We Women Writers
Inspiring and encouraging women to write, to develop a personal writing practice through exploring the real-life writing stories of other women
We Women Writers
PeggyLee Hanson - Lists, Loss, and Legacy: A Writer’s Real Talk
PeggyLee Hansen shares her inspiring journey from a corporate writing career to becoming a successful coach and founder of Courageous Women Publications. She and Jane discuss the importance of storytelling, the power of sharing personal experiences, and how writing can empower individuals to transform their lives. Their conversation highlights the importance of listening, collaboration, and embracing happiness in both writing and life.
Takeaways
- Opening up to the world allows it to open up to you.
- It's important to honor where you are in your journey.
- Choosing happiness is a conscious decision.
Quote:
"You get to choose how you feel."
Resources:
http://www.courageouswomenpublications.biz/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/courageous-women-publications/posts/
Jane Jones (00:31)
Hello there and welcome. I'm Jane Jones. Today we have with us PeggyLee Hansen. And she'll be speaking to us about her journey to creating Courageous Women Publications. PeggyLee Hansen is a sought-after international speaker and a multi-best-selling author on Amazon.com. She encourages women and a few men, too, to share their wisdom and expertise through their own stories, using their voice, via the written word, and sometimes with their very own book. PeggyLee says, “When you open up to the world, the world opens up to you.” So welcome PeggyLee
PeggyLee Hanson (01:16)
Thank you, Jane. I'm honored to be here.
Jane Jones (01:20)
We appreciate you very much. Okay, so we're going to just jump right in, so would you please, PeggyLee, tell us about your writing story, your journey to creating the Courageous Women publications.
PeggyLee Hanson (01:33)
Oh, well, it's not a, it can be a very long story. So I'll try to start about 20 years ago versus 50 years ago.
Jane Jones (01:45)
50 years ago, whatever it is you feel. We're good with whatever it is you tell us.
PeggyLee Hanson (01:48)
Of course, you know, as a young teenager, writing becomes important. I think a lot of young people write poetry, they write in their journals, you know, of things that happen during the day, of dreams and wishes that they hope to come true at some point in their life, and they dream about their adult life and how that's all gonna come together. I was one of those teenagers just like that. But never in my wildest dreams did I could ever imagine that I would end up where I am today, just with those little writings. I remember writing a story back when I was about 15, 16 years old, that was considered a little risque at the time. A lot risque at the time. I do not have that story any longer because I thought it was too bad, so I probably threw it away.
Jane Jones (02:45)
But you remember it, right?
PeggyLee Hanson (03:07)
I do remember it a little bit here and there. But that was my first writing adventure. And I thought, that's kind of pretty good. I kept it for a couple of years. And it's just like, well, that was my childhood. So I tossed it aside, trashed it, whatever happened with it. But over the years, I've journaled, I wrote poetry. I still kept up with writing at some point, especially when I was not feeling the best or if life was getting too hard to handle, I would grab a notebook and just start writing. And that, I think, really set my writing journey on the path to that and to where I am today.
I started working at Northwest Airlines back in the late 1980s. They are now merged with Delta Airlines. During that time at Northwest, I started out in the freight credit department, which was collecting invoices on the freight that would be shipped on the airplanes. But in that department, we decided to have a monthly newsletter. Something that was fun, something that celebrated the holidays that were coming in. And of course, you we were an international company, so it made sense to also look at international holidays. We wanted something that we could put together and everybody would enjoy. I became the second editor of the newspaper for about 22 months, and I just really enjoyed putting that together. Now, this was back in the late 80s. This was before really computers came to being and the printers that they are today. So it was put together actually as a true cut and paste where you would take the images and cut them out, take, paste them to the piece of paper, and then Xerox them off so that you would get a really nice layout. That's kind how that started. So that's kind of a funny story. then I found a new position in the technical publications department where it was about writing and updating technical manuals for the airline. And it was mostly the maintenance manuals that came from the airplane manufacturers like Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, Airbus, to name the top three that we used. And I really enjoyed that as well. so the writing kept continuing and I helped develop process manuals and policy and procedure manuals, so that kind of continued my learning and experience of creating training materials. And then I also got into that. And eventually, at the end of my time at Northwest, before they merged with Delta, I graduated into an instructional design position where we would actually take, create training for like the mechanics, the pilots and the flight attendants and the rest of the departments within the company as well. So that's kind of how I developed the basics of writing and knowing how to put things together, training materials, and those types of things. So that was kind of fun. And then, of course, back in 2009, Delta merged with Northwest, and in March of 2009, I was released from the company because they didn't have a position for me.
Jane Jones (06:43)
Yeah, Delta didn't.
PeggyLee Hanson (06:46)
Yeah. but, I had thought beforehand about what would happen about, well, let me tell, let me back up a little bit. When I was 49 years old, I decided that I, didn't have a college degree. knew I was a little bit at risk because at that time companies were really, zeroing on people that had the college degree and that meant something to them. And I knew that unless I went back to school and spent all the money that to get that degree, I was probably not going to be moving forward with the company at some point. And this was about three years, four years before the merger with Delta. So I made on the list the writer that I'm at that I am. I made out a list of things that I wanted or did not want by the time I was age 55. And that list included things like not having to drive for an 80-mile round-trip commute each day. I wanted to have a business. I wanted to have a profitable business. I wanted to work from home.
And I wanted to be able to travel and to do what I want, when I want, with whom I want, anytime I want. And when the merger happened with Delta, it was just like those items started just jumping off the page. And because everything was coming true for me, it's not exactly how I wished it, you know, to happen, of course. And then I thought, you know, now I can take time and I can write that book that I always wanted to, and see where that goes. I decided that I could be a coach because I enjoy talking with people, and people came to me with their problems, their issues, while at work. And I was also a union representative for one of the associations at the airline. So people came to know me as a trusted confidant and also one that could help with solutions. I was a good listener.
Jane Jones (09:00)
Yes. Yeah.
PeggyLee Hanson (09:01)
And that takes to be a good listener. And that's how to succeed, I think, in any business out there, is that you have to listen. You have to listen to the person that's on the other side of the table from you, next to you, in the chair, or whatever.
So, I found a woman that taught how to write a book in the weekend. And I thought, well, that's kind of interesting concepts. And I listened to her a couple of different times. And I thought, I'm going to sign up for that program because I don't have a large book. I just want to tell my story. That is it. And I was able to share my story and interject some of my poetry that I have written over the years. It worked. I actually did write the book in a weekend. It took me a little while to get it published, but within a short amount of time, I think it was like six, not even, not even six weeks. It was like four weeks, I think. From that weekend, I actually had a book in my hand, and I don't have a copy of it with me. Actually, gave it away to somebody, so I don't have one with me. But it was called 50-something, the unknown dreams and paths.
And so that was my first book, and I self-published it through Lulu.com. And I found how easy it was. And then when I became a coach under Marshall Weider through Dream University, she made it clear to me that I needed to have my own like signature program and to really hone in on what I wanted to teach and what I wanted to share. And that came about with my second book of thrown into transition. Now what do I do? It's my process, my signature process of getting through that tumultuous time of the release from Northwest Airlines. Somebody asked me how I did that and did that with such grace. It was with grace, but it was also with trepidation and sadness. I did make it through. And so, I created my process of, you know, first step was to stop being the victim and stop feeling sorry for myself and then to take stock of everything that I had, all my skills, all my, you know, what I really love to do and then keep the positive of everything and accentuate that positive and then finally take action. You know, do something. I find that with anything, those steps have presented themselves over and over, and even when I look back into my history, that is exactly what how I've gotten through everything. It's just like all at once, you know, it's just like okay, you pick yourself up by the bootstraps and say, okay, so this is it, you know, let's figure out the situation and then, you know, get going on it.
Jane Jones (12:23)
And then this is where you are now with the Courageous Women publications, and you put anthologies together, and you have found this to be the perfect platform for you to achieve that that what you want to do.
PeggyLee Hanson (12:37)
Exactly, exactly. And once people found out that I was publishing and writing my own books, they would come to me and say, You know, can you help me publish mine? And so, and that's how Courageous Women publications came to be because the power shower moment that everybody has.
So that was a good thing I wasn't slathered in soap because otherwise I would have fallen down because it was like a big boom that happened and said you have to name your business and this is what it's going to be called And it really helped to get other women out there who needed to tell their story who had something to share and they were entrepreneurs and they wanted to up level their business. So this was one way to do it. And then the anthology piece came shortly after the creation of Courageous Women publications. I took my authors, went to international bestselling status on Amazon. Also the hottest new release also was international in the United States and Canada. So, we're very, very proud of that status.
Jane Jones (13:51)
And that accomplishment because that means what that means is that it's recognized and that those stories in that book are getting out there.
PeggyLee Hanson (14:00)
Yes, they are.
Jane Jones (14:01)
There's so much here that I'd like to explore. However, we'll get to your book about 50 something, and then the tagline to it. You don't have that book with you right now. And I'd like to observe that when we write something, it's not about us keeping it. For us to have a copy of it, like you've got copies behind you of books you've written and things, you know, okay. But sometimes, as always, everything we write goes out there and it gets a life of its own. And so, sometimes in this instance, this is a really good example of you letting it go. And now it's out there doing whatever it needs to do. That copy was important to be out, and you don't hold on to it. So I'd like to explore a little bit this idea because there's application in your story to people who haven't written very much, who really maybe don't think that they know that they can write, or maybe think they can't, or think they don't have anything interesting. To somebody who is an entrepreneur who has got a certain level of success in business but realizes that a book will be helpful. Okay, so there are multiple opportunities to write in somebody's personal life. So, you were writing when you were a teenager, and that's personal life writing. Okay? Did you ever do personal life writing that went out into the world in any capacity? Note cards or letters or…
PeggyLee Hanson (15:40)
Well, as far as, you know, writing to family members and then things like that. yes.
Jane Jones (15:47)
Yeah, so okay, so that's why I'm getting at this to go from the maybe even the accomplished writer or the they don't know about writing but if they begin writing they can write and send it out to their kids in lots of different ways. And that thread of writing in your life carried through to your into your work. So, you began working in the Freight Shipping Department at Northwest, which wasn't writing. However, an opportunity came to begin a newsletter, which you jumped into. And so the thread of writing continues. How did you feel when you embarked on that particular job, that particular aspect of your job?
PeggyLee Hanson (16:39)
I felt excited because it was something fun, and it was something out of the norm that our managers decided that it would be good for the whole department. Pick up morale, and it was just something, it wasn't work. It was something fun. And the best part of that was when I delivered the newspaper physically, the newsletter into, you know, walk down the aisles and put them in everybody's inboxes on their desk. An inbox was on the desk, you know, not on the desk at the time. Physically, on the desk. And people would stop working and immediately pick it up and start reading. And that was the best feeling because they couldn't wait for that next issue to come out.
Jane Jones (17:34)
Okay, all right, just observe is that the whole, that it was something that was different, it wasn't work. So that there is this aspect of working and then having fun, and people can do what you love and love what you do, and that's good. I like that. There is a part, an aspect of our lives where there are things that we don't particularly like to do, they're not particularly fun, you know, but they're things that we do and they're important. That doesn't mean that we can't have fun over here. Right. And so some people will say there will be a negative thing about love what you do, yadda yadda, but still have some fun and find a way, and you have found that writing is a wonderful way to have fun. Even if it starts off as a teenager doing something really risky.
PeggyLee Hanson (18:29)
Very much so. And then that's very, very true. And anything that you do, you know, it's like the Mary Poppins song, an element of fun, makes everything, you know, not sugar coated, but it makes it really, really a fun and happy place to be in. And, you know, you have no idea what you write or create, what it will do to the person who receives that. And I think that is the one of the best elements of writing and sharing your story or sharing any part of you, any part of your trials and tribulations, your hardships, even the dark times of your life, just because that you've come through it to the other end. You have no idea what that can do to help someone else to see, if you can do it, I can too.
Jane Jones (19:35)
Right, Perfectly. Now, when you wrote this original story that was risky, Was it risky or was it an exploration was like fun?
PeggyLee Hanson (19:45)
It was kind of like an exploration of where I could take the writing. The writing wasn't so much risky as it was risque, but also it was a risk because I kept this notebook in my room and worried that one of my parents would find it if they were in there for whatever reason, especially my mom, if she ever came in my room and cleaned. I think we cleaned our own rooms. I don't think that was maybe their problem. it was pretty much of an exploration. But then after I got it done and complete, it almost felt like it was, I did something. I actually wrote a story from the beginning to the end. And it wasn't just a couple note sheets, notebook pieces of paper, or sheets. It was several, it was like 15 or 20 that I had handwritten.
Jane Jones (20:44)
It's yeah, well May is short story month.
PeggyLee Hanson (20:47)
Aha. Yeah.
Jane Jones (20:49)
Okay, so, another thing that you mentioned is this taking stock of where you were at 49 years old, realizing, so what am I gonna do? What do I wanna be in this number of years? Was that something you followed? Was there like... somebody like a little list or somebody's program that you went okay now I'm going to do this this this is or was it something that was organic with you?
PeggyLee Hanson (21:17)
It was all me. I don't remember being while being in a corporate setting as such as, you know, finding somebody like I know now, you know, there's several people out there, you know, follow your path, you know, figure out what you want to do. As far as I remember, I do not remember having that role model in my life. It was just something that I knew that I wanted to sit down and write out what the things that I wanted to do.
Jane Jones (21:48)
Okay, so there's a lot of people out there now who have gone through that process and are offering that service to people, and that's really wonderful, it's lovely. Having said that once you get to a point, then there's assistance that's needed. Do you feel, do you think that every woman's got that in her to be able to do that?
PeggyLee Hanson (22:13)
Definitely, definitely. The first thing is to realize the power that you do have, and all the power comes from in here. It comes from inside. You are the only one that can empower yourself. You are the only one that can believe in yourself and love yourself because if you don't do that first for yourself then nobody else will.
Jane Jones (22:40)
Yes, and you had said, what brought this question up was that you had said that you became a trusted confidant that you would listen, that people would come to you. Had you developed already the ability to be your own trusted confidant and to listen to yourself?
PeggyLee Hanson (23:01)
At that point, I probably did.
Just because of some of the things that had gone through in my life, I suffered loss, emotional loss, personal loss of my dad was, I lost my dad when I was 25 years old, he was only 62. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and this was in the early 80s. So it was again, not something that was widely known at that particular time.
And then later on, probably about 10 years later, I lost my mother-in-law who I was very close to. I felt very close to. And that threw me into a deep depression for a few years. Basically, I had to honor where I was at, what I was feeling at the time. And that's one thing I really learned how to do is to meet everybody where they are at, no matter where they are, but meet them where they are currently. Because if you can't, if you are talking with somebody, coaching somebody, especially with their writing, and they're not exactly sure where they are, and you try to force them into a space where they may not fit into that space that you're trying to put them in. And so no matter what they're writing, no matter what they're feeling, no matter what problems are coming to you, even as just a coach, as a parent, as a friend, you have to meet them, the other person, right where they are, or you're not gonna be able to help them.
Jane Jones (24:53)
Yeah, and to stay one of the things that a lot of people do is because they totally try to help and so we're gonna try but that person is not doing things the way we think they should and the pattern for a great many people is to step way back And say well, you're not doing what I told you to do. So, you're not being successful. You're not. This is because you're not following my direction. And so I'm going to use the royal we, meaning individuals will step way back and leave the person alone. When really what the person is trying to figure out is really what's best for them. And what's best for them is not necessarily what I'm telling them.
PeggyLee Hanson (25:38)
Exactly.
Jane Jones (25:40)
And then then to find that their answers, even though we may be helping outside, their answers are organically coming from inside them.
PeggyLee Hanson (25:52)
Yes, they are.
Jane Jones (25:53)
And as a coach or a teacher, and you did this, I also wanted to explore this design work, the program design work that you did. We're not gonna have time for that. Next time. Next one, next one.
So that we will work with people and stay working with them, or stay available and keep even if our hearts are open to them. Like you say, your belief, your core thing, is that when you open yourself up to the world, it opens up to you. And I see an application of that, that when you open up to the people that are coming to you accepting them where they are, doing you need to do. When you keep your heart open, eventually that person will find their way through. But if we close ourself off as though it's gotta be my idea, then that's problematic. It doesn't really honor us or them.
PeggyLee Hanson (26:56)
And that's one thing that I like to say is I don't have any clients. I only have collaborators. It takes two to make something work. It takes two to write a book. takes more than just one person to create something. Yeah, so I only have collaborators.
Jane Jones (27:16)
What would you say to the woman who is really just in a bit of a pea soup or a bit of a fog and just doesn't know where to start? What would your advice be to that woman?
PeggyLee Hanson (27:31)
It's funny you say that because I felt like I was in a fog yesterday. I heard someone say, and I coach my people the same way, is honor where you are, know that you are safe, know that you are loved, and know that you are held. And then take the next smallest step to move you out of that fog.
Jane Jones (28:01)
Gotcha. Well, I'm intrigued by my question was to help a woman who has no idea. And here I'm talking and I'm asking you that question, and with all of the accomplishments and the things that you have, and that this robust program that you have, which is really wonderful, even you have Funky Days.
PeggyLee Hanson (28:30)
Much so, much so. Anybody that says that they don't, know, that you might see them as successful and you think they're always on top of things, I can tell you from at least my experience that's not true. came back from a family celebration, and I don't know if I was tired, but I know that I'm in between projects right now, so I have a little bit of a break. But there's also the funkiness of the universe and the planets and the astronomical things that happen, occur way up in that space, whatever that is, that could have something to do with it. I really had no idea, but I knew that I just have to, when I feel this, is that it's like, okay, I just have to relax, honor where I'm at, do what I need to so that I can take that next step. So, we're human, and that's the whole thing is that we're human. We're not some superhero that always has, they're always on. But even in the books and the movies and the comics, the superheroes get to a place where they're not always their their top level best.
Jane Jones (29:57)
They have a crisis as well.
PeggyLee Hansen (29:59)
Yeah, exactly so yeah.
Jane Jones (30:02)
We automatically go to the angst because it is so powerful, and our fears are so evident in the angst in the sandstorm in the pea soup in the fog. There's also stories about that trend, that being happy. The really wonderful parts of a person's life. everybody's got both. So, if a woman wanted to spend some time focusing on, I would just really like to spend time talking about the wonderful things in my life. That's as valid because we can be as afraid of getting those stories out there as we are of the other.
PeggyLee Hansen (30:50)
Yes.
Jane Jones (30:50)
Because it's more delicate to tell everybody how wonderful things are and have that message received in a really wonderful way because there's so much focus over here on the angst.
PeggyLee Hanson (31:07)
Yes, indeed, indeed. Happy is good. Positive is good. I've heard coaches saying, well, you can't be happy all the time. Well, yes, you can. It's a decision, you know? But again, because you know what's going on in your life. You will always have this little voice behind you that is going, know, nan, nan, nan, nan, nan. And it's just like, I know that you're back there, you know? But right now, and I know that I have troubles that I have financial troubles that I have Spousal troubles I have kid crop problems, you know, but that's okay because I'm really super happy You know with what I'm with what I'm doing and where I'm going and I know that everything will even out and With what I'm doing and making me a happy person will help Silence those other voices that are out there and I will get to where I need to be. You will get to where you need to be. So, you have positive stories too, you know, and those are definitely. Chicken Soup for the Soul is a good reflection of that. I mean, you have everything, you know, from golfers, from what I understand, golfers are really super happy people.
There's all those sorts of stories out there. So everybody's looking for something. People want to be happy. And people want to read those happy stories just as much as they want to find out what's really going on inside of me. And trying to figure that out. But in the meantime, you can be really happy and really positive. I used to have a sign on my desk. And I think about it every so often I get to choose how I feel, and today I feel happy. I choose to feel happy.
Jane Jones (32:59)
Yeah, yeah. Excellent. We're gonna have to wrap up. We've been a long time, and this is lovely, and thank you everybody for your patience and listening. I'm, are both PeggyLee, and my desires that this has been helpful in some way to you, and gently nudge you to pick up a pen and see what you can come up with.
So, all right, everybody, take care and thanks again, PeggyLee. We appreciate you very much and we hope everybody has a really, really wonderful rest of your day. Take care. Bye-bye now.