Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Keeley Brooks. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Keeley , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
While I’ve always known I am a writer, I never knew what my purpose was in life until a couple of years ago, when I was forced to detach from mainstream life and slow down in my efforts to live, and to start taking care of myself by getting in touch with who I am at my core, which meant finding and giving my spirit what it needs instead of giving my ego what it wants and expects.
In my efforts to contribute to and survive the rat race, I fell flat on my face and became a slave to urgency and chaos. I became the exact opposite of whom I wanted to be. And while my life has held some experience as an entertainment writer, it wasn’t until I sat down to write a short personal story for a publisher in 2020 that I began to find my purpose. That story turned into a book, which published as a self-help memoir on childhood trauma and its crippling effects on the mind, body, and spirit when left untreated, told through a very personal account detailing the depths of the human condition … my human condition. After that book published, I found myself writing and publishing more about my life experiences and receiving positive feedback as a result. I also found myself beginning to heal from a lifetime of negative thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
Today, I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that my purpose as a candid writer is to inform and enlighten, as well as to help others heal.
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?
In a nutshell, I’m a writer and editor!
As a creative writer, I’ve published a poetry book and a self-help memoir, in addition to several deeply personal essays in two best-selling women’s support books. I will also be headlining author on a third upcoming women’s support book, set to release in 2025, and I’m currently working on a collaborative fiction novel with three other authors. I also have several literary works in progress. Entertainment-wise, I’m the managing editor for an independent music, arts, and entertainment publication, Mixed Alternative Magazine, where I write reviews, recaps, and features of film, television, and streaming content, in addition to content and copy editing. I’m also a staff writer for Loud & Clear Reviews, where I also focus on reviews, recaps, and features of film and streaming content. Additionally, I’m a health and lifestyle writer for Modern Grace Magazine.
I love what I do because I get to be myself, 100% Keeley. No conforming, no pretending, no filtering, no bullsh*t. Being able to write about the things I know and love in my own style and voice is both freeing and rewarding. It’s also healing. Any opportunity serving as a vehicle keeping you connected to your deepest, innermost essence isn’t effort; it’s a gift. I couldn’t be more grateful for mine.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Hmm, most impactful in my journey … I suppose my exploration and understanding of the human condition, my evolving skills as a writer, my willingness to be vulnerable have been most impactful in my journey. Also, my resilience. In exploring the human condition, I lived many lives and learned who I wasn’t while simultaneously finding who I am. My skills as a writer have equipped me with a unique writing voice that keeps readers engaged. And my ability to allow myself to be vulnerable and share what I’ve learned with others has led to doors opening I never imagined possible. We all get hit with crap in life that knocks us down. What matters is what you do about it: stand back up or let it keep you down. I don’t know why I kept bouncing back, but I did, and to me that shows unrelenting strength.
My advice to those early in their journey is to breathe, slow down, and never compromise yourself for a job or anyone else. If you’re in a job that is draining you in any way, get out of it. Spend some time with yourself and identify what it is that make you, well, you. Find that and cultivate it, because that’s where the truth behind who you really are lies.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
In this fast-paced society of ours, chaos and urgency rule. As a result, we are overwhelmed 24/7. I know from experience that feeling overwhelmed every single day only leads to more stress and dis-ease in your life and your body. Being overwhelmed all the time isn’t healthy, and there are ways to get your life back.
I’m a Taurus, so what works for me when I feel overwhelmed is slowing down and detaching from any urgency and chaos. I listen to my body for what it tells me it needs. If that’s rest, I give it. If that’s food, I give it. If that’s isolation from other people for a few days, no problem. Whatever I notice I need to reset, I make that thing a priority. Some things I engage in daily are meditation, sound baths/healing, breathing exercises, and journaling. Never be afraid to stand up for what you need to thrive, even if it looks completely different from what everyone else is doing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.TheKeeleyBrooks.com
- Other: LinkTree Portfolio @thekeeleybrooks
Image Credits
Author Photos credit: Amanda Chapman
