No Filter

I first discovered Grace Victory when she was part of a Nike campaign – I was so excited to see an amazing fat woman of colour repping for a fitness brand, and even more excited to find out that she was a fellow blogger/vlogger.

I think it’s really important to surround myself with positive influences, so I started following Grace on social media; I checked out her YouTube channel; and I watched the documentaries she made with BBC Three. You know when you make an awesome new friend and you want to spend all your time with them? That was how I felt (I hope that doesn’t sound too weird!). I was thrilled to find someone who talks in such a “no fucks given” way – as well as sharing fashion, makeup and bits of her life, Grace is open and honest about things that so many others see as taboo. Important things like body image, sex, eating disorders and mental health; things that we should be talking about more.

When I heard that Grace was going to be releasing a book, I knew immediately that I wanted to read it. Not just because I think she’s rad and I want to support her, but because I find her writing so relatable. This is usually the time when I’d share a picture of me reading the book or a great flatlay, but I actually read it on my Kindle so here’s a wee peek from Grace’s Instagram.

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Not to be dramatic but I'm a fucking published author!!! My very first book is FINALLY out and I cannot believe it 💗💗💗💗 My entire life has lead up to this point and I feel the greatest sense of pride and happiness. I wish I could go back and tell 12year old me that it didn't matter what she looked like because she was gonna have a bloody book lol. If it wasn't for my childhood self this moment would not be happening. She was strong and resilient and kept going even when she wanted to give up – I owe her everything 💗 I hope this book changes someone's life the way writing it has changed mine. HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY TO ME. Available on Amazon (link in bio) and in Waterstones and WHSmith!!!!

A post shared by Grace 🌱 she/her (@gracefvictory) on Jul 27, 2017 at 12:42am PDT

Grace Victory’s book No Filter is just that – a very real look at her life. The funny bits, the sad bits, the shocking and the heartwarming, this book has it all. When I said that I find Grace relatable, I wasn’t kidding – there were so many times while I was reading her book that I found myself saying “me too”. That all too familiar self-destructive behaviour as a teenager and in my early twenties; dealing with depression, body image issues, an eating disorder; going into therapy and learning to love myself … I really connected with her journey and I think a lot of others will as well. Grace writes how she talks in her YouTube videos, and while I was reading it felt like a friend telling me her story. Because of Grace’s conversational tone, it made for an easy read – in fact I managed to read the whole book in just a couple of days because it was one I didn’t want to put down (not something that often happens with biographies for me!).

When I was reading No Filter, I found myself laughing one moment and crying the next – which is always the sign of a great read. I don’t want to give too much away, but I’ll share a couple of things that really spoke to me.

Toxic friendships: Grace said “… as I became more confident in myself and saw just how draining these friendships were on me, I didn’t hesitate in cutting them off. People think that is brutal, but I have been badly burnt, and you can’t dwell on feeling bad about people who aren’t good for you. The reality is you need to protect yourself, and if friends don’t have your best intentions at heart, well, they aren’t your friends.” I completely agree – friendship is a two way street and if someone is treating you badly then it’s okay to walk away from that.

Taking time out: No Victory was a good reminder that it’s okay to recharge your batteries after social events (which I often find incredibly draining) or to just spend a night curled up at home on the couch with a comfy blanket, takeaways and your favourite movie.

It’s okay to ask for help – There still seems to be a lot of stigma around mental health issues, and I know that there’s been a few times when I’ve been hesitant to speak up and say that I need help. There were a lot of reminders in No Filter that it‘s okay to ask for help when I need it.

SHOP IT: No Filter by Grace Victory is available in hardback or as an eBook.

Does No Filter sound like a book you’d like to read?
Let me know below!