{Stuck}

I’m currently reading the book, “She Takes on the World” by Natalie MacNeil, and I hit a page in the first chapter that I can’t seem to make it past.  The book is supposed to be, “A guide to being your own boss, working happy, and living on purpose.” and I can’t make it through the first worksheet…

You know the one…

“What would you do daily if salary wasn’t an issue?”

“If no one would judge you, what would you do for a living?”

“If you knew you couldn’t fail, what would you try doing?”

(Paraphrased for a general idea, not direct book quotes)

You’re supposed to answer the entire page before moving on… and I can’t do it.

I think to myself, “Well of course I’d still train dogs.  But I’d like to knit more.  Or make more bracelets.  Ohhhh or draw!  Or write.  Garden?  Sleep?  Can I be a professional napper?”  And then she has the nerves to bring up our childhood dreams.  Because I’m sure my 37 year old body should be getting on the back of stunt horses, and winning gold metals for gymnastics.

I’m most likely sounding like a broken record over the past year or so… is this that mid life crisis thing?  Or am I just as broken as I feel some days?  I don’t ever want to be stuck with doing just one thing for the rest of my life.  There’s so much to do out there in the world.  And then I’m scared to death that I’ll be working my butt off until my very last day here on earth.  If only I could pick one thing…

Can I perhaps be a professional blogger who constantly blogs about trying to figure out where her niche is in this world?  No?  Maybe?  *checks bank account*  Nope.

Here’s hoping I can look back on this in the future and snicker about my childish ways.  Here’s praying I’ve made some headway by then.

In the meantime, may I borrow someone’s answers so I can finish this dang book?

~Emily

Get Over Your Damn Self {Book Review}

 

This past week I finally got around to reading, “Get Over Your Damn Self” {The No-BS Blueprint to building a life changing business} by Romi Neustadt

I think I must have bought this one while still in the depths of being a Beachbody Coach.  That was one of the best things about working with the amazing coaches with Beachbody, they know their personal development game, I’ve never have had such a wealth of resources as I did working with them… one day I hope my body will allow me to re-join my team… but I’m getting off topic, sorta.  What you cannot tell from the title of this book, is that “Get Over Your Damn Self” is a mega networking guide.  Maybe if I dug around in the back or via reviews I would’ve seen that.  These days I’m taking a major break from anything direct sells, or multi level marketing, or whatever you choose to call any business where you promote opportunities and products.

None the less, I read on.  Romi Neustadt was a well-to-do lawyer, turned top-tier seller/marketer for Rhodan Fields, the book has nothing to do with RF by the way, you have to google her online to figure any of that out.  (I’m nosey).  The goal of the book is to guide the reader through the ins and out of marketing via social networking.  Through dealing with no’s, making your lists (for non-mlm’s your list is your list of people you know to bring your opportunities to.), dealing with time, phone calls, family… Most aspects of networking such a business.

Would the book be helpful if I was still with Beachbody or another mlm type business?  It defiantly has it’s points, although the main push of the book focussed around phone calls.  A lot of phone calls.  She has great points as to why these were so important, and obviously they’ve done wonders for her… but I couldn’t see me doing three way phone calls about yoga, and or marketing being a coach.  Perhaps that’s why I wasn’t successful signing up other coaches?  Maybe not.

Would this book be helpful to those who just want more details from any “boss girl” owning the hustle.  I defiantly took away tips to put into place in my other work at home, and not so much at home careers, from time management, to networking what I have to offer.   Was it life changing, no.  But I could see a greater advantage to those really working through networking.

So I’ll give this book 3 1/2, maybe 4 stars out of 5.  I didn’t hate it, I did learn from it, I was able to easily finish it, but the majority wasn’t very useful to this non-networking girl.  I know others have raved about it, so I’m pretty sure I just wasn’t the target audience.  If she wrote another book not so mlm geared I would check it out again.  But I was hoping for more getting over myself than what I found, lol.  Defiantly more of my issues than her’s LOL.

Have you read “Get Over Your Damn Self”?  What did you think?

Girl Wash Your Face {Book Review}

I have gotten 100% hooked on personal development books… have I said that before?  I like the personal, and real life stories, I like learning from them… I like spending 5 hours reading when I should’ve been working on something else, because at least it’s educational and good for me… right?

I avoided buying, “Girl Wash Your Face” by Rachel Hollis for some time now.  There’s so many “Girl Boss” type books out there in the past 2 years, and almost all of them are geared just at 20 something year olds, with no kids, and city living, and designer jeans, I assumed this book would follow suit.  No offense to 20 something year olds with designer jeans and fancy city apartments, but this late 30 year old, with two kids, ripped jeans, and more animals than designer anything… It’s hard to relate.  I took the chance on Rachel Hollis after stumbling on a video from her Rise speeches, and I was hooked.  If you’re on Facebook you can view the video here.

I still began the book cautiously, but within the first chapter I knew I liked this girl.  I knew this mid-30 year old and I would mesh just fine as she told the story of peeing her pants while jumping on a trampoline with her kids.  She tells it much better, and I swear there’s a point, but if you’re a mother at all, you’ll get why this is so relatable.  And that was the whole point, she’s human, just like you and me.

I was really drawn in during a chapter on perspective.  How everything we face in life 100% depends on where we’re at in our life at that time, how we judge it all from what’s happening to us, what we’ve been through.  In her words, “We don’t see things as they are; we see things as we are.”

She catches me off guard several more times with truths I really needed to hear.  Things like how my dreams, your dreams, will never be as important to anyone else as they are to us… no matter what.  If we don’t do them, someone else will as we watch.  How we tend to seek out others to give us permission to quit.  And so many other vital things that I really needed to hear right then and there.

Guys I was crying by the last page.  A good cry, part ugly cry, but a good cry all the same.  I battle a ton with insecurities, and fears.  I am a horrible unfair judge on myself, and I’m all too eager sometimes to let my past, or my perception of my past give me permission to quit on things.  Rachel’s writings didn’t make me feel ashamed or guilty for my feelings, but she pushed me to finally own my life, for my sake.  Without guilt.  Without leaving my family behind, or without dropping thousands of dollars for the latests organizing and self help books and gadgets.

I’ve been stalking all of her sites ever since that last page.  She’s a mom, she runs her own business/businesses, she’s a wife… she’s me… she’s you.

In all fairness a few sections went into areas that weren’t made for my life, but I still gleamed plenty of inspiration from her stories on adoption, and fostering, struggling with a newborn… things I won’t be doing (hello, I like my sleep) but still were relevant to the over all story.  She also brings in her faith a few times as well, but I don’t believe anyone who does not agree with her faith would be offended or bothered by the overall point and message.  The book is a very quick read, worthy of at least 2 more read throughs.  And if you sign up for her mailing list via her website: thechicsite.com they’ll send you a free study guide to go along with the book.  (I haven’t checked out the guide yet, I found it after I finished the book.)

I’m truly very happy I stubbled on that video that made me finally buy, “Girl Wash Your Face.”  The book was just what I needed right now in my life, and I really hope it touches you the way it did me.  Finding the right message in personal development type books can be tricky, we all crave a different message at different times, it can be very hit and miss finding the right words during the right seasons of our lives.  This one just so happened to nail it for me.

Let me know what you think!

 

I did not receive any compensation for my review of this book, and purchased the book on my own.  I make no compensation from my readers clicking on any links in this post.

{Books} A Simplified Life, by Emily Ley

One of these days I might try some stylized fancy photos to lure you all in.  Today is very much NOT one of those days.  I tend to blog at night, setting up photo shoots at midnight not so much.

From the cover I knew this book would be perfect, because well, her name IS Emily.  And that’s reason enough right?  Okay well maybe not, but I’ve been a fan of Emily’s for well over a year now, from reading her first book “Grace Not Perfection”, and I’m a fan of her planners too.  Something about her style gets me, if that makes sense.  She’s high class, without making me feel lower class.  I know someone out there gets what I’m saying.

A Simplified Life can be compared to the cliff notes of life.  Each chapter touching on simple ways to let go of all of the things, and find happiness right where you are, without shaming you, without treating you like you don’t know how to do life’s things… And without going to the extremes.  (Yeah I’ve read a lot of these types of books, and most leave me asking if the author has ever seen a child in their life, or a speck of dirt.)

Emily touches on simplifying the home and clutter (again quick guides and motivation without making you feel stupid), quick meals, clearing out the calendar, putting faith back at the top of the list, making your family a priority (again without making you fall to the bottom of the list), and more.  And she’s included gorgeous photos of her family and home that make you want to run out and buy fake and bake cookies.  (I promise, go buy the cookies first)

I’ve always enjoyed reading anything Emily has put out there, so liking this book is probably no big surprise.  And I will be starting it over again soon (Don’t forget, to help a book sink in, and to imprint the ideas in your head, always read the book at least two times!).  It’s soothing, and inspiring without making me feel bad about myself, or overwhelmed with a to-do list larger than the pile of laundry waiting to be done here.

And of course, now, I want to go back and read her other book, “Grace not Perfection” again.  I hope you check Emily Ley out, and find the same connection I have!

You can find this title on Amazon here:

 

And her first book, Grace Not Perfection here:

 

I’m not an affiliate, but I love sharing things I’ve enjoyed!