about

My name is Charlena and I’m on the journey of my life—learning to live my own authentic story—a story that calls forth my gifts, longings, hopes, dreams and purpose. Life is personal, flawed, scary and amazing, and I will attempt to keep it real on these pages. Traveling alone, experiencing different cultures, meeting new people, love, loss, comic mishaps, fear, faith, risk-taking… these have all found their way onto the pages of this unfolding story.

A little background
I spent nearly twenty years in marketing communications and brand development. Writing was always a part of my professional life but I tucked away the stories I really wanted to write for some other day. I raised children, married and divorced and kept moving forward the best way I knew how. Over time I realized that most people work really hard, have little time for life and are often worn out, with nothing left to give to their dreams. As technological “advances” sped up, people were expected to speed up. No matter how hard they worked they couldn’t get ahead of the avalanche of information, email, things to do. I was one of these people… spinning on the wheel. But I believed it could be different… in fact, that it was supposed to be different.

It was time to write the stories that were within me to write. I write most days… sometimes thousands of words are at the ready, sometimes each sentence is filled with labor. Part of what kept me from pursuing this sooner was that I had bought into “someday” thinking. Someday I’ll have the time; someday I’ll have the resources… someday the timing will ‘fall into place.’ It took several events in my life, including the death of my father, to realize that someday is today.

So it began…
In spite of the economic turmoil, I followed my heart and founded Authentic Storytelling in 2008. You can learn more about why I feel this work is important by visiting my web site, www.authenticstorytelling.com. Starting my consultancy was a first step. I felt a strong need to reduce my life overhead. I didn’t want a bunch of stuff to store, watch over, insure, etc. My vision included greater geographic flexibility and the ability to work from most places in the world.

I got my first passport, stripped down my life, sold or donated most of what I owned and bought a one-way plane ticket. I landed in Ireland first. So far I have been blessed with a vast range of amazing and challenging experiences while visiting or living in France, Ireland, Scotland, England, Germany, Greece and Italy. I am learning to live with less certainty and more faith and am realizing what I’m really made of. I am also more clear about how everything is about love and learning to love ever more truly, more courageously, more faithfully.

Life really is a great adventure. Hopefully some of the things I experience and share and what you choose to share with me and others here will help each of us live our lives more authentically and make the difference we’re here to make.

Please do feel free to send an email to charlena(at)charlenamiller(dot)com, post comments, subscribe to posts via email or receive newsfeed updates via Facebook. I look forward to hearing from you!

~Charlena

So Full of Shit, So Full of Promise is the first post if you wish to read from the start.