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I only recommend books that I have read and benefited from. Most will be about self-help, mental and physical wellness, and successful living. You will see my personal view of what the book is about and how it could benefit you. To grab a copy for yourself, simply click on the book and you will be redirected to my Amazon affiliate links.
Come As You Are
Although Emily's book says it helps you understand and take control of your sex life so you can enjoy more pleasure, it's a lot more than that. It's not just for women either. It can help both men and women understand their bodies and minds and how they work together. Emily dives deep into our brains, its development, and our relationship with sex going all the way back to our infant stages to help us get a grip on our relationship with sex at every stage in our lives. Her book can even help parents find a way to approach talking about sex with their kids and it can help you build a better relationship with sex and your body. She even created a workbook to help you understand your personal body. However, I have not got around to that book yet.
The Body Keeps The Score
Yes, trauma is part of everyone's life. Some happen to be more horrific than others, but no two people respond the same. Bessel does talk a lot about the trauma and PTSD that veterans face during and after their service, but it goes far beyond that. We are talking about trauma that can start from the moment you are born, the way children learn, understand, and cope with trauma and how it affects them as they grow and long into their adult lives. Although it is not designed to diagnose you, it can help you understand some of the ways that you behave in certain situations. As an example, I didn't realize I had learned to disassociate myself as a child and still use it as a coping mechanism today. It's why Bessel and his colleagues developed the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and programs to help stop the generational trauma at the beginning and help our future generations relieve the past and be prepared for the future.
Self-Love For Kids
Some of the activities are a little "eh", but I can definitely see the value in some of them. There is definitely some psychology behind the ideas of some of these activities. Some are a little repetitive, but I think that's partly on what tools (crafts) you have available and what activities you and your kids would be more interested in doing. It can help you and your kids see the value in each other and maintain a good relationship. I will say, I love the hug wand. I wish I had one. Sometimes you just need a hug, and you shouldn't be afraid or ashamed to ask for one.
Be Useful Seven Tools For Life
Change Your Questions Change Your Life
Fuck Feelings
I would say Arnold's book is more like a mini memoir more than anything. He has a good story though. It's his mindset, determination, and work ethic that really make you admire him and push yourself to do more. It's an easy read and not because of a lack of intelligence, it's because he knows in order to help his customers, he needs to be understood by people with various intelligent levels. If you're looking for that push to reach or find your goals in life, this is it.
It was a long read, if you read the whole book. However, it really did help with my personal and professional life. I had originally grabbed it because it was also recommended to me to help with working with my employees. Things were alright with my staff at the first salon I managed. Could have been better. When I got to the next salon, it was a continuous shit show. I could not figure out why it was so different with these employees. Yes, I was in a different state, different intellect, and different demeanor, but things still weren't adding up. I learned that a lot of my frustrations came from my own thoughts, feelings, and assumptions. I had to stop assuming and start asking the right questions to bridge the gap. There are great stories of both personal and business relationships to help you with the people in your life.
One thing I learned is I have a little bit of a "savior" complex. Partly because I'm the eldest child and secondly, I'm an empath. It hurts me when others are in pain and struggling. I want to care for them so badly! One other thing I learned is some people are just depressed people and there isn't much you can do for them or yourself, if it is you. It's not always curable, but you can find healthy ways to cope. It just takes time to figure out what works. The Anxiety Book for Trans People was really helpful on getting a bit of background on anxiety, depression, and the ways to find what works for a specific person, or you. As far as the section on sex and children in Fuck Feelings goes, take it with a grain of salt - It was clearly written by a man. I feel like his partner, Sarah, must not have a whole lot of self-esteem or respect for herself for believing in what he had to say, or she had very little to do with the development of the book.
The Anxiety Book for Trans People
Although it says it's for Trans people, I would consider this helpful for anyone that suffers from anxiety or has experienced anxiety at some point in their life and felt helpless to overcome it. It could also be very helpful for anyone that has a trans person in their life and is hoping to understand what they need from you as a good friend or partner. Keep in mind a lot of information is from their perspective, but she does input other people's thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and some medical notes here and there. There were some things she was very spot on about how cis friends and family view or react to the news, but there was one thing she was wrong about. If you're reading this Freiya, I know exactly what it feels like to feel afraid to be in a place like a bar and scared of how they may treat me or whether I will come out alive the next day.
The Menopause Brain
I devoured this book fairly fast considering how big it is. It's very helpful for those that are also going through perimenopause because you're basically going through all the same issues but you're still getting your period. Honestly, I think my depression lifted just because I was reading this book and realized that all the high anxiety and severe depression could be the result of the transition my brain is going through during this stage in my life. Don't let anyone tell you you couldn't possibly be beginning perimenopause because you're not old enough. It's more likely for women to suffer it earlier if they also started menstruating at an early age. My guess is there's a lot of other life traumas that could cause your body to begin early. Nobody's body operates on the same timeline or reacts the same to everything life throws at us.
Nowhere for Very Long
This was more of a fun read for me. It has a little bit of everything, relationship issues, dog love and issues, work issues, living situation issues, and the adventure of exploring the slot canyons of Utah. My hope after finishing my next degree is to live the van life. I have been following quite a few people and groups on social media. I was hoping this book would give me a bit of insight, but their van wasn't exactly set up for living in long term, even though they eventually would extend some of their trips for months. Regardless of any perils they faced, I'm still hoping for that free life.