Clever and Humorous Little Book for Dealing With Anxiety

 

Title: It's Hard To Be A Person; Defeating Anxiety, Surviving The World and Having More Fun.

Author: Brett Newski

Publisher: Ramshackle Press

Publication Date: June 21, 2021

About the Author
When a couple of doodles he’d posted to social media making light of his struggle with anxiety and depression garnered a surprising and overwhelming response, Brett Newski decided to make his relatable coping mechanism of drawings into a series. Now, Newski presents three years' worth of drawings in his book.

Humorous Thoughts for Dealing With Life
The author uses doodles and simple line drawings to shed light on anxiety, depression, and mental health issues. This is a comic book for teens and adults that offers some light-hearted advice for dealing with life's challenges.

My Thoughts
This is both an art/comic book and a self-help book rolled into one great package. The doodles and drawings are so much fun! I have read this book several times and enjoy it more each time I experience it.

The author faces the challenges of life with a healthy sense of humor. Each new page brings smiles and even laughter. There is serious advice mixed in with the humorous drawings and doodles.

"When you're down and out, It's normal to feel like you'll be stuck there forever. Please note, EVERYTHING is temporary."

If you could use some positivity in your life, this book is for you!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital review copy of this book from NetGalley. 

Thank you for visiting my blog. Please FOLLOW and share your thoughts in the COMMENTS section below.

Brave Young Lady Conquors Depression and Social Anxiety - A Book Review

A Way Out: A Memoir of Conquering Depression and Social Anxiety

Author: Michelle Balge

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services LLC

Publication Date: February 27, 2018

Pages: 202 Pages



About the Author
Michelle Balge is a mental health advocate, web designer and animal lover. She holds an Honors BA in Sociology with a concentration in Critical Animal Studies, and will receive a Web Design Graduate Certificate in June, 2018.

Mental Illness Is Real
Michelle Balge provides a raw, unfiltered look into the world of mental illness.

She shares the thoughts that almost destroyed her. Suicidal thoughts invaded her mind and cast a dark shadow over her existence. They threatened to steal her future.

Michelle is a fighter. She will not surrender to the illness and let it control her life.

Here are some resources and techniques that helped the author battle her mental illness;

• See a doctor/therapist.
• Medication.
• Healthy eating.
• Exercise.
• Breathing techniques.
• Have a good support system.
• Volunteering or joining something that interests you where you can meet people.
• Meditation and mindfulness.
• Group therapy.
• Maintain a regular sleep schedule.
  

Michelle Balge learned that her mental illness can be treated and she has hope for the future.

My Thoughts
This book was difficult to read. The author's goal was to be completely transparent and share her experiences in a way that would make a difference.

Ms. Balge displayed persistence, courage and determination in her fight with depression and social anxiety during her childhood and into young adulthood. She would not allow fear to win. She set out to educate herself and find the professional help she needed to overcome and conquer the demons in her mind.

This is a very timely story in the aftermath of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. We can no longer afford to bury our heads in the sand and ignore the problem of mental illness in our society. 

Ms. Balge demonstrates a tremendous amount of insight into her illness at a very young age. She will conquer her depression and social anxiety and succeed in helping herself and others.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair review.

Thank you for visiting my blog and reading this review. Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below or tweet me @JanetteFuller.
I want to hear from you!

The Joy Plan - A Book Review

The Joy Plan: How I Took 30 Days to Stop Worrying, Quit Complaining, and Find Ridiculous Happiness

Author: Kaia Roman

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Date of Publication: July 11, 2017

Pages: 321 pages


About the Author
Kaia Roman has a twenty-year background in public relations and marketing. She is currently a Mindfulness Teacher for elementary school students and a regular contributor to numerous mindfulness, happiness, and wellbeing blogs. She lives in Santa Cruz, CA.

Kaia Roman felt down-and-out after her business collapsed.  She was seeking direction in her role as a wife, mother, friend and business woman. She consulted a friend and decided to devote the next 30 days of her life to creating JOY!

Ms. Roman discovered that The Joy Plan was much more than a 30 day project. 
Joy and happiness became a lifestyle that would change her life and the lives of her loved ones.

This is both a memoir and a self-help book for anyone who is seeking joy and a positive lifestyle.

My Thoughts
What is a joy plan and how do you make one?

I think we would all like more joy in our lives. While happiness is a state of mind based on circumstances, joy is an internal feeling that disregards circumstances.

Kaia Roman explained how she started the joy plan by asking a single question; "Does this feel good?" As the author learned to choose positive thoughts and attitudes, her life took a joyful turn. She was attracting positive people and experiences into her life. 

I enjoyed this book very much. Ms. Roman provided a detailed account of the ups and downs that she experienced on her quest for joy. She cited an impressive number of references and resources for further study. There is an excellent discussion guide at the end of the book to be used with a study group or just a review of the reading material.

I am currently taking a MOOC on Positive Psychology at Coursera. The experiences chronicled in this book demonstrate that positive emotions CAN change your life for the better. I applaud Ms. Roman for writing this book and thank her for showing us how to "stop worrying, quit complaining, and find ridiculous happiness."

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUR OF 5

FYI - I received a digital review copy of this book from Net Galley.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below. I will reply to all comments and questions. 

Book Review; A Promise To Remember

 A Promise to Remember, by Kathryn Cushman, is a story about how two very different families deal with grief.  I chose this book to read because I recently installed the Kindle for PC software on my laptop computer.  The publisher is offering this book as a FREE download for Kindle users.

Chad Phelps and Jeff Johnston are killed in a car wreck.  The Phelps family is wealthy and live in an exclusive area of Santa Barbara, California.  Melanie Johnston is a single mom and works in a grocery store to earn a living.  Chad Phelps had been drinking the night he collided with Jeff Johnston.

This book provides a look at how the families go through  denial, anger, depression and finally acceptance in dealing with the loss of their teenage sons. 

This is a Christian fiction book but it is not preachy.  Christian beliefs and values are used by both families to move forward and accept this tragedy.  The theme of the story is forgiveness. 

I could really relate to this book because I was in a head-on collision with a drunk driver in 1992.  I went through many of the same feelings that were portrayed in this book.  This is a very helpful book for anyone who has gone through a traumatic experience.  It will help you get things in the proper perspective.

Other books by Kathryn Cushman:
Waiting for Daybreak
Leaving Yesterday
Angel Song