By Rachel Hanrahan, Digital Content Specialist
From the April 2019 Lessiter Link newsletter
Rachel Hollis' Girl, Wash Your Face details the truths of what it takes to be real with yourself. Hollis motivates us to do what we can every day to get one step closer to our dreams. If the only thing getting you closer to your dreams today is that you washed your face, well, way to go! That means you took care of yourself and kept doing what needed to be done. Some days, that is all we can ask of ourselves.
Each of the 20 chapters in Girl, Wash Your Face addresses a different lie we tell ourselves. Below are the ones that resonated with me most and what Hollis has to say about them.
Something else will make you happy. Happy people do exist. If you're unhappy, you're not prioritizing yourself and that is on you. We are all overwhelmed in some way, but truly happy people have accepted that life has its ups and downs. Take control of your happiness and do what it takes to find joy.
I'll start tomorrow. If you have a friend that constantly flakes on plans, do you believe them when they make promises? Probably not. The same applies to the promises you make to yourself. If you tell yourself you're going to eat better and then eat 3 donuts, you just flaked on yourself. Commit to things you can follow through on. Respect yourself by keeping the promises you make to yourself.
I'm better than you. We all have a compulsion to compete with our peers. Hollis has 3 tips to deal with this:
- Look for nonjudgmental friends who build you up.
- Work hard on policing yourself when thinking judgmentally.
- Find out what is really making you lash out at others. Often our negative behaviors and reactions stem from our own insecurities.
No is the final answer. No is only an answer if you accept it. If you keep hearing "no," change your course of action and try again. The only thing worse than giving up is wishing that you hadn't.
I should be further along by now. List out everything you've accomplished to date. Give yourself some grace because chances are you are too hard on yourself.
I will never get past this. When going through a hard time, remind yourself of what you've lived through already. Reflect on the good that resulted from your past hardships and look forward to the positive things that can result from what you're going through now.
I need a hero. Stop hiding out. Stop any negative self-talk. Take control of what happens next, because you are the only person that will make sure your dreams come true. Everyone else is busy chasing their own.
