My Copy: 9780143110125

Found in the Self-Help/Personal Growth section of the bookstore, I nabbed this little book when I was looking around trying to find something to inspire me. I was in the midst of my dumps, which was lasting a helluva lot longer than I thought it would. (seasonal affective disorder, eat your heart out). I wondered how this little book might help me find…well, me.

I should always remember–dynamite comes in small packages. With this book, it’s proof for me that it’s not so much the message, because there’re thousands of self-help books on the market, but it’s the presentation.

How to Be You is a book by social-media icon and advocate Jeffrey Marsh. Part autobiography, part self-help, part activity guide, this book has a little something for everyone who feels disconnected from themselves or feels they cannot be who they are without being ridiculed, misunderstood, or disappointing others. It’s blunt with its premise, and has several little “activities” you can practice on yourself, some fun and probably whimsical, some more serious but accessible anyway.

I’ve made my own worksheets in my morning pages binder to go with some of those activities.

Marsh gives plenty of information while explaining some of the ways he had to learn these lessons for himself, from childhood to adulthood, from confusion to coming out, from repression to expression. Its a thought-provoking as well as an entertaining read.

Because it’s a self-help book, there’s not much I can give as far as a synopsis, but I have to say I would recommend this book to anyone who is really in a funk about themselves and who’ve lost their dreams or sense of self. I also recommend it to anyone with pre-teens or teens who are exploring their own natures, and there’s a helpful tips section for teachers who teach these same kids.

I’m still working on the tips, because I really do not know myself very well at all (part of the reason I started this blog–hee hee), but it doesn’t matter if you’re gay, straight, male, female, etc., anyone needing some encouragement and to re-discover their dreams can use this. However, with its accessible presentation style and lack of psychobabble, teens would probably get the most out of it. At least, it’s a good starting point.

Hugs, and let’s all be ourselves without fear.