I just finished reading “Girl, Wash Your Face” by Rachel Hollis. I read it on a whim after seeing it mentioned on a few Instagram accounts I follow and since I love to read and I do enjoy a good personal development book every now and again, I read it.
Or should I say – it READ me. 
In my early twenties I dated a guy who was involved with a Multi Level Marketing business and he was always urging me to read things by Dale Carnegie, Og Mandino, and Stephen Covey. And they were great. Some of the points have always stuck with me, especially since becoming involved in direct sales again as an adult woman.
But as I read this book as a 35 year old business owner – work from home mom of two – wife – friend- daughter – sister – niece – runner – Make Up Artist – WOMAN, I realized how much I needed the perspective from a fellow woman. And how much I needed someone to grab me by the shoulders and shake me from my daily fog. 
I can’t speak for anyone but myself, but I personally battle every single day what I like to call “MOM MIND” where one singular innocent thought morphs into a million uncontrollable anxiety-inducing thoughts that are ripping every orifice of my soul into thousands of pieces – destroying all internal peace and contentment that I should be experiencing.
Or for the LESS dramatic, I overthink everything.
For example, I had a work trip scheduled for my make up and skin care business and had a strict itinerary to plan for. It should have been as simple as packing some clothes, shoes, my toiletries and downloading a new book on my Kindle app. HAHA….no. Here comes the MOM GUILT. The fact that I will be gone for five days away from my husband and kids absolutely kills me. Here comes the “I need to make sure the house is absolutely perfect before I leave” GUILT. Here comes the “I need to lose ten pounds to ensure I can look stunning in my rented dress” GUILT. And before I realize it, I am laying awake at 3 AM scrolling through social media because I can’t sleep with everything going on in my mind.
And then I realize, Rachel is screaming at me “GIRL……GET A GRIP!” And I take a deep breath and see that she is so right. The message of the book is simple, but powerful.
It is: ONLY I HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE MY LIFE.
A highlight that is mentioned early in the book is “What gives you true joy?” and “Spend more time doing that.” I let myself think about what gives me true inner joy. 
- Holding my children when they are relaxed.
- Hearing my children laugh when their daddy chases them around the house like a dinosaur.
- Having fresh flowers around the house.
- Listening to Apple Music.
- Putting on my make up without rushing.
- Iced Coffee.
- A good bottle of wine with my husband.
- Talking on the phone to my girlfriends.
- Completing an hour-long workout at OrangeTheory Fitness.
- Cooking a meal with a glass of wine in my hand with Italian music on in the background.
- Running outside on a nice day at a pace that is slow and steady.
- Sipping a hot cup of coffee under a comfy blanket.
- Going to Target, alone, for hours at a time to shop for absolutely nothing.
Some of these may sound cliché. But when I think of my life and when I am happiest, it’s usually during one of these times. I tend to be a complicated person (I mean, come on – aren’t most women?), but these things are fairly simple and achievable. Do I carve out time for things that give me true joy? Sometimes. More times than not, no. I feel like I rush around from day to day, appointment to appointment, getting in slits of happiness when we can.
As humans we were created to enjoy the earth and all the gifts that God made in us. Are we enjoying them? It took me reading this book to realize how much time I was “wasting” instead of choosing joy.
What is YOUR joy?
xoxo, Brandi’
