The Book of Brave by Laura Jane Williams

You’re not fucking up like you think you are.

As soon as I heard about The Book of Brave by Laura Jane Williams I knew I had to read it. Laura’s blog, Superlatively Rude, is one of my favourites and I’m always on the lookout for more essays and non-fiction.

Laura Jane Williams is all about living her life to the fullest, something that has taken her to Austria, Russia, Malaysia, Bali, Thailand, India and Italy. She has learned a lot along the way and focuses on doing the things that scare her. No matter how small those things are.

The Book of Brave is not a self-help book. The Book of Brave is not a how-to guide. The Book of Brave is a reflection on how Laura Jane Williams decided to make the most of her life and work on liking herself.

There is no “good” and “bad”. It all just is. You just are. We all just are.

There may be times when things don’t go according to plan. These are the times when you need to stop and re-evaluate what you want from life. Sometimes you’ll make mistakes; the important thing is that you learn from them.

The thing that stuck with me most from The Book of Brave is the idea that you need to stop beating yourself up for the things you’ve done in the past. There is nothing you can do to change them. You can try your best to fix it, but they may not be fixable. Either way, there is no going back so you need to focus on the person you are now.

This may not sound like a radical notion, but Laura’s honesty enables you to look at this almost simple idea with fresh eyes. Being kind to yourself often sounds easier than it actually is. It can take time and practice. So start today.

The Book of Brave won’t tell you how to improve your own life, but it will make you more determined to ask the right questions and figure it out for yourself. And who couldn’t do with some extra motivation?