Packed with actionable strategies to deal with common problems, Real Self-Care is a complete roadmap for women to set boundaries and move past guilt, treat themselves with compassion, get closer to themselves, and assert their power.
"Real self-care is not a thing to do - it's a way to be."
Psychiatrist Pooja Lakshmin revolutionizes the concept of self-care in her debut self-help book, Real Self-Care. Ask any woman today what self-care is, and she will likely throw out something along the lines of bubble baths, indulging in dessert, or clicking "add to cart" at her favorite online shop. While these behaviors might make the overextended modern woman feel better in the moment, they are not a solution to the troubles that cause women to need self-care in the first place.
This is where Dr. Lakshmin comes in. Through her book Real Self-Care, she teaches women in need of a little TLC how to change their lives through practices such as establishing boundaries and offering themselves self-compassion. If you do the work presented in Real Self-Care, Lakshmin promises that you will come out happier and more fulfilled, with the benefits far outweighing those that temporary fixes commonly thought of as self-care can provide.
I found Real Self-Care to be quite eye-opening. Having spent the previous year attempting to take better care of myself, yet coming out of it feeling a bit disenchanted by the whole concept of self-care, I realized I was doing it all wrong after reading Lakshmin's book. If I want to make true change in my overall well-being, I need to change the way I am being. Real Self-Care helps you establish a foundation to build on caring for yourself, and provides you with the tools you need to get there.
While this book presents a lot of valuable information, the delivery became a bit stale and boring for me at times. I do not enjoy case studies/clinical examples, and there are quite a few in this book. However, the general basis of this guide is sound and worth taking a look at if you are feeling burnt out and in need of a change. - Brooke, Public Relations Librarian