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Seeking Serenity: The 10 New Rules for Health and Happiness in the Age of Anxiety
In a provocative and practical look at modern stress, Seeking Serenity offers an empowering new Stress can serve as a guide to living our happiest and healthiest lives.
In Seeking Serenity , stress columnist Amanda Enayati challenges our long-held assumptions about stress, painting a groundbreaking picture that separates myth from reality when it comes to what is commonly referred to as the plague of modern life. Weaving together stories, research from science, history, philosophy and diverse faiths, and everyday exercises, she crafts a fascinating tale that begins with the behind-the-scenes machinations of corporate villains and ends in the power of our stories to shape our realities.
We are living in an era of dramatic highs and lows, with lives that move at a pace and intensity impossible at any other time in history. These contradictions throw us off-kilter, out of harmony and balance, creating what we perceive as never-ending and destructive cycles of stress. But life itself has always been—and will always be—a series of the good days, the bad days, the excruciating days. The key to mastering stress lies in the way we experience it.
Seeking Serenity presents ten revolutionary principles developed from the emerging science of stress and reinforced by literature, philosophy and age-old spiritual wisdom that help us to differentiate between destructive and constructive stress, and to master stress in the everyday by learning how
Drawing on extensive research and remarkable case studies, Seeking Serenity presents a clear and accessible action plan to achieving more joyful and productive lives, stronger communities and a better world.
In Seeking Serenity , stress columnist Amanda Enayati challenges our long-held assumptions about stress, painting a groundbreaking picture that separates myth from reality when it comes to what is commonly referred to as the plague of modern life. Weaving together stories, research from science, history, philosophy and diverse faiths, and everyday exercises, she crafts a fascinating tale that begins with the behind-the-scenes machinations of corporate villains and ends in the power of our stories to shape our realities.
We are living in an era of dramatic highs and lows, with lives that move at a pace and intensity impossible at any other time in history. These contradictions throw us off-kilter, out of harmony and balance, creating what we perceive as never-ending and destructive cycles of stress. But life itself has always been—and will always be—a series of the good days, the bad days, the excruciating days. The key to mastering stress lies in the way we experience it.
Seeking Serenity presents ten revolutionary principles developed from the emerging science of stress and reinforced by literature, philosophy and age-old spiritual wisdom that help us to differentiate between destructive and constructive stress, and to master stress in the everyday by learning how
Drawing on extensive research and remarkable case studies, Seeking Serenity presents a clear and accessible action plan to achieving more joyful and productive lives, stronger communities and a better world.
262 pages, Hardcover
First published January 6, 2015
34 people are currently reading
991 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
February 20, 2016
Instead of a book about ways to cope with stress it was more about ways to see and use stress and anxiety differently. I loved the perspective and think this book is full of helpful tools for anyone.
February 12, 2015
I received my copy of "Seeking Serenity" through Giveaways.
This is a book you don't want to read all at once.
You read a bit, consider and think about it. Try to practice as suggested at the end of chapters.
The book contains much good advice about stress (the good and the bad) and how to manage stress.
The book arrived in my mailbox at an opportune time. I'm glad to have the book, as I'm sure I will refer back to it many times in the future.
I recommend this book if you are feeling a bit "stressed out."
This is a book you don't want to read all at once.
You read a bit, consider and think about it. Try to practice as suggested at the end of chapters.
The book contains much good advice about stress (the good and the bad) and how to manage stress.
The book arrived in my mailbox at an opportune time. I'm glad to have the book, as I'm sure I will refer back to it many times in the future.
I recommend this book if you are feeling a bit "stressed out."
February 29, 2016
I got this book from goodreads first reads. It is a really interesting and really fast read. It brings synergy to a lot of heady stuff and puts it in a form everyone can easily understand. It works hard on trying to give you the whole picture of the situation not just the 30 second sound bite we've all been inherently indoctrinated with. I will have to say that this is written with an olde-than-me audience (30+?) in mind but it is still really approachable for younger folks too. It clearly IDs the multiple facets of stress to help you understand it and help you out. Each section was different enough despite this underlying unifier that you didn't get tired of the same old same old.
March 7, 2015
My friend, knowing how stressed I have been lately, recommended this book to me. I thought I might as well read it; no harm, no foul.
I finished the book in one sitting. I ended up staying awake until two in the morning just to finish it. Yes, that's how good it was.
The author, eloquent and sophisticated, was able to broaden my view of stress and anxiety by providing helpful tips throughout.
I truly recommend this read to anyone who feels "overwhelmed." Actually, I recommend this book to anyone.
I finished the book in one sitting. I ended up staying awake until two in the morning just to finish it. Yes, that's how good it was.
The author, eloquent and sophisticated, was able to broaden my view of stress and anxiety by providing helpful tips throughout.
I truly recommend this read to anyone who feels "overwhelmed." Actually, I recommend this book to anyone.
May 2, 2015
I read a lot of fiction and try to balance it with non fiction titles. The 50/50 split never works because most non fiction books are so boring. But not this one! It is an interesting read while providing sage advise. I think I'm actually going to purchase this book. I borrowed it from the library. It has so much good information that I know I will be able to apply to my life, especially the tips about managing stress.
March 25, 2015
There is a quote in the book by Rumi – “Live life as if everything is rigged in your favor”. Reading this book and putting into action the suggestions will help you to do just that. There are practice exercises in the book you can try out to break the cycle of stress. It’s a good read and well researched.
April 4, 2015
Alot of great advice for calming your life
April 20, 2020
Let me start out by saying that I am someone who has dealt with plenty of stress. I have read plenty of self help books, gone to therapy, the whole nine yards. While I may not be an expert, I can tell you to save your money. There are better resources out there. This is not worth the $25 price tag. Save your money as most of her rules can be found on a quick google search. They are nothing new, nothing life altering, and to be honest, the book is bland. The too long, don’t read version of this review is to just research mindfulness or pick up a book on it. That’s the most useful information this book has to offer. The rest is just fluff or quotes that the author shoved in to sell her points.
As a self help book, this leaves much to be desired. The rules are not new or novel to most people. The information may be researched and compiled, but it reads as though the author is writing papers trying to persuade the reader of something. Like in a college paper, or even a high school one, not everything is connected in the chapter. It occasionally feels disjointed and disorganized.
For example, in the chapter “Be Free”, Amanda spends a good chunk of time talking about aging. It seems rather disconnected from the rule of “being free”. She paints both adolescents and adults in broad strokes as one as not empathetic and the other as more empathetic. However, both groups are more of a mix. Adolescents do not necessarily lack empathy, even if their teenage and young adult lives are still very much self centered. Being self centered does not necessarily mean you lack empathy, something that Amanda does not seem to recognize. She spends time trying to defend that the aging brain is okay and not to worry about it by pulling at small straws. However, there are many other things about aging that she could talk about the positivities of. While I am not saying that being young is better than being older, I am saying that her arguments feel flimsy and out of place in this chapter.
This leads to another downfall of this book, the rules. They are sweeping and vague. Rules such as ‘belong’, ‘be resilient’, and ‘be happy’ are vague. Plain and simple. There is no meat to them. There’s no expansion. No explanation of how someone is to attain these rules and follow them. One cannot wave a magic wand and magically be able to follow these rules. While rather simplistic in idea, they are harder to put into practice. Each rule that Amanda lays out takes time, effort, and practice in order to achieve. However, Amanda does not offer the reader much in the way of suggestions on how to achieve mastery on these rules.
I will say that she does put a practice section at the end of each chapter. Although, like the rules themselves, they are not entirely helpful. Some are useful and others feel like place fillers. Most of these can be found in a brief googling of information as well.
Overall, this book feels like one of those people who tell depressed people to just “be happy” and expects them to achieve this on their own. They don’t really tell you how to do it. They just tell you to do it. Again, I recognize there are practices at the end of each chapter, but they just fall flat. “Exit the echo chamber”, “believe in yourself”, “think unity”, and “reframe and change how you see things”, are not exactly practice. Yes, those are all things that would help one in their path to seeking freedom for anxiety, but there is no how. She simply tells you to do it and that’s it’s good for you. It’s like telling someone to lose weight, but not helping them figure out how to do it. For some people, they are able to figure it out on their own, others need help. Everyone needs a starting place, something tangible to hold on to. I can think unity all I want, but there are no exercises listed in this book to help my mind retrain itself to think that way.
The best pieces of information and practices found in this book are on mindfulness and meditation. These are tangible and well researched methods to helping lower stress and be more at peace with the world. Though, it’d probably more interesting, too the point, less like an argumentative paper, and accessible to just go read a book on mindfulness instead.
(This book was given to me through Goodreads' Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.)
As a self help book, this leaves much to be desired. The rules are not new or novel to most people. The information may be researched and compiled, but it reads as though the author is writing papers trying to persuade the reader of something. Like in a college paper, or even a high school one, not everything is connected in the chapter. It occasionally feels disjointed and disorganized.
For example, in the chapter “Be Free”, Amanda spends a good chunk of time talking about aging. It seems rather disconnected from the rule of “being free”. She paints both adolescents and adults in broad strokes as one as not empathetic and the other as more empathetic. However, both groups are more of a mix. Adolescents do not necessarily lack empathy, even if their teenage and young adult lives are still very much self centered. Being self centered does not necessarily mean you lack empathy, something that Amanda does not seem to recognize. She spends time trying to defend that the aging brain is okay and not to worry about it by pulling at small straws. However, there are many other things about aging that she could talk about the positivities of. While I am not saying that being young is better than being older, I am saying that her arguments feel flimsy and out of place in this chapter.
This leads to another downfall of this book, the rules. They are sweeping and vague. Rules such as ‘belong’, ‘be resilient’, and ‘be happy’ are vague. Plain and simple. There is no meat to them. There’s no expansion. No explanation of how someone is to attain these rules and follow them. One cannot wave a magic wand and magically be able to follow these rules. While rather simplistic in idea, they are harder to put into practice. Each rule that Amanda lays out takes time, effort, and practice in order to achieve. However, Amanda does not offer the reader much in the way of suggestions on how to achieve mastery on these rules.
I will say that she does put a practice section at the end of each chapter. Although, like the rules themselves, they are not entirely helpful. Some are useful and others feel like place fillers. Most of these can be found in a brief googling of information as well.
Overall, this book feels like one of those people who tell depressed people to just “be happy” and expects them to achieve this on their own. They don’t really tell you how to do it. They just tell you to do it. Again, I recognize there are practices at the end of each chapter, but they just fall flat. “Exit the echo chamber”, “believe in yourself”, “think unity”, and “reframe and change how you see things”, are not exactly practice. Yes, those are all things that would help one in their path to seeking freedom for anxiety, but there is no how. She simply tells you to do it and that’s it’s good for you. It’s like telling someone to lose weight, but not helping them figure out how to do it. For some people, they are able to figure it out on their own, others need help. Everyone needs a starting place, something tangible to hold on to. I can think unity all I want, but there are no exercises listed in this book to help my mind retrain itself to think that way.
The best pieces of information and practices found in this book are on mindfulness and meditation. These are tangible and well researched methods to helping lower stress and be more at peace with the world. Though, it’d probably more interesting, too the point, less like an argumentative paper, and accessible to just go read a book on mindfulness instead.
(This book was given to me through Goodreads' Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.)
August 27, 2015
Seeking Serenity
The 10 New Rules For Health And Happiness In The Age Of Anxiety
By Amanda Enayati
Reviewed by Jay Gilbertson
Since for many of my readers this time of year is all about back to school, I figured it would be terrific for students and teachers alike to consider a new approach to that nasty little constant in our lives—stress! Author Enayati examines this way-too-prevalent condition in which we live, through the use of story, creating a novel path to serenity. The author suggests that from our health (or lack of) to jobs, money, relationships, social media, and about another million other challenges, stress seems to show its ugly head no matter where we try to hide.
Let’s leap right into the meat of Enayati’s work and not get all stressed out wondering about those ten rules. Here’s the list and I’ll share some details of several in a second.
Be Resilient, Belong, Be Creative, Be Free, Be Happy, Be Giving, Be Kind, Be Healthy, Be Uncluttered and my favorite, Be Present. Ta dum!
Now for the hard part, the work to reshape stress into a more peaceful and productive you. Most of the rules are pretty straight forward, but some, once Enayati expanded on them, had a few nuances you may find useful in your search for inner as well as outer serenity. One I found particularly interesting was Rule 3, Be Creative.
“Creativity is not just about painting or drawing or art. It is about problem solving. It’s the flexibility of your mind, the ability to see things that no one can see and envision something entirely different. We are creating the future, bringing about change.”
Be Healthy. Simple, right? Not so in our current dash-and-dine world of zap it, drive-through-rush-lunches and killer-carb everything. If we think before we eat, we could avoid the following.
“…A simple carb overload sets off a physiological chain reaction that wreaks havoc on the body. It taxes the adrenal glands, suppresses the immune system for hours after intake and generally leaves a person feeling sluggish and off-kilter. And then there’s the sugar crash.”
As Michael Pollen suggests, “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
Which leads me to the tenth rule; Be Present. Sounds kind of hokey pokey, but it is really important if you want to make a serious go of this. One of the very best ways to be present is to meditate. Hold on, don’t turn the page yet. There is a very simple and fast and yet really effective way to do this.
“Close your eyes, put your body in a balanced, stable position and simply focus on your breathing for a full minute…The important thing is to get your mind back to breathing and not to judge yourself. After a minute, you will notice a shift in your state of mind toward greater peace.”
In closing, Enayati suggests a roundup of breaks and buffers to consider; Exercise, take herbs, sniff some scents, laugh, spend time in nature, hang out with a pet, slow down time, sleep, pray, read a book, listen to music.
Remember, we’re in this thing called life together. “Unity. In infinite diversity. With a separation that is only imagined. And so we are.”
Now breathe.
The 10 New Rules For Health And Happiness In The Age Of Anxiety
By Amanda Enayati
Reviewed by Jay Gilbertson
Since for many of my readers this time of year is all about back to school, I figured it would be terrific for students and teachers alike to consider a new approach to that nasty little constant in our lives—stress! Author Enayati examines this way-too-prevalent condition in which we live, through the use of story, creating a novel path to serenity. The author suggests that from our health (or lack of) to jobs, money, relationships, social media, and about another million other challenges, stress seems to show its ugly head no matter where we try to hide.
Let’s leap right into the meat of Enayati’s work and not get all stressed out wondering about those ten rules. Here’s the list and I’ll share some details of several in a second.
Be Resilient, Belong, Be Creative, Be Free, Be Happy, Be Giving, Be Kind, Be Healthy, Be Uncluttered and my favorite, Be Present. Ta dum!
Now for the hard part, the work to reshape stress into a more peaceful and productive you. Most of the rules are pretty straight forward, but some, once Enayati expanded on them, had a few nuances you may find useful in your search for inner as well as outer serenity. One I found particularly interesting was Rule 3, Be Creative.
“Creativity is not just about painting or drawing or art. It is about problem solving. It’s the flexibility of your mind, the ability to see things that no one can see and envision something entirely different. We are creating the future, bringing about change.”
Be Healthy. Simple, right? Not so in our current dash-and-dine world of zap it, drive-through-rush-lunches and killer-carb everything. If we think before we eat, we could avoid the following.
“…A simple carb overload sets off a physiological chain reaction that wreaks havoc on the body. It taxes the adrenal glands, suppresses the immune system for hours after intake and generally leaves a person feeling sluggish and off-kilter. And then there’s the sugar crash.”
As Michael Pollen suggests, “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
Which leads me to the tenth rule; Be Present. Sounds kind of hokey pokey, but it is really important if you want to make a serious go of this. One of the very best ways to be present is to meditate. Hold on, don’t turn the page yet. There is a very simple and fast and yet really effective way to do this.
“Close your eyes, put your body in a balanced, stable position and simply focus on your breathing for a full minute…The important thing is to get your mind back to breathing and not to judge yourself. After a minute, you will notice a shift in your state of mind toward greater peace.”
In closing, Enayati suggests a roundup of breaks and buffers to consider; Exercise, take herbs, sniff some scents, laugh, spend time in nature, hang out with a pet, slow down time, sleep, pray, read a book, listen to music.
Remember, we’re in this thing called life together. “Unity. In infinite diversity. With a separation that is only imagined. And so we are.”
Now breathe.
May 7, 2015
This was a pretty good book, a little predictable if the reader has read other 21st century self-help books, but I felt there were a few things that a reader can take away from it.
"Seeking Serenity" is basically a book about dealing with stress in the 21st century. It starts out discussing how stress being an overwhelming aspect of our lives started with the tobacco industry. It says that by hiring some various scientists to back up their product, the American public was sold on the idea that society was becoming too stressful, and so people needed to distract themselves...with smoking! Though people have became more aware of the dangers of smoking, the idea of an overstressed lifestyle as taken root that people take it as gospel.
From there, the author offers 10 "rules" to finding peace and serenity in a stress filled life. If a reader has read other books on the topics of emotional intelligence and positive psychology, many of the themes will be familiar to them. It breaks down to controlling yourself in mind and body, working through life's challenges that are not as easily controllable, making better choices for your body, and then combining all those factors. Some of the ideas resonated with me, such as being more creative, working to help others as a way to reduce stress, and being kind to others. Other ideas sound like they were sponsored by the "health industry", buy more organic food, remove meat from your diet, and eat a lot of nuts.
This is a pretty good book, though not that much different than other self-help, improved your life, and reduce stress book that are available. Some people may get a lot out of it, and others may only get one or two things from it. The reader will need to decide for themselves,
"Seeking Serenity" is basically a book about dealing with stress in the 21st century. It starts out discussing how stress being an overwhelming aspect of our lives started with the tobacco industry. It says that by hiring some various scientists to back up their product, the American public was sold on the idea that society was becoming too stressful, and so people needed to distract themselves...with smoking! Though people have became more aware of the dangers of smoking, the idea of an overstressed lifestyle as taken root that people take it as gospel.
From there, the author offers 10 "rules" to finding peace and serenity in a stress filled life. If a reader has read other books on the topics of emotional intelligence and positive psychology, many of the themes will be familiar to them. It breaks down to controlling yourself in mind and body, working through life's challenges that are not as easily controllable, making better choices for your body, and then combining all those factors. Some of the ideas resonated with me, such as being more creative, working to help others as a way to reduce stress, and being kind to others. Other ideas sound like they were sponsored by the "health industry", buy more organic food, remove meat from your diet, and eat a lot of nuts.
This is a pretty good book, though not that much different than other self-help, improved your life, and reduce stress book that are available. Some people may get a lot out of it, and others may only get one or two things from it. The reader will need to decide for themselves,
January 2, 2016
CNN Health contributor and cancer survivor, Amanda Enayati, has given readers a decidedly different look at how people can view stress and anxiety. This is an easy to read, approachable look at creating some objectivity about stressful occurrences and even using stress to overcome them. Enayati pulls from a number of known thinkers and writers on this subject and summarizes her approach in ten rules for living.
February 19, 2015
I won this book in a Goodreads first-reads giveaway.
This was an interesting and thought-provoking book, which makes you think more deeply about stress, anxiety and the strategies to help lead you to serenity and overall well-being. Well researched and a good read.
This was an interesting and thought-provoking book, which makes you think more deeply about stress, anxiety and the strategies to help lead you to serenity and overall well-being. Well researched and a good read.
March 23, 2016
I need to buy this one - found it at the library in the "New Reads" section and picked it up on a whim. I'm really glad I did, as it's a concise, helpful book with plenty of sources.
April 3, 2017
Interesting
April 27, 2017
One word EXCELLENT
May 29, 2017
The key points road map should have been at the end rather than before all of the chapters as a summary.
April 19, 2020
This book has been wholesome in some parts I must say. I love that there are plenty of inspiring true stories in this book. I love how the author ends every chapter with a proper conclusion and includes practices for readers to do. The practices involved aren't troublesome, it requires little time to do and it requires little effort as well and I like that the author doesn't pressure the readers, I don't feel pressured reading the chapters and practices.
Though, I'm not really fond of the number of researches/reports that are in this book. I know it should be a good thing but I find it a little boring and I can't really relate to as it mainly focuses on US citizens. But still, it is knowledgable.
Nevertheless, the whole experience of reading was smooth and it is such a light read. If you are a fast reader, you can definitely finish it in one day.
So I hope would explore self-help books in the future!
Thanks for reading!
Though, I'm not really fond of the number of researches/reports that are in this book. I know it should be a good thing but I find it a little boring and I can't really relate to as it mainly focuses on US citizens. But still, it is knowledgable.
Nevertheless, the whole experience of reading was smooth and it is such a light read. If you are a fast reader, you can definitely finish it in one day.
So I hope would explore self-help books in the future!
Thanks for reading!
August 29, 2024
Good reminders of things I know will reduce stress - eating well, focusing on others, unplugging regularly. However, it made me think of others ideas like journaling even more, working on my internal dialogue and my perception of things, and the idea of post traumatic growth and how to cultivate it.
As a Christian it makes me think of James, consider it pure joy... The Lord can bring great things out of the challenges of our lives.
I also like the ideas of breaks and buffers to try and insert breaks from stress on a regular basis. It remind me of the wisdom of the Sabbath. I like the ideas of mindfulness and being present and also how including of lives can reduce stress.
As a Christian it makes me think of James, consider it pure joy... The Lord can bring great things out of the challenges of our lives.
I also like the ideas of breaks and buffers to try and insert breaks from stress on a regular basis. It remind me of the wisdom of the Sabbath. I like the ideas of mindfulness and being present and also how including of lives can reduce stress.
May 26, 2019
This book offers to its readers in not only how to live a healthy life physically, but also internally, on the everyday struggles of living. Crediting leaders in various fields of work, the techniques in perspective taking to expressive writing allow the reader to see the creative solutions one can form to work towards a whole-hearted life style. This rounded approach towards life make the book applicable and deeply insightful. Would recommend.
August 29, 2019
Could relate to the vast majority of the book. So many incredible takeaways. "Stress is widely considered the number one health epidemic of our time. Modern medicine can't prevent it. There is no pill to cure it."
"Meditation doesn't just heal the brain; it also wakes up learning centers within the brain. The meditator learns not just to manage his stress, but builds a greater resilience for the inevitable stress that comes his way."
"Serenity is in our attitude... it's an inside job."
"Meditation doesn't just heal the brain; it also wakes up learning centers within the brain. The meditator learns not just to manage his stress, but builds a greater resilience for the inevitable stress that comes his way."
"Serenity is in our attitude... it's an inside job."
June 5, 2020
*Note: I received this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.*
The book discusses different ways to notice stress and anxiety and then turn around and make it less troublesome. It also encourages you to take time for yourself to unwind and quiet your mind. Overall, a decent read. Hoping to utilize some of these tips.
The book discusses different ways to notice stress and anxiety and then turn around and make it less troublesome. It also encourages you to take time for yourself to unwind and quiet your mind. Overall, a decent read. Hoping to utilize some of these tips.
October 6, 2019
More engaging toward the beginning, this book is a worthwhile read if you feel like you need a re-orientation in stress. It seems somewhat repetitive as it goes on, and there’s nothing earth-shattering.
March 4, 2018
2.75 stars, really. This reads like a book report...just a conglomeration of articles with nothing new or insightful.
December 12, 2019
some good tips for dealing with stress mixed with some interesting personal stories. I liked the practical advice sections I kind of wished there was more of that/more in depth
January 8, 2020
Perfect book to start out the new year. Amanda compiles diverse resources and research into interesting and applicable learning opportunities. Her writing style keeps you engaged throughout.
June 27, 2025
Straight forward self help book with some good pointers. Nothing revolutionary but provided some concrete advice that I took notes on
July 30, 2025
Interesting read with nuggets of wisdom to heal one's life.
November 20, 2017
A thought provoking life guide. Simple rules we need to be reminded of.
March 28, 2015
I received a copy of
SEEKING SERENITY from the GoodReads Giveaways.
The first step in the process of SEEKING SERENITY is to understand how stress affects your body and how we, as a society, have experienced steadily increasing levels of stress throughout the years. The author, Amanda Enayati, discusses the history of and studies about stress and chronic stress and the impact that it has on our physical and psychological selves.
In addition to understanding stress in general, she discusses how each person's unique history and experiences shape our perception of, and then response to, stressful events.
Although this book doesn't have the focused "How-To" sections that you may be used to, with specific step-by-step guidance for making changes. It does offer a number of exercises though, that you can practice in an effort to minimize the impact that stress has in your life. The chapters are set up to help guide you as you focus on improving your mind, your body and your world while becoming more mindful in how you interact with, and act within, your daily life.
In addition to the scientific and psychological studies, there are a number of personal accounts of people who faced struggles and found their own ways out of stress. Overall I felt that there was a balance between some very common sense information and some new and interesting insights. In the end, I think a reader would best be served by reading it slowly and incorporating the lessons from one area before moving on to the next.
SEEKING SERENITY from the GoodReads Giveaways.The first step in the process of SEEKING SERENITY is to understand how stress affects your body and how we, as a society, have experienced steadily increasing levels of stress throughout the years. The author, Amanda Enayati, discusses the history of and studies about stress and chronic stress and the impact that it has on our physical and psychological selves.
In addition to understanding stress in general, she discusses how each person's unique history and experiences shape our perception of, and then response to, stressful events.
Although this book doesn't have the focused "How-To" sections that you may be used to, with specific step-by-step guidance for making changes. It does offer a number of exercises though, that you can practice in an effort to minimize the impact that stress has in your life. The chapters are set up to help guide you as you focus on improving your mind, your body and your world while becoming more mindful in how you interact with, and act within, your daily life.
In addition to the scientific and psychological studies, there are a number of personal accounts of people who faced struggles and found their own ways out of stress. Overall I felt that there was a balance between some very common sense information and some new and interesting insights. In the end, I think a reader would best be served by reading it slowly and incorporating the lessons from one area before moving on to the next.
August 11, 2015
i received this free book on goodreads first reads and was so amazed by its contents.The ten new rules for health and happiness in the age of anxiety states just that,what we see in ourselves and how stress plays a roll in the anxiety of our lives.
what i most enjoyed in this book was that the author allows the reader to participate in the practice section in part two stress as a guide.
my favorite quote was of the affirmations versus aspirations,affirmations try saying what we are not while aspirations are what we wish to be.i think that hit the nail ,so to speak and want to thank the author and Goodman for acquiring such insight.
Without giving away anymore of this wonderful book,I recommend you reading it yourself and try to draw the same conclusions that the author wants you to have.thanks again for this opportunity in allowing me to receive this free book.
what i most enjoyed in this book was that the author allows the reader to participate in the practice section in part two stress as a guide.
my favorite quote was of the affirmations versus aspirations,affirmations try saying what we are not while aspirations are what we wish to be.i think that hit the nail ,so to speak and want to thank the author and Goodman for acquiring such insight.
Without giving away anymore of this wonderful book,I recommend you reading it yourself and try to draw the same conclusions that the author wants you to have.thanks again for this opportunity in allowing me to receive this free book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews