Why I’m Writing a Book

I’ve always wanted to write a book. I’ve known there’s been a book inside of me for years, but could never figure out what to write about. I studied English, wrote screenplays in high school and college, and have always loved a good story. My professional career has taken me into the business writing realm, writing quarterly reports, flexing the muscle but not the creative, authentic part of it. Earlier this year, I hit a breaking point. Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Stretched thin, stress closed in from every angle—work overload, a newborn who changed everything, and a marriage shifting from husband-and-wife to mom-and-dad. I’d been going too hard for too long, thinking I was handling it. But it was all too much. My mind broke and my body cried out in panic. I experienced a round of real panic attacks. It scared the living crap out of me. They came in hot. Chest tight, heart pounding, thinking I was dying. Multiple times. I knew something had to change or I would lose everything. And that’s when I knew what I needed to write about. In March 2025, I saw a post on X by Nicolas Cole about writing your first book in 30 days. Choose a title, write an outline, then write and edit until it’s done. I didn’t finish in 30 days, but seven months later, I had a 34,000-word edited manuscript of my book. It’s called Rewired and I hope to release it in early 2026. The book is not a highlight reel or a victory lap. I haven’t figured it all out. It’s a field manual following the fight of my life. I didn’t write it because I have all the answers. I wrote it because I’ve asked all the questions and I’ve lived the consequences of getting them wrong, as well as the rewards of getting some of them right. I’ve learned most things the hard way and I’m still learning. The last 15 years have been a whirlwind. I hit rock bottom at 27, checking into rehab after drinking through much of my twenties. After wasting potential, I rebuilt my life from the ground up. Been sober almost eight years now and in that time, I fortified my physical, mental, and spiritual health. Six years after leaving rehab, I had a wife, a son, a career, and a home. None of it came easy. All of it came from rebuilding my life one day at a time. Striving for progress, not perfection. Consistent effort, showing up, making mistakes, learning from them, and trying again. Then the panic attacks came this year and humbled me to the core. I doubled down on myself so I could be there for others. Invested in discipline, meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, stillness, reading, writing, eating well, and working out. Some of these things saved me the first time and had to save me again. I’m still trying to be the best version of myself. I’m still on the journey of transformation. But I’ve found the path and I’ve learned how to stay on it. That’s why I’m writing this book. I’m not chasing fame. Not looking to go viral or write a bestseller. I’m writing for those who feel stuck, numb, anxious, and burnt out. For those who feel like they know there is more to life but don’t know how to climb to that higher plane of purpose, resilience, and self-respect. People who are sick of Instagram motivation or TikTok life-hack therapy. We want truth. We want experience. We want something real. This Substack is for them and for me. Writing this book has been a therapeutic process. Cathartic really. Going back through it all and creating something that could potentially help others has been incredibly transformative. As writing is rewriting, the editing is where the magic happens, and that’s where I’m at now. Putting words on the page has rewired my mind in a way, making sense of the past, and choosing a better future. It’s taught me to slow down, look honestly at who I’ve been and who I want to become. And then objectively ask, “Am I getting there?” So what will this Substack be? It will be where I share parts of Rewired, but also what didn’t make it into the book. Personal stories, reflections, thoughts on resilience, fatherhood, discipline, discomfort, presence, purpose. Insights from other voices who have inspired me over the years. It’s for people who are trying to carry the weight of work, family, doubt, and expectations. For those who want to get after it without falling apart or going numb. For those who feel directionless, isolated, or lost. I’m here to show you that resilience already lives inside you—you just have to learn how to use it. This will be a place for those looking to play the long game. For doing the work when no one is watching. For finding some semblance and peace amidst the chaos of it all. Slow and steady still wins the race. What I’ll write about here: * Rebuilding from addiction, anxiety, and burnout * Discipline, mindfulness, resilience, purpose * What Rewired is about and lessons learned from writing * Habits that saved my life and how I maintain them * Lessons from philosophy, fatherhood, failure, and stillness * The wisdom and perspective that helped rewire my life * Professional development, leadership, and work-life balance * Insights and takeaways from other books and articles * Personal stories that don’t fit on X and that I don’t want on LinkedIn What I want from you, the Reader: * Not likes or restacks—just your attention, if something here resonates * If it does, subscribe, reply, share it with someone who needs it * Start a conversation. This isn’t a monologue. I want this place to feel like a campfire, not a stage. This is why I’m writing a book. This is why I’m writing here. The longer we run from our problems, the more control they have. The moment we face them, we take that power back. Let go of where you were. Build who you want to become. Progress compounds. Stability grows. Let’s see where this goes. Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Get full access to Rewired at rpshanahan.substack.com/subscribe