I expected others to behave in certain predefined ways, and I stereotyped people based on their country of origin. Every time people tell you that you are “too little of this” or “too much of that,” know that it has nothing to do with you. I will be forever grateful to Bryony for her ability to be so open and honest and for making me feel like I'm not the only person in the world who feels like this. Journalist Bryony Gordon has inspired millions with her honesty and frankness about her mental health.

I've listened to almost all of Bryony Gordon's books and have enjoyed following her mental health journey - a joy to listen to even when she is talking about the most difficult topics. As she puts it, mindfulness is good for mental wellness without being a treatment for mental illness. It was interesting to read it feeling as though I am almost “on the other side” and I wonder if it would have helped me last year, I think some of it definitely would. While the basic advice is not new, Gordon delivers it succinctly and well: sleep, breathe, eat, exercise, don't doomscroll, etc. I'm a little uncomfortable with absolute self-acceptance: we live in a society and should be willing to see flaws in ourselves.It was more autobiographical than I expected, as Gordon is very much conveying her personal experience and lessons learned about mental wellness. I mean, it is what it says on the tin- it’s the author’s journey and experiences with mental health and about some of the things that helped her and some realisations of things that were harmful to her. The last self-help book I read on mental health, The Anxiety Sisters' Survival Guide: Manage Worry, Panic, and Fear and Become Hopeful, Connected, and (Anxiously) Happy, did not work for me as it seemed to be based in a pre-pandemic reality.

This was a really genuine, empathetic, and realistic mental health guide and I really, really adore that the author included her own experiences with illnesses OTHER than anxiety/depression. EQUIPPED WITH DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, THIS STORY PROVIDES A CREATIVE, HONEST AND INTERACTIVE WAY TO INSTILL DIGNITY AND RESPECT FOR ALL PEOPLE. In her book she shares advice and guidance based on her own experience of mental illness which far from damaging her has left her stronger, wiser and more resilient. I was an Eastern-European woman leading a Chinese team, in an entirely new environment, so different from anything I had experienced before. It dragged a little when focused on sources of help within the NHS since I'm not in the UK, but that's certainly important of anyone in the UK.

By contrast, Gordon seeks to distil her own mental health struggles into lessons that are broad, hopeful, and universally applicable. In No Such Thing as Normal, Bryony offers sensible, practical advice, covering subjects such as sleep, addiction, worry, medication, self-image, boundary setting, therapy, learned behaviour, mindfulness and, of course - as the founder of Mental Health Mates - the power of walking and talking. I've just finished reading No Such Thing As Normal, it is aimed at those who struggle with mental health/those who are close to someone with mental health. We’re all shaped by the societies we grow up in (family, religion, and schooling system), and everything we know to be true comes from the environment that raised us.

I enjoyed the explanation behind those pesky thoughts that drag me down and it's uplifting to know there are resources and people out there who want to help. Here are the basics from sleep, food and drink to work and even breathing, understanding your relationship to these key parts of life being vital to addressing your mental health. Bryony has such a nice tone to her writing that it feels like you are reading the advice of a close friend.Gordon also mentions that she started this book in lockdown, which to be honest, I was not surprised to read. And I realised, suddenly, that so many of the things I had long considered flaws and failures in myself were really more like superpowers. Once again Bryony's honesty and passion for supporting others is so inspiring and it has changed my life. It’s all about them and what they see in you after they evaluate you through their personal standards and expectations.