2020 so far has done an absolute number on most people’s mental health. Never before has self care and mental wellness and stability been so important. It’s a well used phrase, but we really are living through unprecedented times and basically we all need as much help as we can get. When I was offered the chance to review Happy Anyway, a compact book about mental wellbeing, I was delighted to find it would coincide with World Mental Health Day 2020.

Happy Anyway – my thoughts

As someone who has read a LOT of self help books in her time, I was keen to discover what would be different about this one. I am a huge believer in continuous improvement and personal development. Right off the bat, I want to say that Jane Hanford has produced something really special here.

How does it work?

Happy Anyway doesn’t have to be read from cover to cover, or in any particular order. To me, that’s the beauty of it. I have no idea if this still happens, but when I was a child, members of a religion called the Gideons used to visit schools and give every child a bible. At the front there would be a guide (because the Bible is apretty big book, right?) so you would know exactly which page or verse to turn to if you were feeling scared, or betrayed or if you were doubting your faith.

The format of Happy Anyway works exactly in exactly the same way and I honestly can’t recommend it highly enough. Broken down into sections, such as “Finding Stability”, “Letting Go of What Hurts You” and “Taking Control of Your MInd”, contained in those are 40 separate chapters. Each of these is just a few pages long, so the advice within is not long winded. Completely jargon-free, it would be wrong to say it was short and sweet, that would belittle the messages, but you can certainly find answers and get to grips with problems in suoer quick time and that’s what I like about it.

Selecting a few chapters at random : “How to meditate”, “How to manage low self-worth”, “living life your way” – all good, encouraging suggestions.

It’s like a little mental first aid kit.  And for all the topics covered, there is a suggested reading list at the end so if there is an area you would like to learn more about, you’re covered. bets of all, Happy Anyway can be picked up and put down whevever you feel the need. Just dip in and out as required.

Who is it for?

Although this book would definitely be suitable for adults, I think it would be most valuable to teenagers, especially those just on the brink of adulthood. Particularly in this dumpster fire of a year, trying to work out who they are and how they fit into their surroundings while navigating their hormone driven emotions – this would be such a useful weapon in their armoury. It would also make a great stocking filler with Christmas coming up. A good way to open the dialogue about preserving our mental energy and well being.  Normalizing mental health talk removes the stigma. Communicating that to younger generations is so important.

In summary, I really liked this book a lot and would not hesitate to recommend it. I was gifted a copy for review purposes, but all opinions are my own.

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