The Book of Moods by Lauren Martin

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Book Summary:

Five years ago, Lauren Martin was sure something was wrong with her. She had a good job in New York, an apartment in Brooklyn, a boyfriend, yet every day she wrestled with feelings of inferiority, anxiety, and irritability. It wasn’t until a chance encounter with a (charming, successful) stranger who revealed that she also felt these things, that Lauren set out to better understand the hold that these moods had on her, how she could change them, and began to blog about the wisdom she uncovered. It quickly exploded into an international online community of women who felt like she did: lost, depressed, moody, and desirous of change.

Inspired by her audience to press even deeper, The Book of Moods shares Lauren’s journey to infuse her life with a sense of peace and stability. With observations that will resonate and inspire, she dives into the universal triggers every woman faces — whether it’s a comment from your mother, the relentless grind at your job, days when you wish the mirror had a Valencia filter, or all of the above. Blending cutting-edge science, timeless philosophy, witty anecdotes and effective forms of self-care, Martin has written a powerful, intimate, and incredibly relatable chronicle of transformation, proving that you really can turn your worst moods into your best life.

Publication Date:

December 8th, 2020

Genre:

Non-Fiction/Self-Help/Mental Health

Purchase Your Copy:

Amazon Link | LibroFM Bookstore Link

My Review:

The Book of Moods provides an incredibly accurate and relatable look at something so many of us deal with, our moods. And what are moods you ask? Lauren Martin explains it so perfectly on her Words of Women Instagram post that I had to share it here…

What Are Moods?

“When I talk about #moods I don’t just mean generic emotions. I don’t mean angry or sad or stressed. I mean those feelings we have that we can’t explain. The suffocating feeling at the end of the day when you don’t know what you want or need but you need something to stop whatever is going on inside. I mean the restlessness you feel even though you don’t have anywhere to go. I mean the horrible feeling of looking in the mirror and feeling ugly even though yesterday you thought you looked great. I mean the feeling that something is wrong when everything is right and good and as it should be. These are moods. These feelings that come up and take hold and we don’t know why or what to do about them.”

Everyone has these patterns of self-doubt, worries, and emotional triggers, but they can also feel so isolating because they really can come out of nowhere. Backed with research, personal stories, and self-reflection -Martin provides insight on how to better understand your own emotions, and stop them from becoming moods that can stop you in your tracks.

The In-Between Moments of Life:

No matter how grateful we are for all the good things we have in our lives, daily life is also made up of so many of the in-between moments of struggle and self-doubt. Instead of looking at these moments as a way to self-sabotage, we can use them as a powerful vessel to help us reflect, forge ahead, and ultimately transform ourselves and our paths forward.

Vulnerable & Real…

What I loved most about this book is Martin’s honesty. Lauren Martin is most definitely in a different stage of life than me, but even if many of our daily struggles are different, we have something we common, we experience these kinds of emotions. Even when you regularly reflect on how fortunate you are in so many ways, there are going to be moments you just feel down.

Acknowledge, Reflect & Move Foward

Her quotes and anecdotes and advice normalize how you can be rocking along with work, an important project, or just daily adult life… and then one small comment can make you question everything. We all have inner struggles and recognizing that these are a thing, can help us acknowledge them and then continue to move forward.

While I read this book on my kindle, as soon as I finished it I pre-ordered a physical copy because it is the perfect book to highlight up the wazoo because there is just so much insight here. While we will never be able to control life or the people around us (wishful thinking right?) we do have the power to choose how we react. Emotions are a useful tool when we hold them, reflect on them, and then ultimately let them propel us ahead.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in change for my honest review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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