Book Review: Imperfect Courage by Jessica Honegger

Last year I read so many books, that I didn’t give myself time to review any of them for you. I still plan on doing that but first let's do the one I read most recently, okay?

Jessica & Noonday

I’ve been following Noonday Collection for a few years now and even have a few pieces, including my favorite work bag*! If you don’t know what Until last year, I had never been on a book launch team, but I loved reading along with a group of thousands of women and discussing it. Pretty sure I need to start a book club IRL. I’ve always been a big reader, mainly historical fiction, but I decided a little while back that I need to include some “life” books too.

A few months back, I signed up to be on Jessica Honegger’s email list just to keep my eyes open to what Noonday is doing. I’ve thought about becoming an actual ambassador, but it just doesn’t fit on my plate right now, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be a cheerleader-style ambassador. She announced she was writing a book called “Imperfect Courage: Live a life of purpose by leaving comfort and going scared.” and since my “word of the year” is BRAVE, I knew I needed to get this book so I signed up to be on her book launch team. She also has a podcast called “Going Scared” where she interviews people about their business and life dreams and what they’re doing to achieve them.

Becoming Courageous

Natalie Franke said it best on her Focus(ed) Podcast episode - “we shouldn’t be chasing the word fearless, but the word courageous because by becoming courageous, you can truly face your fears.” C’mon Natalie, c’mon. At the time I was reading this book, I was also reading through the Bible and was at the part where God constantly told Joshua "Be strong and very courageous." He didn't tell Joshua "Don't be afraid or fearless," God was telling Joshua to step into the unknown and be confident that his God would be there too. I don’t want a life that runs from fears and hard or scary things, but one that steps into the fears and unknowns to see what great things are on the other side. I heard once that when you go to counseling, they walk you through the “worst case scenario” so you can identify where your fears and worries come from and then help you make a game plan for if that ever happens. What the book said was something along the lines of its more about the anticipation of the bad thing happening than the bad thing actually happening. It’s the build up of questions and nerves.

Going off on a tangent, but stay with me. It’s sorta like riding roller coasters. I used to HATE riding roller coasters, but I had to ride at least one every summer thanks to my parents and 2 of my siblings. The waiting in long lines, the buckling in, the climb to the top and then the drop. It was always that first drop that had me wanting to say ‘no’ to the rest of the ride. But my parents knew better. They knew after that initial drop, I was going to love the rest of the rides and after years of denying it, I fell in love with riding roller coasters. What I’ve realized even in the most recent months is that those little feelings of anxiousness leading up to the ride can actually be something look forward to because it is what makes the ride so much fun. So instead of being afraid of the butterflies and stomach-in-knots feeling, I’ve decided those are the feelings you should have before the next adventure starts.

Going Scared

So back to the book. Jessica talks about imperfect courage and going scared, which is basically those butterflies in your stomach right before something big. You don’t have to have all of the answers for whatever that big thing is to go scared, you just have to go. Now most of the book is about how she started Noonday, but she shares so much encouragement for chasing what matters most to you. There’s a lot of sisterhood in there too, which I love, and much of the Noonday Manifesto could totally apply to Humanity and Hope.

For me right now, going scared with imperfect courage means leaving Atlanta and moving home (check), running my own business for two years on September 1st (check), shifting my business model with The Social Walker Agency (check) and now launching my wedding planning and bridal shop business (check and half-check). It also means talking more about Humanity and Hope and getting back to blogging for myself without wondering how many people will read it. Going scared means doing big things even while I’m waiting for some of the details to be worked out.

I’m not here to tell you to become a Noonday Ambassador or get involved with H&H. But I am here to encourage you to check what makes you light up, and chase after that. The terms “press in” or “lean in” aren’t really my favorites, but it makes sense to put them here. Do something that scares you just a little bit today. Even if that just means going to a yoga class by yourself and meeting someone new.

**all of these links are not my affiliates, but are for Noonday Ambassador, Anna Hogan - I get my pieces through her!