Where I usually find inspirations for new book ideas?

Where do you usually find inspirations for new ideas?

Let me begin by saying that my life purpose is deeply important to me. A few years ago, I felt a growing sense of frustration because I knew I was not fully aligned with that purpose. Although I was successfully running training programmes, coaching, and supporting clients, I sensed that something was still missing.

Through meditation and reflection, I gained the clarity to redirect the focus of my work toward the retirement phase of life — or what I prefer to call the Third Act. During this time, I was also given the image of the “3Cs” in meditation. This became the first inspiration for writing about retirement and developing a personal growth model centred around three essential elements for living authentically in retirement and aligning more fully with the True Self.

Walking Camino has been a regular and meaningful part of my life since 2014. While walking the Camino in 2022 and listening to the quiet whispers of nature along the trails, the ideas behind my self-development model began to deepen and take root. The 3Cs — Conscious Presence (present moment awareness), Connections (the relationships in our lives), and Contribution (the legacy we leave behind) — became the foundation of this work. During that particular Camino journey, I received great clarity and direction for my second book, Power of W: Women Thriving in Their Third Act.

Since then, and especially with my third book, On Camino Once More: 7 Keys to Embrace the Freedom of Joy, I have moved into even greater alignment with my True Self. The lessons and insights I have received on Camino have naturally found their way into the pages of this book. As an added blessing, I have now developed programmes, seminars, and a coaching practice specifically focused on supporting clients as they transition successfully into this significant and transformative stage of life.

To conclude, meditation and walking Camino remain my most trusted practices for inspiration, clarity, and creative insight.

Ann McGarry 24 May 2026