Review: Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis

Rachel Hollis is a force to be reckoned with. A powerful businesswoman, a mother to four children, a wife, and a social influencer with millions of followers, she is owning it. Yet despite her fabulous aesthetic and seemingly flawless life, she remains so pure, so real. Here is a woman who uses her platform to improve the lives of others, through advice, support, conviction and empowerment.

Girl, Stop Apologizing is Hollis’ eighth book, and is a hard-hitting friend when you need it. This book is filled with truths (some harder to digest than others), tips, revelations, encouragement and so much love. Divided into three parts – excuses to address, behaviours to adopt, and skills to acquire – this book is a fun, easy to follow roadmap to personal success, whatever form that may be in your life. Step by step, Hollis takes your hand and shows you a whole new world (cue Aladdin music and anime eyes) in which you can be the best version of yourself, and encourage others to do the same. What I most admire is that despite being kind and loving, Hollis doesn’t mislead or sugar coat her message – she is the first to admit that the path to a new you is filled with obstacles, inclines, dark patches, and the occasional failure, but she is adamant that these pitfalls should not slow you down, nor stop you. That right there; priceless.

Rachel Hollis is officially my hero, and shall henceforth be known as my personal guru. I am well aware of the cliché I’m about to unleash on you, but this book changed my life. I don’t think I have ever, with full sincerity, said that about a book before. I had to pause reading several times to attempt her challenges, to ponder, and to process. After reading this book, I felt as though someone had shined a flashlight into my brain, illuminating hidden things that so badly wanted to see the light of day. I have realized a goal I had not realized I had, and acknowledged that I am struggling with issues shared by women all over the world, only now I have the tools to begin working on them. I feel invigorated, relieved, and hopeful, and I owe that to Rachel Hollis, and the awesome publishers who decided to send me a copy of this book (which, in all honestly, I will be loaning to every woman I know and insisting that they read it).

Women (and men, we’re all friends here), please read this book. Absorb Hollis’ message that you are awesome and can do anything, and let her show you how.

Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis is published by HarperCollins Leadership, and is available in South Africa from Jonathan Ball Publishers.