When I first started this blog I wanted it to be about everything in my life that makes me happy and Hopeful, let’s say zen. I knew I wanted it to be mostly about travel, because that’s mainly my fuel, what gets me motivated to do the things I have to, but also about other things.

In the other things section falls everything from places with delicious coffee I’ve found, the experiences I had which made me learn or realize something, and books.

Books, I think, have the largest power over us, because they are able to facilitate our travel without actually having to travel.

They opened my eyes to so many things in this world, from different cultures, different views over the world and life, different places and people.

I honestly think that if you want to grow as a person, apart from the education that you get (or don’t) at home and at school, we owe it to ourselves to get self-educated through books and travel.

How Michelle Obama’s “Becoming” made me hopeful

It was a February and we had decided to skip the tropical vacation of the year which usually took place around this time, and replace it instead with a road trip through Transylvania and some more days in my boyfriend’s hometown Oradea.

Even though we had planned a lot of activities and we spent quite some time on the road, I cannot imagine one vacation without a book (or more).

Since I had seen Michelle Obama’s “Becoming” all over the place, needless to say, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Thus I took it with me on vacation, putting it on the list of my books to read on vacation.

I must admit I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did.

And yes, even though it is not a small book, with every page turned I wanted to read more because it made me relate and it made me hopeful.

Why hopeful?

Because her book was an extension of her husband’s 2008 slogan: “Yes we can!“

We can achieve anything we set our minds to, as long as we want it and we work hard for it. No matter where we come from, without the privilege, just by holding on to our beliefs, hard work and, in many cases, compromise.

Because yes, in order to get where you want to be, no matter which field of life, compromise is necessary.

You don’t have to be into politics in order to read this book and even though it will touch some political subjects, they will only be reported as memories, so that the reader could see Michelle’s view at the moment on the subject.

I loved how candidly she exposes her life, the struggles of growing up in a family which did not have much but love and support.

It surprised me to read about her professional struggle. For me, she was the role model when it came to strong, smart women, who have worked and studied hard to climb the corporate ladder and …and then what? She did not relate to that anymore and had the courage to change something. Making her still a role model for me.

Having the courage and support to stop and make a decisive change in your career, made me hopeful.

I think that eventually everyone will like and take on further the things that they can relate to because we are all different, and that’s the most important thing.

Just read it and see what you relate to most, I’m certain you’ll find something!

The post How Becoming by Michelle Obama made me hopeful appeared first on IngridZenMoments.