Today is my birthday!
When I was a young girl, my birthday was the most special day of the year. Most of my friends said that Christmas was more exciting than birthdays for them.
Not for me.
As the oldest of six children, I had a lot of responsibilities. Babysitting, housework, folding diapers, and cooking took up much of my spare time. When my birthday arrived, my mother told me, ‘No chores for you today, Marjorie!’
I remember the sense of freedom and play as I looked forward to a day just for me. I was able to choose the supper menu, and ask for my favourite cake, a banana layer cake with fluffy brown sugar frosting. I experienced a sense of being important and noticed, something that was rare for me in our large family.
This year my birthday is one of the most unforgettable in my life!
Not because I am being treated to lunch by a dear friend. Not because my husband will make sure I don’t have any chores to do. Not even because I have a family party to look forward to on the weekend.
And it is not because it is a milestone birthday, which I usually celebrate lavishly. When I turned 50, I hosted a dinner for fifteen women friends, many of whom stayed on for a slumber party and brunch the next day. At age 60 I treated my family to a stay at Harrison Hot Springs Resort. We swam in the hot outdoor pools as the snow fell, we enjoyed the delicious buffet breakfast and shared birthday cake and ice cream. I felt loved and thankful as my family and friends shared these special days.
No, this birthday is exciting for another reason.
Today is the day I birth my book, ‘Saying Yes to Life: Embracing the Magic and Messiness of the Journey’.
This is a dream come true, and I find myself experiencing a mix of emotions, both magical and messy. I am excited and proud to announce that I am an author. I am also anxious, overwhelmed and filled with doubt.
Is this really happening? Who am I to announce this news? How could it be that I, Marjorie, have published a book?
I am curious what is causing my questions and doubts. What is keeping me from accepting the fact that I am a published author?
My mind goes back to my marathon running days. When I first joined a Run Club, I wore cotton sweatpants and a thick hoodie. A long-time runner kindly said to me, ‘you will be running with a lot of extra weight if you wear those clothes in the rain. You might want to get some lighter clothes.’
So, I went shopping. Next time I showed up with leggings and a shirt that repelled moisture. My light-weight jacket had reflective stripes and was water resistant. In my new clothes, I felt as if I was wearing a costume meant for someone else. I saw myself as an imposter pretending to be a runner. However, I joined the group and off we went on our training run. That was all it took for me to realize these clothes were a necessary part of enjoying my runs. It wasn’t long before I couldn’t imagine not wearing my ‘running outfit’. I grew into my identity as a long-distance runner, no longer questioning myself.
I smile as I see the similarities between becoming a marathon runner and becoming an author. They are both examples of me taking on a new identity. This takes time and practice, and I decide to step into my identity as an author. I choose to receive the congratulations and accept the love coming my way.
As I say in my book, receiving fully is the path to future abundance. The key for me is to receive fully the love that is all around me. I do not diminish the gifts by brushing off affirmation and congratulations. I feel humbled and excited when I realize that life is waiting for me to say yes to
I have been living the truth of my book title recently as there has been magic and messiness in my life. The lightness that I experienced while writing my book was followed by a time of intense focus. For some reason I thought that finishing a book manuscript was the end of the writing journey. Not so!
There was a long stretch of waiting as my editor went through the first draft. I felt restless and impatient. Then there was the stage of revisions, checking the meaning of words and choosing new ways of describing ideas to ensure they would be accessible to my readers. Proof reading, cover design and interior layout conversations all offered opportunities to me to learn new skills. Many days I felt inadequate, not even knowing what I didn’t know. Marketing my book seemed like an unsurmountable task and I resisted even thinking about it.
Here’s what happened.
I started practicing the principles I had written about in my book. I use the metaphor of hiking in my book and I recognized that I was on an unfamiliar trail to becoming an author. The path was messy, full of twists and turns and I was having trouble believing this journey would ever end.
So, I stopped, took a deep breath, and asked for help. I saw that I had fellow hikers with me, and that together we could do this! I trusted that the path would appear as I stepped forward. I listened to my inner wisdom and paced myself. I took time to play and said no to requests that did not bring me joy.
I celebrated each step along the way and reminded myself of how far I had come. Strong, loving, skilled and creative women surrounded me as I opened myself up to receiving.
Another analogy comes to my mind as I focus on the remaining tasks of releasing my book. I thought of the last stages of pregnancy and the similarities to birthing my book. In fact, my editor, Amanda Johnson, describes herself as a book doula. A doula supports women in childbirth with her presence and calm energy.
Many aspects of childbirth were out of my control. I got impatient and irritable when my ‘due date’ came and went, and there was still no baby. I wondered how long my labour would be or how I would handle the contractions. Focusing on what I had control over helped me to have the energy I needed for what lay ahead. Caring for myself, getting the rest I needed and asking for help made a huge difference as I waited for my child to be born.
Many aspects of my book birthing journey have also been out of my control. I waited five weeks for my professional photo shoot to take place. I had no say in the weather and outdoor photos are no fun in the freezing cold, torrential rains and snow. I put my energy to surrendering to the unknown and trusting that the perfect day would show up, which is exactly what happened. The time was filled with play, beautiful lighting and partnership with my photographer. It ended up being a sacred experience that reminded me of the importance of having faith that all would be well.
Working with a team requires respect for others’ schedules and I learned about flexibility and patience. The technical aspects of publishing a book are not my zone of genius and so I am practicing delegating and accepting help graciously.
Today I have reached a spectacular viewpoint in my hike. The view is breathtaking, and I have tears in my eyes as I realize that my book is a reality. I had a clear vision of what I wanted for my book, and my dreams have come true.
I am here to invite you to ‘Say Yes to Life’ and join me on the path to ‘Embracing the Magic and Messiness of the Journey’. I would be honoured for you to read my book. Tell your friends about it. Leave a review on Amazon. Ask your local bookstore to order in some copies. Suggest that your book club reads and discusses it together. Send me an email to tell me what the book brought up for you.
I look forward to sharing the journey with you. My book was created in community and I am setting the intention that my book will continue to be part of many group conversations and will be a gift to many as they read it, and discover the joy of ‘Saying Yes to Life’.
To order your copy, CLICK HERE
With love and gratitude!
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