I had a chance to interview J. Autherine, author of Wild Hearts, Peaceful Soul.
Can you tell me about your book?
Wild Heart, Peaceful Soul, is a beautiful collection of poems that has the ability to pick you up in moments when you feel broken and provide strength on your journey to live and love harmoniously. It provide inspiration to women who love deeply, sometimes fall hard but always lead with their hearts. It is a vulnerable look at the thrill of loving unconditionally, as well as the mental and physical toll that it takes when peace and harmony are sometimes lost in the process. One of my favorite poems is, The Princess Takes the High Road. It encourages women to take charge of their journey and write their own story.
THE PRINCESS TAKES THE HIGH ROAD
Believing all the fairytales, she waited patiently for her prince to return.
She continued on the low road for as long as she could
before realizing that the high road was the only way to rise;
the only path to the castle.
She sharpened her weapons,
slayed through the self-doubt,
cut the fear from her heart, and
trimmed all the edges that were blocking her vision.
With a clear vision, she wrote her own ending. “The princess bravely scaled the walls of the castle. As she rose to the top, she created a path for the other young ladies who would follow and placed a beacon on the top of the castle to light their path. The End.”
What are some of the effects on women when they put so much effort into taking care of their families?
Family, in particular, children is critically important to women. Our little ones rely on us to care for them, love them and always be there to support them. Some of us are also caring for spouses and elderly parents. These are enormous responsibilities. It requires us to be both physically and emotionally healthy. Without self-care, we are prone to depression, anxiety, burnout, a weak immune system, brain fog and the inability to best our best selves.
How can women recharge and find peace?
I encourage all women who are multi-tasking their way through life (kids, work, extended family, pets, housework, extra-curricular activities) to take time for self-care because nothing works well if you are not healthy. Set aside a few minutes each morning for mindfulness. Use it to reflect on what your personal needs are for that day and then spend at least 30 minutes each day seeing to them. It could be exercise, meditation, reading your favorite book, spa time, meeting a friend for coffee, gardening. Do whatever brings your joy!
Why is it important for women to take time for themselves?
The dedication to community and family of women globally inspired me to write the poem, “You are Worthy.” I am sharing the full poem below but my favorite line is “Nothing important to you works without a healthy you. You are worthy of love, worthy of abundance and worthy of a healthy life. Always.”
YOU ARE WORTHY
My sisters, speak your truth
Embrace and love your whole being
Fiercely guard your heart
Be weary of anyone controlling your life in the name
of God, the devil and everything in between.
Clothe yourself in optimism
Banish all forms of negative energy
Take time for mental and physical healthcare
Self-care is Life-care
Proudly recognize that you are the President,
CEO and Keynote Speaker of your life
Nothing important to you works without a healthy you
You are worthy of love, worthy of abundance and
worthy of a healthy life. Always.
Can you tell me about your book?
Wild Heart, Peaceful Soul, is a beautiful collection of poems that has the ability to pick you up in moments when you feel broken and provide strength on your journey to live and love harmoniously. It provide inspiration to women who love deeply, sometimes fall hard but always lead with their hearts. It is a vulnerable look at the thrill of loving unconditionally, as well as the mental and physical toll that it takes when peace and harmony are sometimes lost in the process. One of my favorite poems is, The Princess Takes the High Road. It encourages women to take charge of their journey and write their own story.
THE PRINCESS TAKES THE HIGH ROAD
Believing all the fairytales, she waited patiently for her prince to return.
She continued on the low road for as long as she could
before realizing that the high road was the only way to rise;
the only path to the castle.
She sharpened her weapons,
slayed through the self-doubt,
cut the fear from her heart, and
trimmed all the edges that were blocking her vision.
With a clear vision, she wrote her own ending. “The princess bravely scaled the walls of the castle. As she rose to the top, she created a path for the other young ladies who would follow and placed a beacon on the top of the castle to light their path. The End.”
What are some of the effects on women when they put so much effort into taking care of their families?
Family, in particular, children is critically important to women. Our little ones rely on us to care for them, love them and always be there to support them. Some of us are also caring for spouses and elderly parents. These are enormous responsibilities. It requires us to be both physically and emotionally healthy. Without self-care, we are prone to depression, anxiety, burnout, a weak immune system, brain fog and the inability to best our best selves.
How can women recharge and find peace?
I encourage all women who are multi-tasking their way through life (kids, work, extended family, pets, housework, extra-curricular activities) to take time for self-care because nothing works well if you are not healthy. Set aside a few minutes each morning for mindfulness. Use it to reflect on what your personal needs are for that day and then spend at least 30 minutes each day seeing to them. It could be exercise, meditation, reading your favorite book, spa time, meeting a friend for coffee, gardening. Do whatever brings your joy!
Why is it important for women to take time for themselves?
The dedication to community and family of women globally inspired me to write the poem, “You are Worthy.” I am sharing the full poem below but my favorite line is “Nothing important to you works without a healthy you. You are worthy of love, worthy of abundance and worthy of a healthy life. Always.”
YOU ARE WORTHY
My sisters, speak your truth
Embrace and love your whole being
Fiercely guard your heart
Be weary of anyone controlling your life in the name
of God, the devil and everything in between.
Clothe yourself in optimism
Banish all forms of negative energy
Take time for mental and physical healthcare
Self-care is Life-care
Proudly recognize that you are the President,
CEO and Keynote Speaker of your life
Nothing important to you works without a healthy you
You are worthy of love, worthy of abundance and
worthy of a healthy life. Always.
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