Participating in Book Clubs, "Year of Yes" Book Club - Class of 2027 (+2 points)

 My sister, mom, and I have created a tradition of a weekly book club on Sunday's. I was able to choose the book that we read this time, which is "Year of Yes" by Shonda Rhimes. The three of us are definitely perfectionists who use logic over chance to try new things. I stick to things I know I will be good at, choosing not to apply for things I do not feel qualified for due to imposter syndrome or telling myself "No" before anyone else can. I see the same in my mom and sister, and I thought this book would be a great opportunity for us to understand what it is like to face fears and do things that are uncomfortable. During book club,  I lead discussions such as asking times we said no to things that we regret. It is also amazing having different perspectives, for instance my sister and I are living in our twenties while my mom is navigating middle-age and having an empty nest. We are all facing life with different lenses and fears but share a common goal of greatness. 

This book posed an interesting thought for me, especially as a life-long over achiever and honors student. I feel as though when I began college, I was faced with a plethora of rejection and new fears, which I did not necessarily face before college. Of course I had applied to a few things and been rejected, but in the grand scheme I was extremely "successful" before college. I believe that the rejects that I have received, which have been numerous, have begun to scare me and made me prefer to remain comfortable and not do new and hard things. This relates to friendships, summer programs, clubs, organizations, and more. If I do not believe I will be accepted, or if it is something that I know will make me uncomfortable, I am simply not doing it. I want to change this mindset as I enter my senior year of college and be sure that I am continually attempting the things that I desire and saying yes to more, showing up as my best self. 

By,

Lindsey Sanders