
Highlight Real
Finding Honesty & Recovery Beyond the Filtered Life
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Narrated by:
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Emily Lynn Paulson
About this listen
A music prodigy, head of her class, and well-liked in school, Emily Paulson decided early that embellishment paved the road to success. As she grew up, she figured out how to make the picture look even better - with a successful husband, five beautiful children, and all the required accompanying accoutrements.
Then along came social media, where those pictures of the perfect life grew her a following of women who believed that everything about Emily was #blessed #inspo. But behind the filtered façade was a reality filled with trauma, addiction, and dysfunctional behavior. From disordered eating to breaking the law and nearly destroying her marriage, Emily had been running from her own trauma for years. Living a life shot through with more self-destruction than she could track, Emily knew things had to change when she woke up one morning and realized that she was barely participating in the picture she had so carefully crafted.
Highlight Real: Finding Honesty & Recovery Behind the Filtered Life is the true story of what happens when a so-called perfect mother and businesswoman is forced to find reckoning with her past and build a future based on the authenticity she has always sought. Searingly honest, heartbreaking and packed with uncountable did-she-actually-just-say-that moments, Highlight Real is a memoir of healing as well as a fully modern look at what happens when the filters fall off and real life emerges into the light.
©2019 Light Hustle Publishing (P)2019 Emily Lynn PaulsonListeners also enjoyed...
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What listeners say about Highlight Real
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- Anonymous User
- 10-13-23
Speaking her truth ! So raw and vulnerable .
I couldn’t stop listening ! So good ! I live in Montana and related to much of her story .
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- Amazon Customer
- 07-08-20
Don't wait! Get it NOW..
I would give this book 100 + stars if I could. First, Emily has a beautiful voice to listen to (some books I have to turn off if that is not the case), and, her story is filled with so much honesty and relatable experiences if one struggles with substance use disorder. This book is a game-changer for quit lit.
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- Kit
- 07-18-20
amazing
such an amazing story of overcoming trauma, addiction, and fear. I am so grateful to hear the hope in sobriety
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- Beth Hood
- 10-16-19
Worthy
A true heartfelt story of addiction. One woman’s amazing battles with self love. Relatable on so many levels. Sharing her journey is a gift worth reading for anyone who has that little voice inside their head telling them to stop their own addictive secrets!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Rachel Jasse
- 04-20-23
Brilliant
AMAZING!!! Relatable, brilliant. Thank you Amy for your eloquently written book. Often times I felt like you were sharing my story.
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- Natalie
- 08-01-22
Read it now.
A book I never knew I needed. Thank you for sharing your story, Emily. You are inspiring and helping women everywhere recover and heal.
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- Anonymous User
- 10-21-23
What a journey!
I listened to both your books. You are a very brilliant writer that’s very brave to share your story with the world! It is so inspirational whether one has an addiction problem or not. Somewhere in our families the darkness of addiction is there. I am raising two grandchildren because of it. The good news is my son is clean and sober and has been for about three years. He removed himself from our hometown and put himself on a barge to work to stay away from all the things that trigger the drug/alcohol demon.
Please keep writing! I’m a reader but I also listen to audible and I’m so glad I listened to your books! Your voice hooked me on the sample! 💖
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- Beth
- 08-28-20
WOW...AMAZING BOOK!
Emilys Lynn Paulson’s (the author) openness and honesty of her life story is truly amazing. The connections she makes from her childhood to adulthood are so relatable.
This is such a great read for everyone. Whether you may be questioning your relationship with alcohol/addictions or you may know someone who is...this book helps you understand how addictions control a persons life.
Emily, I can only imagine how hard it was for you to revisit each situation while writing this book. I know you will help so many other moms, sisters, friends and strangers that may be questioning their own addictions.
I love that you read the book for audible. It makes the story so much more personal.
I hope you write another book soon!
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- Jen Coners
- 05-22-20
I can breathe now
This book spoke to my soul as I am very new to my journey and relationship to alcohol. I felt I wrote some of her chapters. I I laughed like are you F kidding me right now? That happened to me to crying, yes that happened to me. I may read again and go back to it for a reference. The word sober scares me so I say, taking a pause right now and again I am very early. I don’t believe I am an alcoholic but what does one really look like? I will share my journey and hope it leads me to helping others who just really don’t know why they drink. Thank you Emily, thank you
Jen
Illinois
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- Kim Arnold
- 07-22-20
Fabulous!
Great book ! NOT preachy or judge mental . I read it in one day ! If you think it might help you , it will !
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