Rachel Hollis is the Mentor I Never Knew I Needed
A few years ago when I was still in college and on my student newspaper, I interviewed Rachel Hollis after a photo of hers went viral.
She’d posted a photo of herself in a bikini while on vacation. Clearly visible were the stretch marks on her tummy that most people try to hide or Photoshop. People loved her authenticity and realness in a time when social media was starting to take over.
After interviewing her, I was blown away at the advice I’d received.
“Whatever you’re going to have, whatever life is going to be, wherever you’re going to go career-wise, or in your relationship, whoever you’re going to become, you’re not going to become that person tomorrow, or next week, or even next month,” she said, “You become that person over time.”
Rachel has recognized her own advice and is starting to reap the benefits of the girl who put in the hard work and wasn’t afraid to take chances.
But, she had the same passion and drive that got her to exactly where she is now. She became someone I admired - I religiously read her blog, The Chic Site, and her social media posts, devouring the encouraging messages she’d post about not giving up on yourself and the goals you have for your future.
Over the course of the last few years, I’ve seen her go from someone I simply knew as an event planner and blogger, who then became an author, motivational speaker and one of the most influential people of my time.
Not only has Rachel released the encouraging titles “Girl, Wash Your Face” and “Girl, Stop Apologizing,” she has started a monthly business and life coaching service offered through her and her husband’s website, The Hollis Company.
I decided to join. Last month’s session was on “perspective.”
Even though I don’t know her personally, Rachel Hollis has become a mentor to me and many others through the power of technology.
Here’s what I’ve gained from joining Rachel Hollis’ community:
She pushes you out of your comfort zone.
If you’ve read her books or followed her at all, you know that she is not afraid to dream big, crazy audacious dreams, as she puts it. After meeting her and watching her speak at the Bakersfield Women’s Business Conference about “The Power of No,” I decided to sign up for Shonda Rhimes’ Masterclass, because I wanted to learn more about TV writing. Rachel said that no one is going to care about your dream as much as you do. No matter how much your family or friends believe in you, they are not going to get you where you want to go, that part is up to you. It pushed me to step out and see what happens. I took a chance on myself. You HAVE to.
She says what you need to hear, not what you want or hope to hear.
While she’s motivating in her approach, she doesn’t sugarcoat the truth. It’s not always easy and it isn’t always glamorous. There will be days when you just don’t feel like going after your goal or believing in your dream, but you keep going anyway. You keep pushing forward, you will make mistakes, there will be blood, sweat and tears. But, you will be better for it at the end.
She lets you know that you will have to put in the work.
At the end of the day, as useful as all of the tools and encouraging words are, it’s still up to you to put in the work. She isn’t always going to be there to give us that extra push and she certainly isn’t going to be the one putting in the time and effort for us. Rachel is open and honest about the fact that it’s a lot of work. It’s waking up at 5 a.m., it’s sacrificing time with family and friends, it’s a lot of rejection and hearing the word ‘no’ at the beginning. You just have to keep pushing through to see the rainbow at the end.
Rachel Hollis isn’t just gaining followers or building a lifestyle brand, she’s building a community for like-minded women who know that they are made for more. They’re tired of settling and ready to change their lives. She’s the friend you’ve always wanted to remind you that anything you want is within reach and gives you the resources to help get you there.
That's all for now,