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How many of these incredible people do you know? I’m going to share the top thought leaders in the Personal Growth Industry that really changed my life for the better.

And by the end of the article, you will discover that there is WAY more than one path to happiness, enlightenment, and letting go of perfection so you can just plain enjoy life!

Ready? Let’s dive in!

Brene Brown

Each of my articles will be touching on the need to let go of perfection in one way or another. This is why I would like to start my post sharing the 5 Thought Leaders in the Personal Growth space with the brilliant author of The Gifts of Imperfection, Brene Brown. You know how they always say, “When the student is ready, the teacher will come”? Well several years ago, I picked up one of her books in the airport bookstore and read the back. Immediately thinking to myself, this woman has a lot to teach me! I bought it and started reading. I’m going to be real here. I didn’t get it. It wasn’t sinking in. I wasn’t ready. 

Over the last 3 years or so, I can’t get enough of her! If you are ready to give up the person that you think you should be in order to be the person that you truly are, Brene’s books, videos, and podcasts are something you will want to have in your “toolbox” along the journey of personal growth and self discovery. Everything is so real and really hits home! I can’t even believe that at some point in my life, I didn’t want to hear this. But boy am I glad she was there when I was ready! Because it is time to have the courage to be vulnerable and imperfect. 

If you haven’t seen it yet, please check out her famous viral TED talk The power of vulnerability | Brené Brown This will open your mind, heart and soul! 

You can learn more about Brene Brown here https://brenebrown.com. Please check her out and see all of her amazing work for yourself. 

“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we’ll ever do.” - Brene Brown

Jen Hatmaker

I wish I could remember where I heard about Jen Hatmaker first. It was probably from one of the podcasts I listen to. Yes, I am a bit of a podcast junkie :) And Jen’s podcast For the Love is one of my favorites! Her book Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire was such an inspiration for me. She gets real and shares her journey and insight on the path of Personal Growth and finding your true self. It really does take guts or moxie as she calls it, to talk through life showing up as our true selves especially after we have been taught to be the “good girl”. This book and her For the Love podcast are a perfect step towards ending your people pleasing ways and truly start living your life! What would your life look like if you weren’t afraid to tell the truth? The truth about who you are. Be the glorious you and show it to the world!

You can learn more about Jen Hatmaker here https://jenhatmaker.com

Marie Forleo

Marie Forleo is another one of my great teachers. Oprah Winfrey named her “The thought leader for the next generation” The funny thing is, I come from a generation before Marie, but that doesn't change how rich all of her content is! 

I 100% believe that “The world needs that special gift that only you have.”-Marie Forleo. Marie is full of inspiration as she teaches her students to live the life of their dreams. Her most inspiring statement that rings so true for me is “PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION!” As a recovering perfectionist, I realized that all of the planning and outlining I can do means nothing unless I take action. And this is just as true for you. Let's face it, it will never be perfect. And by “it”, I mean whatever you are wanting to do next in your life. If you need help or inspiration in taking action, Marie TV would be a great place to check out. If you are having trouble getting started and need a bit of a push that feels more like a lift up, check out her book Everything is Figureoutable.

You can learn more about Marie Forleo here https://www.marieforleo.com

Luminita Saviuc

15 Things You Should Give Up to Be Happy. Now, go read it. These are incredibly true words. These are not easy things to give up. But they are a list of goals on the journey to personal growth! This is just one of the enlightening articles that drew me to Luminita. She also shares many uplifting points of view from other authors in the spiritual growth and personal development fields. Luminita’s blog, Purpose Fairy is a beautiful place to visit to get insight on Self Care for Mind, Body and Soul and she even has a wonderful collection of guided meditations that you can listen to at your convenience.  These video recordings are a great way to find time for yourself and relax your body and begin or continue your meditation practice.

You can learn more about Luminita Saviuc here https://www.purposefairy.com

Marc Manson

Marc Manson is not the flowery, rainbows and unicorns version of a personal growth guru. If you are looking for someone to give it to you with no sugar added, then Marc is your guy. His tagline is “Life Advice That Doesn’t Suck”. If you can’t handle some cursing, please do not visit Marc’s site. But on occasion, a 4 letter word is the only way to express exactly how you feel. You might want to check out his book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

If you are sick of all of the gurus that tell you, just be positive and the universe will work everything out, Marc and this book is for you!

The subtle art of not giving a F*ck, is a more blunt way of saying, give up to strive for “perfection”. Have the courage to be you and just do it. Stop giving a f*ck about what anyone else thinks and do you! 

You can learn more about Marc Manson here https://markmanson.net 

Conclusion

I have had, still have, and will have many many teachers in my life. These 5 are the ones that have boosted my courage to start my blog and also shown the many sides of personal growth. All of them have one thing in common. And that is the truth that we all need to give up this crazy notion that we can become perfect and that it is possible to have a perfect life. The fact that we are striving for perfection is what is making us so miserable! If we could just let go of that crazy unattainable goal, we could truly become the human being that God created to be of service to others in this world. Imagine what life would look like if you and everyone else just dropped the act, got real, and started truly loving themselves and living life to the fullest. Now imagine how you would feel if you start to do this for yourself.

Please check out the websites and books that I have linked under each thought leader that I have introduced to you and let me know what you think in the comments below.