unruly: creating your own life with rebellious authenticity

If your story isn’t working, flip the script.

＂Exactly the kind of no-nonsense and loving advice you’d expect from a big sister or longtime friend.＂ --Franchesca Ramsey, creator and host of MTV Decoded and author of Well, That Escalated Quickly

＂There is no better time than right now to get honest about who you are, and to perform the fullness of who you are,＂ shares Shelah Marie, founder and CEO of Curvy, Curly, Conscious. Too many Black women are living other people’s stories for your lives. You’re a wife or a mother, a sister or a daughter, a CEO or a creative. You make yourself smaller to serve other people or society’s expectations. But, as Shelah says, ＂This is your story, so why not make it a true one?＂

Discover your truest self and write your truest story through Unruly. Shelah teaches the Unruly Philosophy: ＂a whole and compassionate acceptance of your inner diversity.＂ Being Unruly isn’t about changing yourself but rather about uncovering the many layers of who you are, accepting them fully, and allowing them to flourish. Throughout this guide, Shelah shares stories, teachings, practices, and tools to help you:

- Acknowledge and honor the past versions of yourself with compassion and self-love
- Step up to claim your mess and release any shame or judgment so you can connect more freely and deeply with yourself and others
- Grow your Main Character Energy so you can play the starring role in your life instead of centering yourself in someone else’s
- Examine the expectations that are put on you from society, family, culture, and even past generations
- Prioritize your presence (how you show up) over your presentation (how it looks)
- Build your network of support to encourage and witness your growth
- Rest and dream, embracing joy, play, and pleasure

Unruly invites you to build a life where no part of yourself is left behind. As Shelah explains, ＂Empowerment looks like refusing to reject any part of yourself, using both your strengths and perceived weaknesses to align with your highest good.＂ Join Shelah on this journey to unleash your Unruly self!

Shelah Marie is an author, content creator, and women’s wellness influencer, helping disrupt the ideas that women should place themselves last or seek others’ approval in order to lead healthy, fulfilling lives. She is the founder of the Curvy, Curly, Conscious movement, author of Positive You, and has partnered with the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations to bring her Sustainable Theater Workshop to students around the world. She lives in Miami. For more, visit shelahmarie.com.