Finding Me: The Grammy-winning memoir

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Finding Me is a raw and honest memior about growing up in abject poverty with an abusive and alcoholic father. Surviving child sexual abuse/incest and coping with systemic racism to become an Oscar winning actress.

My biggest discovery was that you can literally re-create your life. You can redefine it. You don't have to live in the past." Create your own life timeline. Write down all of your major goals that you feel you have achieved and want to achieve. In turn, write down the events in your life that have already happened and that have shaped or affected you. When life brings problems or misfortunes it shapes our belief system and makes us think differently, but it also makes us us. These things you list are organically you, not a simple reflection of society. Start relying on yourself. Confidence and reliance are at the heart of finding yourself. If you don't have a solid sense of self-worth, you'll listen to what others have to say all the time and to be swayed by their insistence on what is appropriate. Learn to believe in yourself and trust your own feelings. Then, you'll come up with a structure to base your new sense of self on. Remember, be patient with yourself and confident in your abilities. [1] X Research source Everything will come with time.Following her gap year, during which Viola became a "professional actress", she went on to Juilliard School in New York City. She also entered into relationships with the wrong men - self-centered men who didn't treat her well. Then, shortly before Viola graduated high school, she was selected to go to Miami, Florida for the 'Arts Recognition and Talent Search' competition. There Viola was named a 'Promising Young Artist' which eventually led to a scholarship to Rhode Island College. Overall, Viola is such a strong woman, but she also shares her struggles and vulnerabilities, and how she made it to this point of stability, peace and understanding. Every person needs time alone, whether they're extroverted or introverted, single or in a relationship, young or old. Solitude is time for rejuvenation and self-talk, for utter peace and for realizing that purposeful "loneliness" is not a bad place to be but rather, a liberating part of your overall existence. [3] X Research source The question still echoes, how did I claw my way out? There is no out. Every painful memory, every mentor, every friend and foe served as a chisel, a leap pad that has shaped “ME!” The imperfect but blessed sculpture that is Viola is still growing and still being chiseled.

In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life-changing decision to stop running forever. If you have been victimized in the past, confront these issues. They're not going to go away on their own. They might be coloring your approach to daily life, causing you to live up to other people's expectations instead of your own. The way in which I can relate to this memoir is astounding… I had no clue that I shared so many things with Miss. Vee! I wanted to celebrate her joy, her eye-opening insights….her passion….her love…her loyalty to truth….to integrity….her authenticity…..her boldness, bravery, and discovery into FINDING HERSELF… In addition to being a story about Viola's personal journey, this memoir can serve as a primer for aspiring actors, because it provides information about what to expect and how to maneuver in show business.I have a great deal of compassion for other people, but mostly for myself. That would not be the case if I did not reconcile that little eight-year-old girl and FIND ME. I cried reading about Viola's childhood and the way her trauma shaped her into the woman she is today. I cheered for her, had my heart burn with pride and joy learning she's finally getting the love and life she deserves. It just so happens while working with a counselor the VA assigned me we came to a point recently. Connecting my military PTSD from where it began during service of the nation to a meaning of unexpected importance. My only regret- I have from listening to Viola read ‘this/her’ memoir so brilliantly—is that I wish I had been part of a small book group -having ongoing discussions—chapter by chapter.

Paul listened to ‘parts’ - but not all of this book —-(he and I had several conversations—but he missed a lot of poignant parts)…. Start trusting your own judgment and decision-making processes, mistakes and all. We all make mistakes, but through mistakes we find ourselves growing, learning, and reaching our real selves.As the name “Finding Me” suggests, a central pillar for the work is to do with self-awareness – but this is not introspection or searching for “why” but rather discovering how we are and what we do that holds us to a particular way of being in the world. Our beliefs and behaviours are complex, shaped by the outside world and our interactions with it as well as our internal world of thoughts and feelings. In fact, it’s very difficult to separate the two. This is the premise of many existential thinkers who were fascinated by the rich complex paradoxes of being human e.g. we want to be accepted and to belong – yet we also want to stand out and be special. We seek the freedom to choose how we live our lives yet fear owning that responsibility for fear of getting it wrong or failing. These and other challenges, in turn, manifest into everyday struggles which recur habitually in different situations. Finding Me assists individuals by exploring their particular situation, their givens, their choices and it’s meaning for them including how these factors support or limit them as they navigate a path through life’s inevitable vicissitudes. This leads to personal development, greater resilience and a clearer sense of direction.

I’m going to go crazy if I try to say here all the things I really want to say…..and readers who are kind enough to read this review will go nuts if I ‘do’ write all I have to say….(so I’ll never succeed)…. Career-wise, after Viola got a role in the 1998 HBO movie 'The Pentagon Wars', there was a domino effect, and more television work came along. Still, many roles eluded Viola because, in her words, she wasn't "pretty enough."This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose but also my voice in a world that didn’t always see me. In this book, she had an amazing opportunity to discuss the #metoo movement more in-depth as she was one of the few to publicly raise her voice against Harvey Weinstein. She was the apt person to explain more about the movement as she is familiar with almost every piece of information and every victim related to it. She could have given a little more space for the #metoo movement in this book which would have influenced victims and every individual reading this memoir in an inspiring manner, like the impact she made with her inspiring words in the initial part of the movement. Feeling like I was in the room listening to her story made me want to reach out and hug her and let her know that she is worthy and how her light shines through in the world. I just wanted her to know that she is loved, and I wanted to hug her family. It’s also a love letter to her craft; a marveling at the power of art to transform both its object and creator, yes, but also a reflection on its nature and facets — how did it look like liberated from the constraints of eurocentrism? How is acting a feat of creation and not of mimicry? Find My requires iOS 14, iPadOS, or macOS Catalina or later and that your device is signed in to iCloud with your Apple ID. Find My iPhone and Find My Friends are still preinstalled and available on iOS 9 and later. Some features are not available in all countries or regions.