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Temporary Beauty: A Memoir About Panic Disorder and Finding Purpose Through Art and Meditation
Temporary Beauty is a collection of memories, poetic ponderings, travel adventures, journal entries, nightmares, and love stories, following Myles through her picturesque childhood in the Blue Ridge Mountains and on to her adventure-filled twenties as a photographer in the Pacific Northwest, discovering herself as an artist. After her diagnosis of Panic Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder in high school, she spent her college years struggling to find her footing, finding solace in art, meditation, and travel. Temporary Beauty is a reflection of what it means to be a career-driven woman in modern society, an honest and unapologetic account of the darkness that mental illness can bring, and a conscious reminder of the fragility and beauty of human existence.
"And regardless of my mental illness, deep down I do believe that the day will come where I can walk through the woods, alone, and feel not an ounce of sadness or crippling fear. The grass will be filled with neon-green four-leaf clovers, and delicate pink blossoms will hang silently from the perfectly silhouetted fog-lined trees. I will smile to myself about all that I’ve accomplished. I’ll be proud of myself for defeating my unhinged mind. But that would mean that I’d have to have won the ultimate battle. The one between me and my anxiety. The one battle that never seems to end." — From Temporary Beauty
"And regardless of my mental illness, deep down I do believe that the day will come where I can walk through the woods, alone, and feel not an ounce of sadness or crippling fear. The grass will be filled with neon-green four-leaf clovers, and delicate pink blossoms will hang silently from the perfectly silhouetted fog-lined trees. I will smile to myself about all that I’ve accomplished. I’ll be proud of myself for defeating my unhinged mind. But that would mean that I’d have to have won the ultimate battle. The one between me and my anxiety. The one battle that never seems to end." — From Temporary Beauty
- GenresNonfiction
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 14, 2024
3 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 15, 2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Temporary Beauty by Myles is a journey through the heart and mind of a young woman navigating life’s ups and downs with grace & resilience. The book is like a scrapbook of her life, filled with beautiful memories, poetic reflections, and honest glimpses into her struggles with mental health. Her journey is inspiring, especially as she learns to find peace in art, meditation, and travel. "Temporary Beauty" is more than just a memoir; it's a celebration of strength, creativity, and the delicate dance of life. If you're looking for a book that will leave you feeling inspired and connected to the fragility and empowerment of the human spirit, this one is for you! 💕
Thank you NetGalley & the author for my advanced reader copy.
Temporary Beauty by Myles is a journey through the heart and mind of a young woman navigating life’s ups and downs with grace & resilience. The book is like a scrapbook of her life, filled with beautiful memories, poetic reflections, and honest glimpses into her struggles with mental health. Her journey is inspiring, especially as she learns to find peace in art, meditation, and travel. "Temporary Beauty" is more than just a memoir; it's a celebration of strength, creativity, and the delicate dance of life. If you're looking for a book that will leave you feeling inspired and connected to the fragility and empowerment of the human spirit, this one is for you! 💕
Thank you NetGalley & the author for my advanced reader copy.
January 22, 2025
Myles deals with a lot of mental health issues—anxiety, panic attacks, depression, suicidal thoughts, and OCD. She documented the events and her feelings surrounding these struggles.
To me, it felt mostly like an anxiety diary—many events centred around anxiety and panic. I can see people reading this and recognising themselves in these pages. It might even inspire a journey towards healing.
The author’s experiences made me reflect on myself. I’m a very anxious person, so reading about Myles’s experience of living with anxiety was interesting. Her exploration of why her anxiety developed in the first place made me think about my own childhood and evaluate my life as a child, a student, and even a mother. The book prompted me to reconsider some of my own experiences—maybe there was more to them than I’d realised.
I really enjoyed the beginning and the first half of the book. It was bold, open, and didn’t lack depth. However, the second half felt more like a documentation of life events, with less and less self-reflection. I would have liked the author to delve even more deeper into her therapy and how she dealt with her problems. For me, the balance between describing the events and addressing the disorder wasn’t quite right. By the end, I found myself growing tired of the stories.
I liked the writing, and I’m hopeful for another Myles book (she might publish another one soon). I would definitely read her work.
Many thanks to Xpresso Book Tours for the review copy provided via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
To me, it felt mostly like an anxiety diary—many events centred around anxiety and panic. I can see people reading this and recognising themselves in these pages. It might even inspire a journey towards healing.
The author’s experiences made me reflect on myself. I’m a very anxious person, so reading about Myles’s experience of living with anxiety was interesting. Her exploration of why her anxiety developed in the first place made me think about my own childhood and evaluate my life as a child, a student, and even a mother. The book prompted me to reconsider some of my own experiences—maybe there was more to them than I’d realised.
I really enjoyed the beginning and the first half of the book. It was bold, open, and didn’t lack depth. However, the second half felt more like a documentation of life events, with less and less self-reflection. I would have liked the author to delve even more deeper into her therapy and how she dealt with her problems. For me, the balance between describing the events and addressing the disorder wasn’t quite right. By the end, I found myself growing tired of the stories.
I liked the writing, and I’m hopeful for another Myles book (she might publish another one soon). I would definitely read her work.
Many thanks to Xpresso Book Tours for the review copy provided via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
August 27, 2024
“I think the fact that I have anxiety leads to a fear of my anxiety taking over my life, which leads to a constant battle with myself to prove that I am not just anxiety. I do believe that I was meant for something much greater than that, which is why I continue to fight it every day.”
A scrapbook of Myles’s existence as she treads the fierce waters of living as a woman with an anxiety disorder. It includes her first hand accounts, photographs, journal entries, beautiful prose, triumphs and tribulations.
I immediately connected with Myles due to my own diagnosis of “panic disorder/generalized anxiety disorder.” The aloneness one can feel while having severe panic attacks daily and with constant triggers is absolutely crippling, and reading Myles’s story was like a mirror at times. But, she found herself within the chaos and as a reader and fellow worrier, it was lovely to see. She defied all odds and wrote a book, became an accomplished photographer, has a partner who accepts her completely. A worthwhile memoir, and I’m very happy to have read this.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.
A scrapbook of Myles’s existence as she treads the fierce waters of living as a woman with an anxiety disorder. It includes her first hand accounts, photographs, journal entries, beautiful prose, triumphs and tribulations.
I immediately connected with Myles due to my own diagnosis of “panic disorder/generalized anxiety disorder.” The aloneness one can feel while having severe panic attacks daily and with constant triggers is absolutely crippling, and reading Myles’s story was like a mirror at times. But, she found herself within the chaos and as a reader and fellow worrier, it was lovely to see. She defied all odds and wrote a book, became an accomplished photographer, has a partner who accepts her completely. A worthwhile memoir, and I’m very happy to have read this.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 4, 2025
Temporary Beauty is a collection of memories, thoughts, stories, journal entries, nightmares, and love stories. Exploring the themes of Panic Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, specifically their affects on life, relationships and creativity.
This Memoir is a perfect read for any one who is a women, an artisit, has anxiety. From the first entry I was hoocked, I felt seen and able to relate in many different ways.
The pacing and writing style were good, making the read enjoyable and well paced. I took my time to read this as it is heavy but couldn't stop thinking about it after I put it down. The themes captured my attentions and were explored in a perfect way, it felt so real. The idea of a memoir with a focus on axniety and art was original and really interested me as a anxious artist myself. The use of Myles Art; photography throughout this was amazing. Adding the complexity of being a women and how that affect her and other's perception of her ability to be a photographer. Even with quite heavy themes it brough enjoyment and lightness the continues story of her and her husbands love from the start to the end. The story was emotionally impactfull especially as I related to many parts.
I would recommed this to everyone !
[Netgally thanks]
This Memoir is a perfect read for any one who is a women, an artisit, has anxiety. From the first entry I was hoocked, I felt seen and able to relate in many different ways.
The pacing and writing style were good, making the read enjoyable and well paced. I took my time to read this as it is heavy but couldn't stop thinking about it after I put it down. The themes captured my attentions and were explored in a perfect way, it felt so real. The idea of a memoir with a focus on axniety and art was original and really interested me as a anxious artist myself. The use of Myles Art; photography throughout this was amazing. Adding the complexity of being a women and how that affect her and other's perception of her ability to be a photographer. Even with quite heavy themes it brough enjoyment and lightness the continues story of her and her husbands love from the start to the end. The story was emotionally impactfull especially as I related to many parts.
I would recommed this to everyone !
[Netgally thanks]
March 12, 2025
Cette critique a été écrite dans le cadre des Critiques en avant-première de LibraryThing.
"Temporary beauty" est consacré au thème de la peur phobique et insensée d'une jeune fille qui lutte contre sa colère intériorisée. Souffrant depuis sa prime jeunesse, d'angoisses mortifères inexpliquées, elle se débat toute seule au début, puis avec un Thérapeute, afin de surmonter ce qui la paralyse chaque jour.
D'une extrême lucidité, Millie développe sa créativité, y donne un sens, et ainsi, s'éloigne de ses démons peu à peu, en tentant de les apprivoiser. L'écriture, la photographie, l'exhortent à sublimer ses terreurs existentielles face à la mort.
Un mémoire empreint de tendresse et de douceur, une réconciliation laborieuse avec soi-même, ainsi que la quête de son identité réelle, lui permettront de renouer avec son propre corps qu'elle niait. Ce courageux combat qu'elle mène pour gagner contre les fantasmes crées par son esprit, l'amène à progresser, se marier, et appréhender l'avenir plus sereinement, grâce à l'"écriture et l'exercice.
Lisez ce livre si vous-même êtes en proie à des peurs irraisonnées dont vous ne trouvez pas l'origine. Un parcours de vie exemplaire, qui triomphe de la maladie mentale.
"Temporary beauty" est consacré au thème de la peur phobique et insensée d'une jeune fille qui lutte contre sa colère intériorisée. Souffrant depuis sa prime jeunesse, d'angoisses mortifères inexpliquées, elle se débat toute seule au début, puis avec un Thérapeute, afin de surmonter ce qui la paralyse chaque jour.
D'une extrême lucidité, Millie développe sa créativité, y donne un sens, et ainsi, s'éloigne de ses démons peu à peu, en tentant de les apprivoiser. L'écriture, la photographie, l'exhortent à sublimer ses terreurs existentielles face à la mort.
Un mémoire empreint de tendresse et de douceur, une réconciliation laborieuse avec soi-même, ainsi que la quête de son identité réelle, lui permettront de renouer avec son propre corps qu'elle niait. Ce courageux combat qu'elle mène pour gagner contre les fantasmes crées par son esprit, l'amène à progresser, se marier, et appréhender l'avenir plus sereinement, grâce à l'"écriture et l'exercice.
Lisez ce livre si vous-même êtes en proie à des peurs irraisonnées dont vous ne trouvez pas l'origine. Un parcours de vie exemplaire, qui triomphe de la maladie mentale.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2024
Both lovely and emotional, Temporary Beauty offers insight into the mind and life of someone dealing with panic disorder and anxiety, while remaining relatable to any reader. It’s easy to get swept away in the prose that Myles Katherine Coleman writes. She captivates the reader with both stories and imagery that are filled with nostalgia and introspection. Her creative voice lifts out of the pages and befriends you as learn more about the narrator and her life. It’s hard to put it down and is a beautiful, thought-provoking piece of literature that should be added to everyone’s collection.
March 10, 2025
As someone who has dealt with anxiety for much of my life it is easy to feel very alone in your fears. I was surprised to read many specific instances in Coleman's memoir that struck so close to my own heart and fears that I hadn't ever realized others felt. Reading through the journey was captivating and inspiring! Reliving many of my own fears while finding solace in the fact that I am not alone in them.
August 25, 2024
A wonderful collection of stories and even poems which will make you think. It may even help you in different and difficult situations. Very useful and helpful
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I want to review
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I want to review
September 23, 2024
Coleman is such a talented writer. You can feel the anxiety in her writing, but the good times she has are also described so well, and you can feel her ease during those points.
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!
August 16, 2024
A moving portrait of panic and anxiety and the beauty that can result from the struggle to overcome it. Highly recommend!
October 6, 2024
Coleman's ability to put me on edge and give me anxiety purely by detailing her emotions and experiences should be studied
March 4, 2025
I found this so good and interesting. I suffer from anxiety and depression. It is reassuring to hear someone else’s story. I suggest it as it is informative.
December 31, 2024
I feel like many that deal with mental health issues will be drawn to this title. Each chapter a snap shot of the author’s life chronicling their life with anxiety and depression. It was relatable, at times it felt like I was reading my own journal. The gorgeous photography was a plus.
March 5, 2025
It took me a bit to get into this book, but once I understood what it was trying to do, and that it was doing it well, I really enjoyed it. We get to follow Millie, a photographer with anxiety, OCD, and depression, through various moments in her life from childhood to adulthood as she gets to know herself, and figures out how to exist in her body. I loved getting to know Millie and understanding the sensory experience of her anxiety. There were times when the author was describing a dream or dreamlike state, but I thought she was still describing reality, and that that confused me a little bit. The nature writing in this book is beautiful. I’ve never been to Virginia, but now I kinda want to go. I’d recommend this book to someone who wants to better understand what it’s like to live inside the mind of someone with anxiety.
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews