So Lucky by Dawn O’Porter

August 29, 2019

To a stranger’s eye, they’ve got it made.

Beth shows that women really can have it all.

Ruby lives life by her own rules.
And then there’s Lauren, living the dream.

If only you knew the full story.

Beth hasn’t had sex in a year.
Ruby feels like she’s failing.
Lauren’s happiness is fake news.

Peel back the layers, and no-one’s life is as perfect as it looks.

If there's one phrase that really grates on me it's "You're so lucky." It's used so frequently and it's often the words we say to each other to mask our envy with kindness. Whether it's complimenting someone on their job, new house, relationship or other personal achievement. We use our peers' achievements as benchmarks for our own success, even more so when endlessly scrolling with our thumbs.

That being said, the word 'lucky' also strips whoever is receiving this compliment, of any recognition of hard work. To acknowledge someone as 'lucky' is to deny them of the hard-earned respect they deserve. Dawn O'Porter's new book So Lucky explores this very theme, and crawls under the skin of comparison to unearth the insecurities we all nurse. It's funny (as you'd expect from Dawn) and unabashedly portrays raw emotions of rejection, neglect, confidence and doubt. I couldn't get enough of it. Not only has it given me second thoughts about how I consume content through the lens of influencers - *ew what a horrible word* but it also made me hold a mirror to my own life and take stock of what I am truly lucky to have.

So here's to us all, the lucky ones.