Stepping outside of the spotlight and onto black and white pages, Lily Collins debuted her first book “Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me” last month, which tapped into a side of her that she has long hidden from the often critical eyes that accompany fame.

Staring in films “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones,” “Love, Rosie” and “The Blind Side” among others, Collins has acquired a significant amount of success in the realms of acting over her years. However, growing up among the eyes of fame is a demanding feat that can lead to a buildup of insecurities and overburdening expectations, which Collins sets free in in her bare all memoir.

Not afraid to unveil her quirks or discuss the topics that are frequently kept hushed by society, Collins writes about intimate and familial relationships, internal struggles and body image issues. In writing about what is often unspoken, Collins teaches readers to not change who they are because they may be different, but instead to learn to love and embrace what sets them apart from others since it is what makes them unique and special.

“Standing in a crowd is much more rewarding than blending in,” Collins wrote as a standalone quote in the first chapter of her memoir. These words alone flawlessly commenced the journey of self-love and acceptance that Collins went on while writing “Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me,” and the same mentally rejuvenating journey that readers have the opportunity to experience upon reading.

Hyperreal Photoshop that erases and alters a majority of celebrity’s flaws before meet the eyes of consumers makes it hard for everyday individuals like you and me to envision how high-profile and successful stars could possibly suffer from insecurity and anxiety when they seem practically ‘perfect.’

However, with honesty, humility and newfound strength, Collins reminds readers that no one is perfect. Everyone, even celebrities struggle — and just because you have struggled, those hard and low times do not define you. Much like a flower that may welter after being in the sun for too long, Collins’ memoir gives hope that with a change in action, we all can start to bloom again.

The memoir was raw, touching and relatable as Collins takes the plunge in revealing to fans the guts of what would likely lie within the binds of her diary if she were to keep one.

“Your bravery to put yourself out there, openness and willingness to speak your minds, and strength to bare your innermost thoughts inspired me to do the same,” Collins’ wrote to her fans in the acknowledgements of her memoir. Her fans constantly there for her during the times when she needed lifting up the the most, and with her book, from the bottom of her heart, she returns the favor.

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