Brené’s book The Gifts of Imperfection can be considered as the culmination of her academic/research work – hours and hours of interviewing, digesting, dissecting and tabulating information; arriving and coining to what is now the popular term “wholehearted living.”
So, it seems unfair that someone’s heart-work; someone’s blood sweat and tears – is summarised into a few paragraphs. I hope my review brings justice to her words and the difference it has made (so far) on my outlook in life and on million others’.
The book made a whole lot of sense to me after I did her little online test on wholehearted living. It will ask you a series of questions to assess where you are on the scale of wholehearted living. The book also made more sense after I did the test.
The book encourages everyone to live wholeheartedly by embracing their authentic self. Who are you’? Do you know who you are? How do you find your authentic self? This is where you need to do the test I mentioned above. Also, each chapter is a guideposts on how to find and embrace YOU. Each chapter ends with how to apply the guidepost in your life.
The messages I personally got from the book are:
1. Wholehearted living is engaging in our lives in a place of worthiness.
2. Stop trying to fit in. Stop doing things to win the approval of “others”
3. Enjoy the simple (yet I found so profound ) things in life.
4. Have a grateful heart which leads to a joyful life.
5. A lot of wholehearted living actually reminds me of a lot of Filipino’s way of living. A lot of doing things simply because it is fun. Karaoke on the bus? What the? Why not?
6. Be creative. Do something creative.
7. Dance! Sing! It’s inherently human. It is essential in life.
8. Some days, it’s enough just to turn up.
9. Have a nap.
10. No to “perfection.”
11. I am enough. I am worthy.
When people say, stop and smell the roses. This book represents the roses. Hopefully, it’s the book that will open your hearts and minds to truly enjoying and loving yourself and life.
I definitely enjoyed the book and have actually started reading it again with more clarity and understanding. I highly recommend the book. It’s the wake up call we all need! You need to read this book!
R + WEST 