Back in January, my friend, Judy, gave me the name of an Indie publisher.  Judy is one of my closest friends here in Frederick and she has know how I’ve been called to write and publish a book since I was a little girl.  She has journeyed with me through many seasons of motherhood.  She has heard my struggles in every aspect of being a woman, wife, mother, and professional.  And she had read my manuscript and knew that it needed to be in the world.  “Just try Demi,” Judy said, “And see what she has to say.”

So I sent Demi my incomplete but “good bones” manuscript and we set up a date to talk.  “Lisa, I’ve read your manuscript and it’s beautiful.  You could have a book by Mother’s Day,” Demi said.

“Mother’s Day of what year?” I asked her.

“This year, “she replied.

Back then I thought, “Noooo way!”  I couldn’t even fathom that decades of knowing I was to be an author would come to fruition in just five short months.  It seemed way too impossible.

But I trusted.  Because I heard from within me, “It’s time, Lisa.”

I was afraid.  I was nervous.  I didn’t know the whole process of publishing – formatting, editing, and designing a book – and it’s these details that trip me up and hold me back.  And self-publishing is expensive.

The voices of doubt were strong. The inner critic often reared its head, “Do you really think anyone will want to read what you have to say?”

Yet I trusted.  I was afraid, insecure, uncertain…AND I decided to leap.

Because that’s the thing I tell my Compassion Coaching and somatic psychotherapy clients:  you can feel afraid (nervous, ashamed, tired, angry) AND do what you know you need to do.

AND is a little but powerful three-letter word.

“AND” includes.  It says, “This can be here AND this other thing can be here.” – like fear AND truth.  Like fear AND courage.  Like wanting to pull away AND choosing to leap.

AND…so I leapt.  I decided to devote my attention, money, and effort into publishing Gems of Delight.  My family totally supported me. They were “all in.”

And then, Brian and Judy said, “Lis, you’re going to do a Kickstarter campaign to let people help you cover some of the costs of publishing and getting Gems of Delight out into the world.  And um, that means you’ll have to do a video!”

NO WAY!  I was now TERRIFIED!  You mean I’d have to ASK people for HELP?!  I’d have to show up – all vulnerable and needy and let people hlep me?!  And do it on a video?!!!

I was afraid..AND I knew I had to do it.

For the past five months, I have been afraid AND I’ve known that I have to follow this calling – this truth – within me.  I didn’t know how to strategically run a Kickstarter campaign or a book launch.  AND I did know how to follow what delights my heart.  I did know how to be my authentic self and show up.

Let’s fast-forward to the morning of the Kickstarter campaign.  I barely slept six hours.  The “what if’s” were strong:  what if no one shows up?  What if no one buys the book?  What if there’s no “spunk” and energy to it? What if it fails?  What if I fail?

AND I leapt.

AND…my people caught me.

Some dear ones were ON IT at 12:05 a.m. and backed the campaign.  People sent me texts and called me.  Everyone watched what happened!  And by 2 pm the first day, the Kickstarter Campaign was fully funded!!!

What in the hell do you do when your community, the divine, and the universe say, “Girl, we got you!”?!

You bow down in gratitude.  You say, “I’m going to forever leap when I’m called to leap!”  And you know now that all along all you’ve had to do is trust.  And you keep on listening.  You keep on following what delights your heart!

Dear Ones, Whatever dream you have, I know now that it is possible.  It’s possible because it was placed within you way before time!  God, the Universe, and this world want you to be living what delights your heart – for YOU and for the evolution of our planet.

We need more people in our world who are willing to feel afraid AND decide they will follow what deeply delights their hearts.  It’s time. And I’m beside you!  Start using “AND” – and as my mom says, “Just take the next right step.”

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I want to thank each and every one of you for your support of the Kickstarter Campaign to bring Gems of Delight into the world (and around the world!).  With your support, I finished the FINAL edits this weekend and sent them off to my publisher.  Brian measured just perfectly, we ordered 350 boxes, and we now have them ready for our “pack and ship” party when the books arrive!

Things are going to be happening fast around here, so stay tuned.  And I’ll announce “next steps” in the next few days.

Here’s what Shawn Fink, Founder of the Abundant Mama Project, has to say about Gems of Delight:

You can pre-order your signed copy from my shop!