MSI Press Blog

  For those who have been following interviews of MSI Press author, Julia Aziz ( Lessons of Labor ), here are some you may have missed: Julia discusses miscarriage on EmpowHer. Check it out HERE . Julia discusses how childbirth can be one of life's greatest teachers on Talk Zone HERE . Julia talks about honoring birth on Extraordinary Moms podcast HERE . Julia talks about lessons of labor on Synchronicity Talk Radio from Vancouver HERE . Julia discusses "Where are all the babies?" on Smart Mom Solutions HEFRE . Julia discusses "How birth translates into life lessons" on Postpartum Podcast HERE . Read posts about Julia and her book HERE . Link to reviews of Julia's book HERE . Read more posts about motherhood HERE .                                  Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newslette                          Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .

  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

  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

Julia Aziz Julia Aziz is a licensed clinical social worker and a mother of three children. She is also an accomplished speaker on topics such as “The Soul of Service,” “Holding Intention While Jugging It All,” and “Motherself,” a monthly mother’s group. In addition to this personal and professional experience in working through motherhood transitions, she has also written for and served as general editor for  Dovetail Journal  for interfaith families. She shares her motherhood observations, both professional and personal, in her book,  Lessons of Labor: One Woman’s Self-Discovery through Birth and Motherhood . Read Julia's posts and information about Julia on this blog. Click HERE .

  (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

Today's blog post is provided by Julia Aziz, author of Lessons of Labor. It’s been interesting to watch all the expertise being shared in a situation that almost no one alive today has ever lived through. Yes, decisions need to be made quickly in a crisis, and we have to use the limited information available to make them. Leaders, especially community-minded, heart-centered, intelligent leaders, are genuinely needed to set the tone, and there’s a lot of societal pressure on leaders to speak with the voice of authority. But what I’m not hearing enough of in the general discourse is, “I don’t know.” Read the rest of this very interesting post HERE . Meet Julia Aziz. Listen to Julia (podcast) on March 20, 2020. Read more posts by and about Julia and her book, Lessons of Labor, HERE .

  Julia Aziz, author of Lessons of Labor , writes: Is it just me, or does it feel like the phrase "impostor syndrome" is getting confused and over-used? To clarify, I want to explore what it's like to feel like you're faking it. Maybe people assume you know what you're doing, but you secretly fear that you don't.  First Things First: Being New is Normal If you're new at whatever you're doing and feel like an impostor, then you're probably an honest person on the right track. When we're first learning anything, it's all skills practice. We follow what we've been taught and practice the tools handed down by those more experienced than us. Over time, we integrate what we've learned into our own personality and style until it becomes our own. Everybody gets there by mucking it up along the way.  Impostor Syndrome is for Everyone Impostor syndrome doesn't just affect newbies though. Everyone has days or weeks, even years, where they&

Julia Aziz, author of MSI Press book, Lessons of Labor, recently posted the following article on her blog: Are you pretty hard on yourself? In my experience, when something goes awry, some tend towards blaming external circumstances and other people, while others almost always point the finger inwards. If you are one of the latter, you may have been taking the blame for long enough, and perhaps it’s time to take responsibility instead. Here’s the difference... Read the rest on her blog. Click HERE to go there. Note: Amazon currently has Julia's book on sale for half price...get it now before it goes up. Follow Julia on her blog at Julia S. Aziz .

  For your listening pleasure -- and erudition, here is a roundup of podcasts produced by Julia Aziz, author of Lessons of Labor.   Julia Aziz - Top podcast episodes (listennotes.com) Read posts about Julia and her book  HERE . Link to reviews of Julia's book  HERE . Read more posts about motherhood  HERE .                                  Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newslette                          Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .

This excerpt from Julia Aziz's Lessons of Labor seems quite appropriate for the stresses we deal with during today's pandemic. Fear in any situation has a relative in fear in any other situation. in Facing Fear  Once I was ready to get out of the shower, the doula recommended that we leave for the hospital. She checked my cervix, reassuring me that I was far enough along in the process to warrant a move to the final birthing destination. Before gathering all my belongings, I had a crisis of faith. How would I ever manage the pain of labor while sitting in the car for 30 minutes? At home, I could walk outside and bend over with every contraction, impossible activities for the front seat of a car. I even started to debate just staying home (my doula was a homebirth midwife, after all). Then, reason, or rather my husband’s calm rationality, took over, and we decided to go with the plan already in place. Internally, I said to myself, “I can do this because I have to

  Julia Aziz, author of the wonderful book, Lessons of Labor , is once again offering her fall women's circle. Here is what she has to say about this opportunity: The people who give the most of themselves to others often find it hard to create space for themselves. Who has the time for it? There's always someone, whether it be a client, a child, a parent, a friend, a patient... someone who needs a little more of your attention and therefore time in your schedule.  So often, I hear from women who long for more breathing room in their lives, but they feel overwhelmed by the idea of committing to one more thing.  What they want is space and maybe a little freedom, yet if it's not on the calendar, it's not likely to happen. If this resonates for you and you've been considering joining a women's circle this fall, I hope this email helps in your discernment about what's right for you right now. "The writing, movement, and community sound so lovely, but I kno

  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 shares blog post comes from Julia Aziz, author of  Lessons of Labor . From Julia: Another round of women's circles (online support group and more) are now forming. She writes: Release & Empower is designed for women who are often attending to other people’s needs. We are all helpers in some way, whether that happens as mental health professionals, healthcare or wellness practitioners, moms, elder caregivers, teachers, or go-to friends. Everyone is used to giving a lot of themselves, and most really crave some space to receive. If this sounds like you, maybe you’re also wanting to: Release negative emotions and shift into a more relaxed, centered way of being regardless of what’s going on around you Feel strong enough to make courageous choices and clear about your next steps Be able to set healthy boundaries and feel heart-centered and balanced in your relationships and responsibilities Appreciate your life and know you are not only good enough, but really worth i