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Are you seeking for a synopsis of Jessica Honegger’s book Imperfect Courage? You’ve arrived to the correct location.
After reading Jessica Honegger’s book, I wrote down a few significant takeaways.
If you don’t have time, you don’t have to read the whole book. This book review summarizes all you can take away from it.
Let’s get this party started right now.
I’ll go over the following points in this Imperfect Courage: Live a Life of Purpose by Leaving Comfort and Going Scared book summary:
What is the meaning of Imperfect Courage?
Jessica Honegger, an entrepreneur, offers inspirational anecdotes in Imperfect Courage. She created an immensely successful fair-trade jewelry and apparel company by linking craftsmen in developing nations with women in the United States.
The author also discusses how she was able to push herself out of her comfort zone, uncover new sources of bravery, and live a more satisfying and purposeful life as a consequence.
Who wrote Imperfect Courage and why?
Jessica Honegger, a former development worker and educator, founded Noonday Collection, a direct sales retailer for jewelry and fashion that uses artisans from developing countries. The company now generates $17 million in sales. Honegger won Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year honors in 2017. A mother to three, she resides in Austin, Texas.
For Whom is Imperfect Courage Intended?
Imperfect Courage is not a book for everyone. It could be perfect for you if you are one of the following people:
- Those who believe in sisterhood throughout the world
- Mission-driven entrepreneurs
- Those who are willing to put their bravery to the test
Summary of the Book Imperfect Courage
Introduction
Fear is holding women back all across the world: fear of attempting new things, worry of failing or succeeding, and fear of what it would mean to them and their family. They fight to get rid of the nagging feeling that their opinions don’t matter and that they are dismissed as inconsequential.
Jessica Honegger’s tale exemplifies the value of moving out of your comfort zone, facing your anxieties, and having a meaningful life.
Honigger once sponsored a jewelry auction to generate funds towards her aim of adopting a Rwandan orphan while also providing livelihood to needy Ugandan craftspeople. While she had no idea at the time, her home jewelry sale would grow into a $17 million corporation with 4,000 ambassadors supporting thousands of craftspeople, many of whom were women, all over the world.
Despite her Christian faith, a little anxiety, and a lot of drive, Honegger, who had no business expertise, took a chance. She realized her ambition of adopting a child, established a socially responsible company, and found her life’s purpose.
Lesson 1: The author discovered the guts to create Noonday while she followed her goal of international adoption.
Jessica Honegger’s jewelry and apparel company, Noonday, came about by chance. She had intended to adopt a kid at first.
She cradled a tiny orphaned youngster in her arms in Africa, whose parents had perished of AIDS years before. She knew right away that adoption would be the next step for her family.
In addition to the hefty expense of international adoption, the housing market crashed just as they were planning for adoption. Her and her husband’s income vanished since they lived off of refurbishing and reselling houses. Honegger need immediate financial assistance.
Jalia and Daniel Matovu, a husband and woman duo, had been whining to her Ugandan acquaintances about their difficulty to sell their artisan work.
Honegger made the final choice. She would also sell clothing and other stuff from her wardrobe to friends and family in Austin, where she was having a sale for Matovus goods. She was doubtful whether her sale would go through; in fact, she was concerned that none of her friends would turn up, and that people would judge her.
It did, however, work. Her buddies had joined her. They were interested in her adoption experience, and they spotted the links between fashion and effect, style and history, profit and purpose in the selling of these lovely Ugandan things. By the end of the hour, almost everything had been sold.
That night, she knew she was onto something. The initial sale was followed by a second and a third. She transferred money back to the Matovus in addition to demanding additional stock.
Honegger had a lot of guts, despite her lack of business expertise, and she was able to speak up for what she believed in. With the aid of friends and a little common sense, she turned her side hustle into a worldwide corporation that employed and supported thousands of women throughout the country and across the globe.
In the next year, the Honeggers adopted Jack Honegger from Rwanda, and their goal became a reality.
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Lesson 2: Choose bravery above ease.
For those of us from fortunate origins, the choice of comfort is simple.
Being at ease is just that: relaxing. While watching Netflix, sipping a nice tea or glass of wine seems like the ideal way to relax. When you watch Netflix, you feel safe, secure, and at ease, as if everything would turn out OK; after all, there isn’t much that can go wrong.
In life, we often choose comfort over learning new things or meeting new people, such as ordering pizza and relaxing on the sofa. It seems that staying home and sticking to what we know will not harm us. But what precisely do we gain by remaining there and doing what we’ve always done? We live in a spiritual vacuum, and our lives have no significance.
It is preferable to choose boldness than comfort. For the author, fearlessness was the core of bravery. Martin Luther King Jr. shown bravery in standing up for what he believed in despite threats to his life. Many firemen went into danger on 9/11, while everyone else fled.
However, most of us have difficulty displaying bravery. It required bravery for the author to pursue her adoption despite an almost depleted money account, and fortitude for her to open her house to her friends for a jewelry sale. She only had one kind of bravery, and it was flawed.
Her life was irrevocably transformed when she chose to embrace danger rather than accept her destiny, to run afraid toward her dream. She never believed she would be able to build a successful business career as a house flipper and instructor with no business expertise.
She was able to interact with hundreds of women who were discovering bravery every day while working for the firm, both in the US and internationally.
Do you find it difficult to overcome your anxieties in order to reach your life goals? If you follow the steps outlined here, you too may find the flawed courage to get up and seek your aspirations.
Lesson 3: If you want to achieve anything, you must occasionally speak out.
According to a Brigham Young University research, when women are the minority in a group attempting to address an issue, they talk up to 75% less. Society instills in women and girls the values of being lovely, courteous, and humble.
You must speak out if you want to pursue your ambitions and reach your full potential.
The Honeggers needed to fulfill a vital stage in their adoption of Jack. They needed authorization from a Rwandan court, and they needed it soon.
The Rwandan government abruptly revised its adoption policy, and any delay would mean missing out on the opportunity to adopt Jack. Permissions being given instantly was nearly unheard of, according to attorneys.
Honegger, her husband, and other prospective adoptive parents waited in the judge’s office. When faced with the danger of losing her new newborn son, the author decided that she couldn’t just wait for their destiny to be determined for them.
She was terrified since she had no clue what good etiquette would be in such a circumstance in Rwanda. But she stood up and addressed the judge. It was an honor for her to meet him and see his nation. She assured him that allowing their children to leave the orphanage that day would be a big honor for everyone present.
When he agreed, the attorneys and judges’ staff were taken aback. All adoptions were completed on that day. It’s impossible to conceive what would have occurred if Honegger hadn’t spoken up and expressed his displeasure.
When Honoregger is tempted to remain silent, she remembers that time, and it reminds her of the necessity of conquering her concerns and speaking out. If you ever feel the urge to speak out in life, you should always heed to your intuition. You must not allow fear to prevent you from speaking out.
You’ll discover a broad variety of options if you’re ready to step out, reach for it, and stand up.
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Lesson 4: Rather than pursuing an unachievable ambition, it’s critical to recognize your own worth.
As a youngster, Honegger despised sports. She despised one of the exercises in her gym lesson in particular. Honegger would get one end of the rope, while one of the quickest children would receive the other. Honegger just had to keep up with the other youngster as she bolted away at her usual speed. She’d follow after him, sweating and gasping as she tried to keep up.
Sadly, millions more women face the same challenges every day.
Too many women assume that they have to keep up with their peers. A good example is body image. 98 percent of women stated they wished to modify at least one area of their physical appearance in an international research. Unless you’re one of the lucky 2%, you’re probably seeking what you think is a better version of yourself rather than embracing who you are.
What can we do to better accept our genuine worth? Consider everything. In the United States, thickness is highly desired. Many African women, on the other hand, feel that large hips are attractive because they indicate a happy existence. Many Latin Americans see gold front teeth as an indication of financial capacity to pay for dental care.
Whether it’s frizzy hair or extra padding on the bones, you can count on a society somewhere to cherish your flaws.
Recognizing that standards are subjective is one problem; speaking lovingly to oneself is another. You may become better at this by rethinking the labels you give yourself and others.
Replace “unstylish” with “I struggle with style on sometimes.” Change the phrase “I’m flat-chested” to “I have smaller breasts.” Why?
You are who you are, regardless of your fashion sense, breast size, weight, or other physical features. Place yourself in the dialogue as a whole person with dignity.
Lesson 5: Embracing vulnerability may be quite beneficial.
We want to keep some aspects of ourselves buried, especially those that hold our worries and concerns. The truth is that we can only fully connect with people when we expose our flaws, enable others to sympathize and care for us, and establish long-term connections.
It might be tough to recognize our flaws, yet disclosing them can have a significant influence. Hope, a young Ugandan girl, recognized that it had the potential to improve her life.
Because of the stigma associated with HIV, many Ugandans conceal their positive HIV diagnosis. Hope’s mother caught HIV during her pregnancy and passed it on to Hope. When Hope learned she was a girl with a congenital problem, she felt ashamed. Hope fell unwell as a result of her refusal to accept her situation. Honegger’s friend, artist Jalia Matovu, appealed with Hope’s mother to persuade her to get therapy.
Hope revealed her vulnerability — in this instance, her HIV status – to Matovu as the first step in her treatment, a traumatic event that almost shattered her. Matovu not only listened to Hope’s narrative, but also welcomed her with understanding and compassion.
Hope’s humiliation vanished, and she knew that the only way to get through her anguish was to accept her vulnerability. Hope is no longer ashamed of herself. Her illness is being treated, and she is open about it.
Honegger also spent a lot of time early in her career hiding her vulnerability: her fear of not being a true businesswoman. Her greatest fear was that if people knew the truth about her story – that it all started in a spare room at home and she muddled her way through – they would dismiss her as a legitimate businesswoman.
As she connected with other women and listened to their tales, Honegger realized the advantages of practicing vulnerability and accepting her own truth. She was honest every time she appeared on a panel with super-successful business executives.
She’d explain that she wasn’t going to pretend any longer, and she’d reveal that she didn’t have any team-leading expertise, just a lot of hustling experience. She felt more connected to others because she was able to exhibit her complete, authentic self.
Accept your own vulnerability and give it a go. What could be more useful than telling the world the truth about yourself?
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Lesson 6: All women benefit from treating one another with kindness rather than judgment and creating sisterhood.
Have you ever judged another woman at a shop, on the beach, or in a cafe? Is it conceivable that you disliked her at the time because she was slimmer and more attractive? Did you have any contempt for her parenting because her children were misbehaving?
Honegger experienced something similar at a shoe shop. While another mom was out shopping, her children were making a racket, crashing into displays, and generally generating a commotion. Honegger reflected that this might have been her own children on a different day as she slipped into critical thoughts.
Instead of passing judgment, she began playing with one of the youngsters. She found that the mother had lately relocated from Egypt to Texas when speaking with her. Honegger noticed the mother was trying all she could to acclimate to her new existence.
Honegger also learned at that time that if women were to construct a better society, they needed to treat one other with compassion rather than judgment. For women, sisterhood is necessary.
When it’s at its finest, this Sisterhood can be unstoppable.
Jalia Matovu, Honegger’s Ugandan partner, took up the program when Noonday ended. Nakato was the one who usually showed up with bruises on her face and body. Matovu suspected domestic abuse but was unsure what to do since she was visibly distraught.
When Nakato arrived at work injured and unable to open her eyes, Matovu decided enough was enough. “You will support this lady!” she said as she marched to the police station.
The cops were unable to persuade Matovu to take action. Her sisterly persistence compensated for her lack of financial resources. She determined to go to the police station every day until they did something. The cops soon stopped ignoring her because of her regular appearances. Matovu’s efforts resulted in Nakato’s husband’s arrest and incarceration.
Lesson 7: Don’t get discouraged by the fact that you can’t accomplish everything.
From girls’ education in rural Africa to urban poverty in the United States, the globe confronts several difficulties. However, their size may be terrifying at times. Because tackling the world’s issues seems unattainable, we prefer to concentrate on our local surroundings, such as our job, friends, and families.
To be honest, even if you don’t have a large contribution, you can accomplish a lot.
Honegger’s friend Dee welcomed Ugandan girl Rachel at her house a few years ago. Rachel required significant brain surgery, and although a charity paid for her to be flown from Rwanda to a Texas hospital, she would need foster care after the procedure.
Dee had a hectic schedule as a mother and little money or time, yet she still helped. Dee remained at Rachel’s side in the hospital, knowing nothing about her. Her foster mother looked after her for 18 months, feeding, bathing, and nursing her.
As a consequence, Honegger felt bad about not being able to support Dee at this time because of her work obligations. Honegger recognized she could still assist when food shopping, despite her inability to offer anything to the cause.
She then delivered her shopping cart full of treats to Dee’s residence. She basically continued doing the same thing every week after that.
Although we may not all be capable of doing fantastic things like Dee, we can all do something to make the world a better place. So, what are your plans?
It is not necessary to flip your universe inside out. Consider how you can enhance your life by making a little change. Consider donating to Heart Gallery, a nonprofit that creates attractive images of adoptable children to aid in their adoption. If you’re an accountant, you may help a local charity handle its finances.
You have the capacity to influence the world no matter who you are or what you do. Make the most of it.
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Lesson 8: To make an influence, focus on long-term, sustainable efforts rather than short-term achievements.
During the tiredness of having a newborn, Honegger stated that she wished she could put the baby back inside her when her daughter was just a few days old. Honegger got some rest and handed the baby over to her mother, as per her doctor’s suggestion. In five hours, Honegger felt much better. Even while parenthood remains a major struggle, it now seems to be more doable.
Being accessible for others will eventually lead to burnout. Here are some practical methods to prevent burnout, as vital as taking care of yourself is. Maintain a steady pace and take breaks as needed.
The first step is to meditate. Honegger’s meditation lasts 10 minutes and affirms her worth to God. She has nothing to correct, repair, or prove in her presence. She tells herself this phrase again and over until she believes it.
Take 10 minutes out of your day to tell yourself that you don’t need to be smaller, more productive, a better mother, or anything other than who you are right now. Your self-confidence will improve.
The following suggestion is to be present. Allow your children, spouse, or friends to unplug you if you have difficulty putting your phone down and engaging with others around you. She goes without a phone till she arrives home the following morning. If she is discovered disobeying the rule, her children may decide to conceal her phone. They have, however, only forgotten where it is concealed once.
Finally, congratulate yourself on your accomplishments. Honegger doesn’t want to hear about the new girl who overcame her nervousness to finish her first sale or the colleague who sacrificed short-term sales to acquire adequate medical treatment in her Facebook Live talks with Noonday ambassadors. It is worth celebrating since it is work that yields long-term rewards.
It’s pointless to go to your intended location if you’re not going to arrive in one piece. Take care of yourself. You’ll thrive, and you’ll be able to contribute to a world that is continuously evolving.
Final Thoughts
Many ladies are aware that there is something more significant out there. As a consequence, people choose to remain in their secure and comfortable environments rather than following their greatest desires for a meaningful and significant existence. Even if we are terrified yet eager, taking the leap into the world will offer us a world of possibilities. Stop allowing fear keep you on the sidelines and embrace your bravery.
Your whole existence is bubble wrapped. When you go food shopping, you may come across folks who are not like you. Make friends with foster families and individuals from many walks of life. Remove some of the bubble wrap from your life, and you’ll be better able to learn about the world and contribute to its improvement.
Additional Reading
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