Current mantra, “I got my mind on my money, my money on my mind.”

I had high hopes for this year. When I lost something late last year, I had even higher expectations for myself and got a little bit crazy about it that I’m struggling to keep up with everything I’m working on. But, I am happy.

Just do

A friend/business partner even said, “I don’t know how you’re doing it, you’re doing so many things.” To be honest, I also don’t know.

Sophia Amoruso is the 31-year old founder and owner of Nasty Gal. Nasty Gal sells women’s modern and vintage fashion. Diagnose with depression and attention deficit disorder (ADD) at young age, Amoruso, had multiple jobs prior Nasty Gal which she called “job promiscuity.” She was the company’s CEO until January last year when she stepped down. Sheree Waterson was named CEO after. Sophia’s story is entertaining and inspiring. She published her book #Girlboss in 2014 (New York Times business book bestseller by the way) it was only now that I found time to read it. It was through her that I learned that, “There are secret opportunities hidden inside every failure.”

“The energy you’ll expend focusing on someone else’s life is better spent working on your own. Just be your own idol.”SOPHIA AMORUSO

Girlbosses

Ronda Rousey is a mixed martial artist and former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion, with six (6) successful title defenses. Her book, My Fight / Your Fight is a personal favorite. It was the reason I got out of bed and ran and helped me lose 10kgs last year. Rousey lost to Holly Holm last November, but to me, she will always be the fighter I want to be. She made an appearance on Ellen last week; it was both heartbreaking and inspiring. Ronda is still here, and she’s still smoking AF.

I have Sophia and Ronda for inspiration, but they won’t get me anywhere unless I take my first step and keep going. Like them, it never bothered me that I work in a male-dominated industry, in fact, I always use this fact to my advantage.

When you work hard, you deserve a pat on the shoulder. I don’t believe in compliments and outside motivation, for me, the greatest and only motivation that matters comes from within me, myself. So, “Kenna, you’re doing great!“.

The Highlights

Here are some more of my favorite highlights from #Girlboss:

• Abandon anything about your life and habits that might be holding you back. Learn to create your own opportunities. Know that there is no finish line; fortune favors action. Race balls-out toward the extraordinary life that you’ve always dreamed of, or still haven’t had time to dream up. And prepare to have a hell of a lot of fun along the way.
• I have never once in my life thought that being a girl was something I had to overcome.
• On the rare occasion a guy opened a door for me, I’d refuse, taking insult, like, “I can open my own doors, thank you very much!” And let’s be honest, that’s not really being a feminist, that’s just being rude.
• It’s that when you believe in yourself, other people will believe in you too.
• Two keys to running a successful business: knowing your customer and knowing how to get free marketing.

“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” Douglas Adams

• If you’re frustrated because you’re not getting what you want, stop for a second: Have you actually flat-out asked for it? If you haven’t, stop complaining. You can’t expect the world to read your mind. You have to put it out there, and sometimes putting it out there is as simple as just saying, “Hey, can I have that?”.
• You have to kick people out of your head as forcefully as you’d kick someone out of your house.
• You don’t get taken seriously by asking someone to take you seriously. You’ve got to show up and own it. If this is a man’s world, who cares? I’m still really glad to be a girl in it.
• I also think you can end up ignoring, and even losing, the positive things in your life by focusing too much on the negative. That’s a huge drain, as well as a waste of time. When you think about people, you give them power.

The Competition

• Compete with yourself, not with others.
• If you listen only to those around you, the chances of your dreams coming true are very small.
• We choose what and how we believe, and our beliefs are tools that we then use to make things happen … or not
• Focus on the positive things in your life and you’ll be shocked at how many more positive things start happening.
• Keep reminding yourself over and over that this is what you want, and you’ll soon find that the more you want, the less you’re willing to put up with what you don’t.
• Your challenge as a #GIRLBOSS is to dive headfirst into things without being too attached to the results.

If you want to read more books like #Girlboss and My Fight / Your Fight, check out Emma Watson’s Our Shared Shelf.