If you know me by all at now, you know that I love to read and I love to listen to podcasts. When our local library joined cloudLibrary, I was so excited. Audiobooks for free is amazing. I sometimes find 10 books I want to listen to all at once. And other times, the selection that interests me is at, zero. It has been interesting to see what books would not hold my attention if I had to read them, but I’m drawn to the voice reading them. Sometimes, though, when a book would be hard to sit down and read, the person reading it doesn’t make me want to listen any longer either. Luckily, this book was both a great read and smooth to listen to.
I just came across Get Your Sh*t Together by Sarah Knight this last week. And oh my goodness! I wasn’t drawn to the book because I felt I need to get my stuff together. But I feel so drawn to improve myself anyhow, after listening. I have no desire or calling to move to a tropical island. I have a great husband I don’t need to leave. And my job, well, I already have a dream job.
Even though I largely have my keys, phone, and wallet in place, I still felt as though I could relate to Sarah. In the book, she compares people to Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. It was funny to listen too, and I for sure have tendencies of all three chipmunks. So much so, that I don’t even think I can pick the one chipmunk I most strongly resemble.
As I write about this book, it sounds comical in my head that I liked it so much. She said you’d be a chipmunk, but I’m all three. She said you need to keep track of your keys, phone, and wallet, and I do. She talked about all the areas people need to get there crap together, and I am largely okay in all those areas. However, don’t believe the illusion that my life is perfect. Or that nothing about my life can improve. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I just have been practicing what all the self help books preach for so long, that I am happy in my current life as I work to make improvements I want and desire.
A few years ago, I read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and it changed me for the better. It started me down the whole self help rabbit hole. (I even blogged about the books I read here). Hal Elrod talks often about how he would rather read the same book 10 tens, and apply a new thing every time than read 10 books and never apply anything. I would agree. However, I largely don’t reread books. I do try to jot down one or two takeaways from each book I read though. That way, when I look back over the list, I can do a little gut check that I have actually continued any habits and patterns I created from reading any particular book in the first place.
One of the quotes from the book “You can’t give of yourself to others if there’s nothing left of yourself to give, can you?” stuck out with me. I know, I know, I preach that you need to take care of yourself. I firmly believe in putting your oxygen mask on first, before helping others. So maybe it doesn’t hit home because I need to hear it. Maybe it stuck out because it resonates so well with me. Or maybe, it was the giving yourself to others that struck me. I have such a desire to give of myself to others, but lately I have found myself making myself a priority. And that has caused some of the others in my life to fall back from back burner to simmer.
The other part of the book that really spoke to me was “Strategize, focus, commit. That’s what getting your shit together looks like.” I love to plan, and I’m not a quitter. But the focus, yea, that is a struggle for me. Listening to the book, it became clear to me that while I plan one thing, I don’t make a strategy of the big picture. So then, it is hard to focus because I bounce around when a new idea pops it’s head up.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the book. If you haven’t read it, or listened to it, yet, I strongly encourage you to do so. If you have a book suggestion for me, drop that in the comments too. I’m always looking for my next favorite book, although, I feel as though this one will be my favorite for a while.
