MSI Press Blog

  In her blog post this week, Julia Aziz ( Lessons of Labor ) discusses (and links to) her new podcast on self-healing, spirituality, and therapy . For more posts on Julia and her book, click HERE .  Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested in publishin g with MSI Press LLC? Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book in exchange for reviewing a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com. Want an author-signed copy of this book? Purchase the book at 25% discount (use coupon code FF25) and concurrently send a written request to orders@msipress.com. Want to communicate with one of our authors? You can! Find their contact information on our  Authors' Pages .

  WHEN YOU DON'T LIKE TO MESS UP OR MAKE MISTAKES by Julia Aziz Do you worry about things you said or did and how other people may perceive you? Do you battle niggling feelings of not being good enough?  If you resonate with the term “perfectionist,” “people pleaser,” or “impostor syndrome,” you’re most likely a highly conscientious, caring individual with an acute sensitivity to nuance. You may also struggle with an  inner tension that won’t let loose, a guard and self-critic whispering “sour nothings” that something is wrong with you . On the outside, all may look manicured and pretty. On the inside, trying to maintain control and tame creativity can be an exhausting drain of energy.    Read the rest of Julia's blog post HERE to consider her suggestions for coping with perfectionism. Julia authored Lessons of Labor; read more posts about Julia and her book HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested

  Today is Independent Bookstore Day. In lieu of shared posts from one author, as we typically do each day in the blog post, From the Blog Posts of MSI Press Authors, we are presenting tributes from a range of authors in support of their local independent bookstores. From Julia Aziz I adore the independent bookstores in my city of Austin, TX. When I went to BookPeople and told them about the release of Lessons of Labor, they immediately offered to host a book release party and stock my book there. I felt so supported, both as a professional and as a longtime community member. BookPeople continues to be my happy place--a space to rest, read, and discover. Julia Aziz author of Lessons from Labor blog posts by and about Julia Julia's blog From Franki Bagdades blog post on the topic: There is no replacement for entering a space filled with books. Running your hands over glossy covers, flipping through the pages. Hearing someone laugh behind you as they read, a child's "oooh&q

  Ah, we forgot to mention a while back, but definitely should have, that Managing Editor, Dr. Betty Lou Leaver, was invited to Austin for a variety of activities. To those, she added a visit with MSI Press author, Julia Aziz. During the visit, she conducted an interview about Julia and her book, Lessons of Labor . Listen to the interview here . For more posts by and about Julia and her book, click HERE . For more posts about authors in the news, click HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC? Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book  in exchange for  reviewing  a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com. Want an  author-signed copy  of this book? Purchase the book at 25% discount (use coupon code FF25) and concurrently send a written request to orders@msipress.co

  Today's shared blog post comes from Julia Aziz, author of Lessons of Labor . She discusses the difficult situation in which you are felling unwell but people still need your help. Have you struggled to tend to the needs of patients, children, clients, or elders while you were going through your own big or small health crisis? I share these inquiries with you today in honor of all the caregivers contending with illness or pain, whether there’s cancer, autoimmune disease, recovery from an acute health emergency, long or short covid, or the many other viruses and bacteria we experience living in a body. Listening in Our bodies are always talking to us, and those of us with particularly sensitive nervous systems are privy to a whole lot of conversation. Listening to the body, like learning any new language, requires some persistence and patience. One message that’s often loud and clear though is “slow down and rest”. Sometimes the rest we need is much deeper than a temporary pause, a

  Julia Aziz, author of Lessons of Labor , says -- I’m the last person I would have ever imagined working online. A cabin in the woods without WiFi is my favorite weekend getaway, and when I learned about Luddites during a semester abroad in England, I was instantly enamored with the idea of smashing computers–and that was before the Internet! Yet here we are three years into our crazy new world, and I’m still discovering unexpected blessings in healing work online. Read the rest of the post HERE . Read more posts by and about Julia and her book HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC? Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book  in exchange for  reviewing  a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com. Want an  author-signed copy  of this book? Purchase the book at 25

  (porcupine photo by Julia Aziz - read her post to find out the relevance) Says Julia -- I'm happy to say I've been meeting new friends on my morning walks again. Just last month, I had encounters with a porcupine, owls, armadillos, hawks, foxes, a  crested caracara , and coyote. I always try to play it cool, gently slowing down without making too big a deal of it, wanting to greet the animals in a natural way. As you might imagine, they don't often hang out for more than a few moments, and I find myself feeling wistful each time they leave. Not knowing when or if we might meet again, I'm left with a fleeting joy, better nourished by the connection. For the rest of Julia's post, click  HERE . For more posts by and about Julia and her books, click  HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC? Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Interested i

  from Julia Aziz -- If you're having a hard time right now, you are most definitely not alone (though in observing all the hoopla, you certainly may feel that way!). December can be lovely when it involves slow time, good food, and heartfelt connection with people you love. It can also be stressful and heavy with illness, loneliness, and grief. In lightness and dark, this time of year brings up all the feels. I'm going to keep this one short, as I know your inbox is probably overfull. But here are some resources to use, again or for the first time, when you need a little extra support: When you're not sure how you or other people are changing   When you're misunderstood   When you're over-giving and doing too much Releasing negative emotions and what it means to surrender  (audio) On grief and loss  (audio- you can skip the first 10-15 minute intro to my counseling practice--after that, we dive into the topic) The challenge of being a helping professional and also

  (graphic from Julia Azzi blog) I'm happy to say I've been meeting new friends on my morning walks again. Just last month, I had encounters with a porcupine, owls, armadillos, hawks, foxes, a  crested caracara , and coyote. I always try to play it cool, gently slowing down without making too big a deal of it, wanting to greet the animals in a natural way. As you might imagine, they don't often hang out for more than a few moments, and I find myself feeling wistful each time they leave. Not knowing when or if we might meet again, I'm left with a fleeting joy, better nourished by the connection. For the rest of Julia's post, click HERE . For more posts by and about Julia and her books, click HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .

  This fall and winter Julia Aziz ( Lessons of Labor ) will be offering her famous Release & Empower Women's Circles. More information and registration can be found HERE . For more posts about Julie, her book, and her activities, click HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .

Excerpt from  Lessons of Labor INTRODUCTION   Before giving birth for the first time, I was warned that labor would be the most painful physical experience I would ever endure, but no one ever told me I would be entering into battle with my own mind. No one explained that the pain of labor was just as much about facing my inner demons and giving up the pretense of control as it was about physical discomfort. I didn’t know that I would keep learning from the experience for the rest of my life.   This book is not a manual for having a “successful” natural birth or for becoming the ultimate Zen mother. Though you may have been searching for such a guide, I do not think you need one. I offer you the stories of my birth and early motherhood experiences to share the learning I received through this incredible rite of passage. Instead of teaching you how to labor or how to live your life, my reflections are intended to ignite your curiosity about your own labor as an opportunity for self-disc