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Project You: More Than 50 Ways to Calm Down, De-Stress, and Feel Great
Find your balance. Make a protein-packed smoothie to energize for a busy day. Center yourself after a stressful week by taking five minutes to write in your journal. Strengthen your body and calm your mind with simple yoga poses and breathing techniques. Craft a vision board to help you achieve your goals. Create a time budget to organize your schedule. Develop an evening routine that will help you wind down before sleep. Award-winning author Aubre Andrus shares more than 50 do-right-now projects that will help you beat stress, smile big, and discover a calmer, more blissful you.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2017
67 people are currently reading
812 people want to read
About the author
Aubre Andrus
61 books91 followersAubre Andrus is the award-winning children's book author of The Look Up Series, a nonfiction biography series featuring real women in S.T.E.A.M. careers. She also has written dozens of books for National Geographic Kids, Lonely Planet Kids, American Girl, Disney, Scholastic, and young YouTube stars. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her family where she's the founder and CEO of Adjective Animal Publishing, an indie kids press. Head to www.aubreandrus.com to learn more about virtual school visits or find her on Instagram at @aubreandrus.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
August 14, 2017
Great cover on this one. It makes great use of graphics. It's colorful and eye catching and has some unique typogrpahy.
A great little self-help book aimed towards the younger crowd (14-18) full of activities, exercises, advice, prompts, crafts, playlists, and recipes that will help you relax and rejuvenate. It's laid out with fun colorful graphics, images, and fonts that make it visually pleasing as well as enjoyable to read.
I enjoyed this one a lot. Yes, this is geared more towards teenagers, but there was still a lot of good info that as an adult I can work into my everyday life. So don't let the age thing deter you from giving this one a look see.
July 19, 2017
Now THAT is a self-help book I really liked!
First thing I enjoyed is the art inside. It's done in pastel colours, it makes you feel peaceful and doesn't hurt your eyes when you look at it - as someone with bad eyes, it's a real bonus!
Second thing I liked simply was the way things are presented to you : these are things to do if you feel stressed, tired, irritated, but you should do more than just one of all these things, and you shouldn't afraid or ashamed to seek help if you need to.
I've done some of the things written in this book - even some I've been doing for years - and it works. These are real and helpful things. I also really liked all the little DIYs and recipes, I'm definitely going to try some!
Overall, if you want a book with multiple ways to feel better and less stressed, you should definitely try this one : each exercise is explained step by step, you can't do wrong :)
Thank you Netgalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
First thing I enjoyed is the art inside. It's done in pastel colours, it makes you feel peaceful and doesn't hurt your eyes when you look at it - as someone with bad eyes, it's a real bonus!
Second thing I liked simply was the way things are presented to you : these are things to do if you feel stressed, tired, irritated, but you should do more than just one of all these things, and you shouldn't afraid or ashamed to seek help if you need to.
I've done some of the things written in this book - even some I've been doing for years - and it works. These are real and helpful things. I also really liked all the little DIYs and recipes, I'm definitely going to try some!
Overall, if you want a book with multiple ways to feel better and less stressed, you should definitely try this one : each exercise is explained step by step, you can't do wrong :)
Thank you Netgalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 27, 2017
I think this book might actually help me. I took notes of the things I liked and plan to try.
April 2, 2017
I received a free ecopy of the book from the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this one. It's not the kind of book that you can read in one sitting so it took me a lot more days. But, I'm glad that I read this. It has a lot of great tips on how to deal with stress, depression and anxiety. It has recipes, playlists, exercises and all different kinds of fun activities. I also liked the format which made the book more interesting to read.
If you're someone who suffers from stress and anxiety, then I really recommend it. Of course, it won't treat it but it will help you organise and understand how to gain a control of your own life. I can say it because it helped me too!
May 3, 2017
This is the only YA self help/resource book I've read since I aged out of the target audience. And for teens of 2017, I think will work better as an inspirational motivator than as an actual resource. The pages are pretty, with watercolor-like tones and illustrations, motivational quotes, and a loose, magazine-ish feel. I can see someone who is bored or overwhelmed being likely to flip through a few pages of this book, rather than search for internet resources. But all of this information is on the internet, so it doesn't feel like anything new.
Here are some things that I hope to try:
- loving kindness meditation
- basic at home workout + yoga
- nature journal
There's also information on things like body language, acts of kindness, stress management, staycations, essential oils, writing prompts, social media detox, bedtime routines, decision making, herbal teas, and starting a gratitude journal. Cool stuff; definitely good for motivating me to want to do these things, even if they're not really new or exciting.
Thank you to Netgalley and Switch Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Here are some things that I hope to try:
- loving kindness meditation
- basic at home workout + yoga
- nature journal
There's also information on things like body language, acts of kindness, stress management, staycations, essential oils, writing prompts, social media detox, bedtime routines, decision making, herbal teas, and starting a gratitude journal. Cool stuff; definitely good for motivating me to want to do these things, even if they're not really new or exciting.
Thank you to Netgalley and Switch Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.
May 31, 2018
This self-help was different than most that I've read because there are a variety of activities, tips, and projects you can try at different times in your life. There are playlists, projects, recipes, and writing prompts, activities to try with friends or on your own, and relaxation methods. There is also information on anxiety, stress management, and depression as well as resources that help with these issues. There are colorful pictures and bright layouts which make the topics appealing. This book really did a good job at balancing fun activities with information and vice versa. I would suggest going through this book a few days at a time and making a list of activities you want to try, or pick a topic to read about when the moment feels right.
March 18, 2019
I didn't realize this book was meant for teens until about halfway in when the advice in one section was very specific to someone on a high school schedule. Definitely some nice ideas in here. The big disappointment was the illustrations, featuring people with exactly 1 body type, which incidentally is the same 1 body type represented in the photos too (hint: it's the same shape as the numeral 1!)
July 21, 2017
Great book for it's target audience.
July 30, 2017
3,5 *
Interesting information, useful tips and cool projects. I especially liked the challenges and the recipes, I have to try them someday. And I adored the lovely design. While I think the book, in general, is interesting, I already knew/practice some of the things mentioned, and that's why this might be more recommendable for a younger audience.
Interesting information, useful tips and cool projects. I especially liked the challenges and the recipes, I have to try them someday. And I adored the lovely design. While I think the book, in general, is interesting, I already knew/practice some of the things mentioned, and that's why this might be more recommendable for a younger audience.
February 12, 2018
I enjoyed flipping through the colorful pages, lists, and various tips. Great resource for middle school & young adults.
April 11, 2018
Very helpful. Written in an easy to understand and enjoyable format. Interesting and workable ideas.
October 3, 2023
Daxili dizaynını çox bəyəndim, məsləhətləri də faydalarıdır.
October 2, 2017
This was a great book. Designed for teens but worth the read for all ages.
April 8, 2017
Read all my book reviews on my blog at: https://brainfartsandbooks.wordpress.com
Now you all know I love a good mystery/thriller or chick lit read, but this book here was a five star read all the way. Why? Because I can’t think of a single person who wouldn’t benefit from it. In fact, I’m thinking of buying this book for each of my clients for Christmas this year. With it’s September release, it’ll be perfect timing.
Reasons I loved this book:
1. Tips to feel good
2. Tips to be healthy
3. Different ways to exercise
4. Fun things to make including body scrubs, vision boards, healthy recipes
5. All the ideas were simple, simple, simple
6. Well-organized and categorized so you can go back to it an anytime and find what you are looking for
7. Can help with almost every aspect of life
I know this book is listed as YA but it really is for everyone. Really.
Thank you to NetGalley, Aubre Andrus, and Capstone for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Now you all know I love a good mystery/thriller or chick lit read, but this book here was a five star read all the way. Why? Because I can’t think of a single person who wouldn’t benefit from it. In fact, I’m thinking of buying this book for each of my clients for Christmas this year. With it’s September release, it’ll be perfect timing.
Reasons I loved this book:
1. Tips to feel good
2. Tips to be healthy
3. Different ways to exercise
4. Fun things to make including body scrubs, vision boards, healthy recipes
5. All the ideas were simple, simple, simple
6. Well-organized and categorized so you can go back to it an anytime and find what you are looking for
7. Can help with almost every aspect of life
I know this book is listed as YA but it really is for everyone. Really.
Thank you to NetGalley, Aubre Andrus, and Capstone for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 16, 2018
I got this book for my teenage daughter. She loves it. The tips are very doable and not too lofty for her to try. She really liked the music suggestions, and we laughed that a lot of them were already on the playlist I had made for her. All in all a good self help book for people looking for easily digestible, bite size ideas plus pretty illustrations.
September 2, 2019
A beautifully presented book. The sort of thing I would have adored as a teenager, and it still has helpful ideas for me in my early twenties (and would be useful at any age).
July 13, 2017
I was given the opportunity to review an advance copy of this book. Thanks, NetGalley!
First, the good news:
- There is much to appreciate about this book, which offers a sound overview of life-affirming practices that a young woman can do to bolster her health and happiness. I'm a life coach: these are the kinds of things I encourage clients to do, so...bravo!
- The focus on PRACTICES is so important. Too many self-help books focus on reframing beliefs. This is super important. However, the do-now quality of the colorfully illustrated suggestions (50 of them) emphasizes that our lives are most likely to change when we change our actions, especially routines.
- So many of the young women represented in the splashy, pastel-colorful graphics are long-haired and normatively attractive. However, there is at least a nod to non-binary representations. I appreciate the ethnic diversity in the illustrations.
Some caveats:
- I would have appreciated some bibliography or resource recommendations at the end.
- I'm not sure how well the graphics and format of this book will weather. It may feel dated very soon. On the other hand, if it helps a largish handful of young women (and/or others) in the immediate future, that's still an important contribution, right?
- As an educator I would welcome some sort of graphic organizer at the end to help readers reflect on what projects they've tried, for how long, and the readers' thoughts/evaluations/successes.
As an educator, I would feel comfortable recommending this resource to teenagers and young adults as a user-friendly overview of healthy self-care practices. Much fodder for discussion here, especially with your life coach!
First, the good news:
- There is much to appreciate about this book, which offers a sound overview of life-affirming practices that a young woman can do to bolster her health and happiness. I'm a life coach: these are the kinds of things I encourage clients to do, so...bravo!
- The focus on PRACTICES is so important. Too many self-help books focus on reframing beliefs. This is super important. However, the do-now quality of the colorfully illustrated suggestions (50 of them) emphasizes that our lives are most likely to change when we change our actions, especially routines.
- So many of the young women represented in the splashy, pastel-colorful graphics are long-haired and normatively attractive. However, there is at least a nod to non-binary representations. I appreciate the ethnic diversity in the illustrations.
Some caveats:
- I would have appreciated some bibliography or resource recommendations at the end.
- I'm not sure how well the graphics and format of this book will weather. It may feel dated very soon. On the other hand, if it helps a largish handful of young women (and/or others) in the immediate future, that's still an important contribution, right?
- As an educator I would welcome some sort of graphic organizer at the end to help readers reflect on what projects they've tried, for how long, and the readers' thoughts/evaluations/successes.
As an educator, I would feel comfortable recommending this resource to teenagers and young adults as a user-friendly overview of healthy self-care practices. Much fodder for discussion here, especially with your life coach!
August 29, 2017
PROJECT YOU by Aubre Andrus will be available in our library in September. This book will likely be high interest, particularly for girls in middle school and early high school. Andrus divides the book into two major sections: Take Control and Find Your Balance. Within each, are multiple chapters with titles like “Head Outdoors”, “Exude Confidence,” “Create a Time Budget” and “Speak Up.” There is a section on breathing and meditation, and several visualization exercises. I liked the conversational tone of the book, famous quote selections, and the many suggestions for action like simplifying your wardrobe or choosing joy through creating reminders of happy moments on slips of paper. There are tasks for creating a gratitude journal, sending a card of thanks, or establishing a vision board. Most of this is probably not really new to readers, but having it together in a concise format helps; there are even lists of “feel good” and “pump up” songs, plus a very practical list with websites and phone numbers of where to go for help. One issue, though is the almost exclusive focus on girls (as reinforced by images, color schemes and choice of font). We know boys feel stress, too, and I wish this potentially helpful book also provided them with “More Than 50 Ways to Calm down, De-Stress, and Feel Great.”
May 12, 2017
*I received a free online copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Project You is a great resource book aimed at teens with the aim to help them find ways to reduce stress and find ways to calm down. I am not a teen and yet I found this book incredibly helpful. I didn't use all the suggestions in here, but I did work through areas such as visualization, making decisions, body scanning, etc. It also gives education on what stress does to the body, how relaxation can help as well as provides outlets for those who seek further assistance.
In some cases it has step-by-step instructions, in others checklists, and in others lists where you can pick what pertains to you or what you feel you would like to/are able to accomplish. This is especially helpful as sometimes with stress there is a feeling of chaos and trying to do so many things at once and yet not knowing where to start. This helps to simply break it down into pieces that are easier to accomplish and be successful at.
The artwork and formatting of the book is quite beautiful, as it has simple images and a water colour look to it. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for some small, first step solutions (as these are easy to try).
Project You is a great resource book aimed at teens with the aim to help them find ways to reduce stress and find ways to calm down. I am not a teen and yet I found this book incredibly helpful. I didn't use all the suggestions in here, but I did work through areas such as visualization, making decisions, body scanning, etc. It also gives education on what stress does to the body, how relaxation can help as well as provides outlets for those who seek further assistance.
In some cases it has step-by-step instructions, in others checklists, and in others lists where you can pick what pertains to you or what you feel you would like to/are able to accomplish. This is especially helpful as sometimes with stress there is a feeling of chaos and trying to do so many things at once and yet not knowing where to start. This helps to simply break it down into pieces that are easier to accomplish and be successful at.
The artwork and formatting of the book is quite beautiful, as it has simple images and a water colour look to it. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for some small, first step solutions (as these are easy to try).
September 25, 2017
Thanks to NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read and review Project You by Aubre Andrus! Just reading the Table of Contents made me feel relaxed and helped me look forward to reading the book. Full of de-stressing activities to help you take care of yourself and feel at peace. Self-care and self-help tips for almost every stressor plus feng shui principles, calming recipes and activities as well as energizing and replenishing tips are found in this book, along with happy music lists categorized by decade, ideas for starting a new hobby and the importance of laughing, ideas about a gratitude journal and a worry box and a cupcake for one recipe for a single serve treat. The book also has a section that explains the benefits of exercise and sunlight and sections for ideas for 30-day challenges to tackle goals, nature journals, inspiring songs list to energize, challenging yourself to build confidence and recipes and ideas for pampering yourself. Project You gives the reader help and resources for a variety of reasons. I am buying this book for the school library. 5 stars!
*I received a complimentary arc of this book for voluntary consideration.
*I received a complimentary arc of this book for voluntary consideration.
May 10, 2018
This colorful self-help books for teens is packed with ideas to help de-stress, build confidence, and channel your energy into positive activities. Ideas that range from meditation and yoga to healthy recipes to craft projects and playlists give teens and young adults from middle school up lots of ideas to help them feel better about themselves and their world. The book does not have to be read linear and instead gives directions such as "If you're freaking out about tomorrow's test...page 56" and "If you're feeling drained...page 82". The colorful illustrations, inspirational quotes, and mindfulness tips make this a fun book to flip through casually and also lends itself well to closer scrutiny. The final pages of the book remind the reader that not all bouts of the blues or feelings of anxiety or insecurity can be cured with a craft project, a playlist, or a cookie recipe and gives advice on when and how to ask for help for more serious mental health issues. This is a book I will not only purchase for my 15-year-old, but will also add to my middle school library. Well done!
May 4, 2017
Even though this is geared towards teenagers, I found many wonderful tips in this book to calm down and reduce stress! I loved all of the color and graphics; they definitely added to make this book enjoyable and easy to read. Quick and to the point - what every reader needs when trying to de-stress! There is nothing worse than having to wade through thick text to get to the points. I think that everyone should have this on their shelf as a ready reminder that reducing stress can not only be fun, but it is imperative to living a healthy, well-balanced life.
This book was provided by the publisher for an honest review.
This book was provided by the publisher for an honest review.
February 13, 2019
4 Stars
I read this in an hour and put bookmarks/random objects in 30 or so pages, to remind me to take note of it later. Cause they were such good suggestions. On with the review:
This is a really good book - not because it deals with the heavy stuff but because it doesn't? It deals with small random ways to make you feel healthier and happier. And I am hopefully going to use every single page I bookmarked. Hopefully!
The pastel colours and patterns are light so they're easy to look at and don't overtake or distract from what you're reading
I would suggest this self help for 9-11 yr olds.
I read this in an hour and put bookmarks/random objects in 30 or so pages, to remind me to take note of it later. Cause they were such good suggestions. On with the review:
This is a really good book - not because it deals with the heavy stuff but because it doesn't? It deals with small random ways to make you feel healthier and happier. And I am hopefully going to use every single page I bookmarked. Hopefully!
The pastel colours and patterns are light so they're easy to look at and don't overtake or distract from what you're reading
I would suggest this self help for 9-11 yr olds.
May 9, 2017
*I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review*
I'm going to be honest. I had never read one of those self-help books, but this book had this great cover and so I HAD to read it. I have tried some of the techniques and was surprised to see that they worked! Today I had a really important exam so this helped me a lot! And it had this cutesy Mr. Wonderful vibe that's all the rage right now.
I had just one problem with the format. As I read it in my ebook, I had to turn a looot of pages just to find the one I wanted. It'd have been nice to put links in the summary so it'd have been easier.
So in my humble opinion, because I don't really know that much about this genre, it is a great book, with really upbeat aesthetics.
I'm going to be honest. I had never read one of those self-help books, but this book had this great cover and so I HAD to read it. I have tried some of the techniques and was surprised to see that they worked! Today I had a really important exam so this helped me a lot! And it had this cutesy Mr. Wonderful vibe that's all the rage right now.
I had just one problem with the format. As I read it in my ebook, I had to turn a looot of pages just to find the one I wanted. It'd have been nice to put links in the summary so it'd have been easier.
So in my humble opinion, because I don't really know that much about this genre, it is a great book, with really upbeat aesthetics.
May 7, 2022
Great read for teenagers
An excellent book that’s not too long. It contains actionable tips that general won’t compete with coursework and can be slowly introduced into your life. It also provides in-depth explanation as to why and how the tips help. I would definitely recommend to my teenage niece, and in general. While this book is geared towards teens, it still can be utilized by the non teens.
An excellent book that’s not too long. It contains actionable tips that general won’t compete with coursework and can be slowly introduced into your life. It also provides in-depth explanation as to why and how the tips help. I would definitely recommend to my teenage niece, and in general. While this book is geared towards teens, it still can be utilized by the non teens.
July 5, 2017
I received an uncorrected proof of this title at #alaac2017 . Great tips, but was surprised to see that this was aimed at teenagers instead of adults. Still, a great book, but it wasn't clear from the cover. I also wish that a more diverse group of young adults were illustrated. I saw images of young men, but few people of color.
August 17, 2017
This book would be great for any teen. It has helpful information on how to destroys and take time for one's self. It is non-judgmental and offers a variety of techniques for both males and females. This would be a great asset to any teen to increase their personal awareness and understanding of how to spend time on themselves.
February 14, 2018
This book is decidedly meant more for teens than adults, but there are a lot of great ideas in here for mindfulness, time-management, and generally making the most of things. I would be a really great book to get if you have a teen in your life. As an adult there were even a few good takeaways for me, but not enough for me to give it a higher grade.
June 9, 2018
A great book for young adults. It got very effective small pieces of suggestion on how to live healthy physically and mentally. This books pictures the idea how to deal with stress and how to be organized.
Most importantly, The presentation is great. it does not have whole chunk of writing. it has small piece of information/ advice on small box with eye-soothing background color.
Dyslexia friendly
Most importantly, The presentation is great. it does not have whole chunk of writing. it has small piece of information/ advice on small box with eye-soothing background color.
Dyslexia friendly
June 25, 2020
I got this book from my public library and loved it. It helps me a lot, I wish I had my own copy to continue seeing everything in it. The drawings and colors make the book more interesting and it has so many good ideas of how to calm down and stay calm throughout the day. This book helped me out tremendously
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews