Review by Booklist Review
Athlete and Peleton trainer Oyeneyin reveals everything she was, is, and probably will be through this autobiography of spirit and will. Now in her mid-thirties, she documents formative aspects of her life: her Nigerian family, her fat childhood, her many careers (starting as a make-over artist), her friends and exes, and the losses of dear ones. In the process, she explains what matters to her and what she calls the five attributes: power, surrender, empathy, authenticity, and knowledge. Power, in her mind, emanates from trusting your gut instinct; authenticity, from being yourself; knowledge, learning to make today's pain into tomorrow's strength. Once her mesmerizing narrative takes hold, every plus and minus count, every high and low: Her interview with Common, the pace of her mother's passing, the day of the "chop" (a big haircut), the pandemic void. Her sayings are contagious, as the entire read will be for the right readers: Every day, after all, is a new day.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A memoir and inspirational guide from the popular Peloton cycling instructor. In her debut, Oyeneyin, a first-generation American whose parents "emigrated from Nigeria to Houston" before she was born, shares the personal journey that has allowed her to live "on purpose, of purpose, and with purpose." From an early age, she struggled with her weight, allowing her insecurities to "imprison" her. The author contends that many of us get trapped by our personal expectations and intentionally self-imposed limits. Once she began losing weight, Oyeneyin took notice of the comments she received. "Society had showed me that looking a certain way meant I was invited into places I didn't fit before, and I now realized that hadn't been far from the truth," she writes. With a new sense of confidence, she began pursuing a career as a makeup artist in Houston. Based on encouragement from friends, she moved to Los Angeles to advance her career. The author recounts the ups and downs of her career journey, which ultimately led to finding her calling as a cycling instructor and her dream job, working in New York for Peloton. Oyeneyin also shares a personal experience with racial profiling by the police. Having found her own voice, the author felt compelled to help other women do the same. She formed a group called SPEAK, based on her "five key pillars"--Surrender, Power, Empathy, Authenticity, and Knowledge--created a "SPEAK Up" ride for Peloton, and launched an interview series on Instagram, "showcasing the voices of Black celebrities so that people could see that even they had dealt with racism." Throughout the book, Oyeneyin tells stories from her own life that correlate with each pillar. Much of the author's guidance can be found in other self-help books, but her drive to motivate others is apparent. Fans of Oyeneyin will appreciate her guidance and find pieces of solid advice from her personal experiences. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
