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Mark Manson is unapologetic. That’s refreshing, even if his story is not mine.

Tiny beautiful things continues to be enjoyable in its relevance, writing style, and story - created in snippets from messages which tell of a life imperfectly lived, intentionally but haphazardly lived, and immediately approachable in its normality (if any writer’s life could be considered that!). The author presents her message as such, which I find hope-filled and encouraging.

More and more relatable material - even in recommendations for women to leave their unhappy relationships: “Doing what one wants to do because one wants to do it is hard for a lot of people.”
It’s ironic and pleasant that I’ve arrived at “doing what I want to do” in life as a result of a similar recommendation made to a woman in a similar situation. Wisdom is dispensed freely in this book.

Chapter 5: “Mind the Gap” addresses the gap between the behaviors and values we actually use vs. our aspirational values.
This is profound for childhood recollections of the disparity between “family values” (what parents hope their kids will do) and family habits (what happens in practice).
Furthermore, I intend to bring this angle of intellectual honesty into my workplace for defining vision and culture.

So many stories resonate with me - some hitting very hard emotionally. There are columns worth sharing and re-reading… the wide range of topics is impressive and worth exploring. I read TBT when I want to risk drowning in emotion. Feels good to feel, and this book can do that for you.

An Istanbul slave recounts his years of trauma-bonding with his influential & doppleganger master, Hoja. The fraternal love, twisted mind-games & painful interactions reveal men’s insecurities when they feel powerless but are yet influential. Ch.7 on surviving the plague was strangely relatable (lockdowns, revolts & questionable science). Overall, a painful reading of human nature and coping with disappointment.

I love that the author can confidently say, “The research says…” instead of just her own opinion.
And it’s not statistics-type data, but rather a conversational and relatable sharing of information about deep topics - trust, vulnerability and the difficult realization that life is better when we are our true selves — which comes with real risks and uncertainties.

As my read-aloud option for improving diction and comprehension, I have found the writing style to be complex and engaging. The storyline may fast-forward a few years in a single sentence, so every word counts in this short novel.

I am finding this book to be fundamental and foundational in analyzing and repairing how I communicate. The commonplace examples are accessible to help me write and speak in ways that don’t evoke unnecessary tension in others.
Identifying and eliminating covert messages of judgment or negativity with strategies that are easily implemented has been a guided process of self-discovery and improvement.