Creativity Tip: What do you say when you need to say something difficult, and that's the last thing you want to do?  

To learn more, click on this photo to take you to my Ta Da! blog post on how to have those courageous conversations, let go and move forward. 

Tell Your Story! 

In 1975-76, I spent a year traveling around the country singing and dancing with Up With People. This international organization is exactly what it says - Up With People. We did a show - which for a ham like me, was absolutely perfect -- that was all about creating connection and celebrating people. I loved it.  

I had taken a couple of years off college to work and travel with the cast. As a cast member, I spent some time doing public relations work on the road, setting up cities for the cast to appear. So, when I was done with my tour and back at Arizona S

tate University (ASU), I thought, maybe I could do that -- public relations.

One of the things I knew was you had to know how to  write. I already loved to write, so when I reentered ASU, I took a newswriting class. My professor was a hard-core reporter and editor. For purposes of anonymity, let's call him Jake. To this 21-year-old, he appeared to be a take-no-prisoners kind of guy.  

It was also during this time when investigative reporting started to get big - right after Watergate. Jake was into that. He was the editor for a local newspaper, and his working history included some time at the National Enquirer.

I'd had some luck breaking some stories for the campus newspaper, so, one day he sent me to the Nursing College. He'd gotten a scoop that all was not well there. Seemed a little hanky panky was going on and he wanted me to sniff this out. So, I did. I talked to students, teacher's assistants, and to the professor in question. The fact was, I couldn't find anything. The professor seemed on the up and up to me and was doing some good work.  

So I returned and told Jake there wasn't anything there and that I'd like to do a feature on the school, to which he replied, "There has to be. You just didn't find it. Guess I'll just send someone more experienced." To his credit, who knows? There could have been! I was pretty young and green. And, looking back, I learned a heap about writing -- he was a great professor.

Nevertheless, that was one of those wake up calls for me. I saw in that moment who I was and what I wanted for my life. He was going to find blood in the water whether it was there or not. I didn't want that. I wanted to see the potential -- the possibilities -- and share that. I wanted to focus on finding stories about organizations that do things well, about people who do well, and tell those stories. That felt like me.  

I've spent my career doing just that for several organizations and individuals. As a result, I've helped thousands of people understand their connection to one another and tell those stories as a writer, author, editor, speaker, trainer, performer -- you name it! This is at my core, and what I'd like to do for your organization.

Andrea Beaulieu is a coach, author, award-winning consultant and culture catalyst, professional speaker and performer. She works with individuals and organizations in the area of creative leadership and expression, including Your Authentic Voice Story/Presentation Performance Coaching and as a culture catalyst in the areas of communication, team facilitation and collaboration. She is the author of two books, "Finding Your Authentic Voice, Seven Practices to Free the Real You and Find Love, Happiness and Fulfillment," and "Ah Ha! 100 Flashes of Insight and Inspiration from Your Authentic Voice," and produced and performs in her one-woman cabaret, "Love Is Loud!"