Hey Everyone!
I thought I would switch it up today and post a "Book Review" for a book that I just finished last week and absolutely LOVED!! Full disclaimer: I have never written a true book review, so I don't know if there is certain criteria I need to cover and if I don't cover what you wanted I am sorry! It is called Buy Yourself the F*cking Lillies by Tara Schuster, Vice President of Talent and Development for Comedy Central (if you are reading this, I would literally die for a job there). She gives you all a look into her life and how certain rituals turned her around from being in her lowest of lows. I was recommended this book by a friend when I was talking about how I felt my life was in a rut. Since Corona, like many people, my mental health has taken a catastrophic plunder. I don't say this for sympathy, I am just trying to be real and normalize it all. I am very fortunate to have never had a serious history of anxiety and depression, but because of that I have been absolutely clueless in how to navigate it all and form health coping mechanisms. I decided to buy this book because I was just curious in what she had to say (worse thing to happen is that I give to a friend as a Christmas gift later). I hate the term "self-help" book because it sounds so mid-life crisis, so I am calling this a "lifestyle book". There is absolutely no shame in getting help, I just rebranded this genre in my mind because I don't just want a solution- I want practices I can apply in my life to continuously get better as a human. Enough with my rant- here is the rest of the review!
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I love when books feel like someone's diary, like they are just writing out a conversation they are having with their friend. It its easier for me to read and also reminds me that the writer is still a human being. When you are talking about heavy stuff it is nice to have a little personality in it all rather than feeling like you are reading a textbook. This is exactly how Tara Shuster tells her story. She includes anecdotes, notes to self, checklists and writing prompts for when you want to journal and process what you are reading. She makes you feel like you are not alone in your struggles or unfortunate family relationships, or how you view your body, etc. She also gives you the tough love that a best friend would and gives the reader tangible advice and habits to try.
This book is broken down into three parts- mind, body, and relationships. Each part has a multitude of different paths explained in each chapter. She tells you what the ritual is, how she learned the hard way the importance of the ritual, and how the ritual has improved her life since. There is always a clear explanation and proof of the validity of her responses. Of course it is not coming from an official licensed professional, but she is not trying to diagnose you or figure out what medication you should be on- she is telling you that physical activity is more mentally transformative than people realize or the value of writing thank you notes to people just for being there or the value of spotting bad patterns when trying to get into a relationship with someone. These are take what you need and leave what you don't kinds of advice.
Overall, this book has given me a lot of moments for self-actualizations and thing to keep in mind moving forward. Mental health is as unpredictable as the lottery and it is important that we all have a tool box to turn to when we feel like we are being swelled up in it all. I know that last sentence could probably been taken from a poster hung up in a middle school counselor's office, but it is true nonetheless! If this book review has made you buy this book or this is something you liked reading, let me know because there are some other books that I want to show you guys!
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What books are you loving?
Stay UNIQUE,
Sara Anne
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