Book Review – Year Of Yes by Shonda Rhimes – Part I

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If you have not read Year of Yes, by Shonda Rhimes, I would highly suggest it. One Thanksgiving morning as she was chopping onions, her sister said to her, You never say yes to anything.” Below are some of my favorite parts of her book.

  • Say Yes: Shonda expresses “I no longer want to answer any challenge with no…the cost is much too high.” She continues that sliding down to the bottom of the mountain (where she just stays home and says no to everything) is comfortable and easy, but no longer an option.

Saying yes to courage is saying yes to life. – Shonda Rhimes

  • Compliments: She states accept thank you with a smile and nothing more. Give yourself permission to accept the compliment and don’t apologize for it. This allows you to appreciate the compliment.  She says “Thank you, smile, shut up.”

When you negate someone’s compliment, you are telling them they are wrong. – Shonda Rhimes

  • Badassery: Shonda proceeds to discuss Badassery. This is her definition –

Badassery – 1 (noun) the practice of knowing one’s own accomplishments and gifts, accepting one’s own accomplishments and celebrating one’s own accomplishments and gifts. 2 (noun) the practice of living life with swagger.  SWAGGER (noun or verb) a state of being that involves being oneself; waking up “like this” and not giving a crap what anyone else thinks about you. Term first coined by William Shakespeare.

She declares Wonder Woman is a bad ass. If someone gives her a compliment, she doesn’t say “Well, saving the world is not that big of a deal” or “Anyone could have done it.” No, anyone could not have saved the world. Take your compliment. Don’t make yourself small or try to be invisible. Don’t downplay YOU.

It’s not bragging if you can back it up. – Muhammad Ali

  • Success: Shonda’s father would state,  “The only obstacle to your success is in your own imagination.”

She reveals when she finally achieved success, she was unhappy. Many of her writer friends were still struggling as Grey’s Anatomy became a hit and she was suddenly on the outside looking in. She had to learn to be comfortable with success.

Shonda adds we can feel our power by making the Wonder Woman pose. Put your hands on your hips while standing straight up and confident. Peter Pan had this same pose. This pose is stating I am comfortable and confident with who I am. Feel the wonder that is you. Accept it and be a badass. Say to yourself, I am strong. I am invincible. I am Wonder Woman! Now Helen Ready ‘s song is singing in my head. ♥

Remember, whatever follows I am is what you are. – Lynn Lok-Payne

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