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tatiana2207's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
kellylellyreads's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
4.0
This was one that I listened to in chunks. It was nice to come back to something that challenged and encouraged me.
indigo78180's review against another edition
3.0
I'm surprised this book came out post-2020. It feels like something that would've been written around 2018 or something. The ideas in this book I have heard a million times, from a million different places. There's nothing unique about this book. Probably useful for some people, but it was very underwhelming for me.
klimon's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
holly_keimig's review against another edition
5.0
This book is inspiring. As someone who has often been afraid recently, this was just the thing I needed to pick up when I did. I figured since Jenny Lawson and Elizabeth Gilbert were both recommending it highly, it would be awesome, and it was. I'm excited the author has other books and they are definitely going on my to-read list. Luvvie starts the book telling you to figure out and understand where you come from and what you stand for and then learn to trust in those things and honor them. I am still working on my "oriki", but it seems like a very good Nigerian tradition/thought exercise to help you remember who you are. She then talks about all the things you can say and do to move past fear in your life. Her voice is like a good friend helping you along and telling you what you need to hear even if you don't want to listen sometimes. At one point when she was talking about feeling imposter syndrome, she asked the question "Why NOT you?" and that has really stuck with me. I may not feel like the most qualified person, but I have something that helped someone else or that they noticed and I'll work hard to go after whatever it is that needs done. This is one that I need to own so I can reference it when trying to push past all the scary things in life. Her faith in herself, God, and her family is so refreshing to witness. I highly recommend picking this one up.
A couple of my favorites quotes from the book:
p.25 "If you are too big, then it's a reflection that the place you're in is too small for you. It isn't your job to get smaller to fit there, but to find a place that is bigger than you so you can take up all the space you want and grow infinitely. Anyplace that demands you shrink is a place that will suffocate your spirit and leave you gasping for air. Who wins? Not you. Not anyone, really, because the version of you they will get is the diet, fake-sugar, stevia version that probably has a bad aftertaste. They might THINK that's a great version because you're so dope that even you at half capacity is more on point than you expect. BUT they don't get the you who is free to show up and be your best, because you are spending time trying to be representative of whatever they think is palatable. And that constant shrinking and dwindling is how giants get locked in cages. You don't belong in a cage simply because it's where others want you to be."
p.268 "How free would we be if we weren't being tethered down by other people's anxieties, doubts, and insecurities? How high could we fly if people weren't pulling at our ankles to keep us grounded to earth because that's where they are? You deserve to be free of other people's weight. You deserve to be unbuckled from other people's doubts. You carry enough of your own. We all deserve to walk light. When people try to drop their bags of fears at our feet, let us drop-kick the bag back to them. We don't want it. I'm not holding your doubts. I'm not making space in MY LIFE for YOUR angst. I will not sleep under a blanket of your dread. It's not mine to carry. No thank you."
A couple of my favorites quotes from the book:
p.25 "If you are too big, then it's a reflection that the place you're in is too small for you. It isn't your job to get smaller to fit there, but to find a place that is bigger than you so you can take up all the space you want and grow infinitely. Anyplace that demands you shrink is a place that will suffocate your spirit and leave you gasping for air. Who wins? Not you. Not anyone, really, because the version of you they will get is the diet, fake-sugar, stevia version that probably has a bad aftertaste. They might THINK that's a great version because you're so dope that even you at half capacity is more on point than you expect. BUT they don't get the you who is free to show up and be your best, because you are spending time trying to be representative of whatever they think is palatable. And that constant shrinking and dwindling is how giants get locked in cages. You don't belong in a cage simply because it's where others want you to be."
p.268 "How free would we be if we weren't being tethered down by other people's anxieties, doubts, and insecurities? How high could we fly if people weren't pulling at our ankles to keep us grounded to earth because that's where they are? You deserve to be free of other people's weight. You deserve to be unbuckled from other people's doubts. You carry enough of your own. We all deserve to walk light. When people try to drop their bags of fears at our feet, let us drop-kick the bag back to them. We don't want it. I'm not holding your doubts. I'm not making space in MY LIFE for YOUR angst. I will not sleep under a blanket of your dread. It's not mine to carry. No thank you."
khuizenga's review against another edition
3.0
I will admit, I don’t generally do this kind of self help book, so take my review with a grain of salt. I actually loved Luvvie’s description of her grandmother and all the lessons she learned from her. That is really the heart of this book and it is beautiful. The rest of the lessons are easy to know but hard to do, so while they don’t necessarily feel profound reading them, there is a 100% chance I’m not living up to them fully. If you are a fan of the genre, you will probably quite enjoy this.
shardeesbookshelf's review
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Enjoyed this. Lots of great advice for the stage im at in my professional career. Some examples resonated a lot, some of the religious stuff I didn’t love but appreciated how it wasn’t forced down your throat. I’m a big fan of Luvvie’s & loved listening to her read the book