Finding Me: The Grammy-winning memoir

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Find My requires iOS 14, iPadOS, or macOS Catalina or later and that your device is signed in to iCloud with your Apple ID. Find My iPhone and Find My Friends are still preinstalled and available on iOS 9 and later. Some features are not available in all countries or regions. I’ll be adding and doing a full review. Couldn’t wait to share because of the size of the vibe and importance to me. Maybe you as well. It’s no accident that Time Magazine named Viola Davis one of the 100 most influential people in the world. The way in which I can relate to this memoir is astounding… I had no clue that I shared so many things with Miss. Vee!

one of the highest rewards: being inducted into the “Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences”….. not just winning an Emmy, a Tony nomination, a Golden Globe award, screen actors Guild award, a star on the Hollywood walk of fame, an Academy award for best supporting actress….etc. etc…. First ingredient I needed to be an artist, the power to create. The power of alchemy, that magical process of transformation and creation to believe at any given time I could be the somebody I always wanted to be." Viola Davis is one of the best actors of this generation and has won multiple awards in acting, like Oscar, Emmy, and Tony. She tells her extraordinary journey filled with poverty, love, hatred, racism, and achievements in her life in this book.It just so happens while working with a counselor the VA assigned me we came to a point recently. Connecting my military PTSD from where it began during service of the nation to a meaning of unexpected importance. Start trusting your own judgment and decision-making processes, mistakes and all. We all make mistakes, but through mistakes we find ourselves growing, learning, and reaching our real selves. At Rhode Island College, there was a food program during the week, but not during the weekends. So, to eat regularly, Viola had a lot of jobs during school. These included working as an RA and counselor in the summer Preparatory Enrollment Program; working in the college library; working the Rhode Island College front desk; working at a drug store in Central Falls; and more. Viola writes, "Working hard is great when it's motivated by passion and love and enthusiasm. But working hard when it's motivated by deprivation is not pleasant."

I know much of these facts - our 40 year old daughter is a steady working actor in Hollywood since childhood]….. Paul listened to ‘parts’ - but not all of this book —-(he and I had several conversations—but he missed a lot of poignant parts)…. I now realize I forgot to add to the review. Please accept my apology. It’s a fantastic book on audio 😁) As the name “Finding Me” suggests, a central pillar for the work is to do with self-awareness – but this is not introspection or searching for “why” but rather discovering how we are and what we do that holds us to a particular way of being in the world. Our beliefs and behaviours are complex, shaped by the outside world and our interactions with it as well as our internal world of thoughts and feelings. In fact, it’s very difficult to separate the two. This is the premise of many existential thinkers who were fascinated by the rich complex paradoxes of being human e.g. we want to be accepted and to belong – yet we also want to stand out and be special. We seek the freedom to choose how we live our lives yet fear owning that responsibility for fear of getting it wrong or failing. These and other challenges, in turn, manifest into everyday struggles which recur habitually in different situations. Finding Me assists individuals by exploring their particular situation, their givens, their choices and it’s meaning for them including how these factors support or limit them as they navigate a path through life’s inevitable vicissitudes. This leads to personal development, greater resilience and a clearer sense of direction.

Viola prayed to meet a good man, and finally, on the set of 'City of Angels', she met Julius Tennon, whom she later married. Viola recalls, "As soon as he came into my life, my life got better because I created a family with him, with someone who loved me....I was no longer solely defined by the family that raised me and my childhood memories." In 2001 Viola won a Tony Award for King Hedley II, and then the 2008 movie 'Doubt' marked her transition from stage actor to film/Hollywood actor. Viola writes a good deal about her subsequent successes and accolades, which include an Oscar for 'Fences' in 2016 and many other honors and awards. Every person needs time alone, whether they're extroverted or introverted, single or in a relationship, young or old. Solitude is time for rejuvenation and self-talk, for utter peace and for realizing that purposeful "loneliness" is not a bad place to be but rather, a liberating part of your overall existence. [3] X Research source Viola Davis had a story to tell….carved from experiences that shaped who she is. Trying to fully understand her ‘entire’ life story and ‘how’ she survived unfathomable traumatic conditions—for years—as a child —is staggering….. I love the way she handles her success. She’s humble, practical, and handles criticism stoically and with pragmatism, and that is not something many people are able to pull off in general, much less publicly. I have loved this actress for a long time based solely on her skills as an actress, but now I am doubly impressed. Now when I see Viola on the big or small screen, I will see her in a different light- one that shines brighter and stronger, with an everlasting glow…

Sort out your career path. If you're meandering all over the place looking for the right "fit", chances are that you're not happy inside. You could be using the job-changing as an excuse for not fully realizing your true potential. Find yourself by really taking an interest in what you love to do. If money weren't an issue, what would you spend your days doing? What way can you monetize this activity/skill? [6] X Research sourceIn spite of all this, Viola was a good student. She recalls, "School was our salvation. We coped by excelling academically." Viola could have done well in many areas, but the acting bug bit her when she saw Cicely Tyson in 'The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman." Viola writes, "I wanted to be a great actor like Miss Tyson....Then Ron Stetson, a young actor and coach, came into my life when I was fourteen." Stetson was Viola's acting coach in the federally funded Upward Bound program. Ron taught his students to act and gave them a safe space to share their feelings. Viola notes, "The emotional release acting allowed gave me great joy." I also love her story about her hubby, chiiiiiiile— AINT NOTHING LIKE A SOUTHERN MAN… I too, tend to lean towards them as well because they simply understand so much! This is not a diss to any other men in the world, cause #IYKYK 😘 and there it is. I am a dark-skinned woman. Culturally, there is a spoken and unspoken narrative rooted in Jim Crow. It tells us that dark-skinned women are simply not desirable. All the attributes that are attached to being a woman-desirable, vulnerable, needing to be rescued-don't apply to us. In the past, we've been used as chattel, fodder for inhumane experimentation, and it has evolved into invisibility." This has got to be my favorite read of the year. I loved Viola Davis before, but now I’m IN love with her. The immense respect and admiration I have for her is deep. The things she endured as a kid, teen, woman—period. I can honestly say that I’ve never experienced. I’ve never missed a meal for days. I’ve never had to lie in my own urine and go to school the next day reeking. I’ve never had to fight with huge rats over my bed & pillow. I’ve never witness my father beat my mom within an inch of her life and I’ve never experienced racism on the level that Viola has for being too dark. What she went through for being dark skinned, what her mom went through as a child..absolutely horrific.

Viola Davis is an actor who succeeded with her hard work, determination, and passion. She tells us how to become a good artist through this book. Much to learn, reflect, and think about. I’m guessing every reader will continue thinking about this book long after finishing it - certain sections more than others (all for varied reasons)…. To the predators.. Weinstein, the stranger, the relative, the boyfriend…. I say to you, 'You can choose your sin but you don't get to choose the consequences.' To the victims…. I see you. I believe you… and I'm listening." STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND RUN, RUUUNNN TO THE BOOKSTORE AND BUY THIS BOOK, YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!! ITS A TOPS!!! 💚💚💚Paul and I haven’t even finished the first season of “How to Get Away With Murder”, yet….we are late to watch it….but we are loving it ……. The descriptions of the living conditions of her home are hard to wrap one’s head around, but despite her parents having their hands full with their own demons, Viola managed to get some support from siblings and programs offered to her which helped to build her self-esteem, incentivized her to change the course of her life, propelling her toward achieving her dreams.