Honest Lessons on Life, Love, and Leveling Up
Date Published: March 24, 2026
Publisher: Acorn Publishing
In You Got This!, personal and professional development coach Lisa Bartley shares candid advice and empowering mindset shifts—through sharp honesty, laugh-out-loud moments, and the kind of wisdom that only comes with experience. Bartley tackles what no one prepares you for—setting boundaries, navigating relationships, rebounding from failure, and finding the courage to go after what you really want.
This is not a guide to becoming perfect. It’s a guide to becoming powerful on your terms.
If you’ve ever felt stuck or like everyone but you got the memo on adulthood, this book is your reminder that growth is messy, clarity takes time, and no, you’re not behind . . . you’re just getting started.
You Got This! is a must-read for every woman standing at the threshold of the rest of her life. It’s the permission slip, pep talk, and playbook every woman needs while figuring it all out.
Can you tell us a little about the process of getting this
book published? How did you come up with the idea and how did you start?
Getting You Got This! published
has been a labor of love. Seriously. The idea for the book was inspired by the
birth of my (now) 28-year-old daughter. When she was a baby, I started jotting
down thoughts—life lessons—that I knew would be important later in life. This
would be a gift to my daughter. One day,
I realized this “gift” had book potential. Women just like her—in the throes of
life-defining decisions—could benefit from practical generational guidance,
along with the assurance, You Got This!
My “book baby” was an
on-again, off-again, project for may years, Then, I got serious about it two
and a half years ago. It was a thrill—surreal and emotional—to hold the book in
my hands for the first time.
What surprised you most about getting your book published?
Here’s what took me by surprise:
the realization that fear—not being “too busy” or “raising a family”—is
what kept me from completing the manuscript sooner. Fear often masquerades as
“excusitis,” and it certainly did with me.
Tell us a little about what you do when you aren’t writing.
When I’m not writing, I’m
coaching, speaking, trying yummy new recipes, listening to audiobooks, volunteering
in my community, and spending time with family and close friends. I also enjoy
wine-tasting, great conversation, and getting outside for a walk or hike on a
gorgeous day. I’m especially drawn to intrinsic beauty—meaningful words, genuine
people, and the quiet beauty of nature.
As a published author, what would you say was the most
pivotal point of your writing life?
About two and a half years ago,
my daughter challenged me to set weekly writing goals and report back to her at
the end of each week. It was exactly the kind of external accountability I
needed. After years of telling my kids to keep their commitments, I knew I’d
never hear the end of it if I didn’t follow through. So I did. That moment was
pivotal because it ended the on-again, off-again writing cycle—and I finally
completed the manuscript.
Where do you get your best ideas and why do you think that
is?
I get my best ideas by noticing
when I have a strong reaction—positive or negative—to a person, conversation,
or situation. That typically means I have something—lots of “somethings”—to say
about it. For example, I was having
lunch with a friend when she started trash-talking a mutual friend of ours. It
wasn’t the type of conversation born out of concern or even frustration. It was
mean-spirited. I felt very uncomfortable, like it was an act of betrayal to be
sitting there listening to it. My first thought was, Wow, that’s pretty
vicious, immediately followed by, I wonder what she says about me when
I’m not around. This “strong
reaction” was the catalyst for Chapter 26, “Beware of Girlfriends Who Badmouth
Girlfriends . . . and Please Don’t Become One of Them.”
What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?
Since this is my debut book, I
haven’t had as many “opportunities” as seasoned authors to receive tough
criticism—or even hate mail—but I’ve been advised to buckle up because it
inevitably comes with the territory. My plan is to grow a few additional layers
of skin and view it as an opportunity to get better. That said, some of the
toughest feedback came early on when I was pitching agents and told that without
an established platform, the book would be a difficult sell to a traditional
New York publisher. At the time, I felt completely deflated.
What has been your best accomplishment as a writer?
So
far, my greatest accomplishment as a writer has been completing my debut book, You
Got This!. But here’s “the chef’s kiss:” My daughter—the initial
inspiration for the book—was my beta reader. She gave me honest, relevant,
insightful feedback on the manuscript. It was one of the most rewarding and
moving full-circle moments of my life.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
I have no unpublished or half-finished books—only
unpublished and half-finished ideas for my next three books!
Lisa Bartley is an author and award-winning speaker who helps women break free from their comfort zones and step into the strongest, truest versions of themselves.
You Got This! began as an attempt to record words of wisdom she wishes she’d heard in her early adult years. Now, in its completion, it stands as a legacy of lessons written for her daughter and for every young woman finding her way.
Lisa lives in Southern California where she prefers her hikes coastal, her wine bold, and her dinner parties unforgettable.
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