Girl, Wash Your Face.
I have two truths for you. 1) I had never heard of Rachel Hollis or her webpage (www.thechicsite.com) before I picked up this book; 2) She has officially landed on my list of people I would LOVE to meet after reading Girl, Wash Your Face. (Rachel, if you ever see this post, know that I will be the one running a trail randomly hoping somewhere in this world I run into you!)
Rachel has built an empire of her own accord and found raging success in her career at an early age. But, this has not come easily and she shares many stories that expose failures, fears, successes and dreams. And tenacity. A tenacity to write even if there is no audience, to create for the sheer joy of doing so, to big dream and then chase that dream regardless of how many "no's" she heard along the way.
This book crossed my level of awareness through a few friends and family posting that they were reading it on social media. Of course, on my next solo Target run (which is like a mini-Mom vacation), I saw this and picked it up immediately.
I am a fast reader and I read this entire book during a recent quick trip to Cleveland. I do not often finish books that fast, but this book reads like novel in the fact that it was fast paced and entertaining. I was completely engrossed and inspired through every page. Rachel's writing invokes a feeling of camaraderie, as though she is speaking to a life-long friend.
Each chapter of the book covers a different "lie" we often tell ourselves in life - like the one where we believe something external to ourselves can make us happy. "Moving doesn't change who you are. It only changes the view outside your window. You must choose to be happy, grateful, and fulfilled. If you make that choice every single day, regardless of where you are or what's happening, you will be happy."
I want to share a few more quotes from the book as a teaser for you for why you should pick up this book and read it.
"Our words have power, but our actions shape our lives."
"Do you want the big stuff for your life? You won't get there by saying yes. Yes is the easy part. You'll get there by not giving up when you heard the word no."
"There are hundreds of ways to lose yourself, but the easiest of them all is refusing to acknowledge who you truly are in the first place."
This is one of the few books I will read again. I will fold the corners over on those areas that pertain to me, my life and where I am today but also, I know it will carry me into where I am in 6 months or a year.
If you need a reset button on life, if you feel that you are stuck where you are, lack inspiration or just need a kick in the butt, grab this book and settle in. You won't regret it!
Link is via the Amazon Affiliate program.
