With Donald Trump set to return to the White House for season 2 of his dystopian presidential freak show, Democrats and liberals like me are bracing for a potentially major blow to the democratic institutions and processes of the United States.

Based on the past actions Trump has taken to expand and hold onto power, and also on promises he has made to further consolidate power and weaken or eliminate checks and balances against him, concerned citizens on the left, and also many on the right, see a tyrant in the making in Donald Trump. Can he be stopped before it's too late to save the American experiment?

In this episode, I talk with the person who can answer this question perhaps better than anyone. Ira Chaleff is an internationally recognized expert on leadership and political followership studies, a field in which he's considered a pioneer. He has spent decades working in and around Washington in nonpartisan organizations, including over 20 years as director of the Congressional Management Foundation. Ira has led and participated in democracy-strengthening programs in Asia, West Africa, and Eastern Europe. His books The Courageous Follower: Standing Up to and for Our Leaders, and Intelligent Disobedience: Doing Right When What You're Told to Do is Wrong, are used widely in leadership programs and have been translated into multiple languages.

Ira Chaleff's latest book is To Stop a Tyrant: The Power of Political Followers to Make or Brake a Toxic Leader, and I am proud to be its publisher under the Wonderwell Press imprint.

Ira is a political independent, and in this interview, he struck a much more balanced perspective than I personally hold (or even feel all that comfortable engaging with). But I learned a lot from him and could feel my blood pressure deescalating even as we spoke. Yes, we are at a risky point in our political history, but no, it's not too late to do something about that.

In this episode, we explore the definitions of tyranny, autocracy, and toxic leadership, emphasizing the importance of political followers in shaping leadership behavior. Ira introduces the concept of proto-tyrants and the critical window for intervention before a leader consolidates power. Our discussion also covers the types of followers—conformists, colluders, and courageous followers—and the dire consequences of inaction against tyranny. We also talked about the challenges posed by the current information ecosystem and the need for informed citizenry to safeguard democracy.

Ira's book and message are for everyone, anywhere on the political spectrum. If you are alarmed or dismayed by the current state of our political climate and feeling powerless, listen in to learn how to effectively wield the power that you really do hold, not necessarily as a member of the opposition, but as a responsible and engaged follower.

Historically, almost all democracies descend into tyranny. Ours doesn't have to.

Learn more about the book, its author and publisher:
To Stop a Tyrant (buy the book)
Ira Chaleff (author website)
Wonderwell Press

More about Selfish Gift host Maggie Langrick:
https://maggielangrick.com/
instagram.com/maggielangrick

Amy Low was a recently divorced mom with two teenage kids when she received some of the worst news a person can hear. She had stage four metastatic colon cancer and a large tumor on her liver with a very low chance of long-term survival. Against the odds, Amy has lived five years with her diagnosis, and the experience has changed her. Incredibly, Amy used this time to write her memoir, a beautiful book, The Brave In-Between: Notes From the Last Room.

The "last room" refers to Amy's way of thinking about our lives as rooms that we move through. We will all find ourselves in that last room at some point, though most of us won't know we are in it. For Amy, it is an opportunity to find the "mundane miracles" in each day. This is a heart-stretching book in which Amy shows us what it looks like to move with resilience and grace through the most difficult and uncertain times. It's a sacred invitation to delve into the depths of the human condition.

Amy and I went into some deep and at times challenging topics. In this interview, she talks about faith and forgiveness, and why she considers herself a "bridge dweller": a person who builds connections with many different types of people from all backgrounds and identities. This episode was recorded in advance of the 2024 election, as the Kamala Harris campaign was in its early days, and she and I were both hopeful of a Democratic win. Amy, who considers herself a liberal Christian, candidly shares her feelings about how American Christianity has changed over the years and how she hopes it might evolve back toward its ideals of love and inclusion.

Of course, we also got into some shop talk about the writing process, which in Amy's case was complicated by the progression of her disease. She is a stalwart writer and an inspiration to anyone who wants to tell their story but feels daunted by the task!

This is a thought-provoking conversation that will inspire you to find the mundane miracles in your life and the courage to share your story with the world.

Find her at:
Amy's Substack, Postcards from the Mountain
Instagram: @amylow112

And find host Maggie Langrick at:
Maggie's Substack, The Underwire
Website: maggielangrick.com
Instagram: @maggielangrick

Writing success comes to those who stick with it, and Diana Raab has stuck with writing for more than sixty years. Over that time she published fourteen books, ranging from poetry to self-help to memoir. How does she do it? Simple: She finds bliss in the act of writing!

In fact, 'Writing From Bliss' is the name of one of her most beloved books. In today's episode, Diana shares wisdom from the book to help all writers lean more deeply into bliss. She also tells the fascinating story of her long and prolific writing life, which began in her early childhood, sparked by a family tragedy.

Tune in for inspiration and encouragement to go the distance, creatively and emotionally.

Diana's latest book is Hummingbird: Messages from My Ancestors: A Memoir with Reflection and Writing Prompts, published by Modern History Press.

For more, visit:
dianaraab.com
maggielangrick.com
wonderwell.press

Follow us on Instagram:
@maggielangrick
@dianaraab

Two books published in one season? That's the kind of summer writer and illustrator Swan Huntley is having. Her novel I Want You More is a sapphic thriller and a rip-roaring beach read that I could not put down. Her other new release, You're Grounded: An Anti Self-Help Book to Calm You the Fuck Down, features her whimsical illustrations and some simple yet sagely guidance to help you cultivate mindfulness.

Different as they may seem from each other, Swan explained to me that the books are both "really just me talking to myself". In this fascinating interview, Swan opens up about her writing process, self-revelation and the unconscious, and the differences—and similarities—between writing fiction and nonfiction.

The memoir Swan is currently working on will be her seventh published work, but her path to success as a writer was not always smooth. Tune in to hear why her early manuscripts got rejected, the one simple tool that taught her how to write a well-paced book, and how quickly she writes her books now. (Spoiler: it's a matter of weeks, not months.)

We covered a lot more in this one-hour conversation, from dysfunctional relationships to the slipperiness of addiction to the question of what to do with that Instagram square.

For more, check out:
www.swanhuntley.com
www.selfishgiftpodcast.com
www.maggielangrick.com

And follow:
instagram.com/swanhuntley
instagram.com/maggielangrick
instagram.com/wonderwellpress
instagram.com/selfishgiftpodcast

Every writer experiences doubt—in our abilities, in the worthiness of our creativity, and more. But it doesn't have to stop us in our tracks, according to Amy L. Bernstein, a novelist, award-winning journalist, blogger, and certified book coach. Her forthcoming book Wrangling the Doubt Monster is set to publish in January 2025, and she explores the topic of creative self-doubt in her Substack Doubt Monster.

This deep, inspiring conversation delves into the causes of creative doubt and how Amy says we can prevent it from derailing our writing practice.

We talked about so much great stuff:
• making a late-in-life career pivot into writing
• finding the freedom to work with many forms of writing
• the emotional sources of self-doubt
• the role that culture plays in keeping us creatively stuck
• why the hard work of revising can be a rewarding investment in yourself
• finding motivation to go the distance with your writing

Listen in for a confidence injection!

For more, check out:
https://amywrites.live
https://wonderwell.press/
https://maggielangrick.com/

And follow:
instagram.com/amylbernstein
instagram.com/maggielangrick
instagram.com/wonderwellpress
instagram.com/selfishgiftpodcast

Timestamps:
00:00: Introduction to Amy Bernstein and the Topic of Doubt
02:47: The Prevalence of Doubt in Writing and Creativity
08:48: The Role of an Accountability Partner in Overcoming Doubt
11:54: Challenges Faced by Professionals Transitioning into Writing
24:30: Creating the Right Conditions for Creativity
29:25: Embracing the Joy of the Creative Process
33:31: Giving Yourself Permission to Create
34:52: Understanding Your Creative Appetite
37:02: Exploring Openly Without Limits
38:39: Alleviating Doubt
41:28: The Importance of Rewriting and Revision
46:31: How to Persevere with a difficult piece of work
49:15: Authenticity in Building Your Platform
01:02:21: Choosing Joy and Purpose in Your Creative Journey

Melissa Urban is a truly inspirational human who has dedicated her life to helping people boost their health and happiness.

She is the co-founder and CEO of Whole30, a 30-day food elimination and reintroduction program that helps identify hidden food sensitivities and restore a healthy relationship with food and the body. The original Whole30 book (just one of Melissa's seven New York Times bestsellers!) was published in 2015. For 2024 it has been entirely re-imagined and updated with new recipes, rules, and a wider range of accessible and culturally relevant foods.

On her Substack XOMU and her Instagram page, Melissa is beloved for her empowering and encouraging messages, and also for her down-to-earth realness and relatability.

In this episode, we talked about:

• What's new in the updated Whole30 book and why fans of the program should pick it up, even if you already have the original edition
• How Melissa maintains her mental health and connects to her spirituality through daily practices
• How Whole30 came to be, and what drove her to expand it into a huge lifestyle brand
• Her writing practice: where, when, and how often she writes, and why it is like "brain candy" for her
• The boundaries she puts around her social media content creation to keep it authentic and fun
• Some fun BTS facts about her publishing journey
• Her advice for women with a big vision for their lives

If you dream of reaching millions of people with your book and business, do not miss this inspiring conversation!

For more, check out:
https://whole30.com/
https://blog.melissau.com/
https://wonderwell.press/
https://maggielangrick.com/

And follow:
instagram.com/melissau
instagram.com/maggielangrick
instagram.com/wonderwellpress
instagram.com/selfishgiftpodcast

"If you can read, you can write." - Terri Trespicio, author of Unfollow Your Passion

We don't just have one major passion in life or a single road to success, and fixating on finding yours could be making you miserable and keeping you stuck. That's the core message in Terri Trespicio's book, Unfollow Your Passion. It's also the topic of her TEDx Talk, which has been viewed more than eight million times. In this episode of The Selfish Gift, Terri tells Maggie the surprising story behind that talk—and her unconventional road to success as an author, speaker, brand consultant, and writing teacher. (And did I mention she's also a poet?)

Terri is a licensed instructor of the Gateless Writing Method, developed by Suzanne Kingsbury, which had a huge impact on Terri's writing and personal growth. In this conversation, she describes the Gateless approach to writing, explores the misconception that writing is only for professionals, and emphasizes the power of writing as a tool for self-discovery. She also shares her personal, story-led writing process and the story behind the publication of her book.

If you have ever worried that you're spinning your wheels and need encouragement to trust yourself and keep moving forward, listen in.

Takeaways

• Don't feel pressured to know your purpose or passion; it's okay to try different things and not have it all figured out.
• Failure is a part of the learning process and should not be feared.
• Success often comes from a winding career journey and trying different paths.
• Mindset is important, but it's not everything; skill development and practice are also crucial for success.
• Expanding one's comfort zone is more important than seeking discomfort.
• Writing is a tool for self-discovery and personal growth.
• Craft in writing is essential for effectively sharing one's story or expertise.
• The Gateless Method is a transformative approach to writing that focuses on craft and removes criticism and judgment.
• Sharing one's work can be challenging but is a powerful and transformative experience. Know and love your work before seeking feedback from editors or agents.
• Be flexible in the writing process and trust the inherent qualities of your work.

For more, check out:
territrespicio.com
maggielangrick.com
wonderwell.press

And follow:
instagram.com/ttrespicio
instagram.com/maggielangrick
instagram.com/wonderwellpress
instagram.com/selfishgiftpodcast

It's famously difficult for a first-time, unknown author to get a memoir traditionally published, much less to have traditional publishers get into a bidding war over it. Laura Cathcart Robbins defied all the odds when she burst onto the "quit lit" scene with her brilliant, brave recovery memoir, Stash: My Life in Hiding (Atria/Simon and Schuster, 2023).

Stash is the candid account of an affluent, Hollywood wife and mother struggling with addiction, and her battle to get sober even as her marriage is falling apart. It is relatable, inspiring, courageous, and a real page-turner! The book went on to appear three times in the New York Times, was named a "best memoir of the year" by Elle magazine, and earned its author awards, accolades, and national media coverage.

In this episode of The Selfish Gift, Laura opens up and tells all about her unconventional—and often "surreal"—meteoric rise as a celebrated author, including:
• How the first article she ever published went viral and changed everything
• What it's like being one of the only Black authors in the recovery memoir genre—and why we need more memoirs from authors of color
• The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that kickstarted her publishing journey, even though the offer itself wound up being a dead-end
• How and why she started her popular podcast, "The Only One in the Room", and what she's learned from her guests
• The tough advice she received after her first book proposal was rejected years ago—and why she followed it
• How she laid down a track for her author career long before her book was published ...and much more!

Tune into this inspiring and revealing conversation and learn how vulnerability, determination, and the love of writing fueled Laura's success.

For more, check out:
https://lauracathcartrobbins.com/
https://maggielangrick.com
https://wonderwell.press

And follow:
https://www.instagram.com/theonlyoneintheroom/ https://www.instagram.com/lauracathcartrobbins https://www.instagram.com/wonderwellpress https://www.instagram.com/maggielangrick