“I’m continually choosing to give myself more credit than criticism and more grace than judgment.”
Kristina Kuzmic is an Internet sensation, known for her funny and sarcastic videos that give mothers and parents important lessons in being a good parent. She shares honestly from her own experiences in the videos and now shares more in-depth about her own journey in Hold On, But Don’t Hold Still. She was a struggling single mother of two after a divorce and has dealt with anxiety and feelings of not being good enough. However, she eventually finds ways to bring herself back up to the surface and believe in her worth as a person and her ability to be the best parent for her children.
I’ve been following Kuzmic for a few years after seeing one of her videos. I didn’t know until reading this book that she got her start by starting a cooking blog that led to her trying out and winning a TV show for the OWN network. The show only lasted one season as the producers pushed her to do a show different from the reason she won. When she came out with Hold On, But Don’t Hold Still, I put the book on my library hold list and waited several weeks before it became available.
In 16 easy-to-read chapters, Kuzmic address topics from depression, to surviving sexual assault, finding a way to help others when she was barely getting by, dealing with guilt, minding your own motherhood and finding a good balance in life. She shares how her new husband and her ex-husband work together to put the kids first in life. I really enjoyed how honest she was about the hard things she’s dealt with in life. My favorite chapter was about finding a balance in life – sometimes having kale and sometimes having donuts with sprinkles.
I would encourage every mother to read Hold On, But Don’t Hold Still to recognize she doesn’t need to be perfect. Admitting to each other our struggles with life can only help us see each other as human and find ways to help each other.