Ep 26: E-Squared with Pam Grout
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E-Squared with Pam Grout
Episode 26: Show Notes.
The phrase “at the end of the tunnel” can be reminiscent of death. While this podcast isn’t about death itself, it often addresses the death of the part of ourselves that believes we don't have what we need in order to pursue our passion, our purpose, or our calling in life. It's a rebirth of what's truly important, which is saying yes to whatever is in our heart. These conversations are about real people, with real obligations and real obstacles, that have somehow found the courage to say yes to what was in their heart. As a result, they found themselves on quite the adventure!
This week's guest could be the poster child for that paradigm. Her name is Pam Grout, and she's a New York Times bestselling author, a travel blogger who has visited every continent except for Antarctica, and a student of A Course in Miracles.
In this episode, Pam talks candidly about the loss of her daughter, the little rituals they shared, and how she has coped with the grief of her daughter’s passing. She shares the wisdom that she's gleaned from her adventures and from the rocky parts of her journey as well, because, even for those who know full well that we co-create our reality, life is still going to test us.
Pam also describes her writing journey, the process of writing her bestseller, E-Squared, and her advice for those looking to write spiritual guidance books. Pam’s definition of success, after everything she has been through and after writing 20 books, is to see the face of God in every person she meets, and her whole story is incredibly inspiring, so make sure to tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
Pam’s favorite activity as a child was going to the library and reading.
Listeners hear a bit more about Pam’s childhood, growing up in Kansas.
If she wanted to achieve her dreams, Pam realized she had to come up with creative capital.
Why Pam believes she always saw herself becoming a writer, even as a teenager.
Pam’s first job at a newspaper and why she doesn’t consider herself a corporate person.
What it meant to Pam to become a New York Times best-selling author.
Choosing experiences over material things and becoming a travel writer in her 20s.
Finding her spiritual foundation in a loving, benevolent force and learning to trust in it.
Hearing God’s voice, questioning the source, and studying A Course in Miracles (ACIM).
Pam provides a synopsis of what ACIM is and how it helped her choose a different path.
How a psychic reading predicted her pregnancy and how Pam chose to see things differently.
The affirmation or appeal to the universe Pam repeated when her daughter was a baby.
Self-publishing Jumpstart Your Metabolism – why Pam decided to write that book.
Pam talks about being a DIY person – doing whatever she needed to be done herself.
From selling travel articles to sustain a lifestyle of traveling to starting a travel blog.
The lead up to writing God Doesn’t Have Bad Hair Days, which then became E-Squared.
How Pam came up with the nine energy experiments or principles in E-Squared.
Republishing the same material for E-Squared – how Pam convinced her publishers.
Finding out she was the New York Times number one bestseller and the validation it lent her.
The larger purpose that Pam’s writing had – she always wanted to change the world.
How Pam processed the grief of her dad, mom, and daughter passing away unexpectedly.
Some of the little rituals Pam and her daughter had together, and why hedgehogs and the number 222 are significant.
How often Pam revisits her own material and why she believes she’s a work in progress.
Pam recounts a story from E-Cubed about a little boy who wanted to talk to his baby sister.
Pam’s definition of success after everything she has been through is to see the face of God in every person she meets.
The advice Pam would offer an aspiring writer of spiritual guidance: listen to that inner voice.
What’s next for Pam Grout? She’s working on a deck of cards to help others cope with death.
Tweetables:
“Most of what we believe is upside-down, it's not even true. We just see this big illusion. We're so invested in the ego and this identity that we have as these separate individuals, instead of this oneness that's really the truth of the way the world is.” — @PamGrout [0:31:04]
“I’ve always been a DIY person. I’ve always just done it myself, from creating my website to doing whatever. I did a little recycled book that I published on brown paper grocery bags. I just always figured, ‘Okay. I can do that.’” — @PamGrout [0:45:01]
“To think about being a writer, whatever you're interested in, all you have to do is get a pitch and get an assignment, then you can go find out about it. Somebody pays you to go find out about it, or go whatever place you want to go to.” — @PamGrout [0:45:48]
“I have [always] felt that the best writing didn't really come from me, that I was channeling. I was just the satellite dish, bringing it in. Now, since this book became such a big hit and then all my other books too, I hear from so many people that tell me I changed their lives. I really recognize that my work is important, or it has changed people's lives. That's very humbling and makes me feel really good, it gives me a purpose.” — @PamGrout [0:58:40]
“I do believe that somehow, [my daughter] and I are working together on something we agreed to do, somehow, way back when. I do believe that I will be joined back with her and that we will have infinity together. This time here on planet Earth is so short. I get some comfort from that.” — @PamGrout [01:05:21]
“One of the main things A Course in Miracles tells you [is], don't do anything. Let the spirit, let this universe, let this bigger thing work through you, but that's totally the opposite of what we're taught, how we're trained. That's why I think we're shattering a lot of paradigms now.” — @PamGrout [01:19:44]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: