The lesson I was NOT expecting from becoming a Desire Map Facilitator

Annick Ina Business Coaching

Originally posted on Facebook on July 19, 2017

 

This is a typical example of that famous quote: “Sometimes we need to get lost to find our way”.

 

At the beginning of the year, I became an official Desire Map facilitator. I love Danielle LaPorte, and her books have been with me in significant times of my life. I actually got to read The Fire Starter Sessions first, which then led to me signing up to Marie Forleo’s B-School through Danielle LaPorte.

 

I had waited for a whole year to finish B-School, so I could finally focus on spreading Danielle’s message to the world. Except I couldn’t. As soon as I started doing it, something felt off.

 

I held my first online workshop and loved it. However, I realised that my favourite parts, the parts that lit me up and filled me with joy, were not those where I taught the Desire Map, they were those where I shared my own story.

 

As I thought about organising my second workshop I would be organising, I started dreading it. Of course, it would be great money and all, but it didn’t feel like ME. I felt like a mama bird chewing food and regurgitating it back. And that didn’t light me up.

 

I didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of selling what felt like second-hand information to me. I didn’t want to have to study so that I could teach the book. People could buy it and read it for themselves for thirty times less.

 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that the Desire Map workshops are not worth it. What I’m saying is that the book wasn’t “mine” enough: I hadn’t been “intimate” enough with the book to be able to share my own experience of it. To be honest, I had yet to make my own experience with it… and I didn’t want to.

 

I had another experience that I wanted to share. I had stories that were READY to be told, and a book that I didn’t have to study to be able to share with the world, because the story inside was mine. And every time I spoke about it filled me with joy.

 

So, yes, I ditched a $2500 worth programme, just 3 months in. And I’m glad I did it. Do I feel like I wasted my money? No. I needed to get there so that I’d know that the book I’m meant to talk about is my own book.

 

So I started getting ready to do just that: to tell the story of me, and how my journey after quitting alcohol has led me through the darkness back to my Self.

 

Now that my book is officially published, I am ready to share. Stories of shame and guilt. Stories of feeling unworthy, unlovable and undeserving. But most importantly, stories of healing, and stories of hope.

 

As Gabby Bernstein said, it is not a choice, but our duty and responsibility to share the lessons we’ve learned with the world. Because somewhere out there might be someone waiting to hear those words from YOU.

 

It took me a couple of years to own my story and be ready to share it. And when I did, my whole life changed.

 

I wrote my book in two weeks. That was easy compared to what followed: I broke up with my partner and moved country, had an infinite number of meltdowns as I paddled through the first half of 2017 boot camp style. I created and launched BYOB – Be Your Own Booze, a programme for women who want to try out a hangover-free lifestyle. And finally, on June 16th, Soul Superstar – Stories from My Sober Heart was published and made it to #1 in two categories on Amazon within the first 12 hours.

 

Life since hasn’t been the same. AT ALL. Choosing to write my book was the best decision I could have ever made.

 

Do not wait one more minute. This is your call. Would you like to share your story but don’t know where to start? Have you been thinking about writing a book but feel it’s too big to achieve? Let me tell you, it’s not. The mere fact that you’ve been thinking about it means that you’ve got what it takes to make it happen.

 

Writing my book has been such a life-transforming experience that I’ve decided to share it and help people birth their books. Let me be your Book Doula and let that book baby of yours see the light!

 

Would you like to introduce yourself as a published author one day? Start by finding out what’s the book that YOU need to birth right now. Once you know that, I can assure you, everything becomes clearer.

 

Click here to find out what’s the right book for you to write NOW.