I’m reading more books these days; especially those that help to inspire and motivate me to continue on my path to greatness.  These last couple weeks, I have had the pleasure of reading Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes.  I picked up this book because I had been listening to a lot of Shonda Rhimes’ speeches and she really spoke to my soul!  So I had to get to know her a little more.  Year of Yes gave me insight into Shonda Rhimes the person; she is very intriguing.

Shonda’s parents encouraged her creative/imaginative side as a child and she became an entertainment industry giant. I plan to instill this same concept in my son.  I want him to know that it’s okay to not be like everyone else, it’s okay to be more talented than everyone else, and it’s okay to be happy with who are.  You don’t need anyone’s permission to be yourself and love yourself.

Here are 10 points from her book that really inspired me:

1. She recognizes that she is unhappy and she does something about it.
2. She faces her fears and decides to say yes to everything that takes her out of her comfort zone.
3. Though she faces her fears, she faces them her own way. She doesn’t compromise her beliefs and everything that she says yes to turns out to be enjoyable experiences.
4. She speaks about women helping each other and having each other’s back. She challenges us to ask for help and be willing to give help.
5. She stresses the importance of taking time to love yourself, give love to others, and receive love from others.
6. She’s not self-deprecating or humble; she knows how fantastic she is.
7. She speaks about the glass ceiling being slowly broken by the women who came before her. They made it a little easier for her to be able to do what she’s doing.
8. She gives us (women) permission to be okay with being great.
9. A quote from her father, “The only obstacle to your success is your own imagination”.
10. She reminds herself that she’s not lucky! She’s talented, smart, hardworking, and she has taken advantage of the opportunities provided to her.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  Shonda Rhimes’ writing is exquisite. She is very personable and relatable. I learned that to be my best self, I have to put my happiness first.  Also, I learned that facing your fears can be the most fulfilling experience ever.  I have recently began my Year of Yes.  I will keep you posted on my journey.

To read my first Women’s History Month feature on Shonda Rhimes, click here.

Speak to you soon!

Daneisha