I Want to Be a Badass Too
Over the years I’ve picked up a self-help book here or there, but quite honestly, I have rarely enjoyed or even finished the books that I paid good money for. Why? Well, I found most to be a bit cheesy and ridiculously repetitive. Others were just so poorly written that I found it almost painful to continue reading. But then after listening to Jen Kutcher’s podcast interview with the author, I picked up Jen Sincero’s book You Are a Badass .
In spite of my past experience with self-help books, I was optimistic about this one. During Kutcher’s podcast, Sincero was witty and sassy, which made me like her immediately. She came across as the kind of person who didn’t take herself too seriously and whom I would want to hang out with. So, a week ago I got comfy on the couch and dug in. I was not disappointed.
Sincero delivered on the wit and sass. She was relatable and real, so even though my own life looks nothing like hers, I found myself identifying with the stories she told. And never once did I feel like the book was cheesy or redundant. In fact, I found myself constantly dog earring pages and highlighting excerpts because there was so much good stuff that I wanted to be able to come back and really reflect on the things that hit me the most.
For example, I’m a firm believer in the power of energy. If I walk into a room full of people who are putting out positive vibes, who are energized and excited, or who are taking positive action, I am immediately uplifted and motivated by their energy. If, however, I find myself surrounded by a bunch of complainers, Debbie downers, or people who are more interested in feeling sorry for themselves than in taking any real action, guess what…I get sucked right into the quagmire of their discontent. So, imagine my excitement when Sincero opened chapter 2 with the following quote from inventor and physicist Nikola Tesla: “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.” I don’t want to give all the juicy details of Sincero’s book away, because I really think you should read it if you are in any way struggling with where you are not being where you truly want to be (Hello…that’s most of us, right?), but the way she addresses the importance of the energy we put out and her discussion on how essential it is for us to raise our vibration or frequency if we are going to receive the outcome we seek…Well, it was inspiring.
The inspiration didn’t stop there. You Are a Badass is full of those moments that cause one to pause and contemplate. There were so many times in reading the book that I found myself stopping and getting real, asking myself if I was hitting the mark or if I was falling short. I’m disappointed to say that I am falling short in many ways, but having Sincero call me on my shit over and over again has lit a fire within me. It has me wanting to face my fears, address my weaknesses, and bulldoze through the obstacles trying to prevent me from claiming the life I so deserve. I now have quotes from the book written on notecards and taped up around my office. I’ve been using her words of wisdom when talking to the people in my classes at the yoga studio. I’ve even flipped back and reread my favorite parts throughout the week.
We’ve all heard the saying “Life is short.” In fact, you’ve probably said it yourself a time or too. And it’s true. Time flies by, and the older we get that faster it seems to move, yet too often we just watch time drift away, and then we make excuses for why we don’t have the job we want, or the partner we seek, or the lifestyle we desire. Now is the time to change that, to take the reins, to face your fears, to create the life of your dreams. Take a step in that direction. Pick up Jen Sincero’s book You Are a Badass. Give it a read – make sure to have a highlighter and notebook handy. When your done, let me know what you think. I’d love to know if it resonated with you the way it did with me. I have pages of notes…let’s compare. You can send your thoughts and insights to me, Brooke, at hello@thewonderfill.com. I look forward to hearing from you.