I just finished an awesome book and am feeling like a bit of an evangelist for it.  As soon as I was three pages into it, I thought, “Everybody I know has to read this book!  Right now!”  So should you feel inspired to pick up a book just because little old me recommends it, here’s my review:

Brene Brown The Gifts of Imperfection.  A truly life changing book.  It talks about how to become enough for yourself.  Rather than compare yourself or try to live up to people’s expectations, let yourself be enough.  There’s a lot of talk in there about how to overcome shame and an amazing bit on what hope actually is.  (Hint: it’s not an emotion.)  I read this in no time flat and it just sang to me.  It’s one of those books you pick up again and again because it’s so wise.  Brene bases her book on her research into vulnerability and shame, sharing with readers the results of literally tens of thousands of interviews.  From those interviews, she teases apart what people who are living their lives wholeheartedly have in common.  Unfortunately for me, very few of the things on that list apply to me, but she gives wonderful advice on how to change that.  Since finishing it last week, I’ve been dipping back into it daily.  When a friend asked if she could borrow it, I went and bought her a copy of her own since mine is now dog eared and full of underlines and marginalia that read, “Wow!  That is so true!”  “That is so me.” And, “That’s a quote to memorize!”  Clearly, I couldn’t allow anyone else to see my facile exclamations, (because I haven’t mastered that ability to allow myself to be vulnerable to people reading that and judging me on my inane comments!)  Luckily, in depth perusal of the text and the soul searching  it sparks will have me one day lending my original copy, marginalia and all, without shame.