Category: Self help

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Biography Non Fiction Self help

Now is Not the Time for Flowers, Stacey Heale

When Stacey’s husband, Greg, is diagnosed with incurable cancer, Stacey’s life as she knew it comes to a halt. Confronted with this devastating reality, Stacey explores the profound differences between our expectations and reality in this part self-help, part memoir book.

Stacey takes readers on a journey through the complexities of grief in modern life, revealing the messy and unexpected realities of love, desire, motherhood, death, grief, identity, personal growth, and the challenges and questions that arise from our nuanced lives.

‘Now is Not the Time for Flowers’ is a truly honest reflection of grief and all its complexities. I found Stacey’s writing refreshing; her honesty resonated, and she articulates so well what many of us fail to put into words. Her words are comforting, and her perspectives on life are encouraging – I don’t think I have highlighted so many things in one book before.

I loved how the book had short chapters and jumped between topics. Many books on grief reflect on a few topics in great detail, but in doing so, they leave out so much and become repetitive. Grief is messy; it impacts many parts of our lives and can leave our minds jumping ferociously between different thoughts and emotions, and I felt this reflected in this book. No stone is left unturned, and Stacey doesn’t shy away from any thought, making it more authentic and relatable than most books on grief.

Other themes which come to light in the book, and which I found incredibly enlightening, include the power of social media networks, the relationship between grief and capitalism, the experiences of women and how we find ourselves playing roles throughout our lives, and the concept of a teenage bedroom as a site for identity construction.

This book is not only for those who have dealt with grief or know someone who is terminally ill but for everyone, as it serves as a poignant reminder of why we should find joy in every day. Thank you, Stacey, for sharing your and Greg’s story.

Categories
Biography Non Fiction Self help

Mad Woman, Bryony Gordon

Ten years after the release of her debut book, mental health advocate Bryony Gordon’s continues to offer us a raw and unfiltered glimpse into her ongoing battles with mental illness, in her latest book ‘Mad Woman’.

In this unique blend of autobiography and self-help, Bryony delves into her recent experiences of menopause, binge eating and the continuous battle she faces with OCD, personified as the notorious Jareth the Goblin King. Through her candid storytelling, she invites us as readers to emphasise with the challenges she faces each day as someone living with mental health illnesses including her recovery from alcoholism – has she broken her sobriety by taking cough medicine?

In addition to sharing the experiences she faced throughout the years of the pandemic, Bryony also reflects on many broader societal issues, including the dismissal of women’s health concerns, and damaging assumptions about body weight and fitness. Most groundbreakingly she reflects on what she has learnt about mental health illnesses throughout her journey – perhaps we aren’t the problem but existing in a world where we are constantly in a state of perma-crisis is, offering a poignant realisation that perhaps our brains are simply trying to keep us safe (the unveil of which is emotional).

What sets Bryony apart from other mental health advocates is that she tackles difficult subjects and infuses her narrative with a touch of humility and wit. Through moments of raw honesty and humour, she takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster, offering hope and most importantly making them feel less alone and united in mental illness struggles.

Raw, honest and hilarious, Bryony is the mental health bestie we all need. 5 stars.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

Belonging, Geoffrey L. Cohen

We live in hugely divisive times. Them vs. Us cultures are on the rise, there has been growth in hate crimes, and, despite being more connected than ever before (with thanks to technology), one in five Americans suffer from chronic loneliness, it is no wonder people feel more alienated than ever!

To show how we can bridge these divides and create connection, Standford University Professor, Geoffrey L. Cohen, applies his and other’s research to the myriad problems of communal existence and offers concrete solutions for improving daily life.

Many of us have heard of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which highlights the importance of a sense of belonging to humans. Despite living in what feels like fractured times, Cohen uses science to show how we can establish connection as well as the ripple effects this can have on our entire society.

Belonging is the most academic piece of literature I’ve read since finishing my Sociology degree four and a half years ago. Whilst it was different from my usual, crime fiction reads, it was incredibly insightful and informative, and even made me miss studying!

Filled with statistics, studies, and anecdotes this book looks at our sense of belonging within society and the impact that has in a vast number of areas including school, work, policing, politics, and health. It is evident the effect sense of belonging, or lack of it, has on society as the studies show the increased/decreased potential, well-being, and outcomes for individuals, depending on whether they feel alienated.

As well as showing us the impact of whether you feel like you belong, Geoffrey Cohen also offers us practical advice on how we can foster a sense of belonging; showing us that even just the smallest acts, such as a change in language, can validate people’s sense of belonging. Knowing that there is stuff we can all do, was inspiring leaving me thinking how I can incorporate some of these things in my own life. It also offered a lot of hope- suggesting that we don’t need to feel alone, there is another way.

Overall, a very insightful read, teachers and managers would really benefit from reading this, but really any one of us can take something from it and take responsibility for fostering a culture where we feel like we all belong. Five Stars.  

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

The School of Life: On Mental Illness, The School of Life

The School of Life: On Mental Illness is a short but very well-rounded guide on mental illness and achieving emotional wellbeing.

Rather than focusing on specific illnesses it focuses on how and why we become mentally unwell, how we can reframe ourselves and how we think to overcome some of the difficulties we face. There is also a huge emphasis on how we can dismantle stigma of mental health within through its gentle reminders that we are not alone no matter how isolated a mental illness can make us feel.

Despite being a short book, a vast number of topics are touched upon. The book starts with reasons to live and goes on to explore areas such as acceptance, medication, love, community, modernity, and self-compassion to name just a few.

Having read books by The School of Life before and enjoying them and with mental health being an area of interest of mine, I was very excited to read this book and was not disappointed.

As soon as I started reading the book felt a warm and reassuring conversation with a friend. Having had my own struggles with mental illness in the past, I felt like the book understood everything I have felt in the past and some of the theories and ideas it presented highly resonated with me and the way I think and feel about the world. Whilst a lot of the stuff was familiar the reminders were invaluable.

I have seen some people have been disappointed by this book so let me be blunt. This is a guide. If you are looking for a scientific book, with extensive research and case studies then this is not for you. The chapters are punctual and don’t leave much room for exploration. However, if you’re new to the topic of and want to get a brief well-rounded understanding of mental health, or perhaps are struggling, need some gentle reminders or just want to feel less alone in how you are feeling then this book sets out to achieve exactly that.

Overall, this is a fantastic consolidation of why some people struggle with mental health and how we can achieve mental well-being. The School of Life: On Mental Illness is like a conversation with a friend; it completely understands the harsh and isolating realities of mental illness and truly felt like a hug in a book.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

Every Family Has a Story, Julia Samuel

In Every Family Has a Story leading psychotherapist Julia Samuel shares the beautiful and insightful stories of eight families who she has personally worked with. Collectively these stories widen our eyes to the vast range of adversities families go through and show how these issues can make or break families.

Aside from the eight stories shared, Julia also draws upon academic research and shares her twelve touchstones for family rituals which provide us with tools to improve our relationships within our own families.

Despite the trauma and hardships which the families in this book courageously share with us all, this is also a book of hope.

As a huge fan of Julia and the incredible work she does, I was honoured to receive an ARC of Every Family Has a Story and have to say it truly did not disappoint my expectations.

I was absolutely captivated by the eight families in the book. Their stories were shared sensitively but really showed the complexities which families face, covering issues such as grief, suicide, addiction, and blended families to name a few.

So often (particularly when you are young) you think everyone has a perfect family. This book reinforces that no one does (or perhaps I am yet to meet someone who does), however what is important is how we work at our family relationships, how we hold time and space for others and the importance of forgiveness whilst also protecting our own individual best interests.

Overall. A strong 5 stars. This book opened my mind and taught me a lot. The only negative is I was gutted it had to end.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Penguin General UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Every Family Has a Story will be published on 17th March 2022.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

Enough, Jessica Rose Williams

‘What is enough? Time enjoyed slowly, choices made intentionally, life lived gracefully’.

In a consumeristic world which markets to us to want more here is Jessica Rose Williams to tell us that we have and are enough.

Jessica takes us on a journey sharing how she has incorporated living a more minimal and intuitive life, ever since her cancer diagnosis at the age of 25, and she teaches us how we can too. Through sharing and reflecting on her own journey she shares her secrets on how to live more simply and sustainably, how we can reclaim our time in a fast paced world and how to discover our true wants and interests as opposed to following the crowd and living to achieve everyone else’s desires.

The book is split into three parts: Enough Things, Enough Space and Enough Within. Enough things focus on decluttering the stuff you own, Enough Space focuses on boundaries with others, and Enough Within focuses on the mindset of enough.  Each section features a mixture of Jessica’s own story, helpful tips and journal prompts to encourage you to reflect on your own life and put what you read into practice.

Whilst there is already some stuff around decluttering and living minimally (think Marie Kondo) please do not be put off by thinking you have heard it all before. Not only was this chapter a great reminder of things which I may have heard or seen before but I have to say I’ve not read much quite like the other two sections of the book, with the ‘Enough Within’ section particularly standing out for me.

Make 2022 the year where you stop falling into what you feel you should be doing and start doing and being your true self. Enough is out 11th January 2022.

Thank you to NetGalley and Watkins Publishing for providing me with an ARC of Enough.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

A Little Bit of Faith, Katie Piper

A Little Bit of Faith has an affirmation for every day of the year with a paragraph after it which offers a small explanation including how you can implement the affirmation into your day/life.

In terms of the type of quotes, if you are not a fan of clichés or the ‘positive vibes only’ brigade then do not fear. The affirmations are much more thought-provoking than that and acknowledges our range of hardships and challenges and the fact that we as humans feel a whole range of emotions. One thing worth mentioning is that as the title suggests, Katie Piper does touch upon her Christian faith slightly in the book. However if you are not religious or belong to a different religion, then do not let this put you off. At no point does Katie force her beliefs onto you, and I truly believe that we can all take something from some of the values which are digested from some biblical quotes.

I have to say this book really did bring a smile to my face. After having a challenging year in terms of grief and battling with mental health, reading these affirmations and hearing Katie Piper’s perspective really felt like a gift from heaven. I’ve read it all in one go in this sitting but going forward I hope to make the book a part of my morning routine.

The only thing I would say is that if you are considering buying this book, and unsure whether to buy the e-book or the physical copy then I would suggest buying the physical copy. Whilst I’ve read the e-book I would love a physical copy which I could easily pick up and refer to and I can just imagine the actual book being a nice touch to any bed side table or book shelf.

All in all, this book isn’t just a book you read and are done with. This book is a lifestyle change. Five stars.

A Little Bit of Faith will be published on the 16th September. Thank you to NetGalley and SPCK Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

The Book of Hope, Jonny Benjamin & Britt Pflüger

TW: Some people may find some of the themes discussed in this book upsetting.

The Book of Hope shares the stories of 101 individuals, including the likes of Dame Kelly Holmes, Joe Tracini and Martin Seager. All the stories have one thing in common: hope.

The contributors to this book vary from athletes, to psychologists, to actors and musicians. Some are very famous, others not so much, but the value of each story is limitless.

The Book of Hope is broken down into the following chapters Always Hope, Acceptance, Peace, Tool Kit, Compassion, Courage, The Right Words, Inspiration, Resilience, Kindness and Connection. This is really helpful as if you need something specific you can easily jump in and out.

Within each chapter you will find a number of stories. Some of the themes which appear in the contributor’s stories include, but are not limited to, mental health illnesses, loss, homophobia, racism, suicide, violence and sexual assault. Each individual tells us of the dark places they have been to. The stories are very raw (hence the trigger warning) however they also tell us how through these adversities they found hope, which in turn can provide hope for those struggling.

There are three important things I took away from this book. 1. You really are not alone. By just reading this book you will realise that there are at least 101 other people who have been to the dark side of life. 2. Even famous people struggle. In a world infatuated by the mass media and Instagram, not everyone’s lives are as they seem. 3. Nothing lasts forever and hope is the most important thing. I wish I had this book as a teen and even more so wish I was able to gift this book to my sister before she gave in to her demons.

Overall, this is just another example of how Jonny Benjamin continues to break the stigma around mental health, and I would like to thank all the contributors, including Jonny and Britt themselves, for being open and honest, and for trying to do just that. We all need a little hope from time to time, so I would recommend all to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan who kindly gave me the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

What They Forgot to Teach You At School, The School of Life

What They Forgot to Teach You at School is a book of all the essential emotional lessons which, as its title suggests, are not taught to us at school.

Each chapter explores a different topic which range from forgiveness, kindness, worrying about other people’s opinions, being aware and so forth.

My first impressions of this book were very hopeful, as I am passionate about schools teaching vital lessons to prepare us for our adult life, as I truly believe this is something which was missing from my own education! Many times I have questioned why do I know how to do trigonometry, yet had to learn for myself that is not selfish to be kind to myself every once in a while?

The book is a short read, and whilst in some places I would have loved to see the topics be expanded on, upon reflection I am pleased that the chapters are bitesize. After all, not everyone is a big reader, and perhaps by the book being more of a guide it makes it more accessible to all.

Some people may perceive the lessons in this book to be ‘common sense’, or ‘nothing new’ however I love being reminded of the values taught throughout, because with how busy everyday life is it is so easy to push these things to the back of our mind. It’s also great for all these lessons to wrapped up into one book.

Overall, a great guide of some of life’s values, which are most simple yet often forgotten about. Personally, I would have preferred more detail, but I still found it very useful and would give it three stars.

Thank you to Duckworth Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

Why the F*ck Can’t I Change? Dr. Gabija Toleikyte

How many of us want to implement new habits into our lives, but often find them short lived? Whether it is diet related or how we deal with stress change is hard, but Why the F*ck Can’t I Change is here to tell you that it is not as impossible as you may think.

Dr. Gabija Toleikyte is a neuroscientist and behavioural coach, who explains why we form certain habits and behaviours, shows us how we can stop ourselves from repeating mistakes and takes us on an eye-opening journey through the way the human brain works.

Covering topics such as why you should not suddenly stop bad habits, ways to improve your productivity and how to look after your brain health. Why the F*ck Can’t I Change is transformative, inspiring and empowering.

Unlike other self help books I found Why the F*ck Can’t I Change took a more pragmatic approach to guiding us. Dr. Gabija uses a mixture of academic research and case studies to bring her points to life, and she suggests activities throughout so you can put her advice into practice.

I enjoyed the scientist approach this book took as it was useful to know the ‘why’ behind things. Rather than just being told how to change, it was helpful to know why we are a particular way, which the author tells us by going right down to basics, for example our animal instincts.

Some may say that this is more of a textbook, as the author introduces the purpose of each chapter and writes summaries at the end of each chapter. Whilst, for some this may trigger bad school memories, or perhaps feel overly repetitive, I found it really helpful. The chapters were well-structured, the summaries reminded of what I had learnt and are incredibly useful if you wish to refer back to things.

Will you enjoy this book if you are not overly interested in science? Personally, I never particularly enjoyed science at school, but found this book fascinating. I found the author’s explanations easy to understand and no matter how scientific you are or you are not, I believe this is the one neuroscience book we can all get behind. We all have a brain (some may say debatable) so do we not owe it to ourselves to understand how it works?

Overall, a refreshing, well researched and practical self-help book, which not only teaches how but why. Five stars.

Why the F*ck Can’t I Change is out now. Thank you to Thread and NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.