Before her gifts, I'm pretty sure that I had not purchased a book for myself to read since ... ever? ... so I can confidently say that if it weren't for my her, the only books on my shelves would have been ones like you'd find in children's section of a community library. She's the person who has single-handedly kept me from feeling like I had to rhyme all the time (it's sublime!) or speak in a funny voice (unless by choice.) (And yes, I think I'm amusing. lol)
She sends me a plethora of genres because I don't know exactly what I like--or maybe I just like everything. Sometimes I plow right through them and sometimes they sit on my shelf for a bit. Today I stumbled across one that she sent me a couple years ago that had somehow escaped its turn to be read, so I pulled it from its hiding place on the shelf and curled up on the couch with it and my hot cocoa, expecting to slip into literary bliss.
Maybe y'all have already read this one. It's Rachel Hollis's "Girl, Stop Apologizing," her follow-up work to her wildly successful, "Girl, Wash your Face."
Here are some things I need to tell you before I move on:
-I have not read "Girl, Wash your Face."
-With that title and her massive following, I totally and completely 100% thought that Rachel Hollis was one of the ladies who founded Rodan and Fields. (And who I am just now realizing must actually be named Rodan or Fields. Lord, help me. HAHAHAHA!)
-I have only just now 20 minutes ago finished reading the intro to "Girl, Stop Apologizing," so my knowledge about this book is ridiculously limited, but my opinions are rising and spilling out of me to the point that I felt I needed to share these next thoughts with you...
Sweet Rachel Hollis--for whom I have absolutely ZERO ill feelings so please don't mistake me in this--is, according to my Google search, a small town girl who became an aspiring actress---> who failed at acting and began an event planning agency---> who found that blogging was perhaps more lucrative and so started a recipe blog--->which led to her making a couple cookbooks that probably not many people had heard of until--->SHE POSTED A STORY ABOUT HER STRETCHMARKS THAT WENT VIRAL ON INSTAGRAM--->so she became a self-help mogul, building a multi-million dollar company as a best-selling author, renowned speaker, and an expert in the field of self care. (And with nary a face soap of her creation in sight. lol)
You guys. We are giving online influencers like Rachel--again, I harbor ZERO ill feelings--SO.FREAKING.MUCH. of our time and money and trust and ourselves by implementing their ideals into our daily lives. And why? To what credit? Because she's discovered the secret to success and happiness and self-love? NO!
Because we liked the bathing suit photo she took of herself, and it went viral.
(I don't want to undersell her efforts here, because as a blogger/business woman, obviously she was very savvy to capitalize on the momentum of that post and work hard to see it through to fruition--and to that I say well done.)
But the point I'm trying to make here is that many of us follow this woman and don't really know why. We assume that she knows more than us or better than us, and it's highly likely she doesn't. She's touted as an expert in the field and so we just believe that she is. She's one of the most sought-after motivational speakers of our time.
A woman with merely two more years of life lived than yours truly.
Wiser women are among us, friends. (Seriously, ZERO hard feelings, just extremely probable musings.)
I'm sure that the fame-inducing photo had to be published online at the exact moment of a convergence of lightening, because I personally know many people--some who are reading this post right now-- who have said things that are just as valuable. Just as smart. Just as moving. Just as witty. Just as true.
To be sure, success absolutely requires hard work, but crazy Princess Di stories like Rachel's often take off with a magic bullet of lucky timing...and you just can't write a self-help book about that.
Now I really am optimistic I'll find some helpful gems awaiting me in this book that I will mull over or consider putting into practice. In fact, I'm even a little hopeful for it. But I really feel like we need to look at modern day influencers with an eye of wariness.
And then perhaps our own selves with a bit (or a boatload) more credit.
Because girl, you are fine. You're just waiting on your lightning to strike.
*insert bathing suit photo here*
;)
James 3:17-18 English Standard Version (ESV)
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
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