Is Everyone Happier Than Me?: An Honest Guide to the Questions That Keep You Up at Night

by Sarah Bragg

The point where you feel like your life is unraveling can actually be a place of unimaginable growth--an awakening--if you're willing to ask yourself a few simple questions. In an age where everyone else's successes are flaunted in front of you on social media, it can be a struggle to feel true happiness and contentment exactly where you are. Throw in difficult circumstances--loss, heartbreak, change, midlife--and it's easy to understand why you feel lonely, lost, unsure of yourself, stuck, and, if you're honest with yourself, flat-out unhappy. Is Everyone Happier Than Me? provides practical and relatable answers to the questions you've probably already been asking about your life, and poses a few more, to help you figure out what's standing in the way of your happiness, peace, and connection. Author, podcaster, and midlife mom Sarah Bragg is a trustworthy comrade for the journey as she shares the valuable lessons she's learned in her own hard seasons to help It's time to let go of the ideal of a perfect life and allow yourself to be a work in progress. And there's no better time to find happiness than right here in the middle.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology

224 pages, Paperback

Published March 19, 2024

About the author

I have many roles. I am wife to Scott and mother to Sinclair. I am a writer and communicator. I worked worked in ministry for more than 10 years now. I am a communicator and author of the book, Body. Beauty. Boys. The Truth About Girls and How We See Ourselves. I travel and speak to women of all ages.

I have a Masters of Arts in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. I also work for the reThink Group developing student ministry strategy and curriculum called XP3.

I spend most of my time with my daughter. When I'm not caring for her, I enjoy reading magazines, watching HGTV and spending time with my husband. These days, I mostly like to read about decorating or organizing. I love reading my friends blogs, and I spend countless hours reading about how to take care of my daughter.

Overall, I want to spend time cultivating relationships: with my family, friends and God. I want to leave a legacy worth following.

Reviews

[Irina Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I even begin? After reading the first chapter, I was hooked. I started telling my close friends and family about “Is Everyone Happier Than Me?”

Sarah writes about the questions that kept her up at night, but I didn’t realize how much I would relate to some of those. While reading her book, many times I thought, “it’s not just me”.

Let me tell you, to feel seen in this season of parenting 5 kids (ages 9-15), means a lot. The busy schedules, the mental load, the meal planning, the “Ubering”, THE COMPARISON. I could go on and on. It’s a season of being overwhelmed all the while reminding myself “but I’m going to miss this one day.” Being reminded that it’s okay to focus on myself so that I can be a better wife, mom, friend, and HUMAN, was golden. Thankfully I practice self care (aka daily Starbucks and weekly lunches with friends), but sometimes feel guilty for it.

If you feel like you’re in a season of change or wondering, or stuck, pick up this book! If you’re a mom, pick up this book. If you have ever wondered “is everyone happier than me?” PICK UP THIS BOOK.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t want to be negative so I’ll just say this really isn’t my genre.

[Sangjun · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a refreshing read. I am so happy I picked it up at my library when it caught my eye on the "new books" shelf! Bragg addresses topics and hard questions that we don't always consider, and I appreciate the new perspective and thought-provoking language she uses in each chapter. Her empathy and use of personal anecdotes helped illustrate her points and clarify exactly what she wanted to get across to the reader. I would've finished it quicker, but I was reading this book with another simultaneously! I'm going to buy this book and add it to my collection for sure.

[Reilly Dougherty]

I try not to do a star rating of these sort of books but I highly suggest this one!

[Darinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Relatable. Reminder that self-care is important.

[Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has some interesting and helpful bits. But overall, I feel it’s written for the wrong audience/stage of life. The questioning that is included throughout the book would have been relevant for me in my 20s. Though the book often talks about being midlife.

[LeAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm trying to read more books outside of my preferred genres, and this is one. There were some parts more relatable or helpful than others. I appreciated it when she gave real-life examples. Not a bad book, and I can very much understand where she's coming from and why she wrote the book. I just couldn't or didn't connect to the book as much as I would have liked. I'd say it's definitely aimed for mid-life women (40s) more than another any other demographic. When a book is that narrowly aimed, I feel like it's harder to be widely consumed and enjoyed. Not that everyone couldn't find something to take from it. If I'm grading it for myself, I'd give it a solid C.

[Hannah Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing is too choppy and frantic. I like self-help books that have lots of breaks, blurbs, and side notes, but this one felt like it was dictated rather than written. It also sounds like the author was trying to multitask while dictating it. I don’t mind reading a book where there’s nothing I haven’t read before, but the author has to find their own way to say it and use their life as an example. Pretty much it all comes down to connection. But what’s your own journey with seeking/struggling with connection?

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. The premise of the book is good - to tackle a lot of questions you have in midlife, but the answers were mostly common sense, pointing to other authors, and a reminder for self care.

[Arielle Martins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing life changing but great reminders. I had a lot in common with the writer which made the stories/commentary more meaningful.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid B but skip the intro

[Lauren Szalay]

Some interesting thoughts on burnout, making friends as adults and the weird “in between” times as adults. More religious talk than I normally would go for in a self-help book.

[Frankie Quintero · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will probably need to reread this book once a year!

[Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure how this book landed on my must read books for 2024.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

She's a few years older than me but could still relate to SO MUCH of these mid-life struggles, changes, etc. Flew through this.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the messiness that is The Middle of Life. In an age where social media presents us with a constant stream of highlight reels and unrealistic lifestyle aesthetics that often do not come close to matching our own experiences it is easy to wonder where we might be missing the mark.

Sarah digs deep to answer the questions that plague a lot of us these days. She offers a practical guide to ways in which we might mine the harder seasons of life to find peace and joy and contentment.

Five stars. Fantastic!