How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay: Tips and Tricks That Kept Me Alive, Happy, and Creative in Spite of Myself

by Jenny Lawson

Warm, insightful, and witty, the first book of advice from New York Times –bestselling author Jenny Lawson—aka the Bloggess

Jenny Lawson is full of contradictions. She’s a celebrated author but battles self-doubt, paralysis, and anxiety. She’s an award-winning humorist but struggles with treatment-resistant depression. The question she’s most often asked by people is “How do you do it? How do you keep going even when it feels impossible? How do you keep creating?” This book is her answer.

In How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay, Jenny shares one hundred humorous, heartfelt, and genuine tools and tricks that she relies on to keep her going even when her brain isn’t working properly due to depression, anxiety, and ADHD. She also offers tips to stay passionate and focused on creative endeavors, especially when everything around you is saying to give up.

With chapters like “Wash Your Brain More Than You Wash Your Bra” (sleep, you beautiful human), “Work on Easy Mode” (asking for accommodations is okay!), “Celebrate Good Times, Come On!” (make it a habit to celebrate the good things), and many more, How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay is a balm and companion, reminding us all that we are not alone. It’s for anyone who struggles with self-doubt, guilt, motivation, and mental blocks and wants to rekindle their passion for creating. Funny, simple, empathetic, and inspirational, it will encourage you not to just survive but to find and curate joy in the face of difficult times.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Self Help, Memoir, Mental Health, Adult, Biography Memoir

288 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 31, 2026

About the author

Known for her sardonic wit and her hysterically skewed outlook on life, Jenny Lawson has made millions of people question their own sanity, as they found themselves admitting that they, too, often wondered why Jesus wasn't classified as a zombie, or laughed to the point of bladder failure when she accidentally forgot that she mailed herself a cobra. Her blog (www.thebloggess.com) is award-winning and extremely popular.

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've already said this in my review of I Choose Darkness, but I'm pretty sure that Jenny Lawson is my spirit animal. (And now I'm super worried that she's going to read this and be offended because I called her an animal, but I totally don't mean it in a literal sense so please don't be mad at me, okay?) I generally don't read self-help books because I am painfully aware of my mental flaws and the steps I *should* (but obviously am not) talking to correct them, but I will read anything Lawson writes so here we are.

As someone who is very ADHD and anxiety-prone (and probably also a little autistic but I grew up in an era when the only diagnosis you got for such things was “weird,” so who knows?), reading Lawson's books are always like a balm for my soul because it's nice to know that there's someone out there who would probably “get” you if you were to meet in real life. I mean, we both have/had cats named Ferris Mewler/Meweller (there are a lot of slashes in that sentence but my Ferris has long since journeyed on to the Rainbow Bridge and I went with the more complicated spelling because if I have to suffer through having a last name that no one can ever spell, then so do my pets) and pick clothes based on their ability to camouflage cat fur (no solid black or white in this house, ever) and have no idea how makeup works, so I'm pretty sure we're basically twins.

And, okay, so maybe this book is very self-help-y and I don't really do self-help, but there are still lots of little fun anecdotes that you'd expect from a Jenny Lawson book and also some of the self-help bits were really quite meaningful and empowering and might've even made me tear up a time or two. It's not a super deep read, but there's lots of helpful advice and the chapters are short which made me very happy because long chapters are a challenge to my oft-distracted squirrel brain.

Also, I could not relate more to the chapter about her making notes on her phone and then forgetting what they mean, because I email myself notes all the time and they're always near-indecipherable. Like right now I have one in my inbox that says “eff short” and it took me days to remember that it was supposed to be a reminder to buy my husband a shirt from the Electronic Frontier Foundation for Christmas, except that I typoed “shirt” and couldn't be bothered to fix it. And then when I was reading this book I wanted to mention the above in this review, so I sent myself a message that said “emails eff short” as a reminder and I couldn't remember what that meant either. I do realize that none of this really has much to do with this book but if you confuse yourself with indecipherable notes on a regular basis, you'll probably appreciate this chapter in particular.

Anyway, if you're neurodivergent and/or struggle with your mental health, definitely consider giving this book a read. Or if you simply enjoy hippo facts and anecdotes about people farting at queens, this might be the book for you for entirely different reasons.

4.4 stars, rounded down.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Life for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is March 31, 2026.

[Ellen Gail]

Seeing a new Jenny Lawson book with a charming oddball lil mammal on the cover has to be a top tier human experience. This is what God created eyeballs for.

[Mendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have couple of automatic authors that I will read without knowing anything about the book. And Jenny Lawson is one of them. If she published her grocery list I would immediately buy it, because let’s be real, we all know her list would be epic.

To sum up this book I could hash tag every page #yepthisisme. Iykyk


I have the ebook version but I will be immediately purchasing the physical copy on publishing date to highlight and annotate every page.

If you don’t love Jenny Lawson we can’t be friends. Sorry not sorry.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me begin as I did last time by saying I'm an enormous fan of Jenny Lawson, so I was overjoyed to be able to read this ARC. If you have not read her before or are unfamiliar with her, you could start with this book or with any of her work. However, if you are a fan or follower or have read other things by her, this book will immediately make sense to you. As she says in the introduction, you do not have to read this book linearly. You can drop in wherever you need. Lawson wrote this book as a compilation of ways that her specific brain has gotten through when she is going through mental health struggles, which she is very open about. It could be a self help book; it could be a memoir, but that is the beauty of all of her books. She is so open with her life that you can take or leave whatever lessons are best for you, but also she is there to help us laugh as well. In addition to this book, she encourages people to share in the supportive online community she has built as well. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this ARC.

[Angie Miale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was completely delightful. It is part self-help, some memoir, and some lovely doodles. I love her voice, her non-traditional writing style and her unique and ridiculously specific references. It is a story about how she has managed her anxiety, depression, and ADHD. She has true practical exercises that will help make the reader’s life better. I don’t remember laughing out loud this much at a book in a very long time. Jenny is just hilarious. This book comes with more of a maturity and accountability than from her previous books. She is taking a lot of great experience from therapy and sharing what has worked for her.

My son has severe ADHD and this book really helped me understand more what he goes through daily. I can’t wait to read it again!
4.5/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the ARC. Book to be published March 30, 2026.

[Ideezy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Jenny Lawson does it again (this time aimed directly at her reader)!

Lawson’s newest book is part memoir and part self-help book. While she shares, more than a couple of times, that she doesn’t feel qualified to offer advice, long-time readers of hers would beg to differ.

She approaches difficult topics with a style we’ve become accustomed to: ease, humor, vulnerability, and kindness.

Highly recommend grabbing this book if you’re in the trenches with her, if you want a peek behind the curtain, or if you just want a laugh served with rough topics.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published March 31, 2026.

This is the fourth book I’ve read by this author, AKA the Bloggess.I was first introduced to her back in 2012 from my book club. She is laugh out loud funny.

This book was slightly different from her previous books as it felt more like a self-help book, but still with swear words and random stories you’d expect from her. It did include tips to get you through the tough times as well as a lot of cheerleading.

I generally listen to her books since she self-narrates but this book had a lot of her drawings. Both are great options.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uplifting. Encouraging. Inspiring! Lawson's latest book is filled with hilarious and heartfelt practical advice for creatives and those struggling with their mental health. Written in twelve parts with short chapters, the book can be read straight through or by skipping to whichever section speaks to the reader in the moment the most. Long time fans will find comfort in the author's frank dark humor, profanity and willingness to share some extremely personal, unhinged anecdotes. There are also illustrations and motivational quotes sprinkled throughout. So much more than just another self-help or writing advice guide, Lawson's words are sure to bring comfort and aid to those with anxiety, chronic illness, ADHD and depression at times when they might be struggling the most. Recommended for readers who love authors like Brene Brown and Samantha Irby. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was exactly my "cup of mashed potatoes." (Side note, autocorrect wrote 'madness potatoes' which is even better!)
The book is full of helpful suggestions and thoughts that sometimes I get to on my own but not always. Jenny has a way of writing that is very much the way I find myself thinking so it's kind of like having a chat with myself, or at least someone who really gets it.
I will also say that it was nice to have the sections in small portions so I could divvy up my potatoes into enjoyable bits instead of massive servings. When things are already overwhelming it's hard enough to focus and this format was just right.

My theme to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book can definitely be used as a self-help manual, and it DOES have some good tips on dealing with depression, anxiety, and ADHD. I read it because Jenny Lawson is one of the only authors who can consistently make me laugh, and this book was no exception. Lawson is hilarious and relatable and weird in the best way. Her books feel like a comforting friend when everything else in the world is topsy-turvy.

[Rachel Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jenny Lawson, also known in online communities as The Bloggess, is back with a series of short essays filled with her trademark humor, quirky personality, and practical advice. Lawson is known for her candor and authenticity documenting her own struggles with mental health and is an advocate for causes supporting the mental health and LGBTQ+ communities. In "How to Be Okay When Nothing is Okay," Lawson talks about her tools and tricks for perservering in the midst of struggles. Most essays are a mix of memoir and self-help advice ranging only 2-3 pages and filled with heart and humor. Fans of Lawson's previous work with enjoy this title.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Overall 4.25/5

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve been here any amount of time, I’m sure you’re shocked to see a nonfiction book, especially of the self help-ish variety
But, to be frank, the mentals are not healthing, and the title alone felt frightening relevant

I firmly believe no truly rational person can look at the things happening right now and be okay with them, but we still have to find a way to be okay if we’re going to have any hope of making it to the other side

And it’s not all about big state of the world things
Sometimes it’s that embarrassing thing that you did in a drive through that you think about at 3am weeks later
Stopping yourself from endlessly doom scrolling
Or how to deal with executive disfunction
A little bit of everything really

The book is chopped up into bite sized chapters of an anecdote each, with a … I don’t want to say lesson? Because that sounds like of preachy and condescending? But they’re also not-not lessons? Maybe they’re cool lessons?

It’s full of the humor I’d have expected from the author
Sometimes (read: often) completely off the wall, but in a super relatable way (to me anyhow…which probably says something…)

There’s also bits of her art in between sections, and a continuing message of how important creative endeavors are - An idea that I obviously connect with as I look around at my dozens of projects between knitting and this dollhouse remodel I’m doing

As this isn’t my usual genre I can’t really compare it against others for the rating, but as something I feel I needed right now? All the stars

Thank you to Viking Penguin for the arc!

[Helen Wu ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by Jenny Lawson, though I’ve seen her work around for years and always been curious. I really appreciated the short chapters, her sense of humor, and the gentle reminders sprinkled throughout. It’s not life-shattering advice—mostly common sense—but sometimes that’s exactly what we need. The book feels realistic, relatable, and quietly motivational in a way that meets you where you are. I finished it fairly quickly and think it’s one of those reads you could easily gift to family or friends as a kind and thoughtful reminder that it’s okay to not always be okay. Thank you to Netgalley and Viking Penguin for the advanced reader’s copy.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore Jenny Lawson's writting. When I saw this pop up on netgalley I had to request it! While this book isn't a pure memior like her others, it still has her heart and humor wrapped up in it.

Having had an extremely rough year last year, reading this was like a small ray of sunshine on all the pain and sadness. It helps reading other people's tales and how you can relate to them. There is a lot of good advice and small tips and tricks on how to help your brain throughout this book and I can see it being one I get physically and just flipping through to random sections anytime I need a good reminder that it's okay to not be okay.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my favorite kind of self help book - deeply honest, a little bit silly, and written by someone who occupies a very similar brain space to mine. A lot of the advice itself isn't really anything new to me but Jenny Lawson's writing style is always a delight to read. I appreciated that it was written equally to be read straight through (as I did) or picked up as needed.

Thanks to Viking Penguin and Netgalley for the ARC!

[Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an eARC from NetGalley. I’ve enjoyed several of her other books, so when I saw a new one was coming, I snagged it immediately and plowed through it.

I grew up on the Muppets, and it warped/shaped enough of my personality and sense of humor that when I find a Muppet in human form who writes, I’m going to read the shit out of it. When my brain is not cooperating, I will liken it to three over-caffeinated squirrels in a trench coat. It won’t shut the fuck up, no matter how much I need it to. Jenny’s prose style frames that feeling like a superpower rather than a drawback. This book made me feel better just by being willing to be that weirdo friend that will sit with me when I am also feeling like *I* am that weirdo friend. The thing about that weirdo friend is that I can be that weirdo friend for myself, too.

Not every tip and trick will work for me, and that is FINE. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that for the length of this book, I felt like I wasn’t alone in my weirdness, my struggles to function some days, and in the attempts to motivate myself that only make sense in my own brain and no one else’s.

If you, too, have a brain that never shuts the fuck up, Jenny’s work is for you. At the very least, you will find new and inventive ways to convince yourself that you’re allowed to occasionally win the arguments, try something new, or just chill for once.

Highly recommended.

[Emma Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this title. It's not like her typical memoirs. I'm not going to lie, I was expecting more of her funny stories, but I liked the ones she did share in this book. Even though it wasn't like her previous books, I thought it was helpful and something a lot of people would find valuable. Some of her tips and tricks I had already heard before, but there were quite a few unique tips that I liked. Even though there were a lot of things I don't personally struggle with, I found it helpful to see into the mind of someone else. I now have a better understanding and have better tool to help friends, family or random strangers I might meet in my life now because I better understand struggles they might have. I've already recommended the book to three of my friends, so I definitely think this is a great book to read. Overall, I definitely recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC copy.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Be Okay When Nothing is Okay is a book of suggested ways you can help your brain when it's being a bastard to you. Each chapter is only a couple pages long. Although I read it in one sitting, it's meant to be something you can dip into really quick if you need a trick to try and help you get through a bad spot. Many of the tips seem like they could be helpful for people, but the book is also full of Jenny Lawson's typical humor and are set-up with stories from her own experiences so there is also the sort of memoirish element to it that readers may be expecting from her books.

[MommySnarksALot · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Jenny Lawson. I’ve been a fan of her blog since the early days and have eagerly awaited each of her books. Her previous works were all 5 stars for me. This one was just didn’t do it, though. Maybe I went in with the wrong mindset, but I was expecting less of an outright self-help book and something more like her previous works. I looked forward to vignettes of her life with a bit of positive affirmations, but instead got lists of obvious ways to feel better about myself and very few of the cute anecdotes that are the hallmark of her writing.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a self-help book kind of gal but when you add in Jenny Lawson's humor, self-deprecating stories, and realness...take all of my money! I will read anything Lawson writes and I will happily laugh (and sometimes cry) my way through it.

How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay is not a groundbreaking self-help book. Most of the advice is pretty common sense even. But it is so real and so accessible that it made me fall in love with it. It helps you set yourself up for success in whatever venture you are taking on, in a beautiful and simple way.

The underlying theme of the book? You are great, just being you. Breathe.
And that is advice we all need to hear on a daily basis.

I know for a fact that Lawson's tips will absolutely help tame my squirrel brain on my worst days.

I already pre-ordered a physical copy of the book so my loved ones and I can pick it up on hard days and flip to pages that will help get us through.

Thank you to Netgalley and Viking Penguin for the opportunity to read and ARC for this book.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of the book "How to be Okay When Nothing is Okay" from NetGalley. I am a fan of Jenny Lawson. Her upcoming book is a good one! Jenny Lawson has always been honest writing about her own struggles with Mental Illness. In this book she offers advice and help on how to just get through your day. Most of her advice I have read before and she even says this is advice she has been given by therapists and other people.
Each chapter is usually very short but offers the "how to be okay when nothing is Okay' she still writes with a sense of humor but can be serious as well. Such as don't be so hard on yourself, take things one at a time. Be glad when you can accomplish one thing at a time if only one thing in a day. I agree with her when she writes about how we can be so hard on ourselves. There are many pieces of advice here that are good and helpful. Glad I got the chance to read this book.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will read anything and everything that Jenny Lawson writes forever - so I may be biased - but I think this is such a lovely, fun, relatable guide on how to carry on when you feel stuck, defeated, or unconfident. I found the chapters that focused on mental health to be especially relatable and helpful as someone with a whole cocktail of mental illnesses, and I've already started incorporating some of her suggestions into my daily routine (specifically listing your "rose, rose, thorn, and bud" of the day, which has been a hit with my partner). It's so difficult to exist and be a person, and we all need to just take Jenny Lawson's lead and admit that more. This book gives you permission to mess up, keep trying, be weird, and do it all with the people you love, and I think that's what we need in these times.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Rally · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such a great pick me up ! The author is so very relatable and down to earth. I many times found myself smiling or laughing at things she said. For anyone who is going through a tough time or just feeling down. This book will show you that you are not the only one and maybe give a little bit of a different perspective. You can read this all at one time but I think it works best to read a little section a day and savor each bit of it.
Thank you to netgalley, publishers and author for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. I will be buying this book for myself and also to lend to others as soon as it comes out.

[Kristi Lamont · Rating 3 out of 5]

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay, by Jenny Lawson, from Viking Penguin | Penguin Life/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

⭐ 3 ⭐

Permit me to say at the outset that I am a big ol’ fangirl when it comes to Jenny Lawson the person, and Jenny Lawson the writer. Have read the majority of her books (and given said majority 4 stars), follow her on social media, bought a T-shirt when she first opened her bookshop in San Antonio, and the like.

Which, come to think of it, may be part of my problem with this book….I felt like I’d read most if not all of it before.

Not accusing her of plagiarizing herself, mind you. Just saying that she’s written about the majority of this stuff, and in similar ways, over the years. I seem to recall a lot of the tips along the way in her blog posts.

If you are not familiar with Herself and are in the market for a smart, honest self-help book that will make you laugh as you read it, then I’d recommend this book. If you are kind of a fan, I’d say read it, but not all at one sitting like I did—treat it like a daily or weekly devotional, read a little at a time.

If you’re hardcore, well, then, nothing I say is going to sway you one way or another. I’ll just say that compared to some of her previous works, this one was not as satisfying.

Also, the upper- and lower-case combos in the headers got to where they were driving me buggy for the last third of the book or so. Not sure what style guide if any all involved were following. But that’s just The Pedant Within, who also proofreads shampoo and conditioner bottles in the shower.

DESCRIPTION
Warm, insightful, and witty, the first book of advice from New York Times bestselling author Jenny Lawson—aka the Bloggess

Jenny Lawson is full of contradictions. She’s a celebrated author but battles self-doubt, paralysis, and anxiety. She’s an award-winning humorist but struggles with treatment-resistant depression. The questions people most often ask her are, “How do you do it? How do you keep going even when it feels impossible? How do you keep creating?” This book is her answer.

In How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay, Jenny shares more than one hundred humorous, heartfelt, and genuine tools and tricks that she relies on to keep her going even when her brain isn’t working properly due to depression, anxiety, and ADHD. She also offers tips to stay passionate and focused on creative endeavors, especially when everything around you is saying to give up.

With chapters like “Wash Your Brain More Than You Wash Your Bra” (sleep, you beautiful human), “Working on Easy Mode Is Still Working” (asking for accommodations is okay!), “Celebrate Good Times, Come On!” (make it a habit to celebrate the good things), and many more, How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay is a balm and companion, reminding us all that we are not alone. It’s for anyone who struggles with self-doubt, guilt, motivation, and mental blocks and wants to rekindle their passion for creating. Funny, simple, empathetic, and full of hope, it will encourage you not to just Mi>survive but to find and curate joy in the face of difficult times.

[Chet · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Be Okay When Nothing is Okay is a self-help book, but I didn’t know that when I picked it up. It became obvious, though, in the first few pages when you are explicitly told this. Now, I’m not normally the kind of person who reads self-help books because I am not that messed up. But you’re not going to NOT read a new Jenny Lawson book, so I tried to keep an open mind and jumped right in. What I found out was that I am “that messed up”, because I really enjoyed this book. Or, maybe I’m just a regular human person who struggles with life like everyone else.

I can’t say that everything in this book was personally helpful to me, but Jenny (I can call her Jenny because after reading three books and countless posts, I kind of feel like I know her even though I’m just some guy and she is the great and powerful Jenny Lawson) is able to be hilarious and entertaining even when you’re reading something that doesn’t specifically apply to you. That said, there is plenty here to keep you thinking and there were quite a few times that I said to myself, “This sounds a lot like me!”. Unfortunately, I am a very flawed person but I’m trying to be better and HTBOWNIO is a book for very flawed people who want to be better. Fortunately, once I was able to put my ego aside, I found a lot in these pages that not only helped me but also made me feel a lot better about my own flaws and neuroses. As Jenny is fond of saying, sometimes just knowing you aren’t alone in your eccentricity makes you feel better.

At first I was a little concerned, because mental health and self-help is usually serious subject matter. Thankfully, my worries were unfounded, because Jenny Lawson is still the author and she is a fantastic writer. HTBOWNIO is just as funny as her other writing and she is just as charming and witty as ever. At only 288 pages, this is a fairly short read, but there is a lot packed in. There are stories, jokes, tips and tricks and a lot of honesty here and if you’re a Jenny Lawson fan, you will not be disappointed.

If you’re already a fan of Marvelous Mrs. Lawson, I encourage you to go ahead and pre-order this one. You know you’re going to read it anyway so you might as well go ahead and have it in your hot little hands on March 31, 2026, when it releases. If you are NOT already a fan of Jenny Lawson, why not? Go right now and read her other books so you’ll be ready when this one comes out. If you don’t have the money to buy books (go to the library!) or you’re still unsure, go check out www.thebloggess.com and do some reading. If you don’t like here, that’s fair, but I don’t know if we can be friends. If you struggle with anxiety, depression or any other number of mental health disorders, I think you’re going to love this. If you don’t struggle with mental health issues, that’s awesome for you, but I still think you would enjoy her writing.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Viking Penguin and Jenny Lawson for allowing me to read How to Be Okay When Nothing is Okay. It’s a great book and likely destined to be another bestseller.

[Jenna Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay by Jenny Lawson is a compassionate, funny, and deeply relatable memoir that feels less like a self-help book and more like a 3 am facetime call with your best friend. Known to many as The Bloggess, Lawson writes candidly about living with depression, anxiety, ADHD, and persistent self-doubt while still creating, surviving, and finding small moments of joy along the way.

Rather than claiming she’s an expert with everything figured out, Lawson is upfront about her flaws and what she is still working on as a human. She never claims to have all of life’s answers, but rather shows the reader small tips and moments of joy she’s picked up along the way. This book is her response to the question people ask her most: “How do you keep going when your brain won’t cooperate?” Her answer comes in the form of over one hundred hilarious, heartwarming, and ultimately helpful stories and tidbits that she personally relies on when things feel unbearable.
The structure of the book is one of its greatest strengths. With short, non-linear chapters, readers are encouraged to take what they need and leave the rest. The pacing is quick and accessible, making it easy to pick up during difficult moments without feeling overwhelmed or pressured to read it straight through. What stood out most to me was how validating this book feels. Lawson never talks down to the reader or insists that just “thinking positively” can solve everything. She acknowledges how unfair and exhausting mental illness can be while still offering hope in manageable, realistic ways.

Overall, How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay is a comforting, funny, and affirming read for anyone who feels stuck, burnt out, or like they’re barely holding things together. It’s a reminder that life is messy and you can be your own worst enemy, but that doesn’t make you a failure. You’re not alone in this world, and when you think it can’t get any worse, remember the wise words of Buddha (sort of): “But did you die?” And know that you’ll be okay.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Braden Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jenny Lawson's HOW TO BE OKAY WHEN NOTHING IS OKAY is the kind of irreverent self-help book that I can get behind. You will take many great pointers away from this, but you will also get statements like, "Hippos are baddies with nothing to prove", and I'm here for it. I've been a fan of Jenny for some time and always appreciate her honesty surrounding mental illness because it's quite relatable. This book is especially helpful for creatives or individuals that tend to get in their own way.

Lawson emphasizes how to get ourselves of creative ruts and have the courage to fail and create again. She showcases the importance of rotating your crops and trying different things as an artist because change is just as good as rest. Someone out there is going to write someone else's favorites book and is currently wondering if their story in their head is worth telling - don't succumb to this mentality. There is no right pathway, creatively or in life, every bad day and every good day is a step forward showing you what does or does not work for you.

We can change our path at anytime, even if it's a strange path because it's important to be a weirdo in a world that's often too boring. If something looks wrong, it's actually fine, just different or new. As Lawson says, "The word amateur comes from the Latin amare, which means to love to do something just for the love of it. And thats simply nothing to be ashamed of." Rules are meant to be broken and Lawson tells us that it's exciting to do something fresh and strange and baffling. As someone who often battles my own mental illness or inner critic, this book is exactly the reminder that I needed to bloom creatively. The short chapters don't hurt either!

Thanks to Viking Penguin and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jill Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Jenny Lawson is fabulous on so many levels I can't even list them here. I am not an ardent reader of self-help but I'm a huge fan of her storytelling style, so despite this one being a lot more of the former than I am usually comfortable with, I couldn't wait to start reading it. With her trademark wit, self-deprecating humor, and wisdom, Lawson managed to draw me fully into a self-help / caregiver-help book in a way that I would not have ever imagined possible.

We've had some struggles in my family this year, and my daughter too suffers from an anxiety disorder that is manifesting itself in ways that leave me baffled. She is 12, and it has been very hard for me to watch it happen and not be able to help or prevent anything. This book gave me the grace I needed to cut myself some slack as a caregiver, by showing that it is not my job to prevent anything just to be there for her as she moves forward and back. It also helped me understand better some of what she is going through and how it manifests - and that is knowledge that I could never think Lawson enough for...

I'm giving the book to my daughter to read next. She will love the humor and snarkiness and, I suspect, recognize herself in these pages in ways that will hopefully help her navigate her own head. Thank you Jenny Lawson for being brave and being you and helping the rest of us understand that we can be those things too.*

* Not be her, per se. I mean it would probably be disconcerting - to her - if everyone suddenly turned into her. Although it would probably be pretty entertaining... I meant we can each be us. Just thought I'd clarify.

(I love the footnotes, by the way...)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.

[Sarai Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenny Lawson does that rare, magical thing where she makes you laugh while gently holding your hand through the mess. This book is short, quirky, and packed with ideas that feel tailor made for a neurodivergent brain. It never talks down, never pretends everything is fixable, and somehow still manages to be deeply comforting.

I loved how relatable this was. Every chapter felt like a knowing nod, a “yes, that feeling, I know it too.” Lawson’s humor keeps things light, but the honesty underneath gives the book real weight. It’s the kind of read you can dip into when your brain is loud and leave feeling a little more human, a little less alone, and slightly more okay than before.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Sara | Book Confessions of an ExBallerina | Instagram

[Chelsea Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenny Lawson is a genius at blending the absurdly funny with the profoundly real. How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay is less a self-help guide and more a survival manual written by your most honest, hilarious friend. She has been a favorite of mine since her first book!

Lawson tackles anxiety, depression, and the sheer chaos of modern life with raw vulnerability and her signature sharp wit. She offers practical (and often bizarre) "tools" and candid anecdotes that make you laugh out loud one minute and feel deeply understood the next.

This book grants you permission to be imperfect, to ask for help, and to celebrate the small wins without shame. It’s an essential, uplifting read that reminds you it’s okay to be a little broken and that joy can be found even when everything feels like a mess. Brilliant, relatable, and a true balm for the anxious soul. Highly recommended!