Get Your Life Back

Title: Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad

Author: John Eldredge

Genre:Christian Nonfiction, Self-help, Christian Living

Publisher: Nelson Books

Source: Own

My review:

I got Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad from the library and started reading it. Within a few pages I had so many tabs I knew I needed to buy the book, so I did! That way, I could mark it as I went.  I had not read anything by John Eldredge before, but I look forward to reading more from him.

We've been sucked into a pace of life nobody's enjoying.

Get Your Life Back is written from a Christian perspective, and there is a lot of God talk in the book. However, the practices that Eldredge suggests are useful tools for anyone. The first tool is to take a one-minute pause. To release anything and everything distracting you, to give yourself a break from the constant pull of everything. I think it's easy to say we all need a break. 

I had little capacity for relationships and the things that bring me life-a walk in the woods, dinner with friends, a cold plunge in a mountain lake. When I did steal a moment for something life-giving, I was so distracted I couldn't enjoy it."

Another point Eldredge makes, "there's a direct link between the rise of envy, depression, and one's use of social media," is something I think we all know at a surface level. We don't take the time to really think through the impact this has on us, and our loved ones. There are so many things I could say about this book. Instead, I will leave you with a few more quotes:

The world has gone completely mad, and it's trying to take our souls with it.

...the constant stimulation of our choatic world causes us to live in state of hyper- vigilance.

Get Your Life Back is a timely book. It is full of practical wisdom that will stand the test of time. I am thankful for those who introduced me to this book. So many of our young adults are struggling with anxiety and depression. The practices in this book can help with that (it is not a cure all). I highly recommend it, and I know it is a book I will come back to again.

★★★★★/5

 Synopsis (Goodreads): 

A REFRESHINGLY SIMPLE GUIDE TO RECOVER YOUR LIFE!

In Get Your Life Back, New York Times bestselling author John Eldredge provides a practical, simple, and refreshing guide to taking your life back.

By practicing a few wonder­fully simple practices—or what John calls “graces”—you can begin to recover your soul, disentangle from the tragedies of this broken world, and discover the restorative power of beauty.

Ask yourself:                 

Are you happy most of the time?
Do you feel deeply loved?                                            
Are you excited about your future? 
How often do you feel lighthearted?
After reading this book you will… 

Learn how to insert the One Minute Pause into your day
Begin practicing “benevolent detachment” and truly let it all go
Offer kindness toward yourself in the choices you make
Drink in the simple beauty available to you every day
Take realistic steps to unplug from technology overload
These simple practices and others are ready for the taking. You don’t need to abandon your life to get it back. Begin restoring your life here and now. Your soul will thank you for it.