The Lessons: How I learnt to Manage My Mental Health and How You Can Too

by Nile Wilson

Nile Wilson has always been one of life's winners; a charismatic young man with an Olympic bronze medal in the Horizontal Bar at just 21 years old. But after a serious neck injury, forcing him to retire early and miss taking part in the Tokyo Olympics, Nile's world fell apart.Swamped with depression, anxiety and addictive behaviours, his mental health went over a cliff. Over the past few years, Nile has had to face down his demons and accept his new reality, and this is the book he wish he'd been given before it all began.Based on 15 hard-won lessons, Nile will guide you through the tools that have helped him come to back from the brink and find, for the first time, a sense of inner calm and renewed purpose. From recognizing destructive patterns, redefining success and managing self-talk, The Lessons will inspire and guide you through the ups and downs of life, and help you to build resilience and self-belief, no matter what.

Genres: Self Help

256 pages, Hardcover

Published September 10, 2024

Reviews

[paige (ptsungirl) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You don't learn patience without having to wait, you don't learn to be brave without being scared, and you don't learn to be successful without failure. Every challenge is an opportunity to grow beyond it, we just need to embrace it."

[CatReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nile Wilson (b. 1996) is a British former competitive artistic gymnast who won an Olympic bronze medal in men's horizontal bar at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. Unfortunately, like many gymnasts, an injury ended his competitive gymnastics career in 2019, and since then he's worked on redefining himself. I was unfamiliar with Wilson before picking up this book and haven't read his prior books (which seem more inspirational and aspirational in nature). The Lessons is largely a self-help book (narrated by Wilson in the audiobook version I listened to) and aimed largely at people who are feel uncomfortable or stigmatized talking about mental health, about how Wilson has tackled his own mental health and substance abuse issues with advice on how to do the same. Though this book shouldn't replace seeking formal medical and mental health evaluation and care, it will likely provide comfort and insight to the right audience.

My statistics:
Book 261 for 2024
Book 1864 cumulatively

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nile Wilson is one of the greatest British Gymnasts to have ever competed. His books before have been more about his life while this book shows more about his mental health and how he had coped with it and is now coping with it.

Mental health issues are such a huge part of sports. Especially in gymnastics which has a lot of abuse allegations. It is very difficult for men to talk about mental health since it's not seen as manly. This book is a poignant discussion about mental health and how one can deal with it both good and bad ways.

Nile Wilson is a huge presence on the internet and he does some cool tricks and skills by himself, with his family and with his best friends. While one may seem happy at the same time that person can be going through a hugely dark time.

Love what for him FEAR can cause. It was great to see it in writing. The bad was is fuck everything and run and the food is face everything and rise.

Both of these are standards from those who have issues with mental health. Running is a standard for a lot of people it's easier to run from the darkness than to face the trauma.

The talking of meditation as a way to assist with your mental health issues I can say from personal experience has helped me. It is also a good place to start and Nile Wilson has explained how it has impacted his life. He talks how you can't really just do it once it's the consistency of meditation that will always be the best.

The next part he talks about is that basically noone can do this alone. You must have someone you can trust and talk to.

Next is you can get some physical activity which can really assist with getting yourself into a better mental space.

This book was enlightening but not really a self help book. What I like is the candid talking that the author does about his own problems from eating disorder to gambling and alcohol addiction. The candid discussion shows that men while in the past were expected to hide their feelings it is changing but still not there yet.

I have been following Nile Wilson for quite some time on social media and he always seems to be having a lot of fun however reading about him he always talked about his issues which is refreshing. He doesn't believe in the old Macho crap that has been pumped into boys minds for generations.

This book opened my eyes and I think that while coping mechanisms he did provide each individual must also search for themselves as to what is going to help them maintain a happy mental health.

I was impressed with the writing and love hearing the author talk or perform. He shows that it's okay to not be okay and he pushes to get better understanding of men's mental health struggles.

[Dona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an enlightening book. In just a few days, using just one of Nile’s recommendations, I can stop my anxiety in its tracks without spiraling out of control.

As I have gotten older and the realization that I haven’t achieved what I came here to do, and the probability of my actually doing it continues to slip away, my anxiety/depression/sadness has become harder to manage. I am looking forward to putting more of Nile’s recommendations into practice. Maybe in the end, I will be able to achieve my important mission.

Thank you Nile for sharing your story.

If you haven’t heard Nile Wilson speak, look for his talk on TED Talks.

[Mr Allan Goldie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember Nile Wilson doing his gymnastics at the Olympics and of his mental health struggles. When I saw this book I wanted to read it as I am currently undergoing training to run what is called a Wellbeing Group with an organisation that our church is in partnership with. At first I was a bit put off by his use of bad language. However I got used to it and in any case it’s just what and how I hear people speaking like in general and I participated in that too during my working years!!…..so I realised that I shouldn’t be judgemental on that. To be honest as I read the book it easily just like Nike was speaking to me directly in the was it was written and so was easy to follow and get absorbed into each chapter. I found it was a well written book with a great deal of advice and information and so I took lots of notes that would be of benefit to me in my research. I highly recommend reading this boo.

[Supinder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Engaging book on struggles of mental health issues. The author explains how even in the most successful period of his athletic life, the author was experiencing severe depression. Nile explains his coping mechanisms and framing strategies. This book is a useful compendium for those experiencing similar issues.

[Kayleigh Coe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some useful tips and guidance for anyone who finds themselves in similar situations. I like the fact that he touches on the fact mental health can actually make you look very selfish, although some members can see the change others may not unless you ask for help.

[Ang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this, but would love to have learned more about him as a person.

Great ideas, thoughts and suggestions.