Page 29 - Panama City Living Magazine September-October 2019

BOOK REVIEW
GIRL, WASH YOUR FACE BY RACHEL HOLLIS
Reviewed by Laura Laspee
Originally from Pocono Lake, Pennsyl- vania, Laura is a Panama City Beach resident and is the branch manager at the Panama City Beach Public Library. She received a master’s degree in li- brary and information science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and has worked in public libraries since 2008.
Her reading habits include a prefer- ence for mysteries, autobiographies, and young adult fiction. Her hobbies include spending time with her three children and six grandchildren.
When she is not relaxing on the beach, she is learning to garden and teaching herself to play the ukulele.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE FENDER
"Girl, Wash Your Face" (2018), by the multitalented Rachel Hollis, is a book that I usually would not have read, mostly because I don’t enjoy self-help books. But, before I even read the first sentence, the title had me laughing and I was intrigued by Hollis’ professional accomplishments. She is the founder of the hugely successful lifestyle website The Chic Site is the CEO of her media company Chic Media, has written seven books, is a wife, and is the mother of four children.
The book’s sassy subtitle, “Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can’t Become Who You Were Meant to Be,” is a clever segue into several chapters that are all preceded by similar statements that Hollis identifies as lies. Telling the story behind the lie, Hollis gives in- sight about her own solutions and the things that helped her work past the lie. She writes with passion, truth, and boldness about her life and the steps she took to be the success- ful and centered person she is today.
Her personal philosophy and the key to her success is on full display. Her writing is en- tertaining and offers helpful advice, such as writing down goals and having a vision board. These tips were certainly helpful to me as I was getting my master’s degree and working full time, and they transfer perfectly to life in the real world.
Hollis’ approach is engaging and she doesn’t pretend to be anyone but herself. She writes
about the joys and tears of adoption, her weight, and the trials and tribulations of writing. Her words are like mini cheerleading sessions dedicated to helping women, or “her tribe,” as she calls her readers, to be authen- tic. She believes that every person is worth- while and has a purpose in their life.
This book has made me acutely aware that we all need to challenge ourselves to be the best selves we can be. Hollis writes about each person having the power to change their lives, how we all need to be our own hero, and stop waiting for others to fix things. She writes about taking hold of our lives and being hon- est about who we are and what we want out of our lives.
Her message is simple, funny, blunt, and in- structive. She says, “Get up, right now, scrub away the tears and pain of yesterday, and start again... Girl, Wash Your Face!”
www.PanamaCityLiving.com • September–October 2019 • 29