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Today’s Lime Light is with someone (I Hope) you already know very well, Erika Kind whose blog focuses on Kindness and Inspiration, Spirituality and Harmony Unite. Erika was born in Vienna but grew up in another part of Austria and in the Principality of Liechtenstein (within the Swiss Alps) where she still lives. In 1998 she moved with her little family to the States and spent there a bit more than a year. She is a part-time working mom and running a Practice for Aromatherapy and Self-Development and next to being a singer and author. Oh, and she has had a tortoise for 32 years….now if that doesn’t intrigue you to keep reading, Im not sure what will!
Erika: First of all, I thank you for inviting me to this interview, Morgan. I appreciate it very much because there is a lot of work behind. It is so kind of you to provide so many of us a platform to spread a bit more about us and about what we are doing. (Thank You Erika. Its a Blessing and a Joy to Share these Inspiring stories with everyone) But let’s get to your questions:
Please Introduce us to your Blog? I started my blog because it was set up by my publisher in order to promote my book. I had no idea what blogging was about before and I even distanced myself from social media as far as possible. I had never thought that it became one of my greatest blessings!
What is it all about? With one word: Inspiration! Whatever I write shall strike a chord within the reader. It shall make them hear a bit more of their own melody. Tragedies, destinies, challenges, daily life, disappointments, traumas make us forget about our own song. My blog shall make people hum it again automatically and over time even work on the composition consciously and joyfully to make it a musical.
What sorts of posts do you lean towards? I have a clear schedule in order for my readers to know each day what to expect and to expect something every day.
Each Monday I write a longer post about something we encounter in our daily lives. I want to give another and/or a different view on those experiences. There is always a positive and encouraging message I share with those posts.
Tuesday is the day when I post a love poem. I wanted to dedicate one day deliberately to romance. I call it Romantic Tuesday. It wasn’t my intention to make it a challenge but meanwhile many friends joined in naturally and it is such a joy to share romantic feelings all over the place together.
From Monday to Friday I post one of my own quotes. Those quotes come to my mind through writing, through what I perceive during the day, or through the conversations with my community. On Wednesday I always post a guest quote of a fellow blogger.
Also from Monday to Friday I post a song. Just what I feel like, what I just heard, or what fits a certain situation.
I also love to post spontaneously in between when I have some time. Then I share information about other bloggers, what goes through my heart and mind or I talk about happenings in my life or surrounding.
What Inspires and stirs your creativity? How can you make yourself see your light better? When you explain others their light. (Ha, that would make a lovely quote again…lol.) I want to make others feel their power and that inspires me immensely to activate my own power. Only when I feel what I write about I fill my posts with soul. So writing about the beauty of life inspires me to see the beauty in life. Encouraging others means that I must feel motivated in first place. I have come where I am today because I wanted to help others to overcome their limits. That forced me to overcome my own fears and limits and also led to my breakthrough 8 years ago.
What inspires me to the topics I write about is most of all what happens in my life, the interaction with my friends here on WordPress, and also what I read in other people’s posts. We are inspiring each other all the time through sharing a part of ourselves in our posts.
Erika was Generous enough to share one of her Inspirations with us, in the form of a Poem:
The Vow
On this day I promise you
To never leave your side
To be your inspiration
To be your healing light
Where you may go you can be sure
That I will always follow
We share it all – the smile, the bliss
The challenge and the sorrow
I will be loving you each day
As if it was day one
I want to show you how much I
Am proud that I’m your own
In me you’ll find the back you need
When things around get rough
I will take care of your old scars
Will heal them with my love
With me beside you be aware
That you will smile a lot
I want to show you how you’re loved
In you I see THE gift from God
Together we will do great things
That only love makes happen
United power and light we’ll spread
The Aponi and her Sachem
On this day I promise you
To never leave your side
Not even when I close my eyes
For this last but longest night
Its so obvious through these beautiful words those things you find easy to write about. Conversely, what do you find difficult to write about? Writing about myself… haha! Thank God, I promote a message and not my person! But back to your question, Morgan. What can be really difficult is when it comes to other people’s personal tough life situations. Nobody can judge how another one feels about a situation. I hope that I have the sensitivity to touch the core but still not hurt someone. Whatever we are in right now is not where we are supposed to remain and for sure one day it will all look more colorful again. But when you are in the midst of a turmoil it is always hard and that has to be taken serious. I think being taken serious regarding a problem or regarding the way someone is dealing with it already helps to build up a new strength.
What Message, if any, do you hope to Share through your blog/posts? See the miracle in you. ( I LOVE THAT!) Feel the power you are. You have come here to expand yourself and make yourself visible through what you give of yourself. It is meant to be that you are here. You are unique and what you have to share is unique. Don’t be afraid to give share the gift of you. If you don’t do it, nobody does. You matter!
How has your blog helped you as a writer/Indie Author? What things have you learned along the way that you never anticipated? Regarding my activity as an author: My inspiration (here we are again) grew immensely through what I read and again wrote. This year I published a quote book with a selection of 101 quotes like I post them 5 days a week. It would not have happened without my blog. Also the network to promote my book(s) has become very supportive.
Regarding blogging: I had never expected to find real friends that way. I believe that we meet everybody for a reason and that we are meant to meet certain people in our lives. Modern technology helps to get in touch with those people a lot easier these times… no matter where they are right now. I am thankful that I already met many of my blogger friends. I can confirm that each one of them is the way they also appeared on their blogs or in our conversations. I made friends for life here. At this point I want to thank you all for granting me your friendship! To me the blogging world is an example of how the real world should be. We are interested in all others do. The differences are not separating but actually the connecting link.
This is why I invited Erika to talk with us today, because she’s amazing…isn’t she? Ok…now…Tell us about your book(s): From 2010 until today I published 5 books.
Wie das Leben schreibt… – a poem book with English and German poems (only available over me)
I’m Free– the German version
Enjoy Life! – a collection of English poems
I’m Free – the English version
101 KIND Quotes – Quotes about life and beyond
What Inspired you to write your books? It was the insight that fear (and all the limitations it brings) is only a conviction we are used to but not a truth. I realized that it was not my fears which limited me but I myself who reduced me to my fears. In that particular moment I saw myself in my past and my future. I saw what I forbid myself due to my beliefs, what was on the other side which was still waiting for me, and I saw myself standing between both. I understood clearly that it was my decision to take that step and not a permission I needed to get from anyone. I simply realized that nothing and no one could keep me from being who I wanted to be – unless I let them. This insight changed my life instantly. I wanted to share this feeling of power and liberation in order to make others see that feeling free and happy is not a gift but an attitude which brings you to all the places you have already seen in your visions. There is always a way. You only need to believe in it and take steps towards it – no matter what it is! The result was my book I’m Free – Awareness of Who You Are by Discovering Who You Are Not!
From what Point of View do you prefer to write? Is there a reason? When I read my first book of Wayne Dyer I experienced something very interesting. I only needed to open the book and I felt embraced and connected to a well of love. This opened me up even more for all the wonderful insights I read in that book. It made me feel good… good about myself. It encouraged me so much that I felt ready to start living what I felt as a deep truth.
It is my intention to ignite the reader’s inner flame in order to make them feel the power and loving force. It makes them change their lives because they changed their feeling about themselves.
Do you painstakingly plot out your story; are you a discovery writer or a bit of both? Why? I am someone who needs to be organized and who wants to have a good overview. First I think about what message I want to give the reader. Then I break it down into headlines (chapters) and bring them into an order. That is my starting point. During writing on the chapters I get deeper into the subject and automatically add more chapters when they come to my mind. That way I don’t need to write the whole book from start to end but can pick the chapter title I feel most inspired to write about just then.
Share an insight or secret about your book(s). The insight is the secret!
I write about what I discovered and I provide lots of examples from my life but also from others I witnessed for a better and deeper understanding. A phenomenon is that while I am writing on the chapters, life is sending me exactly the situations which match the chapters – not always very nice experiences. But that way I can add another profound example. It seems as if life wants to make sure that I really know what I write about… lol!
What do you feel is your best advice to share with other aspiring authors? Don’t block your flow with writing what you believe the audience wants to read. Write what you want to share and let it flow the way you feel it. Then your words are filled with your heart’s energy. That is what makes your book YOUR book and what spreads the magic about your writing.
And now to the part we already know you would rather humbly bow out on, but we’re all fascinated, honestly…so do please tell us a little about YOU:
If you had to describe yourself to someone who has never met you, what might you say? Be aware: I laugh often and loud… 😂 See, here we are…. Talking about myself is so difficult!
If you could meet one person from the past, who might it be and why? My grandfather! He was my first best friend and my person of trust. He was the first person who gave me the feeling that I am precious for who I am and not for what I am doing. My grandfather knew so much about history but I was not interested at all to listen to in my teenager years. I would love to hear it all today and to have discussions about life with him.
When you are NOT writing, what is your favourite pastime? Writing is my favorite pastime activity. (I know exactly what you mean!) Due to my busy life I have not a lot of time for much. But there is also my music. I am a singer for almost all my life. I got professionally trained and made it one of my professions. I received awards, sang in musicals and many other special events. Meanwhile I am producing my own songs which can be listened to on my blog. What I love so much is being in my garden. Just absorbing the atmosphere, watching the bees and the butterflies, looking at each flower, bush or tree in awe, and listening to the sounds of nature. That fills my heart with so much love and charges my batteries.
Describe Your Dream Getaway Destination. Have you ever been there? What makes this place Irresistible to you? For 7 ½ years it is California. I have my favorite places I visit each time. I love the climate, the beaches, and shorelines. I love gazing at the ocean for hours and losing myself in its wideness. Almost every time I can see dolphins passing by or even whales. Southern California is my power station.
Do you have a Mantra? “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi (He knew a thing or two, didn’t he?) You can see this quote in the header of my blog. It has become my life’s mantra. For a long time, I lived the misunderstanding that others need to change in order for me to feel better. When I realized that it is me who has to change in order to experience a change – that was the turning point in my life.
What “Charity” or “Cause” do you feel passionately about & Why? From 1997 until 2007 I worked voluntary for a children relief work in Switzerland. I organized music events in order to collect money for street children. The children are those who suffer the most from what the adults are doing to this world. They don’t understand why they are at that place. They need to know that they matter.
I feel passionately about anything that helps people to live a happier life. That way I think I founded my own charity in what I do with my books and on social media.
My wish is that everybody understands and treasures the wonderful being they are. It is my passion to spread awareness about that fact. No one is less deserving than others. We are all beautiful and precious the way we are and we all are important. There are no accidents in this perfectly organized universe. That we are here is for a reason. Everybody fills an empty place here. That is what the world needs to understand. It needs everybody because only together we are completing this whole concept. Only together we are one. The moment when this insight fills each person down here it is the beginning of a new world.
This is what I dedicate most of my time. I spent a lot of money to get my book translated and spread the message as far as possible. That is the reason I spend each free minute to be on my blog. I love this world. Sad things happen but it is not too late. We can turn the rudder around. The only thing it needs is that the individual starts in its own little world. Imagine if everybody is just tolerant, compassionate, and appreciative; when everybody just is what they want to see in this world – then the world is.
There’s no way I could have closed this interview better, so I will simply say Thank You Erika, Ever So! YOU are the Inspiration 🙂
~Morgan~
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