Meet Michelle Hardy

We recently connected with Michelle Hardy and have shared our conversation below.

Michelle, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

Many years ago I was going through a tumultuous time where I was struggling emotionally and financially, but what I realized is that I was able to use my power of visualization to turn my fictional writing into a reality. Whatever you write about can come true, what you think about will manifest and what you focus on will come true.

Years prior to that I had written a fictional short story which delves into an intimate relationship between a little girl and an elderly woman with an emphasis on giving. I had always written poetry but nothing like this story. The story just kind of sat in my repertoire of writing but not sharing it.

One particular Christmas, I had no money to buy presents for family or friends. I was in a very depressed state of mind. I had always perused thrift stores and one day while driving I happened to see a new thrift store that I hadn’t been in before, so I quickly jotted inside. I began to peruse the aisles but nothing stood out to me but as I started to leave the store, I looked over at the checkout and behind the glass counter, I noticed a huge punch bowl and 13 teacups with gold trim on the top rim and the bottom as well. The serving set was so beautiful. The same cups I had written about in my fictional short story years prior, were staring me right in the face.

I asked the lady at the checkout counter how much the entire set was. It was just the amount of money I had. I purchased the bowl with the cups, wrapped them as gifts and gave the fictional short story with the cups to my family and friends; they all loved it.

As years went by, I met people along my journey and daily I would share the story and a gift from the story. I would walk around town with a satchel filled with Random Acts of Kindness; passing out kindness wherever the opportunity presented itself. For many years I have been sharing the story and kindness.

One day I was in my office and the phone rang. It was a woman who used to be a customer. She said “I don’t know if you remember me but you gave me a gift with a beautiful story.” I instantly knew who she was. I distinctly remember this customer because she walked with a certain hunch in her back, bent over, not being able to stand straight and would address you in the down position while turning her head upwards. One of the sweetest ladies you’ll ever meet.

My conversation with the woman on the phone continued with the woman saying “It’s so wonderful that you give out such a beautiful story and give away the things that the elderly woman gave to you.” I paused but didn’t bother to correct her; however, it made me think. I questioned myself, “Michelle was there a ‘real’ lady like the elderly woman in your story?” Oh My GOD! There was a lady! Not even realizing it while on this journey, I had not related the elderly woman in my fictional story to a real person in my own life. I did have a ‘real’ elderly woman I had met on my journey.

I started thinking about the things I had written about in my story and the things me and the “real” elderly lady had done together. I thought “was it coming true?” What I had written as fiction, manifesting itself?

In my fictional story the elderly woman had given the little girl treasures like priceless silver, valuable jewelry and things from her own childhood. The ‘real’ elderly woman in my own life had given me those same things. In my fictional short story the elderly woman died. In my own personal life the “real” elderly woman died as well. The same way I had written about the death in my book is the same way it happened to me.

There were so many correlations to my fictional story and my personal life, it was like I had written my fate. The customer had to bring it to my attention on my journey of doing Random Acts of Kindness that my fictional story was coming true in my own life. What you think about can literally manifest itself in your own life and in my case without my even knowing it.

As time passed someone suggested I write a full complete book. At first I was reluctant because I thought, “what else can I write about?” It dawned on me that I could just write about my own personal life and the experiences I actually had because now it would be synonymous with the fictional now true short story.

I continue to share the story by speaking to teens and adults about giving. As what is given to me, I share with whomever crosses my path. I share the story and something from the story. I will continue this journey as my purpose in life is to give without ceasing as the elderly woman had given to me. I am always honored to share what it’s like to give in beautiful ways. This journey has taken me on a quest to not only give without ceasing but teach everyone in the world how to give instantly, right where they are. It really costs nothing to give. Give love, give time, give joy.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

As a writer and published author, my main goal is to educate people on how to write and publish books. Writing has been my passion ever since I was ten years old. I offer educational videos at https://youtube.com/@solitudewithmichelle to help people understand the writing and publishing industry. My passion is to help and give information on their self-publishing journey. I can be found at most social media platforms @SolitudeWithMichelle.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I feel the qualities and skills a person needs to possess in order to be successful, not only with writing and publishing but in general is to have integrity. Being integral is a must in life. If you have integrity you can have anything you want in life. People will trust you and help you in times of need.

A great skill is to see how you fit in everything you encounter. When I look at my books and the self-publishing industry, I look at how my skills will fit in any situation, so I can help someone. How does what you do translate to be infused into a situation to help someone. For example, if I’m writing a book about cooking and I’m attending an event where cooking it not the subject, how can I offer the attendees of that event my book. Maybe I can cook an hors d’oeuvres from my book to sample, which will encourage them to look at the possiblity of purchasing my book that day or in the future.

I am always volunteering to help people within my expertise, which is writing and self-publishing books. I am so passionate about it, it’s hard for me to take money but I do from time to time. I want to see people win at self-publishing and my knowledge helps them do that.

I want to encourage everyone to write at least one book and when writing, just write. Don’t worry about grammar, spelling or if you sound professional. There’s help for every stage of the writing and publishing process. Your job is to just write, the people to help you will show up at a divine time to help you complete your book. Once you have one book under your belt, more books will be just around the corner. Remember to write and then release the book to others who are experts in their field to do the parts you do not know how to do. This will help the process go smoothly. We tend to hold onto our books and not publish because we are scared of what people will think. Your words and thoughts are valid and they deserve to shine in the piece of art, which is a book. Get your words out, we’re waiting to read them.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

I have been impacted the most by Geneen Roth’s book “Women Food and GOD.” When I read her book, many years ago, I was depressed and needed a jolt to get me back to my self. I read that book and it was painful to read as I wanted to put it down so many times, but I read it to the end. When I got to the end, it was so profound, I got off the couch, found a job and never looked back. The book was about Geneen and her eating disorder and how her parents and her upbringing tied into how she operated with food. I love the book because it starts off with curse words. Though funny, it’s probably the best part, other than the end. I learned that my problem didn’t have anything to do with food at all, it was another problem, just as Geneen’s problem wasn’t food, it was other trauma.

At the end of the book Geneen says… not in these exact words, but she says “GOD is a women. You are GOD? It hit me so hard that it prompted me to change my behavior and believe in myself. Such a profound statement and from then on, I never thought I was less than. GOD and I are one. I’m not a religious person, but spiritual. If I am GOD and GOD is me, then I can do anything.

I have this inate gift for thinking something and it comes true. It’s been like that for me, for as long as I can remember. Manifesting or the power of prayer. Whatever you want to call it, I know I have the ability to speak something and it happens.

I am very mindful of what I think of people. I never have to wish bad on people or hope that they fall ill because it’s a bad thing and I know the power I possess for myself, so why do that. It’s not good. I love that my life has been manifesting and a dream come true type of life. I’m so glad about it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://solitudewithmichelle.com/books
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/solitudewithmichelle
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/solitudewithmichelle
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@solitudewithmichelle

Image Credits

Photos by Michelle Hardy