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A review by archytas
Life Skills for a Broken World by Ahona Guha
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
"You will never feel truly okay in a world beset by inequality, nastiness, and poor distribution of resources. The world is connected in many ways, and things that might feel distant currently (such as climate change, geopolitical conflict, or economic policy) will inevitably come to affect your life. Filling your own cup first is important, but a mentally healthy and meaningful life inevitably requires social connections and contribution to the wellbeing of other people. Exclusively tending to your own thoughts, feelings, and wants won’t create the broader social conditions all humans need to have a good life. Equally, ignoring your own needs and only giving to other people will also leave you unhappy and stressed."
I would strongly recommend this to, well, probably everyone, but definitely those who find themselves motivated around wanting a better world, but who could still use a bit of advice about living in this one. Gua structures short chapters which outline core psychology concepts, with an explanation for how they can be useful, usually some examples of how she herself uses them, some suggested actions and one or two recommendations for future reading. The concision, short chapters and checklists would make this accessible even for the overwhelmed.
The concepts here are thankfully not sold as some recently discovered miracle. Gua draws from ACT and CBT, and core skills in a professional's toolkit. She explains where they come from and how a framework works, and gives you pathways to follow up. I especially loved how she integrated a core tenet of ACT - that aligning actions and values assists in finding meaning - into an understanding of a society in crisis. I also very much appreciated her desconstruction of how positivity can become counter-productive, and practical suggestions on being informed without hyperconnected or trusting misinformation. She tackles how to deal with common issues, such as a fear of being disliked, grief and setting expectations. Other sections deal with concepts such as acceptance, boundaries, emotions (What are emotions? is a chapter), finding joy, experiencing awe and soothing yourself. She tackles some of the worst aspects of consumer culture and includes tips for reducing reliance on the treadmill.
"Think about the impact consumerism, capitalism, and the pressure to live, look, and behave a certain way have on your mental wellbeing. At best, it might exert a slight tug and sway you away from your values. At worst, you might be completely burnt out and exhausted by trying to maintain your lifestyle, trapped on a hedonic and consumerist treadmill as a way of soothing yourself, further perpetuating your need to keep working so hard."
In all sections, she balances individual needs with remaining socially responsible and connected. She advocates strongly that being mentally well relies ultimately on being connected, and on having a functioning society around us. This is not a recipe for being happy all the time, but something is promising here in living a meaningful life that feels emotionally sustainable.
I would strongly recommend this to, well, probably everyone, but definitely those who find themselves motivated around wanting a better world, but who could still use a bit of advice about living in this one. Gua structures short chapters which outline core psychology concepts, with an explanation for how they can be useful, usually some examples of how she herself uses them, some suggested actions and one or two recommendations for future reading. The concision, short chapters and checklists would make this accessible even for the overwhelmed.
The concepts here are thankfully not sold as some recently discovered miracle. Gua draws from ACT and CBT, and core skills in a professional's toolkit. She explains where they come from and how a framework works, and gives you pathways to follow up. I especially loved how she integrated a core tenet of ACT - that aligning actions and values assists in finding meaning - into an understanding of a society in crisis. I also very much appreciated her desconstruction of how positivity can become counter-productive, and practical suggestions on being informed without hyperconnected or trusting misinformation. She tackles how to deal with common issues, such as a fear of being disliked, grief and setting expectations. Other sections deal with concepts such as acceptance, boundaries, emotions (What are emotions? is a chapter), finding joy, experiencing awe and soothing yourself. She tackles some of the worst aspects of consumer culture and includes tips for reducing reliance on the treadmill.
"Think about the impact consumerism, capitalism, and the pressure to live, look, and behave a certain way have on your mental wellbeing. At best, it might exert a slight tug and sway you away from your values. At worst, you might be completely burnt out and exhausted by trying to maintain your lifestyle, trapped on a hedonic and consumerist treadmill as a way of soothing yourself, further perpetuating your need to keep working so hard."
In all sections, she balances individual needs with remaining socially responsible and connected. She advocates strongly that being mentally well relies ultimately on being connected, and on having a functioning society around us. This is not a recipe for being happy all the time, but something is promising here in living a meaningful life that feels emotionally sustainable.