365 Ways to Beat Stress/ 365 Ways to Find Peace
Today I am reviewing two similar books, both from the same Publisher: Watkins Publishing. Both of these books are released next week, April 16th. I received e-arc’s via NetGalley. They both have gorgeous covers, which is what caught my attention to these books!
The Books:
365 Ways to Beat Stress
365 Ways to Find Peace
365 Ways to Beat Stress: How to Relax and Find Perfect Calm
Editor: Adam Gordon
To Be Published: April 16, 2019
224 pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: January 11-14, 2019
Jessica’s Rating: 3.5 stars
Book Description:
No other book offers so many easy-to-use and diverse stress-relief techniques in a uniquely attractive gift package.
With a different technique or tip for each day of the year, no other book offers such a wide range of ways to release stress and anxiety, all set in an attractive illustrated design that will make dipping in for inspiration a joy. All the practices are effective yet also easy to follow, even if you have never tried them before, and range from energy techniques such as simple shiatsu, to quick stress fixes such as visualizing a blue bubble, to methods of life simplification such as avoiding a news overload and rationing your evenings out, to inspiring visualizations such as imagining yourself as the sky or as a lotus floating on water. This is one of the first two publications in a new 365 series from Watkins, showcasing easy, accessible and effective approaches to dealing with our demanding modern lives. Readers are free to work through the book in any order they like, either using the chapter headings to deal with aspects that they feel need particular attention (for example, home, work, relationships, mind and spirit, or stress and emotions), flicking through at random or selecting ideas in chronological order. There is no need to subscribe to any particular belief, lifestyle or long-term practice; this is simply a collection of brilliantly effective ideas that together have the potential to transform lives.
Jessica’s Review
365 Ways to Beat Stress is exactly what it sounds like: Suggestions to try and ‘beat’ the various stressors in your life. There are different sections in this brief book that focus on various parts of life. Some of those sections include:
Mornings
Quick Fixes
Positive Change
Mind and Spirit
Home
Work
This book can be read as quickly or slowly as you want. You can read whole sections at once or focus on one day at a time (There are 365 ways, so you have one a day for a whole year!).
For me personally, some sections worked better than others. While some of the ‘ways’ seemed like they could cause stress in the beginning, but ultimately end up relaxing (learn to knit) some I just did not see feasible as a reducer for stress (Learn ASL/ a foreign language/ join a choir/ walk to work).
There are some good suggestions for ways to beat stress, some you could do on vacation at the beach!
We are all different and have our own unique stressors. The various ways to beat stress might work for me, but may not work for you and vice-versa. This is overall a decent read that could help you with reducing stress in some way. You should find something that will work for you in this book.
Special thanks to Watkins Publishing for sending me an e-arc copy to read and review via NetGalley.
Pre-order Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
365 Ways to Find Peace: Meditations & Inspirations
Editor: Marcus Braybrooke
To Be Published: April 16, 2019
224 Pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Date Read: January 24, 2019
Jessica’s Rating: 3 stars
Book Description:
No other book contains such a wide range of accessible, effective and inspiring self-calming techniques, drawn from traditions and literature from around the world, both secular and religious.
With a different meditation or inspiration for each day of the year, this is a wonderfully inspiring collection that will open readers’ hearts and mind and show them the way to peace and contentment whatever their mood or situation. A fresh, attractive design featuring sympathetic line drawings adds to the appeal of this gift package. Author Marcus Braybrooke has drawn upon poetry and prose, sacred and secular, from all around the world and from all ages, from the Upanishads and the Tao Te Ching to the speeches of Mahatma Gandhi and the great 19th and 20th-century poets such as Walt Whitman, Rainer Maria Rilke, Wallace Stevens and Seamus Heaney.
The inspirations and meditations are arranged thematically, following a structure that reflects the idea of love radiating outward – from self-esteem, the acknowledge of spirit within oneself; through love for family and friends; through love for humankind in general; to love for the One, the spiritual essence that animates all existence. Readers can choose to follow this order, or dip into the book at random, or select an area that they feel particularly drawn to work on. Containing the wisdom of all the world’s great spiritual traditions, this is a book that will appeal to people of all faiths, as well as to those who believe in spiritual values without subscribing to a particular religion or even belief in a divinity.
Jessica’s Review:
365 Ways to Find Peace is not a book on techniques as the book description suggests. It is a book of 365 quotes from people throughout time and the world. Each ‘way’ has the quote, who said the quote, the year of their birth and death, and where they are from.
The quotes are in different sections which include:
The Centre of Being
The Inner Circle of Love
The Outer Circle of Spirit
This book can be read as quickly or slowly as you want. You can read it in the groupings or focus on one quote a day. This one was not really for me as I was expecting a different book- one that give various ways to find inner peace (like 365 Ways to Beat Stress did). I did not want to read a book of quotes. Because of that, this one missed the mark for me.
Special thanks to Watkins Publishing for sending me an e-arc copy to read and review via NetGalley.