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Quiet
This book is about taming the bad inner voice - the one that has the power to overthrow gut instinct and talk us out of new adventures. We are all brimming with inner wisdom, yet we allow negative thoughts to confuse us. We forget how capable and strong we can be. There is confidence there even if it's hidden; there is courage, beauty, wisdom and belief - we just need some quiet to notice it.
From Sunday Times bestselling author Fearne Cotton, this is the handbook for modern life we all need. Including expert advice, ideas to put into practice, adventures to complete and interviews with everyone from Bryony Gordon to Billie Piper, QUIET seeks out ways to help you tune out the negative backchat that holds you back, so you can hear the positives that will guide you forwards...
From Sunday Times bestselling author Fearne Cotton, this is the handbook for modern life we all need. Including expert advice, ideas to put into practice, adventures to complete and interviews with everyone from Bryony Gordon to Billie Piper, QUIET seeks out ways to help you tune out the negative backchat that holds you back, so you can hear the positives that will guide you forwards...
272 pages, Paperback
Published December 26, 2019
269 people are currently reading
2411 people want to read
About the author
Fearne Cotton
65 books370 followersFearne has been presenting live TV since the age of 15 when she was spotted by ITV’s ‘Disney Club’.
Her warmth, natural interview skills and ability to make presenting live TV seem effortless and has given her the opportunity to present a variety of shows over the years.
Fearne is currently back in her role as team captain on the 16th series of Celebrity Juice, a show that continues to be a ratings winner for ITV2. Other shows include Children in Need Rocks, The Happiness Project, Fearne & Gok: Off The Rails, The BBC Music Awards, Top of the Pops with Reggie Yates, ‘Fearne and McBusted’ and a Coldplay special for Sky Arts amongst many others.
In addition to TV Fearne is hugely credible in the music genre. In 2005 she joined Radio 1 where she spent 10 incredible years, initially co-hosting morning shows with Reggie Yates and then moving onto the UK Top 40 show before taking over the prestigious weekday morning slot in 2009; here she mixed big celebrity interviews with exclusive acoustic performances in the Live Lounge. The show attracted over 4 million listeners and in 2012 she won a Sony Gold Award for the show.
Alongside TV & Radio Fearne is incredibly creative and has designed several seasons of a home wear range for very.co.uk, curated 13 seasons of her own very.co.uk clothing range and previously released her own make-up and toiletry ranges for Boots. Fearne currently enjoys working alongside Cath Kidston and Garnier Olia and is also a brand ambassador for BaByliss, where she creates a series of ‘Get the Look’ videos and tutorials, recreating her go-to styles using BaByliss tools.
In social media, Fearne has over 7 million Twitter followers and a combined Facebook and Instagram following of over 2.2 million with live, innovative content around her programming and off-air projects, ranking her amongst the world’s top 250 most influential Tweeters.
An enthusiastic cook, Fearne released her first cookbook in June 2016: Cook Happy, Cook Health. Her next book, Happy, talks about her own experiences of happiness (including some of the not-so-happy ones), and was published February 2017. Fearne's third book, Cook. Eat. Love, was published in June 2017.
Work aside, Fearne is a mother of 2 and continues to find time to support a range of charities with seemingly no challenge too big for her, whether it be climbing Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief, or trekking the Inca Trail for Breast Cancer Care. Fearne is an ambassador for The Prince’s Trust and also a patron for Post Pals, Tyler’s Trust and Coppafeel!, the latter of which she curates the charity’s music festival, FESTIFEEL.
Her warmth, natural interview skills and ability to make presenting live TV seem effortless and has given her the opportunity to present a variety of shows over the years.
Fearne is currently back in her role as team captain on the 16th series of Celebrity Juice, a show that continues to be a ratings winner for ITV2. Other shows include Children in Need Rocks, The Happiness Project, Fearne & Gok: Off The Rails, The BBC Music Awards, Top of the Pops with Reggie Yates, ‘Fearne and McBusted’ and a Coldplay special for Sky Arts amongst many others.
In addition to TV Fearne is hugely credible in the music genre. In 2005 she joined Radio 1 where she spent 10 incredible years, initially co-hosting morning shows with Reggie Yates and then moving onto the UK Top 40 show before taking over the prestigious weekday morning slot in 2009; here she mixed big celebrity interviews with exclusive acoustic performances in the Live Lounge. The show attracted over 4 million listeners and in 2012 she won a Sony Gold Award for the show.
Alongside TV & Radio Fearne is incredibly creative and has designed several seasons of a home wear range for very.co.uk, curated 13 seasons of her own very.co.uk clothing range and previously released her own make-up and toiletry ranges for Boots. Fearne currently enjoys working alongside Cath Kidston and Garnier Olia and is also a brand ambassador for BaByliss, where she creates a series of ‘Get the Look’ videos and tutorials, recreating her go-to styles using BaByliss tools.
In social media, Fearne has over 7 million Twitter followers and a combined Facebook and Instagram following of over 2.2 million with live, innovative content around her programming and off-air projects, ranking her amongst the world’s top 250 most influential Tweeters.
An enthusiastic cook, Fearne released her first cookbook in June 2016: Cook Happy, Cook Health. Her next book, Happy, talks about her own experiences of happiness (including some of the not-so-happy ones), and was published February 2017. Fearne's third book, Cook. Eat. Love, was published in June 2017.
Work aside, Fearne is a mother of 2 and continues to find time to support a range of charities with seemingly no challenge too big for her, whether it be climbing Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief, or trekking the Inca Trail for Breast Cancer Care. Fearne is an ambassador for The Prince’s Trust and also a patron for Post Pals, Tyler’s Trust and Coppafeel!, the latter of which she curates the charity’s music festival, FESTIFEEL.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
January 18, 2020
I'm conflicted by my own rating. There's nothing bad about Quiet by Fearne Cotton (and it has a nice layout), it's just a bit basic. Most of her chapter titles are spot on in terms of what you need to work on to become more self-assured and less critical but no real depth to it. However, depending on your needs as a person, perhaps this chatty, informal, life-story based book is exactly what you want and need. Would probably appeal more to under 20s than over 30s.
So, 2 stars from me based on how it satisfied me. Not to diss Fearne Cotton or her lovely book.
So, 2 stars from me based on how it satisfied me. Not to diss Fearne Cotton or her lovely book.
February 7, 2019
Quiet.
All books written by Fearne Cotton are beautiful and very aesthetically pleasing. The pages are glossy and intricate illustrations are scattered throughout making the books a pleasure to read.
I have read Happy, Calm and this is her third book (in this series) Quiet.
Fearne offers advice and tips on how to deal with emotions,negative thought patterns and negative inner chatter, backed up with thoughts from experts on the relevant subjects.
It's like sitting down with a friend and having a good old chat.
In each chapter Fearne interviews someone who has inspired her and I really enjoyed these interviews. My favourite was Dustin Lance Black's in which he describes how he felt as a young child knowing he was gay and living in a Mormon family which openly disliked gay people.
He spoke about having the courage to speak out against injustice even though as a child he was very shy. Really inspiring words.
It was really interesting to think about negative chatter, just what it was and how other people dealt with it. Something we all probably have but maybe not know exactly what it is or that we can learn to silence it!
Quotes.
My negative Chatter goes into overdrive and sucks up the past like a hoover before coughing it all up into my present.
pg 17
We are presented with more imagery, faster paced TV shows, more expectation to achieve more in a single day, a plethora of ways to connect, reconnect and engage.
We know more about other people and have more reason to compare ourselves to others. We hear news from every corner of the planet and can get what we want online in seconds.
pg 13
I keep my life small. I focus on what's important to me.
pg 34
I'm not going to sit here and slag off social media as I love to browse and learn about other people's lives,but what we are still not very adept at is understanding how unnatural it is for us to know so much about each other.
pg 137
Ups and downs and upside downs! One of the most important lessons I have learned from the ocean ( and am still glad to be reminded of) is that nothing lasts forever - every storm will eventually pass. Sarah Outen.
pg 155
My friend Zephyr Wildman always reminds me that it takes five good thoughts to replace one negative. That means that more effort is needed to beat this vicious cycle, but my god, isn't it worth it?
pg 171
Never nice, but as my friend Bonnie puts it: 'All good fertiliser. If someone throws their shit at you, scoop it up and use it to grow.'
pg 187
It requires some daily discipline, the propensity to be kind to ourselves and at times some good old fashioned determination, but we can quieten that inner monologue if we chose.
pg 269
All books written by Fearne Cotton are beautiful and very aesthetically pleasing. The pages are glossy and intricate illustrations are scattered throughout making the books a pleasure to read.
I have read Happy, Calm and this is her third book (in this series) Quiet.
Fearne offers advice and tips on how to deal with emotions,negative thought patterns and negative inner chatter, backed up with thoughts from experts on the relevant subjects.
It's like sitting down with a friend and having a good old chat.
In each chapter Fearne interviews someone who has inspired her and I really enjoyed these interviews. My favourite was Dustin Lance Black's in which he describes how he felt as a young child knowing he was gay and living in a Mormon family which openly disliked gay people.
He spoke about having the courage to speak out against injustice even though as a child he was very shy. Really inspiring words.
It was really interesting to think about negative chatter, just what it was and how other people dealt with it. Something we all probably have but maybe not know exactly what it is or that we can learn to silence it!
Quotes.
My negative Chatter goes into overdrive and sucks up the past like a hoover before coughing it all up into my present.
pg 17
We are presented with more imagery, faster paced TV shows, more expectation to achieve more in a single day, a plethora of ways to connect, reconnect and engage.
We know more about other people and have more reason to compare ourselves to others. We hear news from every corner of the planet and can get what we want online in seconds.
pg 13
I keep my life small. I focus on what's important to me.
pg 34
I'm not going to sit here and slag off social media as I love to browse and learn about other people's lives,but what we are still not very adept at is understanding how unnatural it is for us to know so much about each other.
pg 137
Ups and downs and upside downs! One of the most important lessons I have learned from the ocean ( and am still glad to be reminded of) is that nothing lasts forever - every storm will eventually pass. Sarah Outen.
pg 155
My friend Zephyr Wildman always reminds me that it takes five good thoughts to replace one negative. That means that more effort is needed to beat this vicious cycle, but my god, isn't it worth it?
pg 171
Never nice, but as my friend Bonnie puts it: 'All good fertiliser. If someone throws their shit at you, scoop it up and use it to grow.'
pg 187
It requires some daily discipline, the propensity to be kind to ourselves and at times some good old fashioned determination, but we can quieten that inner monologue if we chose.
pg 269
December 12, 2020
This book was great.
I loved the open and honest way she approached the difficult subject at hand. Finding a way to manage and overcome negative thoughts is not easy but Fearne provides practical and useful pieces of advice, whilst not ever talking down to you or being patronising.
I loved the interactive elements of this book and found it useful to write down how I felt whilst reading the book. This is a great way to analyse the inner workings of your mind and work to overcome mental barriers.
I will be getting her other books sometime soon as I enjoyed reading this and felt it had a positive impact on my battle against anxiety!
I loved the open and honest way she approached the difficult subject at hand. Finding a way to manage and overcome negative thoughts is not easy but Fearne provides practical and useful pieces of advice, whilst not ever talking down to you or being patronising.
I loved the interactive elements of this book and found it useful to write down how I felt whilst reading the book. This is a great way to analyse the inner workings of your mind and work to overcome mental barriers.
I will be getting her other books sometime soon as I enjoyed reading this and felt it had a positive impact on my battle against anxiety!
January 27, 2021
I was ready to poke my eyes out with the half blunt corners of this book by the time I got to end of it. I suspect its editors were too as the typos and punctuation errors seemed to get worse towards the end. I felt like they'd checked out too. The major problem with this self-help book is that its author is so obviously in need of help themselves. I feel one needs to have one's shit reasonably together before writing a self-help book for others. Fearne's mind is a shit tip of pop psychology and diverging self-help clichés and she's dragging us all through it while she unravels. It's not like there isn't the odd shred of truth in there, it's just so nauseating to find it. I read this for a work book club and, in doing so, broke a rule not to read things I'm not passionate about reading. I guess this was my punishment.
March 18, 2019
You may find this enjoyable if you are a fan of Fearne Cotton but as someone who was simply enticed by the pretty colourful cover you may be disappointed. She talks a lot about her own experiences and how she deals with certain issues which aren't always going to be relevant or applicable to everyone. The book started off promising but I only made it 100 or so pages in before I gave up because I was sick of hearing about her life. The title suggests that it is a self help book which it is in some respects but it is more of a memoir style self help book. There are nuggets of wisdom within the book but they are hidden within a lot of (what I felt was) unnecessary blather. I would have prefered something more concise and based on science.
July 31, 2020
A good starter guide for less complex depression, nice exercises, did feel pretty twee at times and lots of name dropping but that comes with the territory of how it's branded. Not something I'd pick up myself but as a gift it was fairly pleasant.
September 29, 2021
The easiest, most fun self-help book I've read in a while :)
December 21, 2025
This book did absolutely nothing for me. I didn’t learn anything and if I’m honest, I mostly felt frustrated by it.
I think there’s often an issue when celebrities write self-help books because they slide into memoir territory, whether they mean to or not. I’m not a celebrity worshipper, but from what I’ve seen of Fearne Cotton she does seem genuinely lovely. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to carry this book for me. I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I listened to the audiobook and that experience made things significantly worse. I don’t think this is necessarily the author’s fault, but the production was really disappointing. Any interviews, supporting material or extra information that might have added depth weren’t included in the audio at all. Instead, it was constantly signposted as being available in a supporting PDF. If I heard “please refer to the supporting PDF” one more time, I think I’d have screamed. It felt lazy, to be blunt.
I live with a chronic illness and I rely on audiobooks when pain or brain fog means I can’t process written text properly. That’s exactly when that extra information would be most useful. Putting it into a PDF completely defeats the point. If I were able to sit and read comfortably, I’d have just read the book in the first place.
Whatever someone’s reason for choosing an audiobook, the experience should be equivalent to the written version. If it isn’t, then I honestly don’t see the point of producing it at all.
Yes, we all have an inner voice of doubt, the “chatter” as the author calls it. I went into this hoping that hearing from someone who appears successful and confident might offer a genuinely helpful perspective on managing that voice. Instead, it felt like listening to someone who isn’t an expert, saying very little that most of us don’t already know.
There are a few decent moments, but they’re few and far between. This book has pretty much confirmed what I’ve suspected for a while. Self-help books aren’t really for me, and if I do ever pick one up again, it won’t be written by someone famous.
I think there’s often an issue when celebrities write self-help books because they slide into memoir territory, whether they mean to or not. I’m not a celebrity worshipper, but from what I’ve seen of Fearne Cotton she does seem genuinely lovely. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to carry this book for me. I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I listened to the audiobook and that experience made things significantly worse. I don’t think this is necessarily the author’s fault, but the production was really disappointing. Any interviews, supporting material or extra information that might have added depth weren’t included in the audio at all. Instead, it was constantly signposted as being available in a supporting PDF. If I heard “please refer to the supporting PDF” one more time, I think I’d have screamed. It felt lazy, to be blunt.
I live with a chronic illness and I rely on audiobooks when pain or brain fog means I can’t process written text properly. That’s exactly when that extra information would be most useful. Putting it into a PDF completely defeats the point. If I were able to sit and read comfortably, I’d have just read the book in the first place.
Whatever someone’s reason for choosing an audiobook, the experience should be equivalent to the written version. If it isn’t, then I honestly don’t see the point of producing it at all.
Yes, we all have an inner voice of doubt, the “chatter” as the author calls it. I went into this hoping that hearing from someone who appears successful and confident might offer a genuinely helpful perspective on managing that voice. Instead, it felt like listening to someone who isn’t an expert, saying very little that most of us don’t already know.
There are a few decent moments, but they’re few and far between. This book has pretty much confirmed what I’ve suspected for a while. Self-help books aren’t really for me, and if I do ever pick one up again, it won’t be written by someone famous.
October 25, 2020
This book is all about becoming more aware of the inner 'Chatter', or thoughts, that hold us back in our day-to-day lives. I really liked how Fearne used the word 'Chatter' throughout, as it totally normalised that feeling of having a very busy mind controlled by some kind of inner voice.
Being able to recognise how this inner voice may manifest, whether it be critical, pessimistic, or angry, was a helpful way to identify what might help break this pattern of thinking. Throughout the activities help to challenge the inner Chatter, but to also focus on more positive aspects of oneself.
I particularly loved how Fearne introduced the link between the brain and the body, including the role of the 'gut feeling' and sleep rhythms. Without delving too far into science, it was reassuring to know that some of the physical sensations of Chatter are normal, and there is a way to get on top of it.
Quiet most certainly promotes self-love, and confidence as being huge contributors to resilience. This is a helpful reminder that seeing the good in yourself is important to feel in control. Reading interviews with people from all walks of life helps open our eyes to how 'Chatter' is experienced so differently across society.
I found Quiet to be very normalising compared to Fearne's previous books. When reading Happy and Calm, I very much felt I was reading books which would help people experiencing depression and anxiety. However, Quiet is a book for everyone. We all have an inner chatter that at times can persuade our behaviour and emotions, and this book will help you become aware of how you experience it.
This was a slow and comforting book which really helped give me the headspace I needed. I couldn't relate to all the examples in the book, hence I gave it a four star review, but it is a great little read to help break the patterns of thinking that are holding you back.
Being able to recognise how this inner voice may manifest, whether it be critical, pessimistic, or angry, was a helpful way to identify what might help break this pattern of thinking. Throughout the activities help to challenge the inner Chatter, but to also focus on more positive aspects of oneself.
I particularly loved how Fearne introduced the link between the brain and the body, including the role of the 'gut feeling' and sleep rhythms. Without delving too far into science, it was reassuring to know that some of the physical sensations of Chatter are normal, and there is a way to get on top of it.
Quiet most certainly promotes self-love, and confidence as being huge contributors to resilience. This is a helpful reminder that seeing the good in yourself is important to feel in control. Reading interviews with people from all walks of life helps open our eyes to how 'Chatter' is experienced so differently across society.
I found Quiet to be very normalising compared to Fearne's previous books. When reading Happy and Calm, I very much felt I was reading books which would help people experiencing depression and anxiety. However, Quiet is a book for everyone. We all have an inner chatter that at times can persuade our behaviour and emotions, and this book will help you become aware of how you experience it.
This was a slow and comforting book which really helped give me the headspace I needed. I couldn't relate to all the examples in the book, hence I gave it a four star review, but it is a great little read to help break the patterns of thinking that are holding you back.
March 12, 2021
I enjoyed this book and found it insightful and helpful when thinking about our busy, non-stop lives full of noise and chaos. I particularly enjoyed the section about sleep and dreams. I enjoyed Fearne's other books slightly more but wonder if a physical copy of this would have been a better match to the others as it was quite interactive.
May 17, 2020
Thought I would change things up by reading a non-fiction book. 'Quiet' w as obviously not as gripping as other books I've read due to the subject matter. The focus of the book is on the 'mental chatter' that we face through out our lives and how we can find inner 'quiet' through out the day. I've warmed to the book retrospectively as it does provide some interesting insights and ideas.
February 28, 2019
A really helpful book, I love all of Fearne Cotton's books. They're really interactive and get you thinking about what's really important.
February 3, 2021
This one took me a while to read but I thoroughly enjoyed it it has helped me learn so much
April 7, 2021
This book is focused around silencing brain chatter. I think I need to read it again at some point when I have less brain chatter going on!
September 12, 2025
‘𝐼𝒻 𝐼 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓅 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓇𝑒𝒸𝑜𝑔𝓃𝒾𝓈𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝓅𝒶𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓃𝓈
𝐼 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝓂𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝒶 𝒸𝒽𝑜𝒾𝒸𝑒 𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝑜 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝐼 𝒶𝓂 𝓇𝓊𝓁𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓂 𝑜𝓇 𝓃𝑜𝓉.’
I absolutely love Fearne’s books so this was the next one on my list to read. As someone who has battled depression, had CBT, used cognitive restructuring, this book really resonated with me. I’m sure we’ve all had those voices telling us we aren’t good enough and we shouldn’t be doing this. My particular voices seem to be ‘The Evil One’, ‘The Naysayer One’, ‘The Inner Critic One’ and ‘The Voice of Others’. Sometimes these voices all creep back in, but after reading Fearne’s book I feel more ‘quiet’. More peaceful to be able to say no to these voices.
𝐼 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝓂𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝒶 𝒸𝒽𝑜𝒾𝒸𝑒 𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝑜 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝐼 𝒶𝓂 𝓇𝓊𝓁𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓂 𝑜𝓇 𝓃𝑜𝓉.’
I absolutely love Fearne’s books so this was the next one on my list to read. As someone who has battled depression, had CBT, used cognitive restructuring, this book really resonated with me. I’m sure we’ve all had those voices telling us we aren’t good enough and we shouldn’t be doing this. My particular voices seem to be ‘The Evil One’, ‘The Naysayer One’, ‘The Inner Critic One’ and ‘The Voice of Others’. Sometimes these voices all creep back in, but after reading Fearne’s book I feel more ‘quiet’. More peaceful to be able to say no to these voices.
January 21, 2019
I found quite a few areas very interesting, particularly the parts surrounding sleep/dreams, and neuroscience, which were illuminating and a great insight in to human psychology and resilience.
In essence this is a great book for anyone who needs encouragement to channel more positivity in to their approach to situations, particularly overcoming our own barriers to self confidence and courage.
Full review to be found at https://beereaderbooks.wordpress.com/
July 8, 2020
I love Fearne's podcasts and her books are delightfully the same, like having a chat with a friend across the pages.
I always take something away from each book.
I always take something away from each book.
March 2, 2020
Thoughts to come.
April 25, 2021
Why did I even read this? I don’t know. I had seen these books going around and then I think this one popped up on a Kindle deal…
Now, I don’t dislike Fearne Cotton – I have a soft spot for her as I remember her from Diggit! But this book was pointless and repetitive.
The basic point was: think positively, don’t listen negative self-talk. OK, so what’s the rest of the book for? Well, the rest of the book simply repeats that same advice in different ways. There were also some interviews with people, talking about how they deal with negative self-talk (or Chatter as Fearne calls it, but I’m sorry I can’t) and related things. These were a mixed bag. Some were the best part of the book, others felt like a conversation where questions had been inserted to make it look like the conversation fitted the book. I did cringe a few times.
Something else I disliked was the feeling that Fearne was talking down to the readers; surely not her intention but I found it annoying nonetheless.
I know this book has many good reviews so I can’t help thinking they’re for Fearne herself. If this book had come from an unknown would people feel the same? I don’t usually read self-help type books but when I have I expect a bit more of a take away – I don’t feel like I got it here. I should mention this is her third book (I think) and I haven’t read the others; perhaps she had more to say in her previous books?
Now, I don’t dislike Fearne Cotton – I have a soft spot for her as I remember her from Diggit! But this book was pointless and repetitive.
The basic point was: think positively, don’t listen negative self-talk. OK, so what’s the rest of the book for? Well, the rest of the book simply repeats that same advice in different ways. There were also some interviews with people, talking about how they deal with negative self-talk (or Chatter as Fearne calls it, but I’m sorry I can’t) and related things. These were a mixed bag. Some were the best part of the book, others felt like a conversation where questions had been inserted to make it look like the conversation fitted the book. I did cringe a few times.
Something else I disliked was the feeling that Fearne was talking down to the readers; surely not her intention but I found it annoying nonetheless.
I know this book has many good reviews so I can’t help thinking they’re for Fearne herself. If this book had come from an unknown would people feel the same? I don’t usually read self-help type books but when I have I expect a bit more of a take away – I don’t feel like I got it here. I should mention this is her third book (I think) and I haven’t read the others; perhaps she had more to say in her previous books?
September 10, 2023
It's been a while I haven't read any non-fiction book. It's good to be back for the time being, because it gained me a whole lot perspective and truly help me escape in calming mymind after stresful day at work. Not gonna lie, I picked this book and bought it impulsively not only because of the subheading "Silencing the brain chatter and believing that you are good enough" but also because of the pretty cover. The mixed between all the rainbow color spelled me.
This book has its own way to deliver what the author want for the reader to gain and learned from what she was written about. It divided into 7 chapters, few of subheading chapters, the interviews, and the practice. If I can being honest, I just dislike how the formatting this book has, especially when it comes to the practice box. It cut off the explanation of the paragraph on the subheading and it truly frustated me. However, other than that, this book gain me something else and how to deal from all the voices around me and inside my own head
➊ Quiet Observation
In this chapter, this is what concludes all imo:
₁ Noticing that others have opinion and how that informs our mental Chatter is important as it gives us a clear distinction between opinion and the truth: our truth
₂ When we take the time to be present, we can solve everything down and be aware of what is real and what is mind faff, and then we can silence the negative voices and not let them rule over our live
The practices are:
₁ Written down your problem within tree picture and written down the root problem on tree roots
₂ Written down all of our worries and stresses within the bubbles
➋ Quiet Confidence
What makes me amaze on this chapters are about Learning Confidence Lessons
¹ If someone being a twat to you, you usually don't deserve it
² You don't have to be out at a party or associated with a particular group of people to feel you fit in society
³ Confidence isn't the loudest person in the room
The practices;
¹ Written down any activities that you love or have brought you joy in the heart symbols
² Written down any kind of thought you have as two different reasons when you hear specific sentences, positive thought and negative thought
³ What do you see when you look into the mirror?
⁴ Write down any bits of yourself that you don't like; personality, physically, and emotionally
➌ Quiet Self-Love
This part of the book is teach me about loving ourself despite of our own failures. Here's what I like most part of this chapter;
¹ Failure is a key in all of it. Without it we have no concept of true challenge
² The only one that is really judging us is ourselves
³ Remembering we have the choice to be kinder to ourselves
⁴ Let others help you on your road to self-love
The practices;
¹ Write down anything you feel started with sentence "I forgive me......"
² Write down some of phrases you would like to hear and read them a loud
³ Write a letter to your younger self
⁴ Self love ladder
⁵ Write down list the magic of what makes you, YOU
⁶ Small things you like about yourself!
❹ Quiet Courage
Some points this chapter brings up about failures:
¹ Remember that everyone has failed at some point
² Failure means you took a risk and beat the Chatter in the first place
³ Failure doesn't mean you are a failure
Courage is almost like a muscle we need to keep flexing so it remains nimble and dynamic and ready to use whenever great change is needed.
The Practice;
¹ Write 5 negative and 3 positive thing about your life in connectical order
² Color the person symbol in piece of paper and visualize it, then let the thought come and go without judgement
➎ Quiet Trust
This chapter focusing on the terms of "asking for help, doesn't mean you are weak" and the great meaning of "Letting Go".
The Practices:
¹ Look into eye symbol (printed) in quiet place and stare at it knowing this as your third eye
² Write down a time that can make you rise again like a phoenix
➏ Quiet Sleep
This chapter specifically emphasize the meaning of "Sleep" and its myth. It also helps us to understand more about what we need to do before sleep and overcome our insomnia as well as how we can remember our own dream the next day and understood its meaning. The author written down "The dream Index" as well on this chapter.
The Practice; Our dream diaries in a week
➐ Quiet and Still
The focal point of this chapter is teaching us about the real reason of knowing our own feeling subsconciously and the real meaning behind silence in its own language.
The Practice; What job or activities do you know stop you from sitting with certain feelings or memories?
Overall, I did enjoy this book to the extend of this book gain me lots of knowledge and new perspective of understanding something. Also, it has some illustrations and practices inside which helping us more about every chapter understanding. In addition, the interviews held between the author and certain people to comprehend each chapters has its own place in my heart. However, even though the priority of this book hold quite mesmerizing, I dislike how the format of putting the practice between the explanation paragraph before it was ended quite disturbing.
This book has its own way to deliver what the author want for the reader to gain and learned from what she was written about. It divided into 7 chapters, few of subheading chapters, the interviews, and the practice. If I can being honest, I just dislike how the formatting this book has, especially when it comes to the practice box. It cut off the explanation of the paragraph on the subheading and it truly frustated me. However, other than that, this book gain me something else and how to deal from all the voices around me and inside my own head
➊ Quiet Observation
In this chapter, this is what concludes all imo:
₁ Noticing that others have opinion and how that informs our mental Chatter is important as it gives us a clear distinction between opinion and the truth: our truth
₂ When we take the time to be present, we can solve everything down and be aware of what is real and what is mind faff, and then we can silence the negative voices and not let them rule over our live
The practices are:
₁ Written down your problem within tree picture and written down the root problem on tree roots
₂ Written down all of our worries and stresses within the bubbles
➋ Quiet Confidence
What makes me amaze on this chapters are about Learning Confidence Lessons
¹ If someone being a twat to you, you usually don't deserve it
² You don't have to be out at a party or associated with a particular group of people to feel you fit in society
³ Confidence isn't the loudest person in the room
Self-love isn't about ignoring the bad bits or pretending we have never fucked up, it's about accepting it all and still liking yourself
The practices;
¹ Written down any activities that you love or have brought you joy in the heart symbols
² Written down any kind of thought you have as two different reasons when you hear specific sentences, positive thought and negative thought
³ What do you see when you look into the mirror?
⁴ Write down any bits of yourself that you don't like; personality, physically, and emotionally
➌ Quiet Self-Love
This part of the book is teach me about loving ourself despite of our own failures. Here's what I like most part of this chapter;
¹ Failure is a key in all of it. Without it we have no concept of true challenge
² The only one that is really judging us is ourselves
³ Remembering we have the choice to be kinder to ourselves
⁴ Let others help you on your road to self-love
The practices;
¹ Write down anything you feel started with sentence "I forgive me......"
² Write down some of phrases you would like to hear and read them a loud
³ Write a letter to your younger self
⁴ Self love ladder
⁵ Write down list the magic of what makes you, YOU
⁶ Small things you like about yourself!
❹ Quiet Courage
Some points this chapter brings up about failures:
¹ Remember that everyone has failed at some point
² Failure means you took a risk and beat the Chatter in the first place
³ Failure doesn't mean you are a failure
Courage is almost like a muscle we need to keep flexing so it remains nimble and dynamic and ready to use whenever great change is needed.
The Practice;
¹ Write 5 negative and 3 positive thing about your life in connectical order
² Color the person symbol in piece of paper and visualize it, then let the thought come and go without judgement
➎ Quiet Trust
This chapter focusing on the terms of "asking for help, doesn't mean you are weak" and the great meaning of "Letting Go".
The Practices:
¹ Look into eye symbol (printed) in quiet place and stare at it knowing this as your third eye
² Write down a time that can make you rise again like a phoenix
➏ Quiet Sleep
This chapter specifically emphasize the meaning of "Sleep" and its myth. It also helps us to understand more about what we need to do before sleep and overcome our insomnia as well as how we can remember our own dream the next day and understood its meaning. The author written down "The dream Index" as well on this chapter.
The Practice; Our dream diaries in a week
➐ Quiet and Still
The focal point of this chapter is teaching us about the real reason of knowing our own feeling subsconciously and the real meaning behind silence in its own language.
The Practice; What job or activities do you know stop you from sitting with certain feelings or memories?
Overall, I did enjoy this book to the extend of this book gain me lots of knowledge and new perspective of understanding something. Also, it has some illustrations and practices inside which helping us more about every chapter understanding. In addition, the interviews held between the author and certain people to comprehend each chapters has its own place in my heart. However, even though the priority of this book hold quite mesmerizing, I dislike how the format of putting the practice between the explanation paragraph before it was ended quite disturbing.
March 25, 2019
Listened via audible
incredibly disappointed. Keep being told that interviews and other bits are in a PDF... I don’t want PDF I want to listen to interviews as it’s an audiobook!
Not happy that parts of the audiobook are ‘missing’
incredibly disappointed. Keep being told that interviews and other bits are in a PDF... I don’t want PDF I want to listen to interviews as it’s an audiobook!
Not happy that parts of the audiobook are ‘missing’
February 21, 2020
The book is a mix of stories and interviews that I found unrelatable, which are supposed to offer support and direction toward focus in life. I found the effect was the opposite, it made me irritable and frustrated, i felt bad for scientific distortions, and use of single examples as evidence...
November 1, 2020
Lovely book!
This was a highly enjoyable read - I'm not familiar with any of Fearne Cotton's earlier works, but after reading this I definitely plan to read her other books 'Happy' and 'Calm'. She seems like a really lovely and empathetic person who I like to think I'd get on with IRL. Her writing is both accessible and intelligent, logical and creative. The cover is absolutely gorgeous, as are the illustrations scattered throughout the book. I haven't filled in the interactive sections yet but I plan to do that tonight (and am not-so-secretly kind of excited to!). These interactive sections certainly give this book an edge over some self-help books as you can make sense of and challenge your own thoughts, look back on your notes in the future and see how you've grown etc. All very useful for the aspiring self-helper.
What I will say is that it's an anecdotal sort of book, which I personally feel works well for this book as it gives it an informal, chatty vibe. However, Cotton writes a lot from her own experiences so if you're looking for something more concrete/distant then this probably isn't the book for you. It was also a little bit repetitive at times so could have possibly been a few pages shorter.
However, I enjoyed reading the interviews with people from all walks of life. Each interviewee sheds a different light on the Chatter, and brings up a different element of the beast. There are also some nice scientific explanations which introduce you to the psychology of the Chatter. Cotton has also added a nice dollop of humor which made me feel less alone in my struggles.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Informative, beautifully written and uplifting! Would definitely recommend :).
This was a highly enjoyable read - I'm not familiar with any of Fearne Cotton's earlier works, but after reading this I definitely plan to read her other books 'Happy' and 'Calm'. She seems like a really lovely and empathetic person who I like to think I'd get on with IRL. Her writing is both accessible and intelligent, logical and creative. The cover is absolutely gorgeous, as are the illustrations scattered throughout the book. I haven't filled in the interactive sections yet but I plan to do that tonight (and am not-so-secretly kind of excited to!). These interactive sections certainly give this book an edge over some self-help books as you can make sense of and challenge your own thoughts, look back on your notes in the future and see how you've grown etc. All very useful for the aspiring self-helper.
What I will say is that it's an anecdotal sort of book, which I personally feel works well for this book as it gives it an informal, chatty vibe. However, Cotton writes a lot from her own experiences so if you're looking for something more concrete/distant then this probably isn't the book for you. It was also a little bit repetitive at times so could have possibly been a few pages shorter.
However, I enjoyed reading the interviews with people from all walks of life. Each interviewee sheds a different light on the Chatter, and brings up a different element of the beast. There are also some nice scientific explanations which introduce you to the psychology of the Chatter. Cotton has also added a nice dollop of humor which made me feel less alone in my struggles.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Informative, beautifully written and uplifting! Would definitely recommend :).
December 3, 2025
[Quiet: Learning to Silence the Brain Chatter and Believing That You Are Good Enough - Fearne Cotton]
Rating: 4.30/5.00
"In one sentence, Quiet is that book that comes at the right time when I need it the most.
Before picking up Quiet to read, I honestly had been struggling with keeping my mental chatters quiet due to a personal problem I have no control over. Considering it was my first random pick for the book I purchased earlier this year, I am grateful that this book works its magic. Fearne Cotton did an exceptional job laying out useful insights on how to overcome those mental chatters affecting millions of people daily, including me. Her excerpt from interviews with various experts also exemplified the helpfulness of this book for me.
On the other hand, Quiet possesses two minor drawbacks. Firstly, it made me crave more content on this matter after I finished reading it. Secondly, a few spelling errors occurred throughout the book. As a grammar pedant, these mistakes are a slight pet peeve for me.
Despite these critical points, I still recommend people to give Quiet by Fearne Cotton a read."
#Quiet #FearneCotton #SelfHelp #Nonfiction
Rating: 4.30/5.00
"In one sentence, Quiet is that book that comes at the right time when I need it the most.
Before picking up Quiet to read, I honestly had been struggling with keeping my mental chatters quiet due to a personal problem I have no control over. Considering it was my first random pick for the book I purchased earlier this year, I am grateful that this book works its magic. Fearne Cotton did an exceptional job laying out useful insights on how to overcome those mental chatters affecting millions of people daily, including me. Her excerpt from interviews with various experts also exemplified the helpfulness of this book for me.
On the other hand, Quiet possesses two minor drawbacks. Firstly, it made me crave more content on this matter after I finished reading it. Secondly, a few spelling errors occurred throughout the book. As a grammar pedant, these mistakes are a slight pet peeve for me.
Despite these critical points, I still recommend people to give Quiet by Fearne Cotton a read."
#Quiet #FearneCotton #SelfHelp #Nonfiction
March 13, 2022
All of Fearne’s books are beautifully written as they take an open and honest approach to difficult and challenging subjects relating to the brain and perception of ourselves, and are aesthetically pleasing with illustrations scattered through making you smile ☺️
I’ve read all three now and I find them practical and useful offering advice on how to deal with our emotions, negative thoughts and negative inner chatter so much so it’s like having a conversation with someone you know.
I love the interactive elements that help you to analyse the inner workings of your own mind to start to work on your own mental barriers, and help bring some much needed positivity. Along with interviews from a variety of different people which help widen your perspective on a range of topics providing inspiration and peaking curiosity 💜
~ It requires some daily discipline, the propensity to be kind to ourselves and at times some good old fashioned determination, but we can quieten that inner monologue if we so choose ~
I’ve read all three now and I find them practical and useful offering advice on how to deal with our emotions, negative thoughts and negative inner chatter so much so it’s like having a conversation with someone you know.
I love the interactive elements that help you to analyse the inner workings of your own mind to start to work on your own mental barriers, and help bring some much needed positivity. Along with interviews from a variety of different people which help widen your perspective on a range of topics providing inspiration and peaking curiosity 💜
~ It requires some daily discipline, the propensity to be kind to ourselves and at times some good old fashioned determination, but we can quieten that inner monologue if we so choose ~
January 12, 2024
ℚ𝕦𝕚𝕖𝕥
By @fearnecotton
This is the 2nd book with the theme of Quiet that I've picked up this year!
I think the Quiet is something I search for or definitely need in my life.
The Quiet is something I really appreciate!
Being at peace with your own thoughts and sitting in the Quiet is not something we can often do!
Fearne talks about the bad inner voice that is often in our head that has the power to overthrow gut instincts and deter us away from new adventures.
If we access the quiet of our mind, then it can open up hidden courage, beauty, wisdom, and belief in ourselves.
Fearne includes expert advice, ideas to put into practice, activities to complete, and interviews with Bryony Gordon, Billie Piper, and many others!
I find I escape into books to quiet my mind and to distract me from things but maybe I do need to sit with my own thoughts and work my way through them to make myself feel better about me, my choices, my daily battles.
This is a very good book that encourages positive thinking! So that's a win in my book! Xx
So it's a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read from me! 🤓
By @fearnecotton
This is the 2nd book with the theme of Quiet that I've picked up this year!
I think the Quiet is something I search for or definitely need in my life.
The Quiet is something I really appreciate!
Being at peace with your own thoughts and sitting in the Quiet is not something we can often do!
Fearne talks about the bad inner voice that is often in our head that has the power to overthrow gut instincts and deter us away from new adventures.
If we access the quiet of our mind, then it can open up hidden courage, beauty, wisdom, and belief in ourselves.
Fearne includes expert advice, ideas to put into practice, activities to complete, and interviews with Bryony Gordon, Billie Piper, and many others!
I find I escape into books to quiet my mind and to distract me from things but maybe I do need to sit with my own thoughts and work my way through them to make myself feel better about me, my choices, my daily battles.
This is a very good book that encourages positive thinking! So that's a win in my book! Xx
So it's a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read from me! 🤓
September 17, 2020
This is her third book within her series, with the previous books being Happy and Calm. This one purely focuses on the inner voice that sends bad thoughts to your brain and how to change this into believing that you are good enough and finding quiet. Finding ways to manage negative chatter is never easy but Fearne uses simple tips and advice, never leaving you feeling overwhelmed. Fearne doesn't always describe quiet as silence, which I found really interesting. Quiet to Fearne could be breakfast with her family or interacting with her children. How she told us to look at it was finding something that makes you content and focuses on the now. I thoroughly enjoyed the part about dreams/sleep as it channels into neuroscience, which personally I really enjoy. I definitely took something away from this book.
September 26, 2022
I was recommended this book by a therapist, and went into it with an open mind, usually not being a big fan on self help books. Fearne Cotton’s witty personality was reflected throughout the book and made it very honest and reader friendly which I loved, tackling quite hefty topics in a very positive way. My copy is now filled with post it notes and annotations, some really useful exercises which are very straight forward to use, and I have definitely seen improvement in how i’ve tackled “brain chatter” since reading. There are some interesting interviews throughout the book exploring a range of themes, which offer opportunities for wider research and support. This is the only one of Fearne’s books I have read, but I definitely plan on reading more. But for now back to the fiction! reading is the ultimate escape and is the perfect activity for silencing negative brain chatter for me!
February 14, 2020
A necessary book, in a world that’s full of distractions, and external sources of strife. While a lot of the exercises and anecdotes that Fearne has devised are relatable, and can be practiced in real life, there were a few moments that I found slightly cringe-worthy (that’s just me, however, doesn’t mean that that other people won’t get something from it.)
I also found Fearne’s writing hard to engage with at some points, and I often found myself having to reread sentences. (This may have been deliberate in helping achieve Quiet!)
Ultimately though, this is clearly written with the best of intentions, and if it helps anyone achieve moments of peace, then I’m all for it. There are certainly exercises that I’ll revisit in future!
I also found Fearne’s writing hard to engage with at some points, and I often found myself having to reread sentences. (This may have been deliberate in helping achieve Quiet!)
Ultimately though, this is clearly written with the best of intentions, and if it helps anyone achieve moments of peace, then I’m all for it. There are certainly exercises that I’ll revisit in future!
January 1, 2021
This is the third book by Fearne that I've read this year...absolutely love her books on mental health, they really speak on my level. This book is fantastic and teaches ways to relax and silence negative chatter. Being able to do this is something I really struggle with but with Fearnes advice I now have some useful ways to help myself be more positive and I know I need to rest more. Cross Stitch is my main method for shutting down which is why I love it so much, things like reading and having a nice walk with the dogs or a bubble bath are amazing too. I definitely want to try and get a better sleep pattern and maybe try meditation too ❤️Thanks Fearne for everything that you've taught me this year ❤️
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