Three years ago, the little butterfly on the cover of my 2nd book took flight.
EnVision YOU: UNstuck and Confident
I hadn’t planned on writing another book. Who am I kidding, I hadn’t planned on writing the first book (Lovely Traces of Hope) Being an author had never been on my bucket list. And yet, when you go through a hard thing and come out on the other side, there is a point that you know this would surely help someone else somehow.
Since I had written & self-published before I knew the hard work of getting another book out.
First, there is the hard work you do within yourself and then pull out of yourself so not only you can see it, but so could a reader. Even though this is a somewhat lonely journey, it still took friends who would listen long and and ask the hard questions, daughter’s who would discuss the issues, and a very gracious and supportive husband who listened to far more words than he usually prefers.
Then there is the hard work of getting it into a format that would make reading it possible. Let me tell you- this takes an army of content & copy editors, content formaters, proofreaders, and beta testers to get this done. I am so very grateful to all those who helped me in that process.
And then there is the hard work of getting the word out - marketing the book. To be honest, I was usually spent by this point. I had used all my energy, not just as I wrote and rewrote the content, but also in getting it ready to publish. By the time I got to the marketing, I was tired. Very tired. So word of mouth became my primary source of marketing. I am so grateful for all those who endorsed the book to women in their community. There were so many others who not only bought the book but shared the book with girlfriends or family members.
You can read some of the endorsements for the book by clicking this link.
This summer I got to share EnVision YOU at a book signing in South Dakota. This was along with some of the girlfriends from my mastermind group. What a joy it was to share my book and remember the journey this little butterfly and I have been on. It was also thrilling to see how God was using the books some of them have written to tell their story and touch the lives of people in their world.
Here are some of the comments I have received from readers.
"This is the book I wish I held in my hands 25 years ago and the book I'm glad I hold in my hands today. No matter how dark your circumstances are, there is hope and a path forward. Are you weary of fighting yourself? Of comparing yourself to others? Of feeling like you have no contribution to make? No value? Join Kathy as she takes you on a journey toward healing and hope within the darkest places of your life. Life does not have to continue to be a battle against yourself. By the time you reach the end of these pages, you'll understand that there is freedom and hope to be found no matter your age or circumstances. Stick with it. The journey is not comfortable, but it is absolutely worth it in the end." Cheryl S.
“Wow Kathy I finished up your manuscript over the weekend. I was pleasantly surprised. First, it felt as if I were sitting around your kitchen table having tea. This meant it was hard to put the book down. So many different points had me going ‘ahhh, I think we’ve had this conversation before.’
I knew you were an open book but this manuscript for sure is you putting yourself out there and left me going ‘strength and courage’ to share all you have. Thank you for being raw, for being good at what you do, and for allowing the Holy Spirit access to you and your story so that people like myself can walk away encouraged.
Honest, open, raw, vulnerable—EnVision You gracefully invites and challenges us to identify and confront our stuck places, as only then, can we imagine, dream and emerge the confident and courageous beings we were designed to be.”
In the book, I challenge the reader to find a girlfriend to work through the material with. I have heard from some of those partnerships about the benefit of doing just that.
Denise wrote: My sister Anne and I are working our way through the Envision You book and workbook. Thanks for writing this.... Your book is changing lives!
Debbie shared that she and Cherie, who arrived as strangers to the EnVision YOU book launch party had decided to meet weekly to go through the book.
Yet what I heard over and over was, ”I just don’t have THAT girlfriend that I would feel comfortable asking to join me.”
So that’s when the EnVision YOU Mentor Group was born.
This is a bi-monthly group that meets to discuss topics that come out of the EnVision You book. I continue to stand in awe of what God has been doing in the lives of the women who have partnered together over the last two years. I facilitate the group - and steer the questions and discussions so that we stay on track. One of the biggest benefits is the beauty of the community. Each woman’s personal reflections are significant, as well as, the contributions they offer each other have been a tremendous gift. Some girlfriends stay for a year - others have gone through the material for a second time.
I have been honored to witness up close and personal some of the transformations. You can find out about some of those on the EnVision YOU Mentor Group page.
How would a community like this benefit you on your journey?
A new group is forming this month. Want to know more? Go to EnVision YOU Group or Email Kathy@kathyburrus.com.
Thank you for being part of this journey with me.
Here’s to you and the remarkable difference God has created you to make in your world.
Let’s do this together!
Kathy