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I love the quote by Elyse Santilli, "No one is you, and that is your superpower." I love it so much we chose it as the quote to open up the Introduction of our new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Be You.

This books takes you on a journey � whether you're 18 or 80, you'll find your superpower in these stories! In fact, that's why Chicken Soup for the Soul: Be You was created, to be a source of affirmation, determination, and empowerment for women of all ages as they figure out how to be the best versions of themselves.

Here are previews of two of my favorite stories from women who are ready to flex their superpower:

#Hashtag who you want to be.
In her story, Put a Hashtag on Me, Carol Andrews left her career as a television news personality in 2002, she had to figure out who she wanted to be next. She says she set out to rebrand herself, a process that took years. These days, what better way to do it than via hashtags. Carol says you should list who you are now, and also who you want to be. In her case, she lists #Author #Speaker #TVpersonality and #ExecutiveCoach. Then you should hashtag your values and your traits, including those traits that you’re still working on. For her that means focusing on #kindnesscounts #fearless #transparency and #voicetobeheard, among other things. And finally, you should look at what has shaped you and brought you to the place where you are now. Carol lists #lossofparents #amazingson and #victoryoverdivorce among her defining experiences. Carol says, “These exercises in digging deep mean I can say with no hesitation: ‘I sow seeds so greatness in others can bloom.’�

Step outside your comfort zone to become more you.
In Rachel Dunstan Muller's story, Leaving Harbour, it wasn’t until her mother died of breast cancer at age 65 that Rachel decided to shake up her life. She says, “For most of my adult life, I’d chosen to stay safely anchored in a series of sheltered harbours, both literally and metaphorically.� It was time for Rachel to break out of that comfort zone where she always chose security over risk. She made a resolution to live by the word “fierce� for an entire year, and say yes to all the things that she would normally turn down. That meant taking a dance improv class, going caving, and in this story, going halibut fishing in open water. Rachel was terrified about the boat trip, but using her new open-minded perspective, she pushed aside her worries and focused on the sea, the sky, and the wind in her hair. She says, “I’ve come to believe that we’re not fully alive if we’re not at least a little frightened on a regular basis.�


Amy Newmark