Summer Book Review: Be You
One quality of an empowered women is that she commits to continuous learning. An empowered woman knows that the learning never stops because your mind is your biggest asset. I have been slacking on this quality, so I decide to make it a goal to read this summer to grow my mind and my spirit.
As I browsed the numerous shelves in my local Barnes and Noble, I was drawn to this cute little book titled "Be You : 20 Ways to Embrace Who You Really Are" by Lisa Leonard. I'm not sure if it was the aesthetic appeal of the cover, or the fact that I have been doubting myself a lot lately, but I was really drawn to the book. I glanced through it, read the introduction pages, and placed it back on the shelf. Now I will go ahead and let you know, that I am a very indecisive person when it comes to buying things. I don't want to buy anything unless I know I am going to use it. Well, my husband and I had right many arguments in the beginning of our relationship about how long it takes me to make a decision, so he helped me come up with a rule. The rule is, if I see something or think that we need it and I come back to that particular item more than 2 times I should go ahead and get it. Well, after the third time of picking up this particular book I went ahead and put it in the basket.
That night when I got home the first thing I got out of the bag was "Be You". There are 20 chapters that are supposed to be read one day at a time, but I must admit that I was so enthralled with the book I didn't want to put it down.
Lisa shares her life with her husband, Steve, and two boys, David and Matthias, one of which suffers from a severe disability. She shares her battles with feeling inadequate and putting everyone else's needs before her own, but still feeling empty at the end of the day. As I read her story I caught myself nodding my head in agreement to a lot of the things she wrote. It was all just so relatable!
The stories she used from her own life really helped to get the message that you are enough. Let go of the things you were never meant to carry. It's alright for you to feel angry, upset, sad, and happy. Those are human emotions and when they happen just let them happen. Our emotions help us understand ourselves and they help us to grow as a person. Just know that no matter what you are feeling or going through at the end of the day know that you are loved and you are enough just the way you are!
I really enjoyed reading this book and I also enjoyed completing the pages at the end of each chapter. The pages really helped me to dive deeply into how I feel about myself. Once you complete the pages at the end of each chapter at the end of the book you can put them together to make your own manifesto for future use.
Have you been doubting yourself lately? If so, I highly recommend this book to help put things back into perspective. You are enough and Lisa Leonard can help you embrace who you really are!