Pep talks on paper
a humble beginning and happy 3rd birthday to my book Find Your Way
They started as pep talks on paper. It was 2019. I’d be wrestling with an issue or ranting in the safety of my journal and along would come clarity—wisdom, kindness, guidance, an answer—written in my hand but from some seemingly other-worldly place.
A brief but beneficent blurb bringing an end to my existential battle.
So helpful were they for me I felt compelled to share them—surely others were struggling with similar tensions—and on to Instagram they went!
Months ticked by, the posts stacked up and one day it dawned on me that these little transformational pep talks were too valuable to only live on people’s fleeting social media feeds.
When Covid came and closed all of our business doors I opened a window in my home office and began turning my pep talks on paper into more palatable pieces of print-worthy prose.
More months ticked by and at the end of 2020 I had a manuscript ready to be laid out and lovingly created into the book I longed to publish.
My first ever go at writing a manuscript was a 50,000 word up-beat positive-psychology classic self-helper called A New Leaf. Thankfully it never made it onto bookshelves in its original form. But it did get picked up by local publisher Innovative Resources—the editor at the time, my now good friend and writing pal John, seeing the gold amongst the rubble.
We don’t publish books, but we do make card sets, he told me over our first cup of tea. Can you see this as a card set he asked…
Drilling down to find the nuggets of truth buried amid anecdotal stories to produce a set of potent life-enhancing messages…yes…yes…I’d love to!
I was overjoyed to be fulfilling my publishing dream and a couple of years later Note to Self was born—a project that had a profound affect on me and a product I am still so very proud of.
15 years have passed since then and although NTS has been a widely distributed and treasured resource to many, there was more I wanted to say…and the desire to publish a book stayed with me.
So you can imagine my drive to get my pep talks from paper into print form when the world was in Covid chaos and the challenges of life during lockdowns had us living with constant uncertainty—pep talks with the potential to turn our struggles into a transformational time of growth and the getting of some much-needed peace and wisdom.
Find Your Way made its entrance late in the May of 2021, without the fuss and fanfare I had dreamed of and planned for. A snap lockdown put an end to my book launch party, unknowingly heralding the beginning of this book’s arduous journey into the world.
But despite the setbacks I am celebrating!
Because this week Find Your Way turned 3!
And for 3 years those pep talks on paper have been making their way slowly but steadily into the hands of those who seek to shift their mind from a state of powerlessness, overwhelm and confusion to personal power, confidence and clarity.
People who want to navigate life’s potholes with their eyes open and their arms out wide saying yes to what comes their way, yes to life changing them for the better, yes to learning as they go and coming through every stumble and difficult situation wiser and kinder; more awake and open; grown and whole.
There’s an entry on page 98 called Learn Your Way. I have read it out for you—you can listen via the Voiceover bar at the top of this post.
It sums up the journey I have been on with this book since its birth back in 2021.
I have learnt so much from Find Your Way. It has taught me about success, about self-worth, self-validation and self-compassion.
It has helped me to see myself and my experiences differently, often bringing me a much-needed wake-up call.
And always it reminds me to return to me and to live with greater awareness, look within for the answers, lead each day with purpose, let life change me, and love myself through the process.
It has helped me to unlearn a lot too—and let go of self-defeating beliefs, behaviours, unrealistic expectations and outcomes based on perfection and limited ideals.
Find Your Way could almost be called Learn Your Way because that’s what we’re all doing—learning how to live and love and let go, if we are willing to let life change us.
But remember: there is no right way or wrong way—just your way.
May you find your way, your way…and with curiosity, courage and compassion, becoming who you were inspired and designed to be.
With so much love for the journey, and immense gratitude for your support, Gena xx
Find Your Way:
Yes, 'everyday is a school day'. Another wise person said to me recently.
Thank you as always Gena for your valuable insights.
Love,
Libby
Happy birthday to your fantastic paper baby! There’s no doubt that this will have helped everyone who is lucky enough to have their hands on a copy.
I love the little spoken excerpt, what a great touch!