Free Your Mind & the Rest Will Follow: Tempering the Call to be Realistic
The fight between what you dream of and the call to set realistic expectations is a challenge for those of us learning to be conscious manifesters. On the one hand, we want to hold a magnificent vision for ourselves and what we want. We can’t always see the path that will lead us to that vision. We aren’t sure how to get there. And yet we don’t want to set our sites too low in the name of being realistic. And there are a plethora of other mindset limitations that get in our way as we sort and discern what are our short-term, mid-term and long-term goals in relation to our vision. How do we expand our minds and spirits to imagine a path to something we have never done or seen before?
For example, even with the help of a great editor, it took me 10 years to write and publish my first book, Life Mapping: A Journey of Self-Discovery & Path Finding. I didn’t know anyone who had ever authored a book, how to get published, market, or write the book. I had to discern why anyone would ever read a book I had written, when so many amazing writers had written about the subject I wanted to write about. I had to get over feeling unworthy and realize that I would share my thoughts and stories in ways that would be different from all of those other spiritual development and self-help books. My perspective was worthy of sharing. With the help of my editor, I put together a book proposal and promptly ran into my next block. I learned that I had not built an audience. Publishers take very few risks on writers without a following and track record and most of the reasons why were financial. Publishers also don’t do much in the area of promoting the book. I would need to do that. And so many lessons. Finally, I got a clear message from my higher self that said, “Write the book and worry about publishing later.”
What great instruction. By the time I had finished writing and editing the book and getting it ready, there was a market for self-published books. It was a new thing back then. And I found a very reasonable book printer. Amazon had created a platform where you could sell things, including books (yes, it was a long time ago, 2007). So, I opened an Amazon Seller account and ordered 300 books. Then I proceeded to sell books out of my car, briefcase, and everywhere I could convince someone to let me speak to their group. Happily, I ordered another printing and then another. I used to love getting that email letting me know I had sold a book. I would run to the post office and drop a copy in the mail with a personal note of thanks.
As a seasoned entrepreneur, I started a publishing company, attended publishing conferences, and learned the book publishing business. And by the time my second book came along, I had a better grasp of what was needed and the on-demand book publishing on Amazon and other platforms had become very affordable and practical. So, my second book, The Technology of Doing Creating & Being: Engineering the transformation of your life using self-mastery as the spiritual blueprint, became an Amazon Best Seller in three categories.
The second book only took 6 months from concept to publishing. I had less blocks in my mind and spirit, more faith and confidence in myself, and I was more aligned with my spirit. I had grown in so many ways. My audience expanded, experience broadened, and the market for my book grew. So, what was realistic for my 2nd book was far greater than what was realistic for my 1st book. Every step I made, created a path for the 2nd book and allowed me to see how to walk down that path with little to no obstruction. It reminds me of the song lyric – “Free your mind and the rest will follow” by En Vogue.