Just Jennifer

13 Things Mentally Strong People Do: Take Back Your Power, Embrace Change, Face Your Fears and Train Your Brain for Happiness by Amy Morin (William Morrow)

Clinical social worker and psychotherapist Amy Morin offers a new take on the self-help genre by focusing on mental strength and the behaviors that cause us not to be mentally strong, along with strategies to change our behaviors in order to be mentally strong.  A checklist that accompanies each of the 13 “Don’ts” (which include: waste time feeling sorry for yourself, give away your power, dwell on the past, shy away from change and expect immediate results) to help narrow down which behaviors we most often engage in and exhibit, allowing readers to focus on areas where they feel they need more help.  Each chapter includes a brief anecdote or case study, the checklist, an explanation as to why we might engage in the specific behavior, why the behavior is a problem, more examples and some helpful illustrative points, ending with a list of “What’s Helpful” and one of “What is not Helpful”.  Morin focuses on developing a self-awareness and a consciousness that we are free to make our own choices and that often the “negative choices” seem easier, but in fact, take more energy than positive behaviors and choices once learned.  Commonsense advice and strategies presented in a clear, straight-forward manner make this book accessible and easy to navigate, allowing readers to focus on chapters pertinent to their current situation.  Take the How Mentally Strong Are You? quiz.  Click here for a clip from the audiobook or here for a video introduction to the book.