and every time we have helped each other work through these difficulties.
With our growing popularity I have often become tempted to leave out the blood, sweat and tears from my stories for the fear that people will think I am not a worthy teacher.
But as always you have shown me that these struggles are what connect us. We all go through tough times, it is what makes us human.
So thank you for teaching me every day, for growing with me and for accepting me as I am, at my highest and at my lowest.
I will continue to serve you to the best of my ability, and maybe one day in the future we will sit underneath the stars and have those beautifully deep conversations about the trials we’ve struggled through and the dreams we yearn for.
Until then,
Steven Farquharson, 2HelpfulGuys
Congratulations! May you have many more years to help many more people! ❤
Cheers!
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Thank you very much, I hope it will only get bigger and better from here!
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Congratulations! 🙂
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Thank you! 🙂
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I am so glad you posted this. I had intended to already buy. I love you guys and have been anxious for this to come out, will read it tonight or tomorrow and get back to you. Congratulations!
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We appreciate the support so much! I hope you enjoy it and you walk away with some new knowledge and practical ways to improve the quality of your life. And again, thank you. It means the world to us!
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Just finished. Loved it. Would you like to do guest post for me?
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You are my inspiration with the consistency
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Thank you, being consistent can be hard sometimes, but we want to keep bringing you new perspectives every week without fail.
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You have connected with your readership which is key, and you have connected with yourself to be able to give the clear insights you do(that goes for both of you), you can only go from strength to strength.
NB: I’ve seen several others do it to help pay for their writing projects etc, is to have a donate button, another blogger I follow is part of the “Go fund Me” donation site, which seems to be proving successful if your open to this.
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Connecting with the people in this community has made our experience that much better, so I’m glad we’ve been able to do that.
Hmm, that is a really cool suggestion, thanks for bringing that to my attention. I definitely ask Leroy and see if that’s something we’d want to try. Thank you!
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is this a review of your new book ?
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No, no. It’s just a post that explores my feeling related to trying to sell the book. You can click the link at the bottom of the post to see the amazon and check out a couple reviews there if you’d like!
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oke
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oh, okay ..
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Bravo! You are an inspiration!
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Thank you! Our readers are my inspiration and that includes you, so thank you for inspiring this inspiration. 😀
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Bravo – What a powerful inspirational and motivational – well done!
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I’m glad you took something away from this article, thank you for showing your support as well.
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Congrats on publishing! I’ve been sitting on a few books I’m going to publish, but have been reluctant to do so. Well, honestly it is because of fear. lol
I have laugh at myself because I’m not fearful about what I’m going to publish, I’m fearful in the publishing process that I know-nothing about lol
Anyway, I think that is great that you have accomplished this.
You also mentioned something that I can relate to “wanting to share your message” This is how I feel as well about the information I want to share with people. The drive to get the message out has nothing to do with money like you said. You just want to get it out there.
Probably just as guilty as I am by offering information that was extremely valuable, and never even considered to think about that.
Well, I need to convince myself as well, that the information in the message providing is very valuable and should not feel guilty charging for it, especially when you know whatever the price is not even close to how much it’s worth.
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Publishing can be scary, but all you have to do is research as much as you can and break each part into step-by-step actions that you can take. It will take a little bit of time, but you can do it!
And yeah, information and new perspectives have the power to change lives so we shouldn’t feel guilty about charging for it. When people are willing to pay for what you have to say it just means that you are teaching them something that they genuinely value.
I hope you end up publishing your work, let me know if you do!
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Thank you for sharing. This is beautiful. Have a wonderful 2015, and all the best on all of your future endeavors. ❤
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I appreciate your support to the moon and back, really. It is nice to put something out there, expose your vulnerable side a little and have people respond positively. I hope your 2015 is filled with joy, new experiences and accomplishment. Thank you ❤
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You’re welcome! Thank you for the lovely and warm message. All the best, in this year and the next ❤ Have a Splendid Thursday! 🙂
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Congratulations! Your story is absolutely inspiring! 🙂
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I’m glad that my words can have a positive affect on your day. Thank you for taking the time our of your day to read and comment, it means the world to me! 🙂
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Steven, Absolutely beautifully put. You are most welcome. I love reading the posts. I learned so much from these. So thank you for sharing your thoughts, experiences with us. Keep working one step at a time.
DO NOT GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAM
I would like to share a quote with both 2helpfulguys “The race is not for the swift nor the battle for the strong. It is for those endure to the end”
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Thank you Leena, I appreciate you taking the time to comment. I’m glad that you read our posts and gain something from them! I like that quote a lot, I feel like that is the way we approach life.
Thanks again! 🙂
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Congratulations!
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Thank you! 🙂
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Thanks for liking some of what I’ve written in Virtual Vitamins. May you continue to encourage people to live positive lives of gratitude, and may your financial needs be met in the process.
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Beautifully written! If the book is even a fraction as real and heartfelt as your blog, it will be a major success! You deserve this. Congratulations!
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Thank you very much, I do try to put my heart into everything I write so it’s nice that you see it. I appreciate you taking the time to read this and encouraging me, it means the world to me. 🙂
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