Courage to Be Free: A Practical Guide for Being True to Yourself is the first book from Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, who says the book is based on the messages he's heard from people all throughout the state of Florida.

"They said that I was an inspiration to them," DeSantis said. "I've had people tell me that they were so impressed with how authentic I was and how much courage that took for me."

The governor has gotten feedback from people who have read his book, some of whom have told him that they had a hard time putting the book down.

In a recent book signing with LiveSigning.com, DeSantis said that a big theme in the book is learning to do the right thing under difficult circumstances and 'having the courage to go against the grain.'

Courage to Be Free is based on the messages he's heard from people all throughout the state of Florida.

As governor, DeSantis has traveled to every county in his state and spoken with thousands of Floridians about their hopes and concerns for their families, communities and country.

The book includes stories from everyday Americans who have overcome adversity in their lives--from military veterans to individuals battling cancer or struggling financially--to achieve success despite facing seemingly insurmountable odds.

"They said that I was an inspiration to them," DeSantis said. "That's humbling and it makes me proud."

The governor hopes people will read Courage To Be Free and learn something new about themselves or someone else they know who might need a little extra encouragement in their lives. As he stated in his LiveSigning interview, ‘boldness’ can make all the difference. 

Courage to Be Free covers topics like family, faith and community

Family is important to Governor DeSantis. He grew up in a large family with six siblings, and his parents taught him about faith and service. His story illustrates that families are our first teachers of courage, character and values; they provide us with love and encouragement when we need it most-especially during difficult times in our lives.

Alongside the importance of family, faith has always been central to Ron DeSantis' life. Ever since he was a young boy growing up Catholic in Jacksonville, Florida, he has drawn strength and wisdom from faith and The Bible.

 "I have always been a very spiritual person," DeSantis says. "I grew up Catholic and attended parochial school from kindergarten through eighth grade."

"My wife, Casey, was raised by a Catholic mother who instilled her own strong faith in her children," he continues. "Our two oldest boys were baptized at St. Augustine Catholic Church."

The book also describes how important it was for DeSantis' parents to instill their values into their children so that they could live out those values later in life:

Inspiration for Courage to Be Free

In the book, DeSantis shares personal stories about his life and how those stories have shaped him. He talks about his grandmother, who he describes as ‘a very strong woman’. DeSantis explains that she inspired him because she was always working hard, even though she didn't have much.

"I talk about my grandmother, who was a very strong woman," DeSantis said. "She inspired me because she was always working hard, even though she didn't have much."

“...I think the biggest thing is that I want people to know that when you're committed to something and you work hard for something, you're going to get there," he said. "The second thing is setting goals that are achievable."

DeSantis said he learned these lessons from his grandmother and also his father, who was a police officer for nearly 30 years before retiring in 2017.

Courage To Be Free is Ron DeSantis' first published book.

Courage to Be Free is Ron DeSantis' first published book. It's a collection of stories and advice from people across Florida who have shared their struggles and triumphs with the governor.

In an interview with Fox News, DeSantis said he wanted to write this book because he thinks it'll help other people get through tough times in life. "These are stories about people who have gone through some tough things," he explained. "They're going through some real challenges right now.

A full video of Governor DeSantis’s recent book signing talk with LiveSigning can be found on YouTube.