Tag Archive for: personal-growth

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Pre-Book Launch Feels

In July, I committed unnervingly, to in-person book launch events. I spent the month of August almost paralyzed, sitting in pure discomfort that I had done so. Come September, I watched my child gracefully handle the rocky transition to kindergarten and coexist with nerves daily, all while never holding back from his authentic self expression. I told him I needed help and asked him, how do you do something that makes you feel SO nervous? His response: “Well…just go for it”. I took a quick moment to grieve predictable, stable, quiet days and chose to embrace the book launch and the emotional extension of it. I became mindful of slowing down my actions and thoughts. And anytime I backtracked, I quickly made the conscious choice to choose again. And again. (This is the essence of the Choose Again Method by Dr. Joe Dispenza, and the foundation behind rewiring your brain).

Due to those big feels, I was a little behind on the logistical to-dos of the book launch weekend + online launch day. Managing this while organizing a 5th birthday party, working on a website (with a lot of help from the best in the biz!), and entering the era of elementary school for the first time, truly broke me down as a highly sensitive human. I think once motherhood begins – there is no answer to a balanced life, and when you’re in the thick of a heightened ebb, the flow is simply far out of reach until it’s not. I started thinking back to all of the HSP-specific tools I acquired from self-development, I began to let go, and very quickly an abundance of intuitive signs started showing up in my life. This allowed me to remember not only am I on the right path, but the human experience is meant to be so much more than peaceful. Yes, it’s okay to be uncomfortable. Yes, the level of discomfort that HSPs experience is intensified. But thanks to my experiences birthing humans and the electrifying newborn phase, I found the ability to trust in this being a passing season and not an eternal fate.

At the end of September, the mental hurdles I had of showing up to book launches were (almost) fully replaced with logistical hurdles. I think this was a good lesson in showing me it was not necessary for those (monster-sized) original nerves to occupy so much space. With one week to go, I sent out books to influencers, got slapped in the face with unexpected shipping logistics (burst into tears at the front counter…POP!), attempted to understand the backend of Amazon and Ingram Sparks(🥵) , tested out my Shopify shop, made multiple last minute price adjustments, hustled to meet signage-printer deadlines, wrote newsletters, blogs, (tried to be a mom *hello mom-guilt*!), and somewhat casually waited on a shipment of hundreds of hardcover copies that was 10 days late and unable to be located (though I did have a few copies on hand). The quality of these copies in that shipment is exquisite and – selling and promoting those would best support me directly – so I was SO hopeful that they’d show up. And they did! With four days to spare.

In the few moments of spare time I had, I would wonder…Is this the time or the place for a book launch about emotional snacks? The world is burning. As an HSP, global tragedies used to debilitate me in a pit of despair and keep me from functioning in my own life. But the answer to my own question was always yes. Not only does the world need more softness and sensitivity, I know now that I am able to consciously and effectively do my part when I lead with my heart.

In sum: this launch lead-up was very cool, exciting, and far more draining than I could have imagined.

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HSP Serendipity

Highly Sensitive Person, Career Related Blog.




I experienced my last “rock bottom” surrounding that lack of career-focused purpose in 2015. I felt fully stagnant – I had no where to direct the extreme passion or creative energy that was about to implode within. That night, my husband appeared with a whiteboard and marker in his hands and told me it was time to let go of all external beliefs, all societal pressures, and go after whatever it was that I wanted.

During that night with the whiteboard, we brainstormed what I loved was obsessed with (at age 25) with no judgement:

• popcorn

• cats

• Walt Disney’s imaginative creativity

It was so simple (too simple?), and a little anti-climatic, but I rolled with it. These all happened to be things that consumed my life as a child, as my best friend growing up was my black cat Larry; I was always stealing my sister’s popcorn on family movie night (where we’d watch a Disney movie 95% of the time); and I was always engrossed in my own imagination, journaling my emotions or producing stories and songs on little construction paper booklets.

On that fateful whiteboard night, my first small business – a handcrafted popcorn(✔️) company – The Popcorn Bar, was born. I truly believe the depths of my soul was meant for entrepreneurship all along – as many highly sensitive people are – due to the level of passion and self-motivation HSP’s exude when they are in an environment that is both supportive and meaningful. But at this time I was not quite ready. Though this company I created attracted a great deal of positive interest in a fairly short time, the universe wanted to equip me with some very specific tools and lessons before launching me into the world as a heart-driven business woman. As my heart was not madly passionate about running a food based company (the creativity behind the marketing was my favourite part of all), I quite literally stumbled upon a job posting at meowbox – an ecommerce start-up (turned success story) – a subscription box for cats. Check✔️. The founder was so excited about my Popcorn Bar stint, a major factor in hiring me. There, I learned a wealth of knowledge on running and scaling a business, social media marketing, customer service, event planning, creative writing, website building, product management, working directly with cat toy designers (oddly, so many similarities to working with an illustrator), shipping and logistics, sourcing materials, and writing personalized messages with jiffy markers (not unlike the book signings I just did). I finally felt comfortable enough to get curious and really learn. This experience was crucial to finding my footing as a self published children’s book author. For the first time, I was not just able to show up for work – I was in love with my job! I thought I would work there for the rest of my life.

As I’ve said many times before, becoming a mother will change you…and, is what inspired me to go all in on my imagination (✔️). However, the fact that I decided to leave my beloved job – after everything I had been through to get there – and, when life was flowing at a great pace, seemed to make that move so much more powerful. You don’t have to wait for things to get bad to go after something better. I seemingly had it all, and decided to go for more – and now I know why: when your heart soars, you elevate the ability to give back to your loved ones, your community, and yourself.

There is no way I would currently be a published author if I had suppressed my big feelings. Finally feeling free in authentic expression and creation elevated my self worth and quickly drew in success on multiple levels. Looking back, there were many little “winks” or synchronicities along the way, and each deep struggle and emotional reaction seemed to be guiding me on a very specific, resourceful, path that feels tailored to my heart.

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The Truth That Would Have Stopped Me

Jimmy the popcorn is scratching his head with overwhelm.

I wouldn’t have become an author if I had only known sooner.


It’s no secret that in the past I struggled deeply with the sense (or lack of) career driven purpose. I decided to become a children’s book author because for the first time, I was ready to honour that inner pull toward imagination and writing, and I thought this would be the most fitting job for the creative, introverted, highly sensitive parts of me.

But I didn’t realize one major component of becoming an author: the comfort zone I once knew was about to pop faster than a kernel. Ever since plunging into self development and learning about rewiring the brain, I have subconsciously constructed a big vision that is now earnestly rooted in me. That vision includes walking through nerves. Reframing failure. Connecting with others who have trekked a similar path (one of my favourite feeling). Spreading a message to help others. Connecting with others who can help me spread that message even further. Showing up with passion every day (one of my favourite parts as an HSP).

I was working with an intuitive healer about a year ago who told me, “The only thing stopping this from becoming a major success, is you”. I didn’t fully understand what he meant, because after finally arriving into a space of mental stability, I thought I would never get in my own way! My way, for the first time, felt safe and cozy. Why would I choose to mess with that after everything I had been through!? But now, with the book launch fast approaching, I get it. One year ago, I had zero plans to show up for any in-person launches, signings and ESPECIALLY NOT READINGS. But, Sarita 2.0 had other plans. And if you had told me that I would be in fact going in public, to a bookstore, to show my face, with the potential of zero people showing up/with the potential of 30 people showing up, to sign books and read my story in front of children(!) and their parents…I would have stopped in my tracks and quit on the spot.

I have been unaware of the depth of my vision and how much the daily practices of self-love and self-development were actually working. And I’m so glad I was unaware. Because letting myself stop me from being where I am now, and from what’s to come, would be a genuine tragedy. Today, I choose to take action that aligns with my vision, and – I am genuinely excited to be planning a weekend of *in-person* launches to celebrate the story, the art, and the message that is “Pop Out Loud, First Day of School” – this book deserves it!

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