Book Review: You Are A Badass

"Is your fear greater than your faith in the unknown (and yourself)? Or is your faith in the unknown (and yourself) greater than your fear."

Jen Sincero has now become one of my favorite people.  She had SO MUCH to say in this book that really resonated with me.  Maybe it was because she was so blunt and a tad vulgar at times that I really enjoyed her wit.  Most of what she had to say was painfully true about my life and I'm sure about just about everybody's. 

One of my favorite messages she kept throwing in yoru face time and time again was this:  You need to go from wanting to change your life, to deciding to change your life.  How can such a simple message pack so much punch.  This was the basic message she pushed and pushed through the entire book.  You have to DECIDE what you want out of life and go get it.  Wanting something is all mental but deciding to get it is when action takes place. 

Jen says in the beginning of the book that she used to be one of those people that thought all the self help book and seminars and motivational speeches and quotes were just a lame gimic that were nothing more than a money scheme.  I have to say I believed the same thing.  Until she DECIDED that she wanted to do change her life, those things meant nothing to her, and now she is writing books about them for a living. 

"If you want to live a life you've never lived, you have to do something you have never done."  No one can possibly expect their life to suddenly change when they have been doing the same thing every single day.  Something HAS to change in order for change to happen.  Saying that out loud sounds really stupid and the world "duh" should quickly follow.  But even though it is common sense, most people just don't put this all together, or at least do something about.  Often they are too afraid to make the change necessary because it will take them out of their comfort zone. 

"Most people are living in an illusion based on someone else's beliefs"  Holy cow, how true is this?  I had never really stopped to think about how I am living and if I am doing what I am doing because I want to do it or if it is because I think it is what other people want or expect from me.  We spend far too much of our lives worrying about what others will think of it.  We lose sight of what our purpose here is and that we must do what WE want to be happy and stop trying to please everyone because that is impossible anyway.   She dedicated an entire section to the importance of self-love, in a good way, not vanity or narcissism.  She gives sound advice and explanation about the following ways to begin to love yourself

1. Appreciate how special you are
2. Drown yourself in affirmations
3. Do things you love
4. Find a replacement
5. Ditch the self-deprecating humor
6. Let the love in
7. Don't compare yourself to others
8. Forgive yourself
9. Love yourself.

***If you want more explanation on those 9 things then I guess you will have to read the book. ***

Faith is also a huge part of this book and was one of the things I loved the most.  It doesn't necessarily call it religion but rather the BELIEF that there is a higher power or energy that controls everything, some call it religion, but it goes by many other names.  As long as we can tap into that power and channel it into what we want, a name is not important.  The energy is out there and ready and willing for us to use it, as long as we are willing to put our trust in the energy.   She does focus on God a little, but not in a way that would offend anyone or call her a fanatic after reading this.  She does say, however, that once she "decided to give good ole God a chance", she began to feel better about herself, started believing in it and then the shifts started to happen in her life.  I try to have faith and let the Lord take me where he thinks I need to go but it is really hard some days.  Reading about how she didn't even BELIEVE at first and is now TEACHING about the amazing things God can do when you put faith in him revived my own personal faith a little. 

I have probably already spoiled more of this book than I should have.  You really aren't going to get the same affect reading this blog as you would reading the book yourself.  It will speak to everyone differently and if you are looking for something to give you a good kick in the rear to help you turn yoru life around, I HIGHLY suggest this book.  It is like cold water to the face to help you wake up and see the possibilities out there waiting for you.