“Look on the bright side!” “Stay positive!” “Just keep smiling!” If a well-meaning friend has ever shared these tips with you during an especially tough time, you may have realized how woefully inadequate they are. They fail to acknowledge that some negative feelings can’t be overcome by force of will alone, and that sometimes we have to let them in before we can show them out.
In other words, it’s okay to not feel okay. And within the seven remarkable new books below, you will discover not only how to embrace those difficult periods and negative emotions, but also how to learn from them.
Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage
By Anne Lamott
As she does in Help, Thanks, Wow and her other bestselling books, Lamott explores the thorny issues of life and faith by breaking them down into manageable, human-sized questions for readers to ponder, in the process showing us how we can amplify life’s small moments of joy by staying open to love and connection. View Our “Book Bite” Summary
Friendship in the Age of Loneliness: An Optimist’s Guide to Connection
By Adam Smiley Poswolsky
In this warm, inspiring guide, Adam “Smiley” Poswolsky proposes a new solution for the mounting pressures of modern life: focus on your friendships. Smiley offers practical habits and playful reminders on how to create meaningful connections, make new friends, and deepen relationships. View Our “Book Bite” Summary
Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It
By Ethan Kross
Psychologist Ethan Kross interweaves groundbreaking brain research with real-world case studies to explain how our inner voice shapes our lives, work, and relationships. Chatter gives us the power to change the most important conversation we have each day: the one we have with ourselves. View Our “Book Bite” Summary
Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself
By Nedra Glover Tawwab
Rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the techniques shared by influential therapist Nedra Glover Tawwab help us identify and express our needs clearly—and resolve a key issue behind codependency, power struggles, anxiety, depression, burnout, and more. View Our “Book Bite” Summary
Laziness Does Not Exist
By Devon Price
For too many of us, our self-worth has become a function of our productivity. In other words, we only feel good about ourselves by working harder and harder, even from the couch. But social psychologist Devon Price is here to explain why what we call “laziness” isn’t just natural—it’s something we should all strive to embrace. View Our “Book Bite” Summary
My Inner Sky: On Embracing Day, Night, and All the Times in Between
By Mari Andrew
Writer and illustrator Mari Andrew explores all the emotions that make up a life, in the process offering insights about trauma and healing, the meaning of home, the challenges of loneliness, and finding love in the most unexpected of places. View Our “Book Bite” Summary
The Book of Moods: How I Turned My Worst Emotions into My Best Life
By Lauren Martin
With a good job and healthy relationships, Lauren Martin seemed to have it all—but she couldn’t shake persistent feelings of inferiority, irritability, and more. The Book of Moods is her deep dive into what causes such negative emotions, what purpose they serve, and how anyone can manage them more effectively. View Our “Book Bite” Summary
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