In my own life, I’m obsessed with exploring my own dark corners because I always find hidden treasures there.
My name is GG.
I’m also known as mommy, Gina, Genie, Babe. I’m a writer and speaker based in Maryland just outside of DC. Writing has always come more naturally to me than talking. Not only did it come easily to me in school, but anytime I had something important to say, I preferred to write it down. I wrote in my journals, I wrote notes and letters to people all the time. I didn’t consider it a gift until other people started calling it that. It became a passion when I was on the road to becoming more self-aware in my late twenties. That’s when I became intentional about it and realized that I felt the most free when I was writing.
Creating my own lane
My blog was a turning point. It was going to be a hobby, but I started believing in myself and thinking it could be more than that. People were connecting with my words and over time, I built up some confidence and stumbled on this long overdue journey back to myself and my creativity. I decided that I wanted to make writing as big a part of my life as possible and that I wanted to create my own lane to do so.
You are the author of your own story
The Beautiful Disruption is my first book and it’s about a woman facing an unwelcome change in her life and the transformation that this change triggers for her. It’s about discovering that you are the author of your own story and you can change the narrative to create the story you want.
This book came pouring out of me right after I quit my corporate job in 2013. I knew I wanted to write about what was going through my mind as I hit rock bottom in my late twenties. I wanted to write about self-confrontation and what it feels like to change your mind about your life. It was important to me to not hold back. I wanted the book to be kind of weird and whimsical. Because I’m that way and I was looking for that to be reflected. There were painful things I needed to write about and release and those things became this book.
People were connecting with my words and over time, I built up some confidence and stumbled on this long overdue journey back to myself and my creativity.
In my courses and workshops, I help women become more self-aware and fully expressed through writing. The most rewarding feedback is when someone tells me that one of my courses or workshops pulled stuff out of them that they didn’t know was there. Or lit something within them that was dark before. That is my goal! In my own life, I’m obsessed with exploring my own dark corners because I always find hidden treasures there. I’m really just doing what comes naturally to me and what I would do anyway so I’m sharing it with as many people as I can.
Why I’m owning my voice
My first reflex was to say that I’m most passionate about living an authentic, creative life. But then I asked myself if that is the most honest answer or just the inspiring answer that I feel I’m expected to give.
Since most of my work is inspirational, sometimes I feel trapped in that and I hold myself back from writing murkier things. So, if I’m being honest, right now at this very moment, I’m most passionate about owning my voice more fully, including the dark parts, and not being afraid to represent the full spectrum in my work. I’m working on a book right now and this contrast is definitely showing up.
You have to fall in love with yourself.
For most of my life, I cared more about pleasing other people than pleasing myself. I was in love with the idea of being accepted and admired–and for all the wrong reasons. But even when I got approval, it wasn’t satisfying like I thought it would be.
I didn’t find the courage to start pursuing my passions until I started really liking myself and appreciating my own company.
I decided the only way I would find any peace in life was to tune out all the external chaos and tune into myself. I’d always thought I didn’t have permission to do that or that something bad would happen if I did. Turns out a lot of ideas and limitations we have in our minds are false.
So, that’s where you start: fall in love with yourself, truly madly deeply, because the journey to self-love will lead you right out of your shell and into your passion. It’s inevitable.
The next chapter
I’m in the process of moving to a new website and I’m working on my fourth book! To connect with me in the meantime, you can find me on Instagram and Twitter @ggreneewrites. My books are available on Amazon and my blog, All the Many Layers, is still up and breathing for now. My last writing workshop for the year is on November 19 in NYC and tickets are available now.
