Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I looooove this book. The ideas aren't entirely new. It's more like the author has taken the most important aspects of wisdom and compiled it into effective examples and phrases that really hit home. I've underlined every page. It's really helped me be less reactive, more intentional, more disciplined, and even keel. I wish the book was longer and that there were more authors writing about this philosophy. The premise is simple: focus your energy on the the things that are in your power to change, and don't waste your energy on emotional turbulence or hyper-analyzing everything. The reason this philosophy has the power to inspire so many more books is that it can apply to every aspect of our life: how and whether we muster the courage to make a change, how we drive our cars, how we schedule our days, what we choose to eat, how and whether we resolve conflicts. One of the most helpful applications of this book is changing the ways I interact with my family of origin. My parents and siblings are anxious, doubtful, and pessimistic. For the most part, I am not. However, for years I've struggled with my own reactions to being around them. Every family holiday or vacation caused me to regress to adolescence, and after each event, it took weeks for me to recover. Through this book, I realized that my reacting to their reactivity was totally ironic. I don't have to react to them. Once I became aware of this, it became a choice. Now, I can choose to see these family events as opportunities to feel grateful for my own equanimity. And when I do lose balance, I can be easy on myself, because I remember that new habits take a while to develop. I can also choose to remove myself from environments that aren't serving me. Very empowering, very practical. Thank you, Ryan Holiday!