Be You, Be New

Kirsty couldn’t believe it. She had found the book that would change her life: Be You, Be New. The front cover had a large ornate mirror with a golden background. The book’s title was written in the center of the mirror in a large, solid white font. 

   Kirsty picked it up and turned it around to read the synopsis on the back cover. 

Ready to turn your life around? This book will teach you all the tools you need to live the life you’ve always wanted. The best part? You don’t have to be anything but you! Everything you need you’ve already got. You’re enough to transform your life into the one you’ve dreamed of having! BE YOU, BE NEW is ready to go on a deep dive with you to enable you to live your life, your way.

   Kirsty curled up on the couch, book and a small bowl on pretzels in hand. She heard great things about this book and she was ready to try it out for herself. 

   “In order to live your best life, the most important thing to remember is that you're in charge. You’re the boss.” Kirsty read the first line. “Forgetting that can lead to disastrous results. You know what I’m talking about Kirsty.” 

The weirdness of seeing her name in the book aside, Kirsty thought the advice was a bit generic. Hopefully, she could still find its advice useful.

It may or may not come as a shock, Kirsty, but no one gets to live your life for you. Therefore, it’s important that you must remember that your life is yours. It’s time to stop being scared. Go for the life you want to live.

Not everyone likes being in the driver’s seat. But it’s essential to recognize that it is your place. In your life, YOU must be the one to go in the direction that you feel fit. Kirsty, we’re here to help you find the driver in you. Below is a list of your biggest insecurities: 

1) Inability to Maintain Relationships.

2) Imposter Syndrome.

3) Keeping your feelings to yourself.

   “Wow! This book just gets right down to it, doesn’t it?” Kirsty chuckled. Kirsty didn’t want to admit it to herself, but those were her biggest insecurities. Seeing them on the page felt a bit empowering. Now that she could put them into words, it should be easy to figure out how to get over them with the help of this book.

Don’t worry, Kirsty! We can help you overcome these issues. In this chapter, we will focus on your first insecurity: Inability to Maintain Relationships. 

A major reason you do this is because you think people don’t like you. Even when you get evidence to the contrary, you somehow tell yourself these people don’t really like you. They’re doing out of obligation or politeness. If anyone had a choice, they wouldn't choose to spend their time with you.

This mentality has prevented you from engaging in meaningful relationships, Kirsty. Not just the romantic ones (because you've never let it escalate to that point), but platonic ones as well. Remember your friend, Maisa? You two were close in middle through high school. You spent every weekend during the summer at each other’s houses. You promised each other to be friends forever and you sealed that promise by making beaded friendship bracelets for each other. Yet once you both went to different colleges, your friendship deteriorated based solely on your belief that Maisa befriended better, more interesting people. When you no longer talked to her on a daily basis like you did in high school, you let yourself believe

   “And this is where I take a break.” Kirsty set the book down on the sofa. The book that she thought was filled with helpful generic advice was getting a bit… personal. How could the book know about Maisa? But she was being silly right? There was no way the book nor its author could ever get these details about her life, much less publish them in a best-seller.

   Kirsty got onto her laptop to find reviews on Be You, Be New and read them.

It feels like the advice was tailor-made for me!

   I don’t know how, but this book just GETS me. It has helped me in tremendous ways.

   This book saw the things I was doing wrong and taught me how to do it right. Real personal examples and solutions.

The positive reviews went on and on. People praised the book for the excellent advice it provided. Moreover, almost each reader cheered the book for its personal touch and excellent insight into the reader’s life. Of course, Kirsty saw these reviews before she bought the book. At first, she thought that it was because Be You, Be New was the perfect self-help book for everyone, no matter what troubles they were facing. But could it be more? Was it true that Kirsty and the hundreds of thousands of people who read the book, actually got personal advice and didn’t know it? 

   “Not possible.” Kirsty attributed to the weirdness to lack of sleep. Her sleep schedule has been wonky lately. She would try again in the morning after she had had adequate rest.

After breakfast, Kirsty got back on the couch, ready to dive back into Be You, Be New and find out if it can truly transform her life.

you let yourself believe Maisa was only your friend because it was convenient for her. When she didn’t reach out to you, Kirsty, you convinced yourself she had forgotten about you. You refused to believe other reasons for her not reaching out. Maybe she was busy with school, work, or she was afraid to reach out to you too. Neither of you were willing to reach out to the other and concocted lies you told yourselves. To be a better you, reach out to Maisa, Kirsty. Tell her how much your friendship means to you. Only then, will you get what you truly want.

Kirsty stopped reading. The book was right; she had to call Maisa. They were good friends once, and that kind of friendship remained between them, no matter what happened. At least, that’s what Kirsty wanted to believe. So many people had said that the book changed their lives for the better, why can’t it change hers?

   She put down the book and got out her cell phone. She still had Maisa’s number.

   ~ ~ ~

   Kirsty met up with Maisa a week later. Maisa was pleasantly surprised to hear from her. They met up for lunch. Kirsty was happy to find it was like no time had passed. In fact, Kirsty felt like a teenager again. They spoke about their lives since high school, their jobs, their dating life. They spoke for hours until each person was caught up with the other’s life. 

   “It was real good seeing you again.” Maisa gave Kirsty a hug. “I’ve missed you so much.”

   “Me too.” Maisa let Kirsty go. “It’s all because of a book.”

   “What book?” Maisa was intrigued.

   “It reminded me of our friendship and how I was a fool to let it go.”

   “We were both fools,” Maisa smiled. “But we’re not going to be anymore. How about we meet up again, same time next week?”

   “I’d love that.”

   When Kirsty got back home, she immediately went to open Be You, Be New eager to find out what other advice it can give her. 

See? That wasn’t so bad was it, Kirsty? Dust off that beaded friendship bracelet hanging in your closet. You have your best friend back in your life. Now apply the same principles from the Maisa situation to others in your life. When you do, you will find yourself with richer interpersonal relationships. Ready to tackle your other insecurities?

“Yes. Yes, I am.” Kirsty read on.