Advertisments

Feature

Discovering “The Secrets That Lie Within”

Authors lead readers toward an optimal life by helping them find what was always within their reach

by Jim Barnes

Balancing our physical, emotional and spiritual health is a challenge for us all, and personal coaches Kerry Hearns-Smith and Vicky Arledge have dedicated their careers to doing something about it. First, they created a powerful personal development program called Tru…Skills: An Individual Development Process, and now they've written and published the first in a series of four companion books entitled The Secrets That Lie Within. The books convey the message that if we truly believe in listening to the messages from our heart and our power within, we can restore vibrancy and harmony to our lives.

Each book will be presented in the form of a fable, revolving around an enchanted village and its people, and will take readers on an enlightening journey of discovery. In the first book, the villagers' way of life is threatened by a vicious storm - or is it an evil dragon? The people gradually learn the lessons necessary to bring them back to being guided by their hearts and looking within themselves for answers.

"The Secrets That Lie Within reveals life lessons which enable people to move toward their optimal being," explains Arledge. "It brings readers to the place of recognition of these concepts and stirs the feelings and desires to reach for their potential. Only when people realize they already have resources inside them will they be able to uncover the secrets that lie within."

Part of the current trend in personal coaching, Hearns-Smith and Arledge help their clients gain clarity and focus on the things that are most important to them. "Working with a coach allows them to weed through the masses of 'stuff' people are piled under these days," says Hearns-Smith. "With a coach, a person can more quickly and more easily find the paths to finding their Tru-Self and really discover and move toward the person they are meant to be."

Because the Tru-Skills program is such an in-depth and personal experience, the pair felt they needed something to set the stage and introduce people to some of the concepts in a very personal way--hence the book, that clients can read in their own time and space. Hearns-Smith and Arledge will use the book as a pre-course reading and also sell it along with the program and at any workshops, keynotes and seminars they conduct.

They also plan to reach a general book-buying audience of men, women and youths who are looking for ways to make things smoother in their lives, finding easier ways of accomplishing more, and have a strong willingness to invest in themselves. This target group is fairly aware of world happenings, tends to deal with community issues, and is involved with the numerous obligations and struggles to balance their lives.

Listing examples of actual clients' situations, the pair demonstrates the kinds of problems their Tru-Skills program and new book is meant to help solve:

"Jane came to our program looking for sources to gain clarity in her life and find sources to help her focus more on what was most important to her in her life. She discovered that she had a false belief that all the choices she makes are, or turn into, bad choices. Her fear therefore became being faced with big life choices and the need to avoid these kinds of choices. Through working with these issues, Jane has recognized that these are truly false beliefs and by initially making a list of all the good choices she has made in her life she now has less fear of making big choices and knows she has it in her to trust in her choices."

"Karen struggled with the false belief of feeling that there was no place she could work where her contributions would be valued and that her work in the areas she loved the most would not be profitable enough. Her fear became she would never find a job that she would love and do what she had passion for. Through working on reviewing her credentials and talking with others who were also working on trying to gain clarity on her values she was able to gain confidence in her true gifts and abilities and redeveloped her approach at seeking employment. She turned the table to interview the people she wanted to work for versus being interviewed by them. Within two months she found the job and profession of her dreams."

"People are so inundated with ways to better themselves these days-- yet when the task is actually undertaken, it often becomes quite overwhelming," says Hearns-Smith. "We feel there is such a need to get back to the 'bare necessities' and rediscover who we really are and what we were meant to be. We chose to write this book in a fable format to allow the reader an enjoyable and simple way to reflect upon themselves and build an awareness of the concept of false beliefs and fears which can hinder us from finding our Tru-Self and reaching our optimal being."

Hearns-Smith and Arledge believe their target audience's motivation to buy the books is their desire for guidance and the urge to find ways to be happier and more at peace. "We feel our books will satisfy a market need, and provide an easy way to view critical life skills that are not formally taught in our society but are vital for wholeness and reaching our potential," says Hearns-Smith. "We hope readers will pick up our books and venture into a world beyond - and thereby discover the missing gifts within."

The pair plan to market their products through a number of sales outlets besides bookstores, including schools, book clubs, and specialty stores. Their coaching practices and seminars and workshops will be an active market, and they hope to see the books used in their clients' new employee orientation programs.

They will also use their heavy involvement with Internet and other mass media for promotional efforts, by linking to websites and contributing articles to online and print newsletters and magazines. Of course, television talk shows are a prime goal, as are radio interviews and live appearances at various clubs, stores, and events.

Realizing the importance of word- of-mouth promotion for books such as theirs, Hearns-Smith and Arledge plan an aggressive schedule of book signings in both of their home states of Michigan and Texas. Many of their book signings are being held at locations that share and value the "wholeness and health" approach. "We have found numerous establishments that are excited about helping us 'spreading the word' about our new book and the sequels to follow. The response has been both reaffirming and energizing!" says Arledge.

Marketing a new book is never easy, and these determined women know it. Aware of the intense competition in the self-help book field, they came up with a list of things that sets their book apart from the others:

* It is a story, a fable.
* It puts the messages into the most simplistic form
* Not a "right or wrong" message
* It allows people to realize false beliefs and fears
* Helps people get to recognition of these false beliefs and develop the feeling to want and need to do something more

"Our society is in a place that understands that unless we are our 'best' it is difficult to be able to give the most and be prepared to help ourselves and others through tragedy and strife. Any opportunity to promote the journey toward optimal being and to encourage discovering of our Tru-Self is our ultimate goal."

For more information about The Secrets That Lie Within and Tru-Skills contact:

Arbor Publishing
7051 Hwy 70 South, #191
Nashville, TN 37221
Ph: 888-84-Arbor (842-7267)
www.arborpublishing.com
TruïSkills, LLC ï PO Box 308 ï Whitehall, MI 49461
1-877-Tru-0959 (1-877-878-0959) http://www.tru-skills.com

---