Welcome to Read, Shake, Appreciate! This is your fortnightly round-up of words that made me feel inspired, songs that made me shake my ass, and people who I think deserve some spotlight.
This week I’m reading:
The Female Lead Volume II, We Rise By Lifting Others edited by Edwina Dunn
This week a book filled with the portraits and stories of 67 inspirational women was released, and your girl just happens to be in it! This came through mid-pandemic whilst I was experiencing very frequent “my entire career is over” anxiety, and I’m doing my best to allow myself to feel proud now that it’s come out. 🥰 I figured I’d share an excerpt from my interview with you all here, since your support makes all the things I do possible – thank you, really. 💜 The book (P.s. if you’re a teacher/student, you can nominate your school or university to receive a free copy of this book, here’s the link)
“If my teenage self could see me now… She wouldn’t be able to believe that I’ve become a woman that thinks there’s more to life than the body she has. I wish I’d been able to accept back then that life is messy. Often, we grab onto things we can control as a way of feeling we have power. For me, that was my body. I thought: ‘If I can make this thing perfect then everything will be OK’. I wish I could have relaxed a bit more with the messiness and not felt as though I had to be in complete control.”
This week I’m shaking to:
Let ‘Em Say by Lizzo & Caroline Smith
A wildly under-appreciated 2014 Lizzo classic that more people deserve in their lives.
This week I’m appreciating:
Comedian, author, podcaster, unrelentingly honest Danish person. You might know Sofie from their multiple podcasts, maybe you’ve been lucky enough to catch them doing real life or online stand-up, or perhaps you’re already double-tapping the crap out of their content on Instagram. If none of the above applies to you, click some of the links I’ve hidden in this paragraph!
I think what I admire most about Sofie is their commitment to not pretending they’re a perfect, shiny, all-knowing superhuman. They do their learning out loud and their growth openly, which is super fucking refreshing on the internet. They also have a very good dog.
That’s all for this week my loves, thank you for reading and please remember that if your reading/listening/followings lists are already overwhelming you are under zero obligation to take any more from me! Sending love, you’re doing great. 💜
Also should have said that her song Soulmate is possibly my favorite 'love yourself' song. No one could really be that way all the time, but I'm shooting for every now and then 🙂
Oh well now, that Lizzo song has been stuck in my head on repeat all morning! 🥰 Great earworm to have, lol Going to check out Sophie's stuff now 💜💜💜