To say 2017 has been a trying year would be an understatement. I tell myself daily that my troubles are a walk in the park for others, and while that may still be the case, the struggles and frustrations I have faced in the past 3.25 months have been some of the biggest challenges I have been blessed to face. Yep. You read that right; I feel blessed to have dealt with these woes. 

Like I said, for most, these issues would be nothing, but for me, it challenged me in a deeper way. It lead me to face the frustration, disappointment, and my streak of bad luck dead on, and let me tell you, I did not handle it with grace. I whined, complained and pretty much kicked & screamed my way through it all. I got through it, but I added so much unnecessary stress to my life. 

While all of this was going on, I stumbled on a review for the book You Are A Badass over on Bloguettes, and I thought to myself, "this sounds like the book you need to read." Boy was I right. Jen Sincero managed to write a "self help" book without making readers feel dumb that they were reading a self help book. Her concepts are so simple in their basic nature that it makes you go W.T.F have I been doing to myself all of these years. It boils down to this. We all have our choices; that is the one and only thing we can control. How we respond to criticism or what hobby or goal we pursue.  

This blog of mine has always been something I've loved and enjoyed. It's never been work, but rather, it's been a way for me to express who I am. I'm not perfectly polished with a high-end photographer snapping my photos. My life isn't staged. This is me; this is who I am. I've made excuses time and time again for why I don't make this a priority in my life since I love it so much. But the long and the short of it is, that whatever you love or enjoy doing, you should give it as much attention as humanly possible. Trust me, it makes a difference. 

Now that I've typed my heart out, I'll ask this of you. Forgo that overly expensive (and unhealthy) lunch of yours and spend the $8 (plus shipping) this book costs. There is a reason it's trending, and it will truly challenge you to change the way you are thinking and embrace who you truly are. 

If you have read the book, I would love to know how it changed your point of view on life or what you thought of it in the comments below!