Curveballs: Unlocking Your Potential Through Personal Growth and Inspirational Music by Gail Taylor Book Tour & Giveaway
CURVEBALLS
Gail Taylor
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GENRE: Self-Help
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BLURB:
Here
you are on the brink of a journey all about self-discovery and chasing dreams.
With personal stories and tools that shaped the author's path, she focuses on
embracing authenticity. You'll explore how living with purpose and passion is
achievable. This personal-growth book combines cutting-edge technology and
music interaction, reflecting the author's belief that music can transform and
positively impact individuals and communities.
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EXCERPT
Many people
spend years—decades, even—in jobs that are safe, but not challenging. Stable,
but far from rewarding. I refer to that choice as settling.
If you are in
this situation, you might tell yourself you are staying in this role for your
family or for their future. Sometimes you plan to leave these unfulfilling
positions as soon as you have saved a certain amount of money, or have paid for
your home or schooling.
I have seen
firsthand when opportunities present themselves to folks in these situations
whereby they pass on the new challenges and the chance to chase their dreams.
You may convince yourself to stay where you are because the field you want to
join is too competitive, your skills and talents are rusty and insufficient, or you are too
old for a new career . . . a refrain many of us have heard, or uttered. I am so
thankful I never believed any of these falsehoods.
When I decided
to come out of retirement, three years into it, it was to start my own
business: Gail Taylor Music. My goal was to become a keynote speaker, using my
stories and music to help others become their best selves. When I mentioned
this to my new entertainment lawyer, his first reaction was, “Write a book.”
And so here we are.
If you have read the introduction to this
book, you know something about my rather tumultuous early life and how I turned
things around. For twenty-five years as a financial advisor, I helped clients
with investments and with building retirement plans. I absolutely adored my job
and imagined staying in this role until I retired, sometime in my seventies.
Things might have worked out that way, but when I was fifty-eight, I started
taking piano lessons.
The lessons were meant to be a hobby, a
diversion from days spent neck-deep in numbers, analytical thinking, and
playing it safe with clients’ nest eggs. Instead of just learning an instrument
and having a bit of fun, I fell in love with music as it flooded back into my
life. After spending two years with my new passion, I decided to retire sooner
than planned and dedicate my time to studying this incredible art form. I was
financially independent, so I made the decision, at sixty-one, to sell my
business and turn over a new leaf.
It was not just an affair I was having with
this new interest. I realized I wanted to spend as many hours in the day as
possible learning all aspects of music. For someone with no musical background,
I was in for an exciting journey and lots of new experiences. Due to
advancements in technology, I was able to study online with the Berklee School
of Music. It was so exciting. They did not require me to audition. The
curriculum was worth every penny of the tuition I paid. I studied bass guitar,
piano, keyboard, ear training, and songwriting. After a few years, I began to
toy with the idea of reinventing myself as a musician.
When I shared
my new passion with people, I was pleasantly surprised by their supportive
reactions. “Oh, that is so inspiring,” they would say. I heard this often, from
people I knew well and strangers sitting next to me on an airplane. It was as
if I was suddenly in the same category as mountain climbers and long-distance
swimmers. It felt so amazing to know I could inspire others to pursue their
dreams.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Gail Taylor, a Canadian songwriter, keynote speaker, entrepreneur,
and author, is celebrated for inspiring others to take charge of their lives.
With forty years of studying personal growth and peak performance, she proves
that designing your own life is possible, regardless of your beginnings. Her
expertise has made her a sought-after guest on numerous podcasts.
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GIVEAWAY
Gail Taylor will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This looks like a great read. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for featuring CURVEBALLS today.
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