If you haven’t figured out by now that I don’t really do “Book Reviews,” I just ramble on about what I think about the books I read and how I can make them applicable to my life, here I go again. I am on the search for purpose and meaning through investigation and observation.   Hence, I read the book "Didn't See That Coming" by Rachel Hollis because I was a Rachel fan.  After reading the book, while also slowly getting over the news of her divorce, I have to say that I am still a fan.  I don't know what this girl is selling, but I have a tendency to buy it!

First, I have to explain my relationship with motivation. It started with a little Les Brown and Jim Rohn.  Then I moved into listening to Lisa Nichols and Marie Forleo.  I liked it.  At the time I needed the motivation.  At the time I was prescribed this because my soul was so heavy from other things.  But here goes the thing about motivation, it wasn't made for us to consume it for everlasting nourishment.  NOPE.  The things that are created in this world are meant to treat an ailment, but then you have to move on.

 

I used to need a certain type of music all of the time.  I have slowly moved into listening to Christian music that feeds my soul.  I used to need to be in church all of the time to receive acknowledgement and praise for my work.  I don't need this anymore.  Motivation used to be an addiction for me.  Pleasing people used to be an addiction for me. You can fill in the blank with whatever addiction you used to have.

 

I used to eat too much, but now

I used to work too much, but now

I used to shop too much, but now

I used to drink too much, but now

I used to smoke too much, but now

I used to want to be in control too much, but now

I used to watch too much TV, but now

I used to do church too much, but now!

 

Sometimes we get caught in a cycle of doing these things.  We are always working to grow out of the things that we kind of know aren't good for us. We have to become aware of what we do too much of and realize how it hurts our soul instead of growing our souls.  So, yeah.  I used to need too much motivation.  And right at the top of the pyramid of my motivation high was Rachel Hollis.

 

It has taken me almost 6 months to address the mourning that I felt about Rachel and Dave’s divorce.  I had been motivated by their marriage, their words, their conferences, their story and business success. I didn’t  know that I had made a mistake of feeding my flesh too much motivation until that food had turned sour in my stomach.  A lot of what I had eaten was BAD BAD BAD.  Some of it was good, but what happens when you mix the bad with the good?  GURRRLLL, you get the “HERSHEY SQUIRTS”

 

Emotional releases are necessary, but they can sometimes be messy.  They are stinky and often uncomfortable.  What you are reading now is me in the aftermath of my release.  More graphically put, this is the sticky watery contents of what came out of my experience with motivation.  Afterwards,  I realized that I was dehydrated and tired.  So much came out.  So much. 

 

Many flushes later, I am ready to forgive Rachel of her lies, her misdirection and her inability to conduct a formal apology, “Girl stop not Apologizing.” Anyway, I am looking past the mistakes and holding on to the “Wisdom.” She knows something.  I read books because I know that the person writing it has found out something about living this life journey.  Here goes the thing about Rachel.  She knows something.  She might not know what she knows but she is teaching it to us.  And despite her flaws the Lord has chosen her to teach.  She is teaching us something.  I think that instead of people attacking her and the way that she makes decisions, we should be praying for her strength.  We should be praying that the Lord continues to cover her through her journey.  No one is immune from making mistakes or taking wrong turns.  Furthermore, no one but the Lord is in position to judge Rachel's right or wrong moves.  Hence, I am still team Rachel.

 

I believe my mistake was being motivated by Rachel and Dave's success.  Once my concept of their success was shaken, then I began to question my perceptions of life.  I began to question my decision making process. When my perception of what was right and true became shattered into a million little  pieces I fell apart. Friends, I didn't see that coming!

 

 

The first book that I read for the year 2021 was Rachel Hollis’s “I Didn’t See That Coming.”  Rachel gets a lot of critique about trying to relate to her audience with little stories about passing gas, having diarrhea,  or incognizance.  She is often accused of being fake and being misleading about her life.  To that I say, bowlnashards!  That is just a little word I made up because I gave myself the liberty to do so.  I feel like Rachel gave herself the liberty to think freely, to write, to mold an image of herself online that would create a business.  I feel like Rachel is her own woman who writes because she wants to really help people.  So, to all the haters, good for you for doing your job, but this book was good.  I think it is between Rachel and God to know what the motivation behind it really was.  All in all, the content of the book was helpful to me.

 

“I Didn’t See That Coming” was a book about mourning, about pain, and about the power it will take to push through hard times.  The value of her writing down her experiences is immeasurable to the effects it will have on the minds reading it.  I think that the stories were powerful and purposeful.  Although I am not a “Trekkie” or understand any references to “Klingons” I'm still a fan of Rachel's writing talent.  She is such a strong writer and a strong storyteller that she delivers her message clearly over and over.  Here’s the message:

 

Life is hard, almost more of the time then some of the time.  HOWEVER, you are provided all of the tools you need to work towards something better for your life.  You are the one who needs to do the work.  If you make those hard decisions to do the work, then you will be better for it.

 

I think that Rachel is at the top of her coaching game in this one.  So, although she is not a “licensed” therapist, I think her work is valuable.  Her reflections and her deductions make sense to me and readers should take what they can from her opinions about life.  If she can use  a creative outlet to move on through her divorce, through a global pandemic, through her miscalculations, through the relationship with her parents, and through her brother’s death, I think there is value in her observation.  Be part of the “Do” team.  Be part of the “PUSH Through” team. 

 

In closing, the book is worth the read.  At least get the audible version.  For the purpose of helping with perspective in interpreting how other people see grief or deal with grief, I think the book is valuable.  We all have different experiences with death, with mourning, and with how we process these events.  For me, I write.  I wrote a whole series about Dave and Rachel because I needed to understand why I felt the way I felt.  I needed to gain an understanding of how I consumed motivation.  Moving forward, I will not consume Rachel and Dave as the "know all gurus" for my life's problems.  That was a mistake.  Instead, I will take it for what it is: motivation as a boast to get myself moving towards my own purpose.

 

Your Motivation for Monday:

Don't waste your Motivation.  Do the Work.  You will be better for it.

 

 

 

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Psalm 139:14

 

 

This blog is dedicated to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the coming of his Kingdom.  Therefore all content is God centered and adheres to the word of God.  My Goal is to motivate you to find your purpose.