“It Starts With us” by Colleen Hoover continues the emotional journey from “It Ends With Us”, focusing on the relationship between Lily Bloom and Atlas Corrigan. Here are 10 key lessons from the book:
1. The Power of Healing and Self-Love
Lily’s journey shows that healing starts from within. It’s essential to recognize your own worth, build your self-confidence, and take the necessary steps to heal emotionally before seeking love from others.
2. The Importance of Forgiveness
Forgiveness doesn’t just mean letting go of anger toward others—it’s also about forgiving yourself for past mistakes and imperfections, allowing you to move forward.
3. Recognizing Toxicity in Relationships
The book highlights how toxic relationships can affect one’s mental and emotional well-being. Lily learns to set boundaries and recognize when a relationship is damaging, regardless of the love or affection involved.
4. True Love Requires Patience and Trust
Both Lily and Atlas demonstrate that true love is built on patience, trust, and understanding, not just passion or chemistry. It takes time for relationships to grow and solidify.
5. The Importance of Choice
Throughout the book, Lily faces significant decisions about her life and relationships. The novel teaches us that we always have a choice, and choosing the right path for ourselves is vital for our happiness.
6. Letting Go of the Past
Moving forward requires letting go of past hurts and painful memories. Both Lily and Atlas deal with past traumas and learn that they can’t move forward until they’ve truly accepted and released the past.
7. Self-Sacrifice Doesn’t Always Equal Love
The book emphasizes that self-sacrifice and compromising one’s values or desires for others is not necessarily a sign of love. True love should allow both people to grow individually while still being supportive.
8. Family Support is Crucial
Lily and Atlas both learn how important having a supportive family can be, especially when dealing with difficult situations. Whether it’s biological family or chosen family, having people who care for you can make a world of difference.
9. You Can Create Your Own Future
The novel teaches that despite the past and the struggles one may face, you have the power to create your own future and shape the kind of life you want, without being bound by your circumstances.
10. Healing Takes Time
Both Lily and Atlas learn that healing is not an overnight process. You can’t rush through emotional recovery, and sometimes, you need to take small steps toward self-discovery and growth.
It Starts with Us is about navigating the complexities of life, love, and healing. The lessons in the book resonate with the importance of growth, both individually and as part of a relationship.