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Rocks do not have feelings. But, humans definitely do, and that’s ok. That’s the basic premise for this intriguing book about mental health. Mark Freeman is not a licensed therapist. It's important to understand that when evaluating the advice he proposes. He’s more of a mental fitness coach, giving practical tips on how to navigate a healthy path based on his personal experience. He candidly shares the negative effects that OCD and anxiety had on his own daily life and relationships, and goes on to share what worked for him in becoming more peaceful and productive.
Having suffered from anxiety over the years myself, his stories really resonated with me. It's a novel idea to learn to work WITH your feelings and impulses, rather than fight against them. To allow them to exist without being compelled to take action, and to stop judging yourself. Loving yourself, no matter what, is the key to increasing authenticity and reducing fear.
Each chapter discusses different aspects of mental illness, and how to address them. Then there are follow up exercises at the end of the chapters, to help solidify the concepts for you. The application is where the power lies. Two ideas in particular have stayed with me from the book. The first is deceptively simple, to “do the thing you’re doing.” When you remain fully present and intentionally mindful, anxiety has precious little fuel to feed it. Focus the mind and heart on the now, instead of on all the possible problems that could arise in the future. This is much easier said than done, but like most disciplines it improves with practice. The second is to stop setting arbitrary goals, but to set your value system in place first and allow your actions to spring from there. Brilliant. I have seen a dramatic decrease in my anxiety levels, as I have internalized these concepts. Definitely worth reading.