I had a Eureka Moment last night...

In my life and business, I follow my gut; I take action first, rather than spend too much time pondering what could happen.   As a result, I often don't know why I do things -- until much later.

Now, it's six days before my book, The Message Of You, is published, and last night I realized the reason I spent ten years writing a book to help people find and share the meaning of their lives. It's because my mother never really knew the value of her message - or how important she was to others.

My mother was a talented dancer and choreographer at a time when women had to choose between staying at home and having a career. My mom, Esther Carter, stayed home with her daughters. But, she still managed to put together musical shows for her temple, casting her friends in them, and teaching them to dance. Her message was to see the star in everyone. She would help others to find their talent, and treat everyone as if they were already a star. Because she died young, she never really had the chance to see how much she inspired the people around her - especially me.

That's the thing about our messages: we're all so busy living our lives that we don't realize how much we know -- and how much it's worth.

This week I'm promoting my book on the "Marie Show" and to get past my nerves, I'm going to imagine that someone just like my mother is in the audience. That way, perhaps, what I say can truly make a difference in someone's life. My message is that ordinary people have extraordinary messages tucked away inside of them. And when you find and speak that message, whether speaking at a podium or in the checkout line at supermarket -- you can truly make a difference in other people's lives -- and your own.

Judy Carter will be celebrating the publication of her book in LA and NYC.