Photo by Popik Photography
Click on the below article link to obtain background information
to this blog post:
M.J. Domet continued the interview.
In her words, “I decided to self publish because I had a very
clear idea of what I wanted the book to look like from cover to cover. I also
felt I knew my audience and what they would respond to. As this was my first
book, I was excited to learn the publishing process from beginning to end and
be involved in all aspects of it. From the time I contacted the
publishing company to receiving the finished product took about four
months, a timeline I was very happy with. The publishing company I
chose, Xlibris , have been very easy to work with and I have them to thank
for a high quality book and positive experience. I am busy
working on my next book and may self publish but I am more open to traditional
publishing than I was previously.
For years I kept my feelings to myself mainly because that was
what I grew up with. I did not grow up in a demonstrative family; either
physically or verbally, so I didn't learn how to express my feelings. My
husband did not come from an expressive family either so our two children were
raised much the same way we were. Once I began working through my experiences
and learning to love myself, I was able to better relate, not just my innermost
feelings about myself, but how I felt about others to them. I still find that I
am able to express myself better in writing than verbally, but believe that expression
is what is important, not the form it takes. Keeping things locked inside
creates disease and physical distress. I taught preschool for nineteen years
and eventually quit because my body couldn't handle the energy required to
teach young children anymore. Once I started on the path of self-development
and released old, self-limiting beliefs, my body rejuvenated and feels younger
than it did twenty years ago. I am very active with horse back riding, skiing,
skating and keeping up with my granddaughter.
She shared, “I believe I was numb for most of my life. It just
hurt to feel and, if, on the outside, I seemed a normal person who fit in
with everyone else, no one needed to know the truth- or so I thought. The
incidents of sexual abuse perpetrated by a family member when I was very young
to the physical, verbal and sexual assaults as I got older, resulted in
feelings of worthlessness and excessive drinking. The birth of my
children, I believe, saved me from going further into despair. I didn't want
them to grow up in an alcoholic home like I had. Looking back, I think I
punished myself even more than anyone else ever thought of doing.
As a child, I always had some sense of God even though we were
not a particularly religious family. I attended a few churches in my
youth and even recruited some friends to come with me from time to time.
As an adolescent and into my thirties, the only spiritual practice I engaged in
was hearing my children's prayers at bedtime.
Her celestial connection has manifested a renewal for M.J.
She explained, “Embracing spirituality as I now know it, has
made everything so clear for me. Changes did not happen overnight-it took
time for me to realize that I had never been left to handle everything on
my own (even though it often felt as if that were the case). Once I
realized that I had the power to change my life, but it did take some effort on
my part- things changed.
Spiritual growth is continuous and momentous moments of clarity
reveal themselves over and over to me. I do not profess to know
everything; but there are many people who are searching for their own way
out of the darkness of their lives. I find that by helping others, I am constantly
getting what I call ‘updates’ of information from spirit. The more I trust this
information and help others, the more healing I do physically, emotionally and
spiritually. The connection to all of life and my belief that one person’s
healing activates a higher vibration for all living things, is what justifies
to me that I am living my purpose and passion. My heart tells me that this is
the place where my experiences have led me. The gifts of writing and
teaching were given to me for a reason. I am so blessed to have discovered
them!”
If you would like to contact M.J., you may email, call and/or
explore her website: expecttobeempowered@gmail.com; Phone,
780-505-1349, website: www.expecttobeempowered.com.
