A pretty good self-help book that is rooted in pandemic anxiety, but can be used for any anxious crisis.
Every chapter begins with a descripti4.5 stars
A pretty good self-help book that is rooted in pandemic anxiety, but can be used for any anxious crisis.
Every chapter begins with a description of what one may feel and what the exercise proposed will achieve. The exercise follows, with examples. It's repeated throughout that not every exercise and technique will fit every single person. The authors' vision is that you should try and skip to something else if an exercise doesn't fit you.
As someone with chronic anxiety, I appreciated the way they don't try to force any specific way of dealing on you. While most chapters could be beneficial, I can only see a way to incorporate a few in my weekly routine, and that's okay.
I see this book as being beneficial on the long run. Unfortunately, I got it from the library, so I won't be able to keep and refer back to it whenever I need to. Still, I'm positive the few changes I've begun to apply in my life will help.
Don't expect an immediate drastic change. Any self-help book that promises such things is a scam. It takes effort and repetition for it to work, but in times like there every little gesture counts. The last section of the book, on lasting change tackles this subject in tiny, very real ways.
It's one of the best self-help books I've read and one I think will efinitely help manage my anxiety in the long run....more
I was given and ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Important note: I am not a trans person. I sugI was given and ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Important note: I am not a trans person. I suggest you also read reviews by trans people to get their own feelings about the book.
5 ⭐️
As a future teen/YA librarian, I am constantly trying to find books I could add to a library that are inclusive and informative, and aren't necessarily the best-sellers "must-have". I am also wary of LGBT+ rep guides, because a lot of them are great at representing the sexual or gender orientation they are written for, but can be incredibly hurtful to other orientations in the process (mainly through erasure). This is not the case with Trans Teen Survival Guide. It touches LGBT+ as a whole, while still maintaining all subtleties about each and every orientation.
They go deep into the explanation of what sex, gender, gender orientation and gender expression are, the differences between them, and how there isn't a good or bad way to be a certain gender. It is not only an explanation of what gender is, but also how ti's viewed in (contemporary western) society and how hurtful some of the stereotypes are. It rightfully warn trans teens about people who might be obsessed with their genitals vs their gender, and about the dangers of stereotyping.
They constantly remind the reader that, no matter how they identify and express themselves, they are queer/trans enough, which is a really important thing. There has been a lot of "discussion" (using the term loosely here) on social media in the past few years about how some people are supposedly not queer enough for this or that reason. This kind of gatekeeping it extremely hurtful to the LGBT+ community, and I am glad that they address the issue in this book.
In fact, they address pretty much every issue in the book. Sexual orientation (with the exception of asexuality, which seems absent), fatness, degrees of gender expression (tomboy, feminine, butch, etc.) and just every different way a person who is trans could present as. All those points are used to remind readers that - no matter who you are - you are valid.
They talk about surgery in details, the pros and the cons and what each procedure is about.They also remind the reader that having surgery or not is a personal choice and doesn't affect the fact that they ARE trans. They are very open about everything, even when they don't encourage some of them. For example, they discourage resorting to the internet to gain access to hormones and hormones blocker, but they explain why some people could want/need to do that. While mentioning the dangers, they also make sure readers are not left in the dark.
They finish with a few advices for parents or people close to trans people. They remind those people to let kids be kids and not try to put them in boxes depending on the gender they were assigned at birth. They also tell parents to take their children seriously if they express a serious want or need to change gender, and educate themselves on the matter. It is really important not to dismiss this, as it can lead children to mental illnesses based on self-hate and guilt.
The whole book is extremely important and was presented brilliantly. There is plenty of resources listed and trans readers are constantly reminded that it gets better, they will be alright, they matter, they are valid and they are enough. I think it's important that we have more books like this exploring each and every aspect of the LGBT+ community....more
I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
3 ⭐️
As the author states in the introdI was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
3 ⭐️
As the author states in the introduction, this book takes a holistic approach. This is not a "ready-to-consume" pre-made plan that makes you stress to try and fit into your extremely busy 21st century life. It's rather a range of options depending on the type of fatigue you experience. It gives you ideas for a better training plan, along with tips for sleeping and eating better.
What bugs me with this books is the amount of biology, chemistry and psychology details that, for someone who is unfamiliar with these sciences, can be quite a handful. If you've never had an advanced biology class, some of the details on how your metabolism works can be too much. It's interesting, but I doubt all of it was necessary. Same with the details on nutrition.
I don't think I could apply this approach exactly, because the target audience seems to be full-time working in front of a computer middle-aged people with a regular schedule and no health issues outside of fatigue... But some points are interesting starters for something that fits me....more
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did.
As most (if not every) self-help book do, it comes from a place of certain privilege. Even thou4 ⭐️
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did.
As most (if not every) self-help book do, it comes from a place of certain privilege. Even though the author includes examples of famous women who came from a poor background (Oprah Winfrey, Marie Curie), the advice given aren't one size fits all. But if you take what you want and what you can from this book, I'm sure you'll feel better about yourself in a matter of days.
Example given: me. Most self-help books I read make me cringe. Having anxiety means I can't bring myself to do half the things they suggest, or I can't keep their positive thoughts in mind long enough to turn my life around. But with this book, I was actually inspired to do a few things that might really make a change.
I'm not saying it's perfect. I frowned while reading the section about romantic relationships because (1) it's heteronormative as hell and (2) it suggests everyone has romantic feelings. As an aromantic person, I resent that. I know it was written in 2015 (which, by the way, was late enough in the 21st century to use "they" instead of "he or she"...), but there's a serious lack of diversity in that part.
On the whole, though, it has really good advice that I hope young women try to follow. Because, as the author states numerous times, what matters the most is your True F-A-C-E (Free, Alive, Confident and Excited)....more
Much like Caitlin Moran's How To Be A Woman, this book has found a dear place in my heart. It was funny, but also full of advice I should probably takMuch like Caitlin Moran's How To Be A Woman, this book has found a dear place in my heart. It was funny, but also full of advice I should probably take, because who knows better than Amy Poehler?
I loved the format if the book, with its mix of essays and poems and pictures. It made for a good read as well as a good run through, if you don't feel like reading all of it....more
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