This book often pops up as a recommendation by bookstagrammers, which made me curious to check it out. And the fact that it was available on Kindle Unlimited made it an easier choice.
It is a self-help book and ideal for those in their late 20s and early 30s. The author has structured the book so well, starting with essential but often neglected physiological aspects such as sleep, breathing, and nutrition. I found it fascinating to read about the role of adenosine in our sleep cycles and how caffeine interrupts this process.
He then moves on to the psychological aspects of our state of mind, our needs, and our emotions. How our state of mind impacts our decisions and actions is beautifully written and so are the triggers that can improve our state of mind - music, body language, smile, gratitude, etc.
There is also enough coverage related to our work routines, financial planning, minimalism, and relationships.
As he talks about these multiple aspects one after another, it gives the reader a glimpse into one's own life and helps identify the areas that need deeper introspection and change. Moreover, the author's personal experiences add more authenticity and relatability.
My favorite chapter was on Human Needs. Though I have read about needs in various books, I liked the simplistic style in which the author has approached this topic, along with a set of reflective questions to ponder. That's also one of the key highlights of the book - more and more questions to reflect upon. As we embark on this journey towards self-understanding, all we need is to ask the right questions. Answers will emerge from within. This book acts as a catalyst in getting those questions in front of us.
A few favorite passages:
"If your body learns that you can’t be trusted to drink enough water, it increases your appetite to ensure the necessary water arrives through food."
"If you run into a jerk in the morning, you ran into one jerk. If you run into them all day, every day, you are the jerk."
"When I’m willing to accept an excuse in place of the goal itself, I should admit that I never wanted it badly enough in the first place."
"It has somehow become socially acceptable to be wound-identified and to have an existence based on that wound."
"The greatest gift we can give ourselves is the ability to forgive. Even if those around you don’t deserve your forgiveness, you deserve it."
"Working all day and night for vanity is a form of bondage that only produces more suffering."
"The real winners in life are those who figure out how to create wealth, not just income. Wealth includes security, freedom, peace, and fulfillment."
"The reason we aren’t moving is that we have not internalized one truth: That the pain of not doing what we need to do is far worse than the pain of doing it."
Whether you are new to the self-awareness journey or have taken a few steps forward, you will find this book helpful because of the sheer simplicity and honesty in its writing. Though there isn't a lot of depth in each topic, it still offers enough value for the reader to understand and identify actionable steps.