Disclaimer: I do know the author, Rona, very well so you could argue I might be bias, and I don’t think I am.
It’s an eloquent and practical masterclass in being yourself suitable for anyone longing to be more authentically themselves without all the rules and shoulds of traditional self-help books. Written with honesty and vulnerability, Rona shares her journey of self-discovery, so the reader can go on their own journey.
I had two concerns when I started reading – I’m an introvert so Out Loud isn’t me and I worried it might be too basic for me given all the personal development work I’ve done. I can unequivocally say both concerns were unfounded.
Firstly, Out Loud doesn’t mean speaking loudly and being an extrovert. It’s about confidently being yourself and living consciously to unearth and express any longings that have been forgotten or suppressed.
Secondly, there are 27 ‘masterclasses’ that means no matter how much personal growth work you’ve done there is something that will make you think or inspire you to try or encourage you to celebrate. Rather than being prescriptive or heavy-handed about ‘doing’ 27 classes it actually provides numerous access points for people to figure out what matters to them. And there are short easy questions at the end of each class to consider or not. Many didn’t apply to me and many did.
Rona shares personal stories from your life to illustrate the concepts in a warm and relatable way, bravely revealing the emotional tensions I’ve often felt. At times I felt she was talking directly to me.
It’s a thought-provoking book of reflection, expression and joyful self-acceptance.
