Heyoo!
I hope your year is going well so far. Glad to be here with another review. This year I challenged myself to read more non-fiction books and it’s been hard getting out of the chokehold that fiction had me in, to be honest. Hard because non-fiction often times gets you to challenge yourself and your complacency. For example, personal growth books, a genre that I’m developing quite a liking for, requires you to do some introspection on who you are and the potential to sour greater heights.
You just got to love Luvvie on this one. I’ve read numerous reviews of the first book she authored, watched her TEDx and now read the professional troublemaker twice and I must say, we all need to have read this by last year!
Especially for those in the workspace. One of the reasons I decided to re-read this was firstly because my lovely friend gifted me a paper back copy of the book and the first time, I read it was an e-version of it.
But secondly because I was started this new job and role in the corporate space and I just needed to remind myself of the invaluable lessons I got while reading this book. So why don’t I just get right into reviewing it for you!
‘’Give yourself permission to grow wildly. To transform. To change your opinions. Change is not optional. Its life’s necessary and perpetual go-to that can break out hearts, make us scream, thrill us. It will challenge us and sometimes make us wonder if we can make it past the pains of it all.’’
~ Luvvie Ajayi Jones, Professional Troublemaker, the Fear Fighter Manual.
***
Genre: Personal Growth
Pages: 284
Author: Luvvie Ajayi Jones
Rating: 5 stars
This book is sectioned into three major parts. BE, SAY and DO. Under the first part, Luvvie tasks us through her story and experiences, to be and know who and whose we are. To be able to fit into our skin perfectly and appreciate where we are at without questioning whether we are taking up a lot of space. She challenges us to own our dopeness and trust that where we are at, is exactly where we are meant to be in that season, and that God will surely take us to the next level if we trust the process.
Under the second section of SAY, Luvvie challenges us to always speak the truth, not fear failure because with failure, comes very many priceless schoolings about what not to do and what to do better. What stood out for me most in this part is setting boundaries. Both professionally and on a personal level.
‘People often feel entitled to our lives, energy, time, space and platforms. Usually, its not from malice but from habit and we are not used to creating and standing in boundaries… so why are boundaries difficult to establish? Why do we have such a hard time telling people to stop that thing we don’t like them doing when it pertains to us? Because we are concerned about ostracizing people and making them feel uncomfortable. We fear disrupting harmony, hurting feelings and seeming difficult.’
Reading this particular chapter made me realize that I find it hard to create a safe space for myself every time I agree to something that I don’t really want to do and end up grumbling about it in the end. We need to check how often we say yes to things that we aren’t really ready to do instead of grumbling the whole way while doing that thing.
In the last section of the book, DO, Luvvie encourages us to grow wildly despite the setbacks, to fire and believe in ourselves and to build a community through vulnerability, that will stick and stand by us through the changing seasons.
I must say I enjoyed re-reading this and being reminded of all these seemingly trivial and precious life lessons. Being able to know the value you bring to the table while negotiating your employment contracts; not being afraid to speak the truth and call out someone who isn’t doing the right things despite the backlash that might come with it are all amazing nuggets that you will find as you read this book.
I cant wait to read her first book.
Do let me know what you thought about this book if you’ve read it and what life lessons have you taken from personal growth books?
Cheers!