I have a wondeful book and author to introduce you to today. Vonetta Wade, in her book, "Proceed through the Uncomfortable: 52 Mindful Journal Reminders to Inspire You on Your Journey," offers words of wisdom and sage advice. Take a look at the book and meet the author in today's Author Interview.
Proceed
through the Uncomfortable: 52 Mindful Journal Reminders to Inspire You on Your
Journey Paperback – August 30, 2020
by
Proceed through the Uncomfortable depicts a journey of
overcoming obstacles and getting to the other side of your wants. Vonetta Wade,
a certified professional life coach, describes her experience of becoming a
mother at the age of sixteen and how focusing on providing a better life for
her daughter led to her becoming a first-generation college graduate and having
a successful career in corporate America. By sharing how she overcame her
struggles and her most recent journey of experiencing internal growth and
success after becoming an empty nester, Vonetta inspires readers to pivot from
living on autopilot to thriving and being intentional while proceeding through
fear, uncertainty, and discomfort. This book is for those who are pursuing a
better life for themselves; for those who need a boost to gain their
self-confidence; for those who have become comfortable and seek the courage to
be uncomfortable; for those who are on a journey to love and accept themselves;
for those searching for their purpose; and for everyone in between. It’s like
having your very own life coach to inspire you on your journey.
Product Details
·
Item Weight: 8.8 ounces
·
Paperback: 128 pages
·
ISBN-10: 0578732076
·
ISBN-13: 978-0578732077
·
Product
Dimensions: 6 x 0.31 x 9 inches
·
Publisher: Vonetta
Wade (August 30, 2020)
·
Language: English
Tell
your readers a little about yourself, where you grew up, where you live now,
where you went to school etc. Let them get to know the personal you.
I was born and raised on the south side
of Chicago. I attended Chicago State University and graduated with a bachelor’s
degree in Computer Science. I have two wonderful children that I am very proud
of and a beautiful granddaughter. I’ve experienced a successful career in
corporate America as a computer programmer and various leadership roles over the
last 24 years. I currently live in the Chicagoland area. I am very active in my
community. I founded a 501(c3) nonprofit
organization, Mothers United to Save our Teens (MUST), to help families with
connection, effective communication, and conflict resolution out of the
struggle I experienced while raising my teenage daughter. I have overcome many
obstacles, and I love inspiring others to do the same, so I became a certified
life coach. I enjoy spending quality time with my family, gardening, cooking,
traveling and golfing.
What
inspired you to author your book?
After my son, the second of my two
children, left home to pursue his dream of playing football at a Big Ten
University, I became an empty nester. I was no longer living on autopilot, like
many parents are while raising their children. I began my own personal journey
of self-discovery. I was ready to explore what was next for me. I wanted to
step out of my comfort zone and discover a new level of confidence. I was ready
to invest in my internal being and conquer my fears.
As I was on this new journey, I began
posting quotes and inspirational content on my Facebook page to share what I
was experiencing on my journey while also inspiring my clients and social media
friends. I called them Mindful Mondays. I received great responses and feedback
both online and in person. I added Twitter, Instagram, and LinkIn. A friend of
mine encouraged me to write a Mindful Monday book. I was hesitant, but she
wasn’t having it. I knew it would inspire others, and since that is my ultimate
goal and purpose in life, I did it.
Where
did you get the inspiration for your book’s cover?
I knew I wanted to have a picture of me
on the cover, so a friend of mine referred me to his friend, who is a great
photographer. We did a photoshoot and chose the best picture for the cover. The
rest was easy. We just had a be a little creative about where to place the
title.
Who
has been the most significant influence on you personally and as a writer?
The most significant influence on me was
my dear friend, Pearl Lawson. She encouraged me and insisted that I write a
book. She is a positive influence in my life, and she kept me motivated along
the way. She is the reason why I am an author today.
What
were your struggles or obstacles you had to overcome to get this book written?
I originally planned to use more quotes
and ran into an obstacle when I learned that I must get permission from the
owners to add their quotes to my book. I was devastated because the quotes were
the core of my book, but I wasn’t going to give up. I reached out to twenty-five
quote owners and got approvals from seven of them, including Gillian Zinser,
Chantal Sutherland, C. JoyBell C., Chinonye J. Chidolue, Oriah Mountain
Dreamer, Steve Maraboli, and Shawn Achor. Not only did I get their approval,
but I also got words of encouragement that inspired me to move forward with the
book. I had to remove the other eighteen quotes. I just added more of my own content.
I am grateful for that experience.
Proceed through the Uncomfortable depicts
a journey of overcoming obstacles and getting to the other side of your wants. I
describe my experience of becoming a mother at the age of sixteen and how
focusing on providing a better life for my daughter led me to become a
first-generation college graduate and having a successful career in corporate
America. By sharing how I overcame my struggles and my most recent journey of
experiencing internal growth and success after becoming an empty nester, I inspire
readers to pivot from living on autopilot to thriving and being intentional
while proceeding through fear, uncertainty, and discomfort.
Who
is your target audience, and why?
My target audience is anyone who is
looking for inspiration or permission to pursue their wants. When they read my
story about how I started and where I am today, it will serve as a reminder
that they have the power to create the life they want to live. The journal
exercises are designed to help readers explore their life during their journey.
If
you were going to give one reason for anyone looking at your book to read, why
should they buy it?
In addition to motivating and inspiring
you on your own personal journey, my book contains 52 mindful reminders designed
to increase your awareness of yourself, challenge
you to think through what you have to share with the world and encourage you to
take action towards achieving your goals.
What
do you consider your greatest success in life?
Outside of raising two awesome, grounded,
loving, and successful children, my greatest success in life has been my
ability to turn obstacles into opportunities.
My own unique story of overcoming my
obstacles sets me apart from other writers in my genre.
I overcome writer’s block by taking a
break and coming back to it when I feel relaxed and inspired.
The advice I would give for new authors is
never giving up because someone needs to hear your story.
Tell
your readers anything else you want to share.
I believe that every step on your
journey is necessary for your purpose, especially the uncomfortable ones.
FOLLOW THE AUTHOR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vonetta_wade/