This Is Me: A Reckoning

I have watched this woman through out her entire career and I always felt a kindred spirit to her. Hayden not only is hauntingly talented, beautiful, smart and witty but she is also openly honest from the start. Hayden does not want anyone to read this book and judge any person but rather understand how life can be messy, amazing, difficult, dangerous and above all else ours to navigate through. This insight into her private life has contributed to confirm that she is and will always be someone I can relate with.

“I didn’t assign myself to any category; I was just Hayden…I wasn’t the stereotypical girl child my mom laid out on the bed every night.” I “had guts and heart and—pardon my French—balls made of steel. That’s who I wanted to be. That’s who I am…I might have been a handful, but I was no heavyweight…My traumas have offered me meaning through a sense of humor, some ridiculous stories, prioritizing my health, a deeper relationship with my parents, pets I adore, animal rights and environmental activism that gives me purpose, and now, this book.” “Years ago I worried about sharing something that would invite harsh judgment or unwanted opinions, but now, I just need to live my truth. This is me. I can’t be transparent about my life if I’m not honest about my experiences, so I hope my revelation and some of the stories I’ll tell in this book make a difference to someone out there. For the sake of your mental health, your relationships with others, and your path forward in life, it’s so important to be comfortable with who you are…When you don’t really fit in anywhere, all you want to do is fit in somewhere…Be yourself. You are the salt and pepper in my soup. You are the seasoning.” “Death and loss are a part of life, but they allow rebirth if you let them…Life is a process that evolves day by day, year by year, and—like it or not—you are engaged in a cycle of growth until the moment you take your last breath. In any kind of growth, there may be failures, mistakes, grief, and pain. Trees lose their leaves, endure cold winters, then come back majestically the next spring. We’re meant to shed our dead skin and the parts of ourselves that don’t serve us, and sometimes it’s immensely painful…Find a tree, get down on your knees, and hold it with both of your hands while you bow your head. Then, thank God for everything he has given you and pray for what you need.” Hayden Panettiere’s This Is Me is not only a reckoning; it’s a radiant reconciliation.