THIS is my awkward stage.

The other day a friend asked me what I was hoping for with publishing The Path to Serendipity.

She said, “Is it for money? Or, is it to say that you have written a book?”

Nope. Neither of those.

I really, really, really truly want to help people be their best selves so they can support others trying their best. The world can be cruel and life can be so hard. I think that we can provide goodness and support and light to each other. I believe it with all my heart.

That is all.

In fact, when I started writing The Path to Serendipity, I didn’t know who I was writing it for. I just started writing the powerful stories, the life-changing experiences, and the most profound lessons I have learned. If the only people who read The Path to Serendipity are my sons and their future families, that would be enough.

In addition, I wrote it for myself. I may appear to be a very positive person, but I didn’t start out that way. Here is proof:

unnamed (1) — That’s my mom, my brother, my sister and me (in the flowered shorts and HUGE glasses)

As you can see from my lethal scowl, I have not always been positive. I am a work in progress, and sometimes I am a straight-up brat. In The Path to Serendipity I wrote the lessons that I remind myself every stinkin’ day. There is no magic to being positive and seeking to continuously improve, there is only hard work and great rewards.

So, the dream I never even dared to dream came true and The Path to Serendipity is going to be published and printed and sold on Amazon. It has turned into a beautiful book that surpasses my wildest dreams. I am going to hold it in my hands in mere days. Now comes the awkward part.

It is a weird feeling to be marketing my book. As a school principal, I am not used to that. At school it is all about the staff, it is all about the students, it is not about me. Whenever I get a compliment about our amazing school, I can easily redirect it to the hardest working and most talented people in the building…our teachers. I can easily say that our families send us amazing students, and that is why our school is such an incredible place. It is not about me. But, this book is me. So, promoting The Path to Serendipity feels like promoting myself. And that is awkward.

I am trying to get used to the idea that I am not marketing Allyson Apsey. I am promoting the ideas in The Path to Serendipity. I wrote this book to help us all live happy and effective lives, and so we can make life easier instead of harder for each other. So, I do need to shout about it from the rooftops. I know that it will become less awkward as I get used to the idea of being an author, yet it still feels strange to even call myself that. I am so excited for all of you to read the book as we travel our own paths to serendipity.

Just keeping it real…this all feels weird. I wouldn’t change it for the world though. Thank you for joining me on this journey and accepting my awkward self.