Stress into Strength – Nick Arnett

"When a coach or physical therapist urges you to work hard, that's because physical stress can become strength." I'm finding it really tough to review this book - or indeed, finish reading it, which took almost a year (!). It's not bad at all, it's just... hmm. For a start, going through a heck of …

Mindful Sketching – Peggy Dean

"How to develop a drawing practice and embrace the art of imperfection." It's been a while since I reviewed an art book, but I'm forever looking for ways back into the hobby, the creative part of myself. I'm also a big fan of meditation and mindfulness, so the title of this book sounded perfect. It turned …

The Monkey Mind Workout for Perfectionism – Jennifer Shannon

"Break free from anxiety and build self-compassion in 30 days!" Perfectionism is one of those 'joke' answers when asked in an interview about your biggest weakness. Oh, I'm such a perfectionist - like it's a good thing. But it's really not much of a joke: it can be a debilitatingly stressful way to live, and …

Sleep Tight – Alison Davies

Subtitled: Illustrated Bedtime Stories & Meditations to Soothe You to Sleep I wanted to love this book, but alas I only sort of liked it. It wasn't bad, just didn't quite work for me. The idea is great: gorgeous illustrations for several scenarios, which then get a guided meditation-style story to put yourself in. Each …

Life Coaching – Alexander R Davis

"I would like to start this off with a story." Let's cut to the chase: I do not like this book. It lost me from the opening paragraphs and a *horrible* initial message, which it then follows up with a pile of decent enough, but brief, well-worn (and often half-lifted from other places) advice. But …

Plan a Happy Life – Stephanie Fleming

"Stop asking for permission to be happy. Create your own happiness!" Tagline: "Define your passion, nurture your creativity, and take hold of your dreams." Stephanie Fleming is half of the family team behind a 'Happy Planner', Me and My Big Ideas (Mambi), and this book is - as well as a little tiny bit of …

Effortless – Greg McKeown

"Not everything has to be so hard." The tagline for this book is "Make it easier to do what matters most", and I am all for that sentiment! I haven't read Greg McKeown's previous book, Essentialism, but while that was about doing the right things (rather than trying to do more), this is about asking …

How To Do It Now Because It’s Not Going Away – Leslie Josel

An expert's guide to getting stuff done. Let's get the confession out of the way first: I am not a teen, or a student, and if I'm being honest it's been rather a long time (ahem) since I was either. So why would I have reached for a book aimed at helping those groups improve …

Wisdom for Living – Reynold Ruslan Feldman

"Dear Reader, Do you know how wise you are?" This book is a collection of short 'pearls of wisdom', quotes from all manner of people - religious figures, politicians, sportspeople, and more - with a brief 'thought of the day' or mini-essay by the author after each. You are encouraged to start a 'Wisdom Journal', …

The Art of Routine – Angel Iscovich

"I used to practice emergency medicine, working long shifts in hospital facilities for up to forty-eight hours at a time." When I saw this title on NetGalley, it felt like the timing couldn't have been more perfect - I am indeed pondering routines, setting myself up some better ones, for all sorts of things. And …