Life Is a Verb: 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally

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Life Is a Verb: 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally

by Patti Digh (Goodreads Author)

4.03 of 5 stars 4.03 · rating details · 1,093 ratings · 129 reviews

In October 2003, Patti Digh's stepfather was diagnosed with lung cancer. He died 37 days later. The timeframe made an impression on her. What emerged was a commitment to ask herself every morning: What would I be doing today if I had only 37 days left to live? The answers changed her life and led to this new kind of book. Part meditation, part how-to guide, part memoir, Li...more

Paperback, 240 pages

Published August 26th 2008 by skirt!

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Jan 19, 2012 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction

I'm not a big reader of non-fiction books. And I'm definitely not a reader of self-help books. Yet Life is a Verb is both of these things and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The secret to my enjoyment? After each chapter there are two boxes, one called Action, the other, Movement. I was happily reading along, enjoying Patti Digh's voice and storytelling when I got to the first action box. As I recall, that box told me to set the timer and dance for five minutes. Ummm, no. Not going to happen. I stopped...more I'm not a big reader of non-fiction books. And I'm definitely not a reader of self-help books. Yet Life is a Verb is both of these things and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The secret to my enjoyment? After each chapter there are two boxes, one called Action, the other, Movement. I was happily reading along, enjoying Patti Digh's voice and storytelling when I got to the first action box. As I recall, that box told me to set the timer and dance for five minutes. Ummm, no. Not going to happen. I stopped reading the book for several days, stymied by my refusal to follow instructions and my inability to keep reading without doing what I'd been told. Then I realized: no one was looking over my shoulder, checking my progress. No one had told me to read this book. It wasn't an assignment. And if I enjoyed Digh's stories and thoughts, I was free to read them and not "take action." The truth of the matter is that this book may change my actions. But I'm a thinker first, a born ponder-er. After lots of that, I'll act. So I read this book and didn't follow a single instruction. That's freedom for a recovering rule-follower like yours truly.

Here's why I kept reading:

1) This book is beautiful. It's like reading someone's carefully crafted scrapbook, but with better writing and fewer candid family photos. There's art, there's color. The fonts change and shift based on whose thoughts you are reading. Lovely, moving, funny quotes are scattered throughout. For the visual experience alone, this book is worth your time.

2) Life is a Verb was alternately encouraging and convicting. I would read some chapters and think "Hey! I already do that. That's good." Others? My thoughts were more along the lines of, "Hmmm. Good point. I stink at that. Do I want to do better?" Had the book been just encouraging or just convicting, I would never have finished it. The former makes me feel like the book isn't offering me anything, the latter like I'm a failure.

3) Digh is a lovely and engaging storyteller. If you set aside the self-help portion of the book (as I did), the book reads like a series of personal essays. I found I could relate her stories to my own life and while she and I don't see the world in exactly the same way, she challenged me to think - and I always like a book that makes me think.

4) This was definitely the right book at the right time. January being a time of new beginnings - of looking back and planning forward - makes this book a great read for this month. Reading Digh's words will make you take a look at your life and how you are living it. Are you being as intentional as you'd like? Are you who you want to be? How can you get there?

If you're in the mood for a book to ponder, to think about, to let settle into your consciousness, Life is a Verb is worth checking out. Maybe you'll even find yourself grabbing a journal and a pen to do some of those Action boxes. (If so, let me know how that goes...)(less)

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Jun 25, 2011 Kat rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: eyeopening

I needed a kick in the proverbial pants and this book landed in my hands - perhaps the book angels pushed it out, but sometimes a trip to the bookstore reveals just what you need. Realigning self and life are daunting tasks and often we forget where we have landed on the game board. I needed this book to remind me that I was responsible for my own life, my own joy, my own intentions. Patti Digh is good medicine and her sassy questions, suggestions, and methods for awakening art as life/life as a...more

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Mar 25, 2011 Candice Hayden rated it 5 of 5 stars

Okay, the title sounds like one of those silly, self-help, self-indulgent works that abound in the marketplace. But Patti Digh is different. She moves in. She hangs out on your sofa. She lets her life hang out, warts and all. She makes you feel "normal" because she is so real. She dares to share the messiness of her own life, her own "imperfect, red-headed freckled-ness" that you want her to permanently move into your guest room with her two kids and "Mr. Brilliant", her sweet, innocuous, bookst...more

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Apr 18, 2012 Gail rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

On the one hand, the author did seem very sheltered, viewing life from quite a privileged position, and her attempts to be open minded and not judge 'different' people seemed a bit patronising sometimes. But on the other hand, the author is incredibly open and honest about her journey, admitting her judgementalism, her struggles. She is also full of enthusiasm. She is who she is, and doesn't pretend to be anyone different.

The book wasn't really what I expected - it was more a sort of set of mem...more On the one hand, the author did seem very sheltered, viewing life from quite a privileged position, and her attempts to be open minded and not judge 'different' people seemed a bit patronising sometimes. But on the other hand, the author is incredibly open and honest about her journey, admitting her judgementalism, her struggles. She is also full of enthusiasm. She is who she is, and doesn't pretend to be anyone different.

The book wasn't really what I expected - it was more a sort of set of memoirs, in which the author tells us what she has learnt from various experiences. I found some of the stories made me warm to her, while others were dull. But I hadn't particularly wanted to read a memoir. I was more interested in the idea of 'what would I be doing if I only had 37 days to live?' - but this theme didn't seem to come through very strongly at all. There were random exercises (which I didn't bother doing, because I'm sure I could make up some for myself which I would find more useful) that readers are supposed to do for 37 days, but that is the only reference to 37 days throughout the book.

The story that stood out to me the most was of the time when the author was a teenager, working in her school library, and an irate customer comes to her complaining that there are no psychology books. She says she thinks there are some, and the customer complains she has looked and found none at all, and she wants to speak to an adult. The author explains the adults are in a meeting and asks where the customer was looking. Turns out the customer was looking under the letter 's' - and the author responds to this by suggesting that they try the 'alternative spelling', and goes to 'p' and finds the books for the customer. That impressed me - I suppose because I don't know many people who would respond this way. Most would tell the customer (with some satisfaction!) that her spelling was incorrect, and then mock her afterwards behind her back. But this girl responded as she did to allow the customer to save face, and as an adult she says she is glad she did this. (The cynical part of me wonders whether the story is true - I've never heard of libraries filing topics alphabetically! Surely everyone uses the Dewey Decimal System! But still, even if the story is invented - or remembered creatively - it is a good one, that makes a very important point, I think, in a society where people tend to revel in one-upmanship.)

As a whole, the book seemed rather haphazard - a haphazard set of memoirs, about the author's own journey through life. Although the book had moments where I warmed to the author, I don't feel inspired to read any more books by her.(less)

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Mar 01, 2011 Meghan rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm one of those people who likes the idea of self-help or inspirational books about living intentionally/with purpose, but I find ACTUAL inspirational books kind of boring. Most of them don't go far enough, or don't actually address the problem I seem to be having. With this title, I kind of expected it to be a little too cutesy.

There are occasional moments where her anecdotes are overly "I've had a privileged white upper middle class upbringing and I like to talk about how alternative I am" bu...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was ok. For me personally, it didn't live up to the promise of the introductory remarks, but there are good lessons to be gleaned from the author's experiences. In Digh's own words, "As I wrote these stories for my daughters, patterns and through-lines started appearing, one after another. Finally I stepped back to see the whole: Six practices for living more intentionally emerged from my three-year exploration. This 'guidebook for living' outlines those six practices - intensity, incl...more This book was ok. For me personally, it didn't live up to the promise of the introductory remarks, but there are good lessons to be gleaned from the author's experiences. In Digh's own words, "As I wrote these stories for my daughters, patterns and through-lines started appearing, one after another. Finally I stepped back to see the whole: Six practices for living more intentionally emerged from my three-year exploration. This 'guidebook for living' outlines those six practices - intensity, inclusion, integrity, intimacy, intuition, and intention - challenging us to live them now, before it's too late." The book's vignettes are accordingly divided into six sections, one for each of her practices for living.

It is indeed interesting to consider how we might live out our days were we cognizant of the fact that we have, say, only 37 more. At some point, each of us will be faced with this reality, though of course we won't know it. That time might even be now. Being mindful and living intentionally are truly admirable and important goals that I can wholeheartedly embrace.

However, I felt a definite disconnect between some of Digh's stories and day-to-day reality. Although her written illustrations were often brilliant (for example, using the true story of her Ford Bronco's turn signals failing without her knowledge to express a very real concern that often our true intentions go unknown by those around us), the 'Action' and 'Movement' activities at the end of each story seemed mildly interesting at best, time wasting at worst. Several of her vignettes seemed to be reaching or almost contrived in an effort to lead neatly to the life lesson she had preconceived.

That being said, I had an easy time reading the book all the way through and I enjoyed many of the thought-provoking metaphors.

Note: I read this on my iPad via the Kindle for iPad app. Though they didn't interfere with my reading experience, there were many typos. The images and quotations - and the traditional book has many - often interrupted the flow of the writing due to odd placement and formatting. I would venture to guess that the manuscript was put through some sort of automatic converter that made the book viewable on Kindle, without much time and attention given to the unique formatting needs of a digital reader.(less)

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Feb 05, 2011 John rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: self-help, my-collection, read-again

I read this book in 2009. I found it at the library. I pretty much read from beginning to end. It's probably intended more for women than men, but when it doesn't necessarily seem applicable, I just move on. I like her lively, personal, quirky style. She tries to give the reader applications. I bought this book as I thought it was one I should own and that I could mark up. I also bought Creative is a Verb because I like her bouncy writing. My daughter would like to write and I want her to read t...more

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Jun 02, 2010 Jill rated it 2 of 5 stars

I didn't end up doing this book, because:

#1 the author writes that she deliberately put it in a large format so there's room to write in the margins, to really grasp it, etc. I love small things, I hate carrying things, I cannot fit this book in my backpack so I cannot do it as a daily plan.

#2 Life is not a verb. Live is a verb, it's a perfectly fine verb. Now, love is a verb, that's something I've said before. Love's a noun and a verb and a tennis score. Life is not.

It reminds me of when I bou...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

a good book for those who like journaling and want to keep their "childlike wonder" about them. kinda like SARK but with more guts to it.

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Oct 24, 2011 Dustie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED this book and have bought several others to give away as gifts! If you're looking for a daily dose of whimsical inspiration this is the perfect book as it is broken up into short stories and has tons of colorful illustrations throughout....if I was teaching a creative writing class this would be a perfect resource for "start up journal" converstaions because these stories can really get you thinking about the life you live, the life you dream of living and the life you can be living! LOV...more

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Mar 07, 2012 Candace rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! Not only did it inspire me to evaluate my priorities in life, it inspired me to be more creative. I love to write, and often struggle to find enough time between teaching and having a family. Patti is an incredible person who shares an important message in a bright, unique, and creative way. This book left me smiling every time I picked it up, and inspired some of my best poetry. It also helped me to acknowledge just how important writing is to me, and so I am more vigilant in...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Hester Thorpe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-office

A few years ago, I saw Miss Digh speak at a conference. She was so dynamic and inspiring (a word I'm typically not fond of when it comes to describing speakers) that I immediately tried to buy her book. Alas, the conference was all sold out. I decided to get it through Amazon and then started checking the mail incessantly for it to arrive.
This book is incredible. The stories in it are amazing but more than that is the way that she relates them. I keep meaning to take her exercises and start work...more

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Nov 12, 2011 Laurie rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Life is A Verb" was inspired by Patti Digh's blog, "37 days" at www.pattidigh.com I love her metaphors and her detailed, delicious insights on life. She really digs into the essence of what makes life worth living.

Her suggestions to inspire you to live intentionally have affected my life. So far she has inspired me to:

-write haiku
-give more hugs
-reach out and be generous

There are so many suggestions she has for wonderful free writes and important ideas that I have not acted on yet and I hope no...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Jon-david Mafia Hairdresser rated it 5 of 5 stars

Please please please get this book and keep it by your side. It's NOT a self help book. It's a happiness companion. A must have book to use a workbook, a self-motivator, a look on the bright-side book, and a just-what-I-needed-today-book.
I loved this book so much I bought the CD's and downloaded it to my Iphone so I could hear Patti Digh's own voice telling me about how her daughter views the world or how her inspirational friends gave her wisdom by just being.
A must have.

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Jul 25, 2011 Larry Hoffer rated it 5 of 5 stars

I don't usually read "self-help" type books because I think I'm far beyond helping myself. But this book really spoke to me. It's not one of those "live like you were dying" books that encourage you to bungee jump and do all of those things you've always wanted but never had time to do. Whether it's because I've met Patti or I'm just a little more receptive to wanting to change my attitude on life, this book and it's attitude really spoke to me. I know what I'm buying a lot of people for the hol...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Heather Koshiol rated it 5 of 5 stars

While I haven't read the book in its entirety, Life Is a Verb sparked me to make positive, self-nurturing changes in my life. This book helped me learn and believe and practice the art of taking care of myself, of prioritizing my needs for creativity and introspection. Life Is a Verb also helped me stretch "who I am outside" to include more of "who I am inside." All this is making me a better--and happier--person, wife, friend and mom.

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Jan 26, 2010 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: happy-books

Rare is the read that leaves me feeling as though I need to write a THANK YOU note to its author. By the time I was reading the last page, I so wanted to consider the author and I good friends. This book will never stray far from my side. It is everything we ALL need to be reminded of if we truly desire living an intentional life. And its author...Ms. Digh...is a storyteller extraordinaire. Her fluidity, her prose, her sheer understanding of being mindful...beyond impressive. Every chapter held...more

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Mar 03, 2009 Francine rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this one in just one day...Saturday February 28, 2009...have a head cold and was resting up for the work week ahead.
It is a great book...inspirational, eyecatching and motivational. Lots of great little quotes, the art is wonderful!
I'll be making good use of this in my "girl" group at church. If you work with women's groups, love art or need cheering up, this just may be the book for you.

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Feb 28, 2012 Twila rated it 5 of 5 stars

My dad had just passed away when I saw this book. I started thinking back to the last time I saw him. It had been the one year anniversary of my mom's death. When I counted the days from that day until he died...it was 37 days. Wow. What had he done in those days? Well, I found out at the funeral that he had lunched with many dear friends in his close circle. He had called several and written notes of encouragement. He had lived those 37 days as if it was his last. maybe he knew somehow? I will...more

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Mar 03, 2012 Deb rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved it!

Fun, inspirational, encouraging, and uplifting.

Patti Digh’s personal stories provide metaphors for the actions she suggests you take at the end of each section. Not everyone will find something in every story that resonates, however those who follow through with the Action and Movement activities are sure to learn a little bit more about themselves.

Attitude is everything. Those who want to get something from this book will do so. Those who aren’t in a place where they are willing to tak...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Liz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow. I loved this book - not sure I can even call it a book, almost more workbook! My copy is filled with circles, underlines, dog-ear corners & notes in the margin which I never do in books, yet felt compelled by the authors encouragement to do just that to absorb & process. While I technically finished reading it, it lingers on with me as I go back & consider putting the book into action because that's truly how it is designed to be used. Every nugget of story & inspiration end...more

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Mar 18, 2010 Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-spring-challenge-completed

I agree with another reviewer further down who said that she liked the idea of this book more than the actual book. I have read Digh's blog and found it so moving and so original and I felt like this book was watered down for the self-help seeking masses. I know that is harsh, but that is how I feel (and the more I review books the more opinionated I seem to get about it). This was not a re-invention of the wheel by any means and most of us seeking to make more meaning of our lives would already...more

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Jan 27, 2010 Janice rated it 3 of 5 stars

Loved the format of this book, the original artwork, the quotes, and the layout. It involves writing action which I already do daily so have actually already done a lot of the "work" recommended by the book, but the refresher was excellent and gave me things to ponder about. It really is a lovely book just to look at and feel. (I am kinesthetic after all).

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Jan 16, 2011 Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: happiness, healing

Digh worries that we are not living our lives. This book is her attempt to share six ways of living intentionally: (1) With intensity by saying yes (2) with inclusion by being generous (3) with integrity by speaking up (4) with intimacy by loving more (5) with intuition by trusting yourself and (6) with intention by slowing down. Brilliant.

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Oct 21, 2010 Heather rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: mindfulness

I have to say I like the idea of this book better than the actual book. Not to be petty but I didn't feel like it was that reflective, etc. I didn't feel like it took you deep enough if that makes any sense. I guess I am already "awake" and try to "live intentionally" so it did not give me any "A-has".

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Dec 30, 2011 Sheryl Anderson rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book so much, I've read it twice. "Part meditation, part how-to guide, part memoir, Life Is A Verb is all heart." Very insightful & enjoyable at the same time. Wonderful graphics and illustrations. This is a must-read!

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Jan 18, 2011 Michael Rusk rated it 5 of 5 stars

If I get any more motivated I'll just have to leave the planet! Who needs shrinks, why waste money on hocus-pocus? Get Patti's book, curl up and read it like you mean it. You cannot help but be a different person when you are finished...

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Apr 19, 2010 Stacy rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book gives lots of food for thought. It's one of those that is best read in small doses, savored and used to propel you forward. A lot of her thoughts resonated with me and helped me to look at things through a different lens.

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Apr 14, 2011 Tammy V rated it 5 of 5 stars

Bought it because an on-line friend has art in it. Fell in love with Patti's insightful writing. Vignettes. Essays. Right up there with Anne Lamott in taking the mundance and making it universal. Good for inspiration.

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Nov 19, 2010 Brittany rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book. It's a life-changer. There were a couple chapters that didn't quite resonate with me, but most of it was beautiful wisdom. I especially loved the lessons on acknowledging humanity all around us.

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About Patti Digh

"If the Buddha had two kids, a dog named Blue, a Southern accent, and a huge crush on Johnny Depp, his name would be Patti Digh," wrote one reviewer after Digh's grassroots bestseller, Life Is a Verb, was published. In 2003, Patti Digh's stepfather was diagnosed with lung cancer and died just 37 days later. She woke up on day 38 and asked herself a question that she has asked every morning since:...more

More about Patti Digh...

Books by Patti Digh

Creative Is a Verb: If You're Alive, You're Creative

Four-Word Self-Help: Simple Wisdom for Complex Lives

What I Wish For You: Simple Wisdom for a Happy Life

The Geography of Loss: Embrace What Is, Honor What Was, Love What Will Be

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Quotes from Life Is a Verb: 37 Day...

“Instead of a book, what if we're actually writing (or not writing) in the margins of our lives? What if our lives are books? What is the sign of our presence? Are we pressing into the margins our interpretations and questions? Are we circling offending verbs and drawing furious arrows to the margin where we scrawl "irony," "frustration," "voiceless," "unfair!" Or do we simply turn the pages, passively receiving what's given, furiously disagreeing but remaining silent about it?” — 10 people liked it

“People don't stop being bullies when they grow up. They just dress differently to fool you.” — 6 people liked it

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Life Is a Verb: 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally

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