Lilly Singh is one of the world’s most famous YouTube sensations, with over 11 million subscribers. She goes by the username “iiSuperwomanii”, and has two YouTube channels: one for her daily vlogs and one for her main channel videos. Entertaining as her videos are, she has definitely proved with time that she is much more than just a comedian.
I’m a big fan of Lilly and thus when she announced she would be writing her very first book last year, I was extremely excited. Without hesitation I preordered my copy and eagerly awaited March 28th. Although I couldn't help but wonder, what would she write about? What didn’t we know about her by now?
Over the course of the next few months she revealed the title of her book: How to be a Bawse. Bawse. What did this mean? This word seems to play a big role in her life. In collaboration with Smashbox cosmetics, she released her first shade of red lipstick called Bawse a few months prior to this. A Bawse, as Lilly describes is someone who not only aims to survive life but aims to conquer it.
Here are some words of wisdom from the Bawse herself:
“Don’t be made. Don’t be broken.”
One of the things college has definitely taught me is that there is no single thing that can make or break you. This is hard to understand and even harder to implement when the fate of every exam or term paper seems as if it’s the end of the world. Whether it be an important exam or a job interview we are made to feel that if you don’t do as well as you think you should then that’s it for you. Everything is ruined. Your dreams are crushed. There are certainly important milestones in life once must strive to conquer and achieve, but it’s truly important to understand that one pillar crumbling away does not destroy an entire empire. There will be more opportunities to demonstrate your knowledge and your skills. This is not to say that you should approach everything with nonchalance. You should always put your best foot forward and give everything 100%. However, it’s important to realize that you are stronger than one exam or one interview. You have put years of hard work into making yourself who you are today. Don’t let one thing ruin it. My mother always says that hard work adds up in the end. It’s never wasted. Sometimes this is disheartening when you work hard for something and are unable to achieve it. We may not know WHAT it is but eventually all of the blood, sweat and tears add up and create something wonderful and powerful. As Lilly says, “You can’t bank your entire success on one achievement. Your success shouldn’t walk on stilts.”
A Bawse must strengthen their empire and make a strong and secure platform to walk on.
"Stop comparing other people's highlight reels to your blooper reel."
We are surrounded and consumed by social media 24/7. We are flooded with pictures of friends, family, and celebrities. Seeing people looking amazing and doing amazing things can make us feel intimidated. It makes us question why we aren't living such exciting lives. However, as Lilly reminds us we are only privy to their highlight reel. She describes how seeing her old high school friends on Facebook made her insecure about her career path as she saw them settled and happy while she was struggling. Later when she spoke to one of them they told her how much a post she had put up with Michelle Obama had made them envious of HER life. It’s all about perspective.
A Bawse understands that there are many paths in life and there is no ONE correct way to live your life.
"Be nice to people."
When people ask Lilly the keys to success she replies, “Work hard and be nice to people.” Most of the time, her words go unheard as people brush this off. Conversely, I couldn’t agree with them more. People don't always remember what you did or how you did it but they do remember how you made them feel. If you're having a bad day try to smile at one person on your way to work or school. This can make a world of difference. To them, to you and even to the trees. Everything thrives off of positive energy and a positive environment. Be a part of making that environment positive. Sometimes we forget this. Lilly suggests that if that’s the case make “being nice” an item on your to-do list and give this as much importance as the next thing on your list.
A Bawse understands how being nice to people makes all the difference.
“Be a Chameleon.”
You can’t control the way life goes nor can you control the people who come and go in your life. You don’t even have control over the weather. But what you do have control over is your state of being. As Lilly describes, “You’re a human being and you’re a product of your environment. So what does that mean? That means you better create an environment where Bawses thrive.” She instructs you to create an environment which exudes positivity. Whether it’s picking out bright colors for your room or putting up motivational quotes, create your space to help align you with your goals as well as create a space which makes you happy. She even suggests changing your password to an affirmation about yourself. You type in your password so many times in one day -- at least it can be about something great about yourself or something that makes you happy. My mother always says external order leads to internal order. By making your bed in the morning or by organizing your desk you are telling yourself that you are in control. And if you are in control of one thing you can be control of other scarier tasks ahead of you. By creating an optimal environment for yourself you are nourishing your productivity and your creativity and letting them thrive.
A Bawse understands that sometimes you have to create your own ideal environment.
To read more about Superwoman and for some of my favorite Superwoman videos check out my article on the Evolution of Superwoman!
