Smart Girls Screw Up Too: The No–Nonsense Guide to Creating The Life You Want

Sick of chasing the perfect career, bank balance or relationship? Tired of feeling overwhelmed and like you′re never quite ′enough′? You′re not alone.

Smart Girls Screw Up Too is the no–nonsense guide for a generation of women who secretly muse about what might be possible in their careers, health and relationships but don′t know where to start or are too afraid to.

When a clusterf∗∗k of screw ups left corporate warrior Bella Zanesco burnt out, depressed and with a broken soul, she knew something—perhaps everything—had to change, but what? And how? Could she really stop dragging herself through life and start living the life she wanted?

The answer was: Yes.

Blending honesty, humour and compassion, this must–read book provides you with the solid steps needed to create the life you truly want. You will not only get to the root causes of why you think, feel and behave as you do, but get inspired to make changes starting today.

′Bella′s holistic approach to uncovering your truth, nurturing your vitality and unleashing your self–expression is a game changer. This book will inspire you to make the difficult but critical changes you need to today.′
—Tiffany Cruikshank, founder, Yoga Medicine

Prelude: Those two little words ix

Introduction: Why screwing up is a really good thing xiii

Part I: The Foundations: Clarity: Who am I and what do I want? 1

1 Feelings and emotions: Welcome to the upside: please leave your umbrella at the door 5

2 Aligned decision making: Rediscovering your inner Smart Girl 23

3 Personal beliefs and self–confidence: The world is a scary place. Oh, hang on … it’s not 37

4 Vision and purpose: What the hell am I even building here? 59

Part II: The Inside Job: Connection: Creating a thriving mind, body and spirit 79

5 Physical health and energy levels: Why yoga rocks 83

6 Mental health and resilience: Silence the verbally incontinent b∗∗ch in your head 97

7 Gut health and intuition: I think my sixth sense is broken 113

8 Hormones and moods: Enter the red tent 131

9 Yin and Yang energy balance: How do I wake up my Braveheart? 151

Part III: The Outside Job: Confidence: Unapologetically being who you want to be in the world 165

10 Home and places: Change what I see to change me 169

11 Friendships and support networks: Set up your tribe 189

12 Leisure and play: Relearning how to play 209

13 Creativity and learning: Stage a creative coup 225

14 Work and finances: How to create a career you don’t want to escape from: a Q&A 241

15 Relationships and family: The L word 269

Conclusion: The Golden Glue 287

Where to seek help if you have mental health challenges 291

Further reading, learning and thinking list 293

Where to next? 299

Acknowledgements 301

About the author 305

Index 307

BELLA ZANESCO is a life and wellbeing strategist, a world champion sailor, and a philanthropist working to give people the tools they need to become fully expressed leaders in their lives and careers.