The Gifts of Imperfection

I think this book has a lot to offer, although the first half felt really long. I think this book is useful for insights in how to approach one's everyday life and everyday life kinds of stresses/pressures. Where it feels less applicable is thinking about major issues that occur less often but cause great stress. But I could be wrong. The main reason I gave it 3 stars is that the first half felt like it took ages to get through, and felt somewhat repetitive. The second half reads very quickly.

I did take a lot of good little notes, here are some of them. Some of these are direct quotes but most are paraphrases. Many of these seem obvious but the way they were explained in the book adds to them:

- You can't numb bad feelings without also numbing good ones

- The opposite of joy is not sadness but fear

- We are so afraid of the dark that we don't let ourselves enjoy the light

- Trust, gratitude, inspiration, faith (all together allow for joyful moments)

- Our need for certainty gets in the way of intuition

- Anxiety is contagious but so is calm

- Being busy to avoid stress/anxiety = a negative feedback loop. Calm/stillness = opportunity for clarity about the causes of stress/anxiety.