Slaying The Blues (Quick and Dirty Hacks): Elevate Your Mood The Easy Way

by Chitra Padmana

This is a non-preachy short read about how you can tackle issues of daily life that often put a dampener on your spirits and productivity. It charts out some easy practical actions you can start on right away to uplift your mental energies. If you've been facing anxiety or have lost the zest for life lately, this book will surely pep you up and act as a stress-buster!
Sprinkled with the author's own perspectives on how she handled her difficult days, this book provides lots of tips and resources for both instant as well as long-term re-wiring of mindsets for a healthier and happier lifestyle. Being utterly clumsy and disorganized, she feels this will help people like her who're always in a tearing hurry even while struggling to control the variables in their lives.
Get started on this quirky yet helpful self-help handbook that covers aspects like listening to yourself, creativity for mental health, social media blues, relationships, wellness, reading and listening recommendations. It also includes an entire chapter devoted to effective handling of crappy days! Read to find out why self-love is important for the soul.
Celebrate a new you with self-care!
Sparkle up on your nastiest days!
Start slashing away those blues now!!

47 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Namita Das · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one book that best fit for me to read when I just needed it. It's simple, easy, short and to the point.

Reading those lengthy self-help books that go on round and round without coming to the point is a task for me. Having said that, Chitra's book is made for people like me. There were so many points in the book that we all know but still won't apply in our lives, so it helped as a reminder for me that said come on move your butt and do it. The simplistic style used to write is what I loved. It is like someone talking to me directly.

I have kept this book in a separate folder in my Kindle, handy to be read whenever I need that little push. Thank you, Chitra for writing this.

For more such reviews, visit https://penitratherkeyit.com/category...

[Polomy Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Slaying the Blues" is one of the light read that is not stretched at all but conveys what we want in brief.
The Author before narrating the hacks has given the personal example where her dad questions "you have done so much in your life and you are afraid of mouse"?
I loved how the Author went on justifying and the sentense "Adding value doesn't mean a well-decorated CV" hit me hard.

The best thing about this book is, the Author has made the readers to connect with the book before we could start about the actual content.
The hacks mentioned are simple yet true and relatable.
As a book lover, I loved the #7hack.
The writing style is so smooth that anyone can finish it in one sitting.
You will find yourself nodding to what Author is saying..
Overall, a finest read of this month.

[Niladri Chakraborty · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Slaying Your Blues" by Chitra Padmana has been one of my quickest reads so far. And it’s NOT due to the number of pages the book has. In a diction that has the power to resonate with millennials as well as with veterans in their seventies, Chitra has not just presented priceless wisdom of the greatest behavioural thinkers and NLP practitioners but has also crafted a vision of how to live every day with a sense of fulfilment and happiness in the face of day-to-day negativity. Right from the first line, this book is a myth-crusher:

“We’ve been lied to. The blues are not something we’ve cooked up in our minds. They’re not our pretence to be lazy; they’re not our attention-seeking dramas; no, we aren’t hysterical people who blow up for no reason and no, we’re definitely not faking it. The blues are real and they are ugly (Lines 1-4, Ch1).”

While in Hack Thread # 1 to 6, Chitra shares the most profound wisdom of the great thinkers, encompassing almost every aspect of life – physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual – in Hack Thread # 7, she comes up with an exhaustive list of books, blogs, audiobooks, podcasts, TeD Talks and a host of other materials, which one may find insightful while dealing with negativity. I enjoyed reading every chapter of the books (and even took notes). Hack Thread # 7 will remain my favourite. While talking about books and other materials in this chapter, she candidly acknowledges:

“Probably because till that point I'd thought it was just me who'd been struggling to fit in with what was considered ‘normal’, plastering a fake smile day after day because that's what was expected. But these books awakened me to the fact that it was 'okay to not be okay'. It was okay to put in the effort to fight the blues.”

Acceptance of one’s situation, taking complete ownership of it and then figuring out ways to bring about a transformation – isn’t this the secret to all success stories? And how deftly does Chitra present it while talking about books like 'A Man Called Ove' or 'Ikigai' or about Tony Robbins Podcast or The Good Life Project!

Knowing something is good. But perhaps not that great. It is action that manifests knowledge best. And greatness… isn’t it the magical concoction of action and wisdom? Trust me, this has been my biggest takeaway from "Slaying Your Blues." Every line, every paragraph, every section and every chapter in the books prompts the reader to take action. That too, without being preachy!

The best thing about "Slaying Your Blues" is that you can read it without being in a situation when you are 'feeling blue'. Just as I did.

If you are into reading, you may take a break from what you are currently reading, and scurry through the pages of this wonderful book. You will make a better sense of your current read. If reading is not one of your priorities, and if you are binge-watching that Netflix series for the third time in a row, and secretly brewing the dream of making a series like that one, slice out a couple of hours, read this book. Trust me, you’ll know what’s stopping you from taking the first step towards realizing your dream.

…and you’ll agree to what I said in the beginning.

[San · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have you tried being positive, but it didn’t work? Then this book is the perfect fit for you.
The Author's mantra has been ‘Be positive’. And with her pocketful full of life experiences, she crafted this wonderful read. It is a short read, yet it left a deep impression. The author shared few hacks with people who are suffering endless mind turmoil.

#1 Getting in touch with yourself- This section highlighted a very important topic that is self-awareness. In this section, the author shared few actions that might help an individual to lighten their soul.
#2 Start making good stuff happen- This chapter will teach you to adapt to different activities and engagements. The productive usage of time would eventually help one to built satisfaction and peace of mind. I liked this section because the author had enlisted all the possible ways in which one can divert from one endless pit of sorrow and see one's life in a renewed way.
#3 Easy self-love- At the end of the day, if you feel you are mentally and physically healthy, then only there’s so much you can do for others. Our body is our temple. We need to nourish and take care of it to deliver a good performance. The author also dropped some skin care tips which, were pretty interesting to read. Self- date is very important as it helps you to understand yourself a little better under the serenity of peace.
#4 Dealing with social media blues- The fear of missing out often led the road to anxiety. Now a day’s social platform had become the medium of peer pressure. These new trends often disrupt the thinking process, which eventually led to the downfall. The only solution is Detox and chill.
# 5 Create and cherish- Assign yourself some creative projects. Try to nurture your artistic soul and create things.

There are many more chapters dedicated to different life problems and their solutions. I didn’t like the writing style. It felt more like a journal entry to me. The concept was good but, I would say that it was not well represented. Apart from all this, this book offered numerous tips that one can easily adapt to in one daily life. It would help you to become a better version of yourself.

[Manali · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartfelt read about taking care of oneself.

My ratings: 4/5
Stay positive all the time is impossible. Especially when you're having a bad day. This book provides answers on how to handle oneself during gloomy days and taking care of the self when feeling under the weather.

What I liked about the book:
-> Generally such are just theoretically sound but this book has a very personal touch and a practical approach.
-> Each and every hack is explained in detail.
-> All the hacks mentioned in the book are practical and very easy to be followed. The author also goes on to explain why a particular hack should be followed and what would be the benefit of following that hack.
-> I found many unique ideas that I am going to use very soon.
-> It was a refreshing read and it inspired me to implement the ideas.
-> There are hyperlinks provided to all names and websites mentioned, so there is a quick actionable.
-> The author invites us to drop her a mail for discussing further or to ask for her help in following through a hack, which I found endearing.

What I did not like about the book:
-> Most of the book felt like a blog post or journal entry with a very informal tone.

Quotable quotes:
-> A few failures, some stray remarks don't define you, but your capabilities do.
-> To stay happy one doesn't always require a companion.
-> Self-care is NOT being selfish. Self-love is NOT narcissism.
-> Adding value doesn't mean a well-decorated CV. Something that can make us feel a deep sense of satisfaction, even if it isn't directly related to one's professional growth or done for the sake of validation from others, is value.

More here: https://wp.me/p6XQyB-2zL

[Periwinkle Wisteria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is literally one of the best self-help books I've come across. Well, self-help might sound a little more fancy, rather I'd like to say this is a heartfelt read about self-care and self-love. I don't read such books often as they're mostly just theoretically sound but this book has a very personal touch and a practical approach. The moment I opened this book, I felt that I'm the one being addressed here and that my mind is speaking to me through these words. The narration is so engaging and the author has an uncanny ability to keep the readers glued to the book till the end. The book talks about different ideas to get over the "blues". A lot of topics have been touched upon which highlight how one feels when the "blues" hit them and also provide an optimistic and realistic approach to deal with those. The language is simple and lucid. What I found most amazing is that this book is written straight from the heart, without any heavy phrases or thoughts and is meant to directly touch the reader's soul.
Totally loved it!

[Nayna Bansal · Rating 5 out of 5]

QOTD: Do you like the books with have references of other books?

Book: Slaying The Blues(Quick And Dirty Hacks): Elevate your mood the easy way
Author: Chitra Padmana
Genre: Self Help
Format: Kindle
Pages: 47
Rating: 5/5

The cover page and title are really captivating resonating the very theme of the book. The book is contentful . There is a lot to learn from the book. Author has really searched so well and written the crux. Nowhere I felt that content is repeated or is useless. This book has really really good hacks to learn from to beat the blues.

I really appreciate the way book is designed in all aspects especially the structuring and the content part. Moreover, I am glad that Indian Authors are exploring self help genres also with full swing. I learned a lot from books about other books . Also, about bookstagram I came to learn a lot which I am willing to implement.

Must Read For beating the blues!

[Priya Saladi · Rating 4 out of 5]

''Slaying the blues" is a concise read of 40 pages about letting us know some hacks on making a better living by getting rid of our "blues," which we often wouldn't do. If anything happens, we blame our circumstances instead of changing our mood and try oy solve the problems. This book is with simple language and a beautiful cover page, which attracts the readers. There are very small, or you could say not significant, phrases used in the book, which helps a reader engage with a book better, and if you are an avid reader but want to pick a short read, then this book is for you! All the hacks mentioned in the book to get rid of our blues and work on the stuff will make us grow explained beautifully.

[Sangeeta Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book deals with hacks to stay away from one's negative emotions. I love how the author explained each and every hack in detail. I felt empowered after reading this book. It is a great book where we can implement all the hacks in real life. It is rational and powerful. I loved the chapter where the hack talked about self-love. Yes, self-love is not selfish but it keeps us fit. Self-love doesn't defy the rule of becoming a narcissist but it helps us to grow in life. I completely agree that one should take themselves to date alone. Aloneness is an exploration that people should learn. I loved how the book has few illustrations that were so apt. There are pointers too that makes the book easy to understand and implement. It's a light read and anyone who's going blue can read the book to feel empowered.

[Samarpan Chakravarty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is simply one of a kind. We face a lot of problems in our daily lives, which affects us mentally as well as physically. The author gives us tips and tricks on how to handle such situations. This book felt so real. Every situation described here is so well crafted, that everyone is bound to have faced it atleast once in their lives. The trick that we need to overcome them, is what mentioned in the book. The author has chosen a very different form of writing, which is more of a blog. This infact added to the appeal of the book. It's simply awesome, turning through the pages of the book. The language used is lucid and very easy to understand. I'll recommend this book to all!

[Manisha Gurnani · Rating 3 out of 5]

|| BOOK REVIEW || - 🍁 The Book, Slaying The Blues By Chitra Padmana, is about Hacks that An Individual can try to Overcome Negative Emotions. The Book is a Short Read.
🌈 🌈 🌈 🌈 🌈

🍁 The Author has written Seven Chapters about Hacks. All the Hacks are Very Easy to be Followed. Each and Every Hack is Explained in Detail as to Why this Hack should be Followed and what is The Benefit of Following that Hack.
🌈 🌈 🌈 🌈 🌈

🍁 The Language of the Book is Lucid. The Writing Style of the Book is Fast-Paced. The Cover of the Book is Fantastic. The Title of the Book is Well-Chosen.

[Aza · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short self help book which is written in a very cool manner that makes you feel comfortable reading it and you actually think about what the author is saying. I felt like reading a blog post as the writing was similar to one. I liked how the author explained the cause first and then the remedy.

Though it’s a short read most issues were covered and handled well. Some I felt were used and recommended before while some were new and worth giving a try. Read this one if you too need help fighting (slaying) the blues.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slaying the Blues is a compilation of some things you can do to improve your mood and overcome boredom.

The writing style and language is quite simple. The tips and ideas are quite useful.

The book is beautifully structured into chapters with relevant tips and quick hacks.
The names of the chapters are apt for each group of topics.

I found a couple of new ideas that I am going to use very soon. Most importantly the book was refreshing and inspired me to implement the ideas.

[Girish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a number of self-help books, even the very hyped ones, but it is quite unique. This is the shortest self-help book I've ever read. There are many stress busting hacks we can easily apply in our lives. One of tge best things about this book is that it is not at all redundant like other self-help books. Most of these books have the exact same thing repeated in different words, but not this one. That is why it is short, quick and easily-grasping read!

[Ankita Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slaying the Blues is a book which helps us see life in a different light. With the author's own experiences, the book provides great insight, it uplifts the readers energies and motivates them.
Its a short read, but it can surely teach the readers a lot, most importantly, self love. The author's writing style is precise and the book is smoothly put together. It's a nice reading experience!

[Harshit Sawhney · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best self help books. It has many great hacks that are easy to follow. A short, quick and fast-paced read with easy language. So, if you are looking for something to lower your stress, read it!

[Kalyani Yadav · Rating 4 out of 5]

For someone who is looking for that push to get away from problems and social media blues and other tiny things that effect out life and mental well being this book is the best ever guide .not only does it provides with best of the pointers but also with great to do things .
What's better is the easy language that connects with it and also with better .Not only is it good to connect but also to implement and read .