Attention all bookworms! C’mon, I know there are some of you left out there. During the boring, snowy nights I spent hiding from my family over winter break, I had a great new book to read. Now, I want to share it with all of you because it did not disappoint. Power Your Happy is a self-help guide in the form of an autobiography from the founder of POPSUGAR, Lisa Sugar. In this detailed retelling of her life, Sugar outlines the moments that led to finding her passion and how she stayed true to herself and her values throughout some of the most transformative moments of her life. Looking through personal moments of a woman who strives to have it all reminds every woman how they, too, can have it all.
I know many of us are tentative to wander into the self-help section of the bookstore (if bookstores even exist anymore) to look for a book that can help us with our latest qualms because we always have our lives together, right? Wrong. In her book, Sugar provides her own experiences with the more disappointing parts of entering the workforce. Whether it’s building a great resume, nailing that interview or getting along with your co-workers, Sugar provides a unique perspective by sharing what she experienced in her early years in the workforce, along with an inside scoop on what attracts employers. Beyond that, Sugar gives a personal look into moments when she felt dissatisfied with her job or her path and how she turned a hobby into a career.
After many years working in entertainment and believing she was on her path to success, Sugar noticed that her passions, writing and entertainment, were falling to the wayside. She reminds us of a fact we so often forget: if something doesn’t feel right, it’s probably time for a change. Once she recognized the potential for these hobbies to become a career, she found the courage to go out on a limb and launch a company and career that completely aligned with who she is and encourages everyone to do the same. In an aptly named chapter “Just Do It”, Sugar encourages, “… don’t wait for someone to hire you to do it.” Noting it’s not necessarily an easy journey, Sugar emphasizes the importance of doing what you love regardless of the difficulties. Pushing through to find ultimate career satisfaction is integral in “making your own happy.”
Expanding upon the idea of total happiness, Sugar makes a point to note all the important aspects of any woman’s life. Relationships, friendships, beauty, and healthy living: Sugar talks about it all and encourages you to build your own dream team of friends and family and a routine that satisfies your passions and continues to make you your happiest self every day. Look for the friends who will support your ideas, a family or significant other who will encourage you, a self-love for a look that is unique to you and your own version of a healthy life-style with the occasional guilty pleasures. She reminds us to invest in things that bring us joy and to not be afraid to leave behind things that no longer serve us.
No matter what topic of life is being covered, Sugar emphasizes the importance of doing what you love every single day, regardless of how unachievable it may seem. ‘Having it all’ will mean something different to everyone, but we can all agree being happy should not be left out of the mix. If you want to hear from someone who is able to live by their own passions every day or need a fix of encouraging girl-power, I strongly suggest looking into Power Your Happy from the creative mind of Lisa Sugar.