This is the one year anniversary of the good life coach podcast!  A heartfelt thank you to all of you.  It is because of all of you that I do this show.  This podcast is about empowering women through story-telling - sharing the stories of female entrepreneurs who are creating success on their terms.  As one of us rises, we all rise.  Let’s continue to do this together! Today to keep you inspired I'm sharing Lisa Genova's story. She was my very first guest in episode one and here we are 52 episodes later so thought it would be fun to have you hear Lisa's story as many of you are new to the show. Show notes can be found at http://thegoodlifecoach.com/052. I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout-out to my awesome podcast editor Zack David — thank you Zack for all of your effort and care in getting the show out in the world!  Review my show and win a copy of my book:"Design a Life You Love: A Woman's Guide to Living a Happier and More Fulfilled Life!" Instructions on how to Rate + Review the Podcast: 1. Click on this link 2. Click “View in iTunes” button 3. Click “Subscribe” button 4. Click “Ratings and Reviews” text 5. Click to rate and leave a review and you’re done! 6. Take a screen shot of the review and email it to michele@thegoodlifecoach.com and I'll pick the first 3 people who submitted to win a signed copy of my book. It's that simple. Thank you so much for listening! Please share today's show with a friend. Also, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast player! In this Episode: I'm thrilled to share that Lisa Genova, the New York Times Bestselling Author of Still Alice, is today’s guest.  When I learned of Lisa’s work and life mission I knew I had to have her on the show.  She epitomizes what is possible when you listen to your internal voice and have the courage to pursue what’s in your heart.  Lisa will tell you that she is doing her “soul’s work” and living a life of purpose by bringing empathy and understanding to neurological disorders people don't like to think about.  Her book “Still Alice” became a New York Times best-seller and was turned into a major motion picture.  However, before finding her purpose, Lisa was on a very different path.  A Harvard trained Ph.D. in neuroscience, Lisa found herself at a crossroads when her first marriage ended in divorce.  It was in this moment of uncertainty that she found the courage to leave the familiar for a life as a writer.  If you are a writer or want to be one, would like to find your purpose, and/or enjoy stories of how dreams become reality, then you will love today’s episode. Key Takeaways: Why Lisa left her life as a Harvard trained PhD in Neuroscience to become a fiction writer, with no prior writing experience Why her grandmother having alzheimer's triggered her desire to write How & why she became an "empathy warrior" for people with neurological disorders How acting classes helped her become a better writer We dig into her creative process – how she crafts her books Why all of her books cover a neurological disorder and how they connect to life themes How she kept up her motivation when her future was uncertain.  Her book was originally rejected by 100 agents yet she was determined to get her book out in the world and it paid off. How her self-published book eventually secured her an agent and ended up on the New York Times Best-sellers list for 59 weeks! How she trusted that fiction was the way to tell her stories to create empathy with the reader. Why she loves the concept of duality and how our decisions create the reality we are living today vs the path not taken. How her book "Still Alice" became a major motion picture starring Julianne Moore and Alec Baldwin.   We go into how it felt to be at the Oscar's and seeing her work on the big screen. Why her latest book, "Every Note Played" deals with ALS. Lisa shares the questions we need to ask ourselves to discover our own life purpose Why you should never make decisions out of fear The b