Whew, we did it!
My co-authors and I officially launched our book, Permission Slips for claiming our emotions into the world!
For the last four years, I and four other transformational coaches have been meeting weekly to explore our emotional landscapes and share what we’ve learned.
Part resource, part memoir, and part guided exploration, this powerful and timely book models how to connect with your emotions and move toward authenticity, resilience, and emotional freedom.
It’s finally here!
In the hours and days since our big launch event (here are the video and audio recordings, if you missed it), I've noticed a lot of emotions coming up!
In the spirit of modelling an emotional check-in (a tool we offer you in the book), I thought I'd share what I'm feeling with you here.
I’m noticing:
...tremendous Pride, Gratitude and Awe for the five of us, the incredibly courageous journey we've undertaken, and for what we've created together (I feel my heart swell and tears spring up as I name this again...)
...there's the fluttering of Excitement and Thrill...
...and an open, expansive feeling of Curiosity and Hopeabout the impact our book might have, and the opportunities it might bring (because our book now lives in the world and has a life of its own we can’t possibly predict!)...
...I'm noticing some Trust arise in embracing the mystery of it all...
...so much Passion within me around shifting the culture around emotions...
...and, lurking on the edges, are my old friends, Anxiety and Fear. My “Inner Good Girl” feels the pressure to "perform well"... and a very young part of me is scared of being judged for the "messiness" of my emotions in the pieces I've written.
...In this moment, I notice a wave of Compassion sweep in for her vulnerability and tenderness.
These are the emotions that are true for me as I write you now.
On allowing ourselves to be seen in our emotions
Can I confess something here?
The experience of writing this book really cracked me open. There were MANY times when I wanted to scrap whole pieces - or quit it all and run away!
As any author will tell you, putting your ideas and thoughts out into the world is terrifying. And my co-authors and I went well beyond that, baring our hearts, souls and tenderest parts on those pages - things our culture tells us to keep safely hidden away.
But using this emotional check-in process allowed us to acknowledge and honour both our fear AND our deep desire to be of service.
We chose to share our "emotional mess" so that you could see you're not alone with yours - that every emotion is a normal, potent and beneficial part of being human.
We wrote this book to help you:
Stop judging your emotions and start seeing them as a source of strength.
Rewrite the story that says emotional vulnerability makes you fragile instead of free.
Discover the peace that comes from truly accepting yourself - messy feelings and all.
Learn how to navigate life's uncertainties with courage, grace, and responsibility.
Sharing our emotions in service of others has been a profoundly transformative and healing process... and I know the book will continue to "work me" by bringing up many other emotions in the days, weeks, and months to come!
But, I'll keep doing the work to feel and claim my emotions so I can show up in service, because the world needs my courageous heart...
And it needs yours too.