Lisa Lister - Presence - Know Yourself. Claim Your Power. Take Up Space

Published in 2021 by Hardie Grant Books, an imprint of Hardie Grant Publishing

Hardie Grant Books (London)

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Hardie Grant Books (Melbourne)

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers and copyright holders.

The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

Copyright text Lisa Lister

Copyright illustrations Evi O. Studio

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Presence

eISBN: 9781784884192

Publishing Director and

Commissioner: Kajal Mistry

Project Editor: Kate Burkett

Design: Claire Warner Studio

Illustrations: Evi O. Studio

Copy-editor: Tara OSullivan

Proofreader: Lucy Rose York

Indexer: Vanessa Bird

My presence is powerful. Im a beacon of mother-loving light. My body is a place of creativity and power. Im seen and I shine. Bright.

I do not apologise for my appearance and what I wear and how I style my hair.

I accept compliments with a big, open heart. (And also know that I dont need them in order to feel whole and complete.)

I know, trust, respect, honour and revere my body, myself and my living experience.

I shine light into my dark places real and perceived so that I can own all my parts.

For sure, Ive made mistakes. Ive messed up. Ive failed. Im human. I dont punish myself for them, I acknowledge them, learn from them and grow.

I refuse to accept labels of shame and humiliation, of not worthy and not enough that have been given to me simply for being a woman in the world.

I shake myself free of the shackles of shoulds and societal constructs and dream, manifest and speak my life and reality into being.

Are you a woman who knows the power of her presence? A woman who nourishes, nurtures and prioritises her own wants, needs and desires? A woman who knows her value and worth? A woman who has a big heart and fierce boundaries? A woman who lifts and inspires others? A woman who can light up and captivate an entire room? A woman who doesnt look outside herself for approval and who, instead, validates herself and dares to shine?

Bright.

Really bloody bright.

I mean, thats the ideal scenario, right? To be THAT woman.

Except you, like me, may think it takes courage and wild strength to be THAT woman, because you, like me, have probably been taught from a very early age that, in order to show up in the world, you need to do any or all of the following:

Fake it till you make it.

Meet totally unrealistic beauty expectations.

Feel bad when your perfectly fabulous-as-they-are skin/thighs/hair/boobs do not meet said expectations, then go and buy ALL. THE. THINGS. that youre told will improve them.

Put on a persona based on the kind of person you think people want you to be.

Wear a variety of masks for different people, occasions and situations simply as a way to navigate a world that makes you feel less-than and not enough.

Were in a cycle of collective trauma simply by being women in a world of systems and structures that are not set up in our favour. Societal expectations like those described above can keep us in a consistent state of distrust and disconnect from ourselves, our bodies, each other and the world. This creates and supports the limiting beliefs, patterns and behaviours that weve been taught and told. Beliefs that have usually been implanted, subconsciously, to keep us feeling less-than, not worthy and in a state of constant comparison and competition with each other.

Its no surprise that many of the main recurring health problems and concerns that women experience are linked to chronic inflammation: a direct physical response to the long-term trauma, stress and anxiety that this sense of disconnect and distrust can cause in the body. Such conditions include, but are not limited to: chronic pain, disease, menstrual health problems, stress, burnout, anxiety and panic attacks. So, when asked to stay present, to reclaim our power, to reconnect with our bodies, to trust ourselves, to feel our feelings and to tend to our own needs, wants and desires, of course many women resist. Weve forgotten who we were before we were told who to be. We no longer recognise ourselves, we have no point of reference for what it is that we need, want or desire because were simply doing what we need to do in order to survive.

Which is why Im writing this book.

To help you remember.

I want you to remember, in every way, that understanding, and being present to, the power of your own presence doesnt mean simply learning about body language, posture and how to wear a red lip (although I can totally help you with that; I do love a red lip). Its about self-discovery, reconnecting with your body, finding your true-to-you frequency and then aligning with it and amplifying it so that you no longer have to put on an act. Its not about makeovers or transformations, its about flipping the switch on limiting beliefs and rewriting your story. A story where you trust yourself. A story where you honour and revere your body. A story where you recognise the instinctual felt truths in your heart and gut as your own innate wisdom. A story where you never shame, blame or abandon yourself again.

Its about owning who you are all of you, the light and the dark parts and knowing that, regardless of all the real or perceived mess-ups, failures and mistakes youve made (and the recognition that you will make more, because, yknow, youre human), youre still so bloody worthy of nourishment, nurturing, joy and big gorgeous, glorious love.

I want for you to be fiercely present to your own presence: to acknowledge, embrace and cultivate it.

Your own magnetic, radiant presence.

A presence that has not been faked to please others, and is not a mask to hide behind.

A presence that is simply you: true, real and powerful, without apology.

This doesnt mean you have to be loud, bold and show-y (although you totally can be); it doesnt mean you have to dye your hair pink or get a full sleeve of tattoos (although you totally can); it simply means knowing and embracing the truth of who you are, and acknowledging that, in any given moment, it is subject to change. (In fact, my truest expression changes from one menstrual phase to another.) Its more about honouring yourself and respecting the ever-changing, oceanic, rhythmic nature of your creative power and expression, and having the self-love, self-respect and self-confidence to show up for yourself first and foremost, so that you can then show up for your family, for your community and for the planet.