Today's guest: Lu Ann Cahn
Why we love her: Absolutely love the concept of this book! Talk about a kick ass way to deal with your life being in a rut.
Her latest: I Dare Me: How I Rebooted and Recharged My Life By Doing Something New Every Day
The scoop: One woman’s quest to do one new thing every day of the year, what she learned, and what we all can gain from her journey...
In 2009 veteran journalist and eight-time Emmy award winner Lu Ann Cahn was feeling angry and frustrated. The economy was tanking. Her job was changing. Budgets were being cut. She resented the new technology and social media she was being asked to embrace at work. In a word, she felt “stuck.”
Cahn’s daughter encouraged her to try blogging, and after some thought, she decided to write about trying something new every day for a year. Little did she know, that "Year of Firsts" would change her outlook on life. For 365 days Cahn made a point of doing something she had never done before, some as simple as performing an old task in a new way, some creative and extreme:
Riding a mechanical bull Eating a scorpion Speaking to a complete stranger on the street Smoking a cigar Shoveling horse manure Zip-lining across a crocodile-infested Mexican lake Spending a day in a wheelchair Walking her dog backwards Taking a drum lesson from a famous 80s rocker
In the process she discovered that "firsts" were the antidote to “stuck.” I Dare Me is Cahn’s journey, but it's more than just a memoir. It challenges readers to confront their own fears, and encourages them to try their own "firsts."
Our thoughts: Be prepared to be inspired!
Giveaway: ONE copy of Lu Ann's book! Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winner on Sunday, December 15th after 12pm PST.
Where you can read more about Lu Ann: Her website
LIZ & LISA PRESENT...LU ANN CAHN'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS
1.KISS
First kiss? Boy, this is tough. I think my first "boy" kiss was in the 6th grade. My friend had a slumber party in her basement and a group of guys from school crashed it without her parents knowing. Spin the bottle? I think that's how I was smacked with my first kiss. I do remember I didn't sleep that night....delicious.
Last kiss? Easy. My husband insists I don't leave the house or go to bed without a kiss. It's a good policy especially when the you-know-what is hitting the fan. Those kisses keep me grounded.
2. BOOK
First book? The Cat in the Hat. I'm pretty sure I had every single Dr. Seuss book. I wish I kept the originals. I loved them all.
Last book? I'm reading Elizabeth Gilbert's "The Signature of All Things". It doesn't matter what she writes. Her words are "butter".
3. RISK
First Risk I took? When I was in fifth grade I sang "Climb Every Mountain" from The Sound of Music to my class for a "talent day" with no music. Haha. I wish we had video back then. Thank God we didn't though. I actually thought I could sing and I had no evidence until years later that I couldn't.
Last Risk I took? My book, I Dare Me, is all about taking risks so I try to take them frequently. The last one that terrified me was about a week ago when I did my first Power Point Presentation. It turns out talking and clicking isn't as tough as I thought it would be.
4. AHA MOMENT
First AHA moment? In high school I took a creative writing class and the teacher told me I was a good writer. I believed her.
Last AHA moment? A dear friend of mine just read my book and said it made her laugh out loud and made her happy. I believed her.
5. HELL YA! MOMENT
First Hell Ya! moment? When I told my personal story of having a delayed diagnosis of an aggressive breast cancer on TV to all of Philadelphia in 1991 and hundreds of women went to get their first mammogram.
Last Hell Ya! moment? When I walked off the Kathie Lee and Hoda Today Show set with my daughter last week. I didn't even have a glass of wine but it felt good.
Thanks, Lu Ann!