Turning your dream, into reality. When it comes to doing something you love, finding ways to succeed can be both daunting, and rewarding.
Amber's Big Day is a book about a girl learning to love her natural hair. But it's also a story of a woman's persistence to make her dreams come true.
"I didn't think I could write a book it just happened," says Denver author and salon owner Courtney Phason-Martinez.
Phason-Martinez has worked at Sereniti Hair for the last 9 years. And in that time she noticed coming to the salon wasn't always easy for her youngest clients.
"That little girl coming in for the first time," Phason-Martinez says. "Excited, being nervous, scared, impatient."
That experience, and being stuck at home pregnant with twins, gave birth to a dream she had long forgotten about. Writing.
"It just kind of clicked again," Phason-Martinez says. "Like when I was in middle school I wrote poems and stuff and they got published and then I was kind of like I remember I used to do this."
She started writing again, and her book, Amber's Big Day, was the result. But becoming a published author wasn't so straightforward for the business owner, wife, and mother of four.
"There's always going to be bumps in the road," Phason-Martinez says.
Her secret? Patience and persistence.
"There is no end time," Phason-Martinez says. "Just take your time to do it."
For Phason-Martinez, that meant squeezing in writing when she could.
"The kids, I just asked them with the little ones just to play with them for a little bit mama needs 30 minutes you know?" Phason-Martinez says. "Just because I know something is on my mind and I've got to write it down."
Small sacrifices she says were well worth it.
Phason-Martinez says, "I never finish anything that I start so this was like what! You know like for me you did it!"
Just as Amber discovers the beauty in her hair, with a little persistence, Phason-Martinez says women can find the beauty in their dream.
"You beat your own self up because it didn't work out the first time or the second time," Phason-Martinez says. "I mean if it takes 10 tries it just takes 10 tries and so I would just stay encouraged and never give up."
