If you know Monique Farmer, the founder of both Avant Solutions and Anvil Ready, you may be surprised to learn that she considers herself an introvert. It’s her love for writing and strategy that pulled her into the world of public relations and communications and has kept her there for over 20 years.
“I love the idea that it’s all a big puzzle,” she said. “It introduces a versatile array of puzzles for me to put together and no day is the same.”
She also said that she loves an opportunity to grow, and help others grow, which is, in part, how her venture as an author started.
“I feel like I’ve read a lot of books to help me in my journey,” she said. “Often in academia what happens is you learn about the theory. It’s all pie in the sky unless someone helps you figure out how to take the theoretical to practical, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Specifically, her book “Chart Your Path: A 9-Step Method to Getting Unstuck,” discusses how societal norms have confined many to live unfulfilled lives.
She writes: Societal pressures often dictate a specific life path: education, a well-paying job, marriage, children, a beautiful home, with a white picket fence, a dog, and the promise of happily ever after. Admittedly, my own life has followed a similar path, largely because it’s what I was taught to do.
Broken down into three sections, Farmer describes the book as an echo of Ike and Tina Turner’s song “Proud Mary.”
Section one: A mellow start discussing how individuals end up feeling stuck in our culture.
Section two: Kicking it up a notch with a discussion around the science of agency and autonomy.
Section three: The full-blown crescendo where actionable insights will challenge readers to redefine themselves.
Throughout the book, Farmer shares her personal stories, as well as stories of other successful individuals who have struggled with being “stuck.”
For example, she interviewed her friend Angelia Stone, founder and publisher of Hope Magazine. Stone shared her journey of breaking free “from the stagnation she endured along with the emotional and financial abuse.”
“She disclosed things in this book that I would have never known,” Farmer said. “I applaud her for being that vulnerable about her journey.”
Being vulnerable was a challenge for Farmer, who said the experience of openly asking friends and family to support her endeavor was outside of her “comfort zone.”
“It’s completely out of my introverted comfort zone, but that’s how we grow,” she said. “And that’s what this book is about.”
Currently, the book is available on Amazon for Kindle, or in paperback.
