Rachel Hollis Said It Was NOT Okay If All I Did Today Was Breathe

If you’ve been around the Self Help community these last few years, chances are you’ve heard of Rachel Hollis. Though she appears to be on a downward spiral with the public, back in 2019, I was one of many who found her motivational during a time I was feeling restless in my life.

To think, that was before we all knew what was around the corner for 2020.

Rachel Hollis, for those who don’t know is a best-selling author of Girl Wash Your Face and Girl, Stop Apologizing. She’s considered a motivational speaker, who New York Times said, built a blockbuster business sharing her “authentic” self. Nearing the end of 2019, Hollis started promoting her, ‘Last 90 Days’ challenge where she focuses on her concept of, ‘5 to Thrive.’

At the time, I was encouraged by parts of her bestseller, Girl, Stop Apologizing, and became intrigued about this end-of-year challenge, so, I began to follow along.

I’d sometimes catch her morning IGTV videos live. One morning, she was out on a run when Hollis felt indignation towards a quote she stumbled across and proceeded to run to the internet, on Instagram, to vent in one of her stories.

To preface, as someone who has struggled heavily with mental health issues such as Depression and Anxiety, I found myself sadly triggered by this video.

Rachel Hollis went on to share, passionately, how upset she felt by this commonly found Pinterest quote, “Sometimes it’s okay if the only thing you did today was breathe.”

Unfortunately--or fortunately--the video is gone now but in a nutshell, she vented about how it wasn’t okay if that was all you did today; breathe.

Now, I do get to a certain point where she was coming from. Her entire business and identity are surrounded by the concept of bettering yourself as women. She has shared throughout the years her hardships and difficult upbringing and because of this, she values the millionaire she’s made of herself even against the odds.

Her sole purpose seems to be to tell women, they too, can strive for more; better. To a certain extent, I get it. I even bought it back then.

Literally. I bought the book.

The part of her rant that didn’t sit well with me at all was the complete lack of understanding and compassion towards those that that very quote was created for.

The reality that some people may find themselves lacking any motivation to get up and off their beds to face even the smallest tasks such as brushing their teeth, appalled her. Her business is about pushing yourself, digging deep into the dirt for the motivation to show up today and strive for more.

She shared, vehemently, that it was not okay if all you did today was breathe. It felt as though, to her, that concept was just a lazy excuse to not show up for yourself today.

Again, I believe, to a certain extent, she meant well but as someone who has battled secretly for decades with my own mental health, her passion felt like a slap to the face on my difficult days.

When it comes to Depression, one already struggles heavily with the constant guilt of not showing up. That guilt turns to anger and it’s with ourselves we feel that anger towards which only feeds that dark voice that wants to prove to us, we’re not worthy of life or society.

I believe there is a fine line when it comes to the Self-Help business and many have crossed it. The human psyche is so complex, we must tread carefully when sharing our experiences that then leads to us waving a flag of absolution because we feel we’ve discovered all the answers.

Just know...

You are needed in this world.

You’re allowed time and space to heal.

You are worthy of taking up space even if all you did today was breathe.

The beautiful hearted Robin Williams once said,

“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.

Be kind.

Always.”