Title: How to Be Interesting: An Instruction Manual
Author: Jessica Hagy
Genre: Nonfiction; Self-help; Psychology; Humor; Personal Development
Goodreads Rating: 3.75/ 5 stars
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Pages: 272 (Paperback)
Publisher: Workman Publishing
Published: March 19, 2013
Summary: You want to leave a mark, not a blemish. Be a hero, not a spectator. You want to be interesting. (Who doesn't?) But sometimes it takes a nudge, a wake-up call, an intervention! And a little help. This is where Jessica Hagy comes in. A writer and illustrator of great economy, charm, and insight, she s created How to Be Interesting, a uniquely inspirational how-to that combines fresh and pithy lessons with deceptively simple diagrams and charts.
It s a book about exploring: Talk to strangers. About taking chances: Expose yourself to ridicule, to risk, to wild ideas. About being childlike, not childish: Remember how amazing the world was before you learned to be cynical. About being open: Never take in the welcome mat. About breaking routine: Take daily vacations . . . if only for a few minutes. About taking ownership: Whatever you re doing, enjoy it, embrace it, master it as well as you can. And about growing a pair: If you re not courageous, you re going to be hanging around the water cooler, talking about the guy that actually is.
“Bring
others into your world.”
How
to Be Interesting: An Instruction Novel, is one of those books
that plopped into my life and waited patiently for me to finally be receptive enough
to comprehend and fully take to heart Jessica Hagy’s message. I would say that
I’m slightly embarrassed that it took me about three years to finally get
around to reading this book, but I truly am a firm believer in situations and
people gravitating towards us only when we are in the proper mindset to receive
those situations and people, or when we need another learning lesson. Hagy’s
novel is both a moving situation and a necessary learning lesson. Hagy’s words serve
as a catalyst for change; embarking on the intimate journey of positive self –
growth. I truly don’t regret that I waited to read this book because I can
honestly say that if I had decided to read this book about three years ago,
when I was fresh out of high school and my grandmother had just handed me this
book, I wouldn’t have taken any of it to heart. Better to be late to the party
and aware of what’s going on than to be at the party and not know why you’re
there.
“You’ll
need help. You’ll need advice. You’ll need allies. So you have to tell someone
how you feel and what you’re up to. Let people in on what you’re doing. They
will champion and support you more than you ever imagined, and mock you less
than you fear.”
I would say that a key aspect of becoming a mature
young adult is being able to acknowledge that while yes, it’s important to be
ambitious and to allow yourself to continue to explore the depths of who you
are, you don’t always have to do it alone. In fact, you shouldn’t do it all
alone. Which is why we must continue to put a heavy emphasis on developing and
caring for our friendships, our familial relationships, and our romantic
relationships. We need to know that we have people in our corner; people who
are loyal and who will continuously push us to become the best possible version
of who we are.
“Seek
someone who makes you smile. Someone who lives the way you want to. Someone you
admire. Someone real and imperfect.”
How to know you’ve found a romantic relationship with
potential: You can freely admit that your partner is just as imperfect as any
human being (including yourself), but you are still able to see them as
loveable and as someone you want to grow with and experience life with.
“Do
not fake it. Costumes. Poses. False smiles and forced conformity. It all gets
in the way of what’s truly interesting. You are innately unique. There’s no
need to hide behind an ill – fitting mask.”
Be authentic. Don’t lie to yourself and don’t lie to
anyone else, about who you are and what you want out of life. Never ever settle
for less. The minute you begin to fake it, is the moment when you will begin to
lose sight of who you are.
“Get
sidetracked. Follow your weird impulses and do all sorts of things. Getting
sidetracked can lead you to exactly where you belong.”
“Leave
the safety of home.”
“If
you have a personal dream or a wish or a desire, know that you’re the only one
who gives enough damns to see it realized.”
“Safe
is often dangerous. An easy life is like quicksand. Before you know it, you’re
trapped and can’t move, can’t breathe, can’t get to where you really wanted to
go. Don’t coast unless you’re rolling downhill on a bicycle.”
“Forgive.
Most people, even the nasty ones, are doing the best they can. They may not
deserve your love and admiration, but your scorn burns the both of you.”
If you only get one take away from Hagy (which I assure
you is impossible) I hope that it is the revelation of how crucial and life
changing “carpe diem” truly is. At the end of it all, all that will matter is
how you chose to spend what time you did have and what kind of impact or lack
thereof you left on both life and others.
Reading How to
Be Interesting: An Instruction Novel, felt as though I was getting a much-needed
dose of reality and encouragement from a good friend, who had refused to allow
life to cause her to become jaded or less of herself. This novel was an easy
read, brimming with ah-ha moments and passages that made me pause because of
how honest and heartfelt they were. Whether you decide to hash out this book in
one sitting or to savor it in tidbits, you won’t regret it.
Hagy’s novel is one that I would recommend to anyone
and everyone. The advice within these pages is indispensable and potentially a
true catalyst for powerful and positive change in your life. A must-have read,
particularly, for young adults and college students; the individuals who need
to not lose sight of themselves throughout their journey into adulthood and
through the higher education system.
“Maybe
your past isn’t perfect. Maybe it was brutal. Maybe you were brutal. Maybe you’ve
got more scars than you thought one skin could hold. You can’t linger on those
thoughts. You will drown in them.”
Stay afloat in the good company of Jessica Hagy.
Until next time! Thank you for stopping by! And if you have yet to do so, follow me here on my blog via email subscription to be able to stay informed on when new posts are uploaded.
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- Anisa
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