Your Story Could Be Someone Else's Spark - Episode 10

Tabitha Rose is the founder and Chief Inspiring Officer of Life to Paper. Tabitha’s mission is rooted in legacy and connection. She’s committed to helping others put their life to paper and has founded a publishing house by the same name. And while she helps to tell other people’s stories, her own story is one that may resonate with you. She had to experience a breakdown to have a breakthrough. She ignored the whispers and had to have her walls come crumbling down to wake up to her true calling. 

Now she's sharing how she picked herself up and followed how her intuition to create an ever-expanding company with a vision rooted in helping others capture and share their stories. It may just be the flame you need to see your own story...and it's path forward. 

You can learn more about Life to Paper, the books that they’ve published, as well as The Bookshop by Life to Paper in the Miami, Florida area at lifetopaper.com.

You can also follow on Facebook and Instagram @LifetoPaper

Visit theseekingcenter.com for more from Robyn + Karen, plus mega inspo -- and the best wellness + spiritual practitioners, products and experiences on the planet!

You can also follow Seeking Center on Instagram @theseekingcenter

Transcript

[00:00:00] Robyn: Our friend Bex, who you also know as CardsyB graciously introduced us to our next guest Tabitha Rose. Who's the founder and chief inspiring officer of life to paper Tabitha that is committed to helping others put their life to paper and has founded a publishing house by the same name, which she'll tell you all about.

[00:00:19] She is compassionate, intuitive, and a seeker of truth. Tabitha's. Story is inspiring. Her mission is rooted in legacy and connection and her soul is exquisite. Let's get talking. Hi Tabitha.

[00:00:31] Oh, we're so happy to be doing. 

[00:00:34] Tabitha: So am I, I was counting down the days, honestly. 

[00:00:38] Karen: You know, you're still family, 

[00:00:40] because you have that passion that just shines I 

[00:00:43] Tabitha: can see you right now, but for everybody, who's going to be hearing you 

[00:00:46] Karen: your story. And what you're doing it just illuminates you and I'm sure everybody listening, 

[00:00:51] Robyn: let's talk about your journey so far.

[00:00:53] You had a very different life before life to paper. What led you to create this? [00:01:00] we think it's a story that others may relate to, and hopefully it will inspire them to listen to their own whispers 

[00:01:07] Tabitha: thank you so much. When it was happening, I guess my shift I'll call it. I certainly never imagined, someone else might hear it one day and be inspired.

[00:01:17] I was very much in shame about, the shift, I suppose. Now I understand as a shift, I graduated university in Canada and I went straight to working in politics. I'd been really active in politics from age 13, all through high school and university. And my party happened to be in power at the time.

[00:01:36] So there were lots of jobs available. So I went straight into that. It was this familiar place. I felt like politics had a prestige to it. That was the things that I thought were important then, sort of prestige and power and, money's obviously attached to that and I did that and.

[00:01:50] I was encouraged to transition into capital markets and I thought, well, more power, more prestige, you know? And it was work. It was work in a [00:02:00] way that felt hard and felt like it was always a strain and I was faking it, but I thought I heard these things like fake it till you make it and push harder and work harder.

[00:02:10] And there was no balance in my life. There was no sort of contentment, but I felt that's what life is about. I thought that's what work meant. And it was really tough. But I thought this is what it is. That's fine. My grandmother and I are very close.

[00:02:23] We were close then to we're even closer now. And she had mentioned a few times, the word ghostwriter. one day I was with her and I don't know what it was or why I said this, but I just said, why don't you let me do it, Let me try. And if anything, we can always pass it on to an editor, but at least let me do the legwork. 

[00:02:41] Robyn: She wanted you to ghost write her own story. Is that what she was looking 

[00:02:46] Tabitha: for?

[00:02:46] Yeah. She wanted someone to write her life story.

[00:02:49] At that point, I'd heard bits and pieces. I knew the chronology but you know, The details that evoke emotion. I didn't know any of that. She hadn't talked in depth about it. And I was actually just really [00:03:00] curious cause I knew I got the sense, like there's so much more She was hungry as a child in prison, in a labor camp.

[00:03:06] Escaped. But like

[00:03:07] Karen: I was just thinking had this sort of kind of crept into other conversations before was like one of those moments where we were just like, hi, I just want to do it. I'm an inspired, 

[00:03:17] Tabitha: I don't know why I still don't know why. But it felt right. And I had been encouraged when I was younger to write, I did, I remember , loving to write or having a writing project and sitting on the room of my bedroom floor hours could go by and I wouldn't get anxious or distracted.

[00:03:34] And then all of a sudden I would have , my story done or my report done, if it was a book report, I would make my book report into a book. So I would design the interior pages and I designed the cover, I spent hours on these cuts were most people had like a cover sheet with like title author, and that's it.

[00:03:52] Robyn: And then yet you were guided towards this other 

[00:03:56] Tabitha: path. Yeah. There was this feeling that grew and grew and [00:04:00] grew when I was young that I was wrong, I wasn't liked and I wasn't good.

[00:04:04] I shouldn't be the person I am, nobody likes this person. Be someone else create someone else because this person isn't liked. 

[00:04:11] I thought that everyone else had it figured out except me. these emotions that come with life, how to live life, the decision to make you all have it figured out. So I'll watch, observe and do. And at the time it depended on whoever was around me. my best friend growing up was.

[00:04:27] Drive for politics and is still in politics now at a very high level. But that was his thing. And I spent a lot of time with him, so I kind of, immeshed myself into his and interests. And then after that I had, a boyfriend and family who worked, in capital markets. So that was, while we talked about.

[00:04:43] And so I thought, well, they have it figured out, I'll do that. And I didn't think about myself. I think I just turn that voice like shh. Be quiet. Yeah, I think a lot of people do that. 

[00:04:52] Robyn: A lot of people aren't taught at a young age to pay attention to what could really be their gift, And so you were trying to [00:05:00] figure it out 

[00:05:00] Tabitha: on your own. Yeah. Looking back now, I'm able to see, I had one teacher my grade eight teacher. I believe she saw me. We had kind of an interesting relationship because he was my teacher.

[00:05:10] She was one of my coaches. She became friends with my mom. And also there were times in school when I was a bit combative, you know, I I'm right. You're wrong kind of thing. So we had like this beautiful relationship. And then we also had times when she said, okay, get out, of my classroom kind of thing.

[00:05:26] I was really restless and insecure and discontent and not okay with myself, my body, all the things. But today we reconnected and she said to me, , this is really nice feeling because of course I still question myself sometimes, naturally. And when I first reached out to her, it'd been years I told her what I was doing.

[00:05:42] I had started life to paper at that point. And she said, you're doing exactly what I thought you'd be doing. Oh, 

[00:05:48] Robyn: wow. So let's go back to that moment. Your grandmother says she wants to capture her story, mentions this word ghost writer, and you are like. Well, let me try 

[00:05:58] Tabitha: then what happened? We [00:06:00] started spending more time together in and around my job, which was a lot of pressure.

[00:06:04] I was traveling a lot. I was messing up at work a lot. I was heavily relying on outlets like drinking, socializing to escape. I was very unhappy. And when I did, I felt like that same feeling I had felt as a kid. The restless, the discontent, the Ugh, but trying to stuff myself into this box, I guess.

[00:06:24] And I'm a circle, not a square or I'm a star. I love that you are a star, just so awkward all the time. And I heavily relied on that. So with that came messing up at work. It came, , not showing up Playing by my own rules. It's like a kid wanting what they want, not being able to say what I need and what I want.

[00:06:42] It wasn't working for me. And I did not want to let go, of this version of myself that I'm supposed to be. And how I show up this way. And for me, it was a matter of pride too, because I've created this version of me now.

[00:06:54] I can't all of a sudden change, I need to make this work. But yet I still had this thing with my grandmother, which [00:07:00] was just a thing with my grandmother, spending more time with her. And then finally she said, we should go back to Hungary where she's from. And I was like, oh yeah.

[00:07:07] And then I got there and I have a notebook and a pen and I'm writing and she's telling me stories. Oh, my gosh, what is this feeling like? I just felt so clear. So present. So there's nowhere else I'm supposed to be, but here I wasn't thinking of anything where before it was always like, oh, I'm restless.

[00:07:26] I need something else. Somewhere else. I hadn't felt that in. I can't remember. And I went back to Canada with that feeling, but just thought, when am I going to have the time to do this again?

[00:07:36] When am I going to make some time to, to write and to keep talking to her and stuff like that. So it was that seed planted but I struggled a lot that drinking got worse, partying and got worse to, getting fired. Hired somewhere else, which I thought was a better job, bigger position, more prestige getting fired again.

[00:07:53] and finally just getting fully knocked down. I collapsed on a plane one day. I believe now I understand it as a [00:08:00] panic attack, but I think it was just a buildup of all those things. Not wanting to see things. And I had to stop and just listen. What's going on. And of course it wasn't just as easy as that. It wasn't like I thought oh, well, , find myself for anything. I thought take a pause and get another better job. But I was introduced to this man. He was like a magical mentor.

[00:08:20] I call him and he sat in front of me and I thought he was going to be a coach to help get me a job back in the same field. And yet he was sitting in our first conversation. I thought he was going to talk to me about my struggles and my problems.

[00:08:33] And he started talking to me about, , life. And I mentioned my grandmother thing, because of course that was something that brought me some joy. And he said, let's do you should do that? And only that I said, what do you mean? I've just had this knocked down, I've got to get back up.

[00:08:48] I got to get a better job. And he was like, I don't think so. And I was resistant at first, I don't feel like he told me to do anything. He just helped guide me to make the decision myself, which was so nice, helped me see, [00:09:00] and this really graceful way.

[00:09:01] And I did, we talked a lot. I spent about a month and a half out in Vancouver and I would go for sessions with him every other day. And every day when I left his office, like office home I'd walk down the street and just feel that the contentment a little bit more in the clarity.

[00:09:18] And, he started suggesting things to me. Like, go down to the market and if you smell a food that smells good to you, get it, or a candle or something. And I was like me like I was truly at the point where I didn't trust myself. Didn't like myself to the point where if you like this food, I like this food.

[00:09:35] So I just started small. And then after a couple of weeks, I found myself on the floor painting. and writing more things I hadn't done in a really long time. but they felt good.

[00:09:45] So by the time I left Vancouver and went back home, I felt good enough to say this is what I was going to pursue now. I don't know what it's going to look like. Am I going to work with, the older people and help them write their memoirs? That's what I thought at first. [00:10:00] But I took one step and then another, and I liked I was sitting actually in my grandmother's house the day that I came up with the name life to paper, I said, well, I guess I'm going to have to call this something. So I did this three times seven exercise where you write three times for seven minutes, you seven. And you stop, take a break, walk around and do it again, do it.

[00:10:18] And by the third time you're supposed to get really clear on what it is you're trying to say or how you feel. And after that exercise, I started right to write down names. And the second one I wrote was I wrote pen to paper first, and then I wrote life to paper. And then I wrote a third, but I don't remember, but it was the second one.

[00:10:36] And there it was. And, I didn't know what was next. 

[00:10:39] Robyn: Yeah. This is like, you're starting something completely new that hasn't been done before.

[00:10:44] And so you can't 

[00:10:46] Tabitha: see . I couldn't see six years ago, where I am today. There's no way. I didn't know what would come and it just happened. How old 

[00:10:53] Robyn: were you at that point when 

[00:10:55] When you had this down moment? 

[00:10:57] Tabitha: I was 28. 

[00:10:59] Karen: Yeah. The [00:11:00] age for a lot of people, 

[00:11:01] Robyn: it's usually your Saturn return, you know, did you go down the astrology route and 

[00:11:07] Tabitha: see that I didn't, but I'm learning about it all now through Becks

[00:11:15] Karen: That was kind of a pivotal year where life just sort of kicks you in the ass and says, are you happy or are you not? And it gives that opportunity through usually something that hits you pretty hard and drags you down. 

[00:11:28] Tabitha: At that point my life then was a mess. I had friendships that were a mess. My relationship of almost five years was a mess. Like parents, even like there was so much going on. But not, and then me too, I mean, she was a one thing.

[00:11:42] Robyn: And then what you said, just starting, taking just that next step. So deciding the name and the concept. 

[00:11:50] Tabitha: Oh my God. I was like, it's meant to be 

[00:11:53] Robyn: still glad you're sharing this. I really am. It's so important for people to hear, and to see where you [00:12:00] are now and, that leads to

[00:12:01] let's talk about life to paper. How did it evolve 

[00:12:05] Tabitha: I kept that notebook because I want to remember, and when I realized after a few years, and I was still doing this thing, which is the longest I've done anything in my life, consistently, then I was like, I'm never throwing this away.

[00:12:17] I moved to Miami. And that was for me, I need to change. I want to change. Maybe you were living. 

[00:12:24] Robyn: Where were you before? I knew you were in Canada. Where in Canada, 

[00:12:26] Tabitha: where you, I was in Toronto. And because of my relationship at the time I was going between Toronto and Texas and Vancouver, we traveled a lot.

[00:12:34] I guess you could say to just want to be somewhere else on my own. And so I sat up one day and I actually was in Texas and it was like Miami. Hmm. And it didn't really make sense to anyone or to me, I said, well, I just started this company.

[00:12:50] Mind you, I have no clients and you know, Florida is the retirement capital of the world, and I'm thinking I'm going to be working with seniors. And [00:13:00] so that was how I rationalized it to myself and to others. And I ended up getting here and, I had like little bit of money and watch that little bit of money go down, down, down until I was like, what am I doing?

[00:13:09] Why wait? But I was so happy. And I moved into this. It was all serendipity moved into this little apartment above a. And could hear the music coming through the floor and walked downstairs. I had this moment where I was like, I'm falling in love with my story I want to just stay in it and live in it. And I love this and I had this feeling like I'm going to want to continue, retell this story one day. And I hadn't been really proud of my story or felt that feeling before, I hadn't liked my story, my life very much.

[00:13:38] I really started to like my life and so I had this sense of more sense of knowing myself, I felt good in saying , what I do. And I started sharing that the Miami creative community is so welcoming. It feels like, oh, pull up a chair.

[00:13:51] We've been waiting for you. For the first time I was being encouraged for who I am and what I do. And I just felt very much at home and I didn't know how it was going to [00:14:00] work out how I was going to stay, how I was going to pay my bills, but it all just happened. And funny enough, my first official client ended up being that therapist that, who I called, the magical mentor.

[00:14:11] Wow. So he had said that it felt like serendipity because he had someone lined up to work on his book and he passed away. And he said, well, will you help us? And I said, well, you know me now better than anyone, you know, I really haven't done this before, besides with my grandmother.

[00:14:26] And he's like, that's okay. it was a perfect first project. And I remember finishing that book, at the time it took hibernating in a room for three days to actually finish it. I remember I didn't even see the light of day. And when I emerged from this room where I'd been writing I was different.

[00:14:44] I was instantly different. I've done this now for someone else. I know what it's like to fully complete a book. And It felt so good. And then that client , referred me to another one. And then the third I met just as a result of being in Miami.

[00:14:58] And just the word [00:15:00] started to spread, because I started talking more about what I do and loving it. And maybe that shows, when you do really love, what you're doing, 

[00:15:07] Karen: it was just going to say, is that it's so clear.

[00:15:10] That your one-on-one relationship that you have with these authors when you were talking earlier, before we even started recording, you were talking about someone's book that you're working on now. And I remember thinking, , it's like, you're an actress that's really immersing yourself into the role before they actually do the shoot.

[00:15:26] And it feels like that's so much of what you do is like you're literally having these one-on-one meetings and really just feeling the actual life experiences of the people that writing about. So you really are extension them, them in 

[00:15:38] Tabitha: so many ways. Yeah. It's very much like method acting, it's method writing.

[00:15:42] Karen: And I think that that's why there is that intimate connection that you have with the people that Robin. And I would say it's a soul connection. I mean, they really have them waiting to find you, everybody has a story. 

[00:15:53] Tabitha: Well, and everyone 

[00:15:54] Robyn: should know listening that we're talking to you as you sit in your bookshop that you [00:16:00] actually open. So I mean the evolution of life to paper from that moment is pretty incredible.

[00:16:08] And you can tangibly see it behind you. So talk about that because now you really have made such a footprint in Miami and also across the world in what you're doing with all the different people you're working with. How many titles now and the team, and you have different facets of it.

[00:16:26] I think you're doing fiction and nonfiction, right? 

[00:16:29] Tabitha: Yeah. Fiction nonfiction. Children's. Which I love to 

[00:16:33] Robyn: talk about. 

[00:16:34] Tabitha: Yeah, I guess I forget. Yeah. Like I said, like, everything kind of happened I showed up to this every day. My problem in the past, I never understood how people could go to the same place, do the same thing every day.

[00:16:47] I thought I'm wired differently. There's something wrong with me. I'm never going to be okay with that. And then I realized when it'd been a year of me showing up to this every day, I wasn't taking days off needing an outlet. I [00:17:00] was sober.

[00:17:01] That's a big part of my story. sobriety has of course allowed me to show up consistently for myself and for others. I realized, I said maybe I'm not wired wrong. Maybe I'm okay. I have been showing up in that, built that trust with myself and then have built it since. You know, there's always a first for everything. the first individual approached me and told me, all about her life. I said, wow, what an amazing life I would be honored to work with you. And she said, well, that's not the book I want to write.

[00:17:26] And she starts talking about, 20 years in the future and driverless cars. And I said, oh wait, no, I'm not the right person for you, but I can recommend someone. And she said, no, but you are. I said, I'm really not. And she said, you are. And we ended up deciding, we were going to try.

[00:17:42] And if, either of us weren't feeling it was happening the way, I wasn't able to help her. She wasn't her vision, whatnot. We wouldn't go our separate ways. But every time I showed up with her to talk and dream up this story and characters, I got that feeling again. 

[00:17:56] I feel content. I feel so present and fell in love with [00:18:00] fiction writing And then the same has been for, there was a first for the clients who said, I'm an expert in my field. I've been doing what I do for 10 plus years. And I really want to share all that.

[00:18:10] Cause I want to reach more people. And I'm only one person. So the book is the next right thing. So these experts who have lived through what they now help people live, move through. Those are the ones I feel I really resonate with.

[00:18:21] Cause they've gone through it and they want to give so much, they want to give everything they know. And they know, when they talk to me they're going to be vulnerable. 

[00:18:29] Karen: It sounds like you've been open yourself. you were broken open and that was when the universe kind of tapped you on the shoulder with this opportunity, To do something with your grandmother or not to do. What would you say to someone who might be in your exact same spot right now in their lives to know that they're not on the right path and are looking for that right.

[00:18:49] Opportunity. I mean, you've been able to build something so big and it might be intimidating to somebody who's just feeling like really vulnerable and small 

[00:18:56] Tabitha: right now. Oh. So, so understand. Well, I can [00:19:00] only share what was shared with me. I think what was really important to me was to just create the space, to just be able to listen.

[00:19:07] I wasn't listening. And so to create that space where you can just take time with yourself and like my mentor recommended that I go take walks and I just.

[00:19:15] smell something that smells get it, or I feel like a candle, a scent, something that calls out to me to connect with yourself to do that. and maybe there's something to our younger years. And some of those things that we did where the time just flew by, or we did free of resistance at all.

[00:19:33] I remember before I had developed some conditioning, I would just get up and sing or I'd write and I'd want to read what I wrote. with no resistance at all, resistance builds and it's natural, but maybe there's something to say about, our younger. Yeah. And so in that sense, I would encourage someone to write and write about it.

[00:19:51] And even if it's not writing that's your thing, your calling, but the writing maybe will help you uncover some of that. 

[00:19:57] Robyn: Well, and Karen and I talk about this [00:20:00] a lot because actually Karen's mom is actually a renowned transpersonal journalist. Which is a form of automatic writing, and having spirit really come through you and to me, so much of what you are doing, and then you are actually helping others do is allow their own souls to come through.

[00:20:22] Tabitha: Oh, I love that. 

[00:20:23] Robyn: feels like that. 

[00:20:24] Something that you've talked about is critical compassion. Can you talk about that 

[00:20:28] Tabitha: for a moment? I guess that's the truth seeker my mom used to say when I was younger, she used to tell me I should be a lawyer at one point.

[00:20:35] she'd flip-flop between your writer and lawyer, because when I'd argue with her, she called arguing she'd say, oh, you're a lawyer. You're make a great lawyer, but me asking questions. And I wouldn't say that I'm combative or not compassionate with my clients.

[00:20:49] I'm critical in a way that allows me to find truth. So it's further questioning to really understand, even help them understand so I [00:21:00] question. But for the sake of truth seeking. I really wholeheartedly. I want to understand everyone, how you feel your position no matter what, no matter how even sometimes ugly, you might think it is. I just want to understand, because it seems to me 

[00:21:12] Robyn: You see that there's a lesson in it for both themselves and for others, by getting to that truth, we're all going to learn from.

[00:21:20] Tabitha: Yeah. Which is 

[00:21:21] Robyn: everybody story, right? 

[00:21:22] Tabitha: I've been studying a bit of Torah the last year or so, and as far as I know the Jewish background at this point, I just feel very connected to the Torah.

[00:21:31] And I've been learning about growth of consciousness and a lot of that is just under acceptance. And then , they'll always be pain they'll always be struggled, but finding the purpose of the pain, the struggle is about growth and that is our journey and our purpose here. So yes it is.

[00:21:50] Karen: What other spiritual modalities have you explored? 

[00:21:54] Tabitha: Oh my gosh. Like I said, I was a very curious person and observed, I wanted to try out kind of [00:22:00] being everybody. So I grew up in Catholic school 

[00:22:03] My belief system is very much, the artist's way by Julia Cameron. Definitely. I honestly have an open heart and an open mind to any faith religion belief system. Out there and I kind of find myself just like with my culture, I've kind of picked up different pieces along the way to form my own system and religion, like traditions and prayers from the Torah, as well as, my Catholic background, as well as even the Quran, which I was given a translation and there's one protection prayer that I've got from that, that I use.

[00:22:38] Well, when 

[00:22:39] Robyn: it comes to working though with other people's stories so deeply and taking on, as we were talking about like that method writing, how do you take care of your own energy and clear yourself? What are your practices there? 

[00:22:52] Tabitha: Oh my goodness. It's so important to me. It's so, so important 

[00:22:55] I didn't think about my energy. I didn't think about those things before, until I [00:23:00] had the major knockdown, but there's been a series of other kinds of knockdowns. Since then in learning all these things, learning to protect my energy as well.

[00:23:08] I do have to set boundaries, I didn't know, grounding techniques. I didn't know that I need to take a bath.

[00:23:14] I didn't know what it meant to put my hands in the soil, how good that felt, or meditate, meditation or prayer. I didn't know. Service as part of that. Helping somebody else. That helps me too. And also being alone, taking time to be alone or taking walks.

[00:23:29] Taking breaks when I was working nonstop moments when I feel God's presence, I feel that I know I'm exactly where I need to be. They just, they happen. I can't plan for them. When I was starting to work on my own story, which is a work in progress.

[00:23:43] thought I could control it. Like I could plan that. Perfect. I'm going to go to the beach, there's going to be a sunset. I'm going to write it's perfect. And I go to the beach and it's overcast, it's windy. So my pages are flying all over the place and it got dark so fast and I'm like, [00:24:00] okay, Tabitha, you need to not lead you to let go.

[00:24:03] You get control of these things. not to say you shouldn't show up to your craft, whatever it is. But to the extent that I think I can plan the perfect moment where it's just going to download for me, it doesn't happen that way. Sometimes I get that when I don't even have a piece of paper and I'm like, wait, oh my God, voice note, always note something.

[00:24:22] Robyn: I mean, you are downloaded. You really are.

[00:24:25] You're connected. And we were talking before we got started about just being in flow, You're in flow, and as you said, it's knowing you're at the right place at the right time. there's a knowing when things are synchronistic, you're, that's exactly where you're supposed to be.

[00:24:40] And I think for everybody listening, having that idea and knowing when you're not in alignment, when things feel hard or when you, you are getting those bricks thrown at you from life, ' cause it does feel like work or nothing's going your way in quotes. where you really [00:25:00] need to be paying attention.

[00:25:01] Karen: I said that word, you used a lot. It was just serendipity. I love that. What is the definition for people who are listening? How do you define 

[00:25:12] Tabitha: it? Oh my goodness. I have so many examples, but for me it's I had nothing to do with this. I'm completely out of this equation. I did not plan for this.

[00:25:23] I did not expect this. I was not looking, but then when it happens, you realize it is exactly what you need. A person, an experience, a download or something. I think, taking my will when my will is removed. I don't know how that sounds for people really important. It's really important to turn it over to God.

[00:25:43] And every day, sometimes once a day, sometimes once an hour to that for me is really important. I know how to pause. I have tools that I can use to help do that. And my, my sober community is a big part of that because what's big part of that community is service too. So [00:26:00] showing up for somebody else, you know like the Saint Francis prayer, I would say is a prayer that I use often.

[00:26:06] And I it's funny. Cause at first I was kind of adverse to Catholic prayers because I felt very uncomfortable in Catholic church. So on-site decided that I have my own free will and I can do as I wish and kind of thing. I was like, well, I'm not going to. Anymore. But when I found myself now, the Saint Francis fair and I had the, our father broken down for me to even again, just the other day and started to realize, wow, okay, I see this.

[00:26:31] I need this. Yeah. 

[00:26:32] Karen: Wow. So inspiring. It is so much on your plate right now. What is kind of on your goals for the near term? You've got all of these books that you're helping to write 18. Yeah. 

[00:26:46] Tabitha: I'm a dreamer, so I'm always dreaming. I'm always thinking what's next. And I think it's the pursuit of that dream.

[00:26:51] That it makes me really happy because it's the pursuit of the journey is actually what I love. And so we had this past year, we had the first [00:27:00] life to paper book Fest. And it was a month long. it was events like author talks and workshops and music events and, you know, dinners for a month for the whole month of November.

[00:27:11] And I loved it. So my plan is to do another one in Miami, in November of this year as well. And also do one back home where I'm from in Toronto. So I've been working on those this bookshop, which I opened in June last year is evolving organically. We host, events frequently.

[00:27:30] I'm doing a lot more writing these days again which is really nice. We've now started to do and documentaries, which I love how documentaries because I'm having the conversation with the individual.

[00:27:42] So then that conversation will be used for the documentary. So yeah, lots on the go. 

[00:27:47] Robyn: And when it comes to life to paper, if people want to find the books and creations that you have produced, where can they find them on like, to [00:28:00] paper.com or can they find them wherever they buy their books?

[00:28:02] Tabitha: Yeah. So every book, that we've published is available, everywhere books are sold efinitely online. And depending on the, the individual, the author bookstores, select book stores and retailers but certainly on our website. And then that can guide you to where, to where to find the book in all its formats.

[00:28:20] And I wanted 

[00:28:21] Robyn: to ask too, when it comes to storytelling and legacy, what is your hope in your lifetime to see when it comes to telling people stories? 

[00:28:31] Tabitha: So I'll tell you the dream, the vision I had when I first started like to paper, my vision was that there would be a online version of me, basically that helps guide you to sharing your story.

[00:28:44] That then gets transcribed into a book. And that book is a tool to which you can connect with other people. So let's say we'll take my grandmother for example. And she was born in Mohammad Hungary, and then she spent her life until she left. [00:29:00] She could be potentially connected with someone.

[00:29:02] And this has been her mission and mine is to find people who she was in the camp with, but potentially by that story some things might come out that ended up connecting you with someone and, I just thought that would be such a beautiful thing or we all have our family library, so I could take my great, great, great grandmother's story off the shelf. Well, now it would be digital, and read it and know how she, how she dealt with love and loss.

[00:29:25] I mean, I think 

[00:29:26] Robyn: that's such what an incredible asset that would be in all our lives and it feels like if people would participate, it would be really doable. 

[00:29:36] Tabitha: Actually. I know what's nice is I know I'm not alone on this mission. I know there are others out there feel Very much the same way about stories and chronicling stories.

[00:29:45] So every once in a while I get to hear someone, I watched a documentary, I see a news piece or I meet somebody or they reach out to me and they're like, I think we're aligned on this mission. And I know there's some other, my peers who feel the same way too, and they're trying in their own way.

[00:29:59] I [00:30:00] feel like I want this insightful, intuitive process somehow to be replicated. And there'd be a database of stories and ones that we can connect and understand each other on a deeper level rather than just our Facebook posts.

[00:30:15] I did think of that ancestry.com. Right. So rather than just see the family tree, it's like the family book tree. And you could see beyond their picture and some facts. And I mean, 

[00:30:25] Robyn: that is brilliant.

[00:30:26] Tabitha: That's like big macro world vision. But what really lights me up. And it's my little part that I can do. Within my community. I love my Sunday dinners. I love bringing people together around the table and there'll be people who they never met before.

[00:30:42] And therefore, once a client and the others are friend and the other's out from out of town. And I just happen to say, Hey, come by for dinner. I don't really know you, but we'll get to know each other and watching these people connect and share stories. I love it. I love it. I have a space right now, a physical space that I've said my doors open my doors, my heart are open to [00:31:00] you. 

[00:31:00] Robyn: And, and for someone listening right now, is there one thing you could tell them if they want to start to capture their story in some way that they could start doing today? 

[00:31:11] Tabitha: Absolutely. So an outline, it's not a book, it's an outline a sheet of paper, the right size for any story outlined.

[00:31:18] So when you think it's like a lot, and there's so many stories, just start with an outline look at some other, if it's a memoir life story, self, whatever that book of your dream you have in mind is look at the structure and the bones of those books, and see , even the chronology, cause you can get creative with chronology too.

[00:31:37] So think about that and think about and then start to dream map your vision of your story. And it's not the whole thing. And in that sense, I've created outlines that, sometimes I don't start writing at the beginning, I start writing a little bit in, and then I jumped back to the beginning part after, but I have the structure so clear that I feel confident doing that, 

[00:31:57] I think there's different books written a [00:32:00] series of different ways they can be sematic. there could be an overarching theme coming of age. It's all different types, but think about, sit, meditate, get to a quiet place and dream up what you want your story to look like.

[00:32:12] No limits no rules, just allow yourself to dream and map it out and follow that because no, you can never create a restaurant without a plan. Everything tables wouldn't be the right size. They'd all clink together. Or there wouldn't be chairs.

[00:32:25] Like you have to go in with a map for that. 

[00:32:27] Robyn: That's awesome advice. And , I'm looking at you and I'm thinking can you believe that you are really now an expert at this you've created this whole business and not long ago you were.

[00:32:38] In capital markets and in politics, and you didn't go to school for this. 

[00:32:43] I think everyone listening should just take that in. We can all make these shifts, you can make a change and then you can find what you're really supposed to be doing. And then you can have a vision like you have, which is to capture everybody's stories so that it [00:33:00] only helps keep legacy and help others understand, rather than just looking at a picture, you're actually diving in and getting that 3d.

[00:33:09] Sure 

[00:33:10] Karen: to give service to others. I think that's the thing that people don't even realize when you take on something like this, it seems so big and vast and uncharted, but you just follow that service that I want to do something for my grandmother and that made me feel good. And then I want to do something.

[00:33:25] Nobody else. It makes me feel that was your beacon that you followed. scary, but it can also be that 

[00:33:31] Tabitha: simple . And saying that your gift is located right next to your wound. I mean, in my case, I think it's true. I think that I was lonely. We all are lonely.

[00:33:41] I know I'm not unique. I mean, it was lonely as a child. I remember feeling loneliness. I didn't feel understood. I wanted to allow others to feel understood and not judged in any way. Absolutely not judged. And I think I went through some difficult things and struggles so that I could get to that point too, when I could have some [00:34:00] things to share, because I know that when I open up a little bit, when I work with people, we have conversations 

[00:34:05] , just like this. We'll be talking and I'll say, well, that reminds me of this in my life and I'll share something. And then they're like, well, and then it's an exchange.

[00:34:13] Karen: Yeah. One last question. if somebody is listening to this and they're wondering if they have a story, what do you say to people when they come to you with that question? 

[00:34:21] Tabitha: I usually hear that is when a family hires me to work on a story about their grandparents or their parent, and I've gotten the, you know, I don't know anyone, what you're going to write about me.

[00:34:33] And they always end up being amazing. They always had a big, amazing, just, just feel that you have a story and your story could be someone else's. Oh, thank you. Just think about that. Just think about like that story oh my gosh. The changes, everything, everything. 

[00:34:50] Karen: I think we just have the title for the planet.

[00:34:52] I 

[00:34:52] Robyn: agree. 

[00:34:53] I mean that's perfect. 

[00:34:55] That's the perfect way to end our conversation for today because I feel [00:35:00] we'll be talking to you a lot more.

[00:35:02] for everyone listening, you can learn more about life to paper, the books that they've published, as well as the bookshop by life to paper in the Miami Florida area@lifetopaper.com, you can also follow them.

[00:35:15] On Facebook and Instagram at life to people. Thank you, Tabitha. 

[00:35:19] Tabitha: Thank you. 

[00:35:21] Robyn: Thank you for following your spark. Thank you for following the whisper and really creating something that will last lifetimes,