A review by jessica_flower
Unlearn: 101 Life Lessons Without the Bullshit by Humble the Poet
4.0
4/5 stars
I read this book at the right time, and this is partially why I liked what Humble had to say in this book.
This is a book with 101 short essays, interspersed with quotes from said essays, that give some life lesson, anecdote, etc.. Along the way, Humble talks about his life growing up in Canada as a Sikh, his short-lived career as a teacher, and his decision to follow his passion for the art that he does now, to some of the amazing (and not so amazing) experiences he's had since.
I also liked how, at different points throughout the book, Humble reminds us that if we're feeling unsatisfied or discontent with some part of our lives, we can change it by making realistic life goals, by breaking it down into steps that we can follow through with, and by not letting ourselves be bogged down by the expectations of others and the ridiculous ideals society pushes on us.
That being said, the writing is not perfect, but then again, few things are.
I'd like to now share some of my favourite quotes from this book:
"You don't have to trust all the noise in your head."
For me, that means not listening to all the panicky, pessimistic, depressive thoughts in my head caused by my anxiety. That means managing my anxiety by asking myself "is there any evidence to what you're worrying about?" and by grounding myself in the present so that I'm not stuck in my head when it's not helping my at all.
"Anything we want to accomplish in life will be easier to manage if we break it down into tiny pieces and handle them one at a time."
And
"Don't let life be controlled by yesterday."
Kinda what I said before, that we can make changes to make our lives more content and not just complacent and passive just because the place you're in now is one you're familiar. Also relates to my anxiety, which is why I like it so much.
Also some other good ones:
"Speak your truth, even if your voice shakes."
"Very little is accomplished or achieved straying away from challenges."
"Don't be afraid of the time it takes to accomplish things. . . the more we understand and respect the nature of time, the better equipped we are to benefit from what it can offer."
I read this book at the right time, and this is partially why I liked what Humble had to say in this book.
This is a book with 101 short essays, interspersed with quotes from said essays, that give some life lesson, anecdote, etc.. Along the way, Humble talks about his life growing up in Canada as a Sikh, his short-lived career as a teacher, and his decision to follow his passion for the art that he does now, to some of the amazing (and not so amazing) experiences he's had since.
I also liked how, at different points throughout the book, Humble reminds us that if we're feeling unsatisfied or discontent with some part of our lives, we can change it by making realistic life goals, by breaking it down into steps that we can follow through with, and by not letting ourselves be bogged down by the expectations of others and the ridiculous ideals society pushes on us.
That being said, the writing is not perfect, but then again, few things are.
I'd like to now share some of my favourite quotes from this book:
"You don't have to trust all the noise in your head."
For me, that means not listening to all the panicky, pessimistic, depressive thoughts in my head caused by my anxiety. That means managing my anxiety by asking myself "is there any evidence to what you're worrying about?" and by grounding myself in the present so that I'm not stuck in my head when it's not helping my at all.
"Anything we want to accomplish in life will be easier to manage if we break it down into tiny pieces and handle them one at a time."
And
"Don't let life be controlled by yesterday."
Kinda what I said before, that we can make changes to make our lives more content and not just complacent and passive just because the place you're in now is one you're familiar. Also relates to my anxiety, which is why I like it so much.
Also some other good ones:
"Speak your truth, even if your voice shakes."
"Very little is accomplished or achieved straying away from challenges."
"Don't be afraid of the time it takes to accomplish things. . . the more we understand and respect the nature of time, the better equipped we are to benefit from what it can offer."