New memoir, Perfectly Imperfect is a refreshing celebration of not being perfect. It is a raw and inspiring account of Australian author Ailsa Robson’s struggles with her body image, the ups and downs of motherhood, love and loneliness as she begins to accept herself, flaws and all.
At times unsettling and challenging, yet other times humorous and witty, Ailsa, who is also a counselor and psychotherapist, shares her innermost thoughts, pain and turmoil in the form of unfiltered journal entries – as she takes readers through her journey of acceptance, growth and transformation.
The book morphed from Ailsa’s private blog. A safe place where Ailsa reflected on life as she was raising her babies, often alone due to her husband’s Fly In Fly Out (FIFO) work, and while undergoing weight loss surgeries and diets that Ailsa thought were going to be life changing. The surgeries and diets didn’t change life, but writing became a way of making sense of her lonely days, changing identity and of course her ever-changing body. “As I re-read my blog entries, I began thinking how my writing could resonate with so many women as they struggle with the questions: Am I good enough? Am I alone in my feelings? So I began the process of collating my blog entries into a book and found myself sharing the stories that I never dreamt would go to print when I wrote them! Reading the book is like reading someone else’s diary – but with permission,” says Ailsa.
“Perfectly Imperfect is for women who wish they had ‘better’ bodies, lives and relationships but are wise enough to know that there is no such thing as perfection. It’s for all those women who want more for themselves than the never-ending battle of striving for perfection,” Ailsa said. “I hope the book offers these women real life stories that are not sugar coated – ones that they can relate to so they are not alone in their feelings. I hope the book also gives them valuable insight to help with their own journey of acceptance and transformation.”
Author Ailsa Robson is a water baby, incessant muser and writer, and someone who always looks for the silver lining. She lives in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, with her family and their feisty alley cat. She is a Counselor, Psychotherapist and a passionate Health At Every Size advocate.
Readers also enjoyed this story about comedic cabaret group Lady Sings It Better.
