Amy Poehler Book Review

I don’t have superstar crushes. Bear with me this is going somewhere…

I never waited in line with hyped up fellow teenage girls to drool over a rock band and I’m way too much of a comfort seeker to sleep outside in the cold or rain to get a ticket.

But I do love strong women.

Not Olympic lifting kind of strong, but strong character. They can be funny or motivating or athletic, but mostly they are just authentic.

You know I’m a book fiend, but I’d gotten away from audiobooks while running because nothing has pulled me like Unbroken (my favorite story) or 10% Happier (made me start meditating). {Here are my top running audiobook recommendations.}

But then I heard Amy’s silly laugh one morning on the tv and looked up to see the cover of her new book Yes, Please.
Ding. Yes, Please…I’d like to read your book of the same title, but I have a nightstand piled high with books…so I will attempt it as an audiobook and to my great relief she’s just as stinking hilarious to listen to on audio.

It’s not rags to riches story or a step by step guide to success, it’s just her. She’s funny. She’s real. She’s relatable, minus the drugs and the staying awake until 5AM, I just can’t do that shit. {Yeah she seems to make me want to cuss more too.}

LESSONS FROM AMY POEHLER
After days of running with Amy in my ears, along with the tribe of guests she has in the book, I decided these are the lessons that will stick with me:

“Great people do things before they’re ready. They do things before they know they can do it. Doing what you’re afraid of, getting out of your comfort zone, taking risks like that- that’s what life is. You might be really good. You might find out something about yourself that’s really special and if you’re not good, who cares? You tried something. Now you know something about yourself”

Success is a long road
Bring snacks and friends for the journey
Don’t be afraid to look stupid, smell bad or whatever it takes to make progress
Be around people who stretch your limits
You are not in control
Neither is anyone else (except the producer)
Talking about the thing, is not the same as the doing of the thing
Know your own tricks (the games you play to get your way)
Stop complaining
Walk drunk, but never drive. EVER.
We all get older
Love the weirdest parts of yourself or at least accept them
We’ve all got a devil voice saying you aren’t thin, smart, beautiful enough.Fight it.
All mothers need a wife << hilariously true point

Great for you, not for me. <<< Possibly the best and most wonderful thing she says!!!! Ladies stop judging each others choices and instead have an open mind.

Thank goodness we don’t all want the same things or have the same talents. Would life be boring and imagine competition. Instead, remember I’m so glad that works for you…but it’s not for me. I learned this one a long time ago and man it’s made so many things easier!!!

I accept that Paleo is fabulous for you, wohooo…but not for me.
I love that the Hanson method makes you fast as heck…but not for me.
I am thrilled you want 6 kids…but not for me.

Just because we don’t want the same things doesn’t mean I can’t support you and have a heck of a lot of fun together. YUP this is my favorite things she shared…stepping down off my high horse which was really just a small Shetland pony, so not actually all that high.

“People are their most beautiful when they are laughing, crying, dancing, playing, telling the truth, and being chased in a fun way.”

This book is filled with hilarity, talk about drugs cause she’s brutally honest, stories of how her career evolved, SNL moments and lots of little life lessons…Yes, Please.

Be prepared for a barrage of book reviews coming up. I’ve been a reading fiend lately and the lessons are just too great not to share.

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