HONEYMOON BOOK REVIEW: "Girl, Stop Apologizing"

Hey friends!

I’m itching to blog about the latest book I read on our honeymoon in Jamaica— I highly recommend it. There were so many great nuggets of truth in Rachel Hollis’, GIrl, Stop Apologizing. Here are my top 5 takeaways.

1) Don’t water down who you are. Don’t apologize for who you are.

Now, caveat when you read “who you are” think of your best self. Don’t water THAT down. Have you ever been around a certain group of people who make you feel like you can’t be your best self? For example, sometimes if I’m around people who are being negative or have a victim mentality, I’m afraid to be my positive upbeat self because I might annoy them, or they may resent me. That’s wrong. Rachel talks about how if we were to constantly be adjusting, adjusting adjusting to serve other people’s agenda’s even when we don’t agree with them, we completely loose ourselves and who it is we are supposed to be for the world around us. Be FULLY you without apology. There’s only one you and the world needs you. Obviously always love others, be polite and use wisdom, but don’t mistaken that for watering yourself down to be a less FULL version of who you are. Be YOU. If people have a problem with that, it’s probably really a problem with themselves.

2) Don’t create space in your life, or headspace for negative, conflict creating people to speak into your life. At first this may seem like it’s wrong or sounds bad. But Rachel talks about how yes, it’s important to love everyone and be there to support people, but that is different than allowing people’s negativities and insecurities to have a say and impact on our own lives, thinking and approach to life. When other people’s opinions are directing your thinking or decision making, there’s a problem. It’s the OPO problem. “Other-People’s-Opinions.” You’re giving your power away and everyone else owns you. Use wisdom, council of a few people you truly trust, seek God, and move forward. This life can be challenging as it is, don’t allow additional conflict creators to have a place.

3) Touch it once. Create efficiencies in your life!

When you open an email, reply to it then. Even if you don’t have the answers, let them know you’re finding them. Touch it once! If you start doing something, be disciplined to finish that task, or the part of the larger task that you are doing. This creates little efficiencies throughout your day that turn into BIG productivity in the big picture.

4) Set your vision, the goals to reach it & then serve your agenda.

This might sound selfish at first glance, but Rachel actually says that in a way, you have to be selfish to accomplish your vision. Selfish to your vision. For example a part of your vision may be to serve the community, so you have to be “selfish” to make the time and not allow that time to be taken away by things outside of your vision. So in that way, be selfish with you vision. Although your vision isn’t selfish. Make sense? You picking up what I’m putting down? Make decisions, fill your calendar with the things that serve your vision. Otherwise you will never get there. Let your Yes be yes and your no be no. A yes to someone else’s inquiry from you may be saying a yes to their agenda and a no to your agenda. Be wise!

5) Move your body everyday!

Bottom line. If you aren’t feeling good physically mentally or spiritually, move your body everyday. This isn’t the be all end all answer but it will ALWAYS help. If you aren’t doing that, you are doing a disservice to yourself. Do something, for 30 minutes intentionally to move, to be active. Maybe it’s 2 hours for you, but maybe you’re looking for somewhere to start. Walk for 30 minutes minimum a day. Don’t complain about something unless you’ve at-least done this. If you catch yourself about to get down, or complain, nip it in the butt and go for a walk first, and then see if you still want to complain after. And if you do, maybe do another lap :P ! The mental and physical benefits of exercise are well researched and AMAZING.

So there you have it! My top takeaways from Rachel’s new book. Let me know what you think!

XOXO Ash