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The Book of Moods: How I Turned My Worst Emotions Into My Best Life
by
The Happiness Project meets So Sad Today in this "hilariously witty, unflinchingly honest" book from Words of Women founder Lauren Martin, as she contemplates the nature of negative emotions -- and the insights that helped her to take control of her life (Bobbi Brown).
Five years ago, Lauren Martin was sure something was wrong with her. She had a good job in New ...more
Five years ago, Lauren Martin was sure something was wrong with her. She had a good job in New ...more
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Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
December 8th 2020
by Grand Central Publishing
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Start your review of The Book of Moods: How I Turned My Worst Emotions Into My Best Life
I loved the book. At least half of it. It is well-written, well-researched and insightful. And, it's very relatable and witty. If I had access to the print copy, I would have ear-marked the heck of out it.
The Book of Moods by Lauren Martin is part memoir and part self-help. And it's much less of a downer than I imagined reading about someone's mood swings. Each chapter opens with inspiring and funny quotes from well-known female authors and celebrities.
That said, by the end of the book, I was ...more
The Book of Moods by Lauren Martin is part memoir and part self-help. And it's much less of a downer than I imagined reading about someone's mood swings. Each chapter opens with inspiring and funny quotes from well-known female authors and celebrities.
That said, by the end of the book, I was ...more
As an avid and longtime follower of the Words of Women instagram account I was thrilled when I heard that Lauren was writing a memoir. She was kind enough to send me an advanced copy and I can honestly say that I devoured it in one sitting!
I was familiar with Lauren's writing style from her brilliant newsletters, website, and instagram so I was not surprised to find the prose in her memoir to be eloquent and relatable. I loved the quotes sprinkled throughout the book's sections (follow her inst ...more
I was familiar with Lauren's writing style from her brilliant newsletters, website, and instagram so I was not surprised to find the prose in her memoir to be eloquent and relatable. I loved the quotes sprinkled throughout the book's sections (follow her inst ...more
The Book of Moods provides an incredibly accurate and relatable look at something so many of us deal with, our moods. And what are moods you ask? Lauren Martin explains it so perfectly on her Words of Women Instagram post that I had to share it here...
"When I talk about #moods I don’t just mean generic emotions. I don’t mean angry or sad or stressed. I mean those feelings we have that we can’t explain. The suffocating feeling at the end of the day when you don’t know what you want or need but yo ...more
"When I talk about #moods I don’t just mean generic emotions. I don’t mean angry or sad or stressed. I mean those feelings we have that we can’t explain. The suffocating feeling at the end of the day when you don’t know what you want or need but yo ...more
As a psychologist who specializes in Women's Mental Health, I'm absolutely loving this book!!! Lauren provides an incredibly accurate and relatable depiction of what so many women struggle with. She humanizes and normalizes the extremely common (but often shame-inducing) patterns of self-doubt, worry and cyclical mood shifts. I highly recommend this book to any woman who feels "too moody" feels stuck, needs a pick-me-up or wants to gain insight.
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"The Book of Moods" has been the most helpful book I've read in a while. It's not a self-help book, and it's not a memoir. It's this perfect hybrid of: here's what's happening to you, here's how I can help you through it, and here's what you need to know. This book has shifted my whole mindset on moods, being aware of my moods, and see how they can change quickly. Whether I'm getting frustrated washing dishes or having a hard day with kids, this book is a great reminder that it's better to just
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What a wonderful self-help book! It was researched, raw, rare, funny, personal, and very very truthful. There were moments of wonderment and empathy, and then anger and understanding. So much of me was reflected in this book. I came across the author by chance and what a serendipitous meeting it was!
My only complaint is that the author can seem (as another reviewer, Jill, has pointed out) to be very blind to her own white privilege. Additionally, there are very few quotes by women of colour; I ...more
My only complaint is that the author can seem (as another reviewer, Jill, has pointed out) to be very blind to her own white privilege. Additionally, there are very few quotes by women of colour; I ...more
This was SO GOOD and not at all what I expected. This book is about all the different areas of life and how to have a better attitude within them. Our author was SO relatable and used so many examples of her own bad attitudes and how she flipped them, I found this very practical and great. I think me being able to relate to her so much was a big part of the reason I loved this but I would say its a great read for anyone to try.
A couple years ago I started following Words of Women on Instagram and signed up for the weekly newsletter. It quickly became one of my favorite corners of the Internet; I liked how vulnerable and honest Martin’s writing was, how relatable and less alone it made me feel to hear inspiration and advice from female writers, poets, artists, entrepreneurs, etc. Martin wrote about experiences, emotions, moods, that I struggled with as well but was often too ashamed or embarrassed to talk about. The Bo
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Moods. We all have them…but it’s always seemed to me that being ‘moody’ is such a negative thing. Well, the author just flipped that term on its head. Lauren teaches us all that wee can harness our moods and use them to our benefit. Her vulnerability, and honesty (especially when it feels inconvenient) is captivating. She does what Gloria Steinem suggests to be the most feminist thing we can do as women, and that is to tell our own, HONEST stories. This book is a jolt of realness from someone wh
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The author perfectly captured what so many of us consistently feel and allow to rule our lives. Somehow even though every woman experiences the struggles that the author writes about, the author wrote a memoir that feels extremely intimate. The self-care and scientific bits made this a book that can help even the most skeptical woman to not allow her moods to control her life anymore.
This book came at the perfect time for me. My moods have been all over the place during our California pandemic lockdowns AND I'm pregnant. It's hard not to identify with my moods sometimes or give them more meaning than they deserve. This book does a great job of breaking down pretty much every mood I've ever had and getting down to what the moods are actually trying to tell you. I read a lot of self-help books, and this one was just such a breath of fresh air because of all the stories. They b
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I think that this came out in 2020 WAS SO PERFECT because I know she was working on it for years. When my self-esteem has been at my lowest, this made me feel understood, and by someone I respect. I follow her Words of Women account but did not expect her book to be SO. GOD. DAMN. RELATABLE. It delves into what we all feel as women, at some time or another, but its NOT "self-helpy." It's more like talking with your really smart girlfriend over cocktails, who says, "I've been there. I still feel
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Thank you, Lauren, for writing this book! I finished it within two days of receiving it. It was so honest, genuine, true, and loving towards its readers. I felt proud of the author--for being brave enough to write and tell her whole truth, in the hopes that others would connect and feel seen and unashamed in her reflection. Before this book I felt I was the only one who had all of these moods, and Lauren normalized every single one. Yes, you could probably chock these all up to "privileged girl
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A masterpiece of a book!
The book of moods is a work of art that seems to be years in the making. Lauren Martin knew her moments of up and downs of emotions needed some work, Thinking that there was something wrong with her.
In The Book of Moods, Lauren goes in depth about who moods can effect everyone and that many of us aren't crazy as it seems. Follow her journey as she recounts certain moods and breaks them down to explain why we have certain moods and how we can, not necessarily make them ...more
The book of moods is a work of art that seems to be years in the making. Lauren Martin knew her moments of up and downs of emotions needed some work, Thinking that there was something wrong with her.
In The Book of Moods, Lauren goes in depth about who moods can effect everyone and that many of us aren't crazy as it seems. Follow her journey as she recounts certain moods and breaks them down to explain why we have certain moods and how we can, not necessarily make them ...more
If you've ever had a mood, questioned your emotions, or felt alone in the issues that surround womanhood, you need to read this book. Lauren Martin's heart and soul went into this book and her writing is that of an old friend sharing her life with you. Her incorporation of psychology, religion, and emotional management into stories from her own life is superb. I will be reading this again, probably many times over, in the years to come.
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Found this book exactly when I needed it. It’s relatable, digestible, well written, and makes me feel seen. I appreciate knowing I’m not the only one that experiences these moods, and I’m glad to have some more tools in my toolbox to overcome them.
I enjoyed this book so much! It was easy to read, but 100% relatable. Lauren tells stories and gives tips on her own journey to changing her moods from down to up. I felt like I could see myself in so many of them and it was all just great reminders of the little things we need to do each day that add up to a happier self. thank you, Grand Central and Lauren for sharing this book with me!
Fantastic book full of practical wisdom and tangible skills to relate to and help yourself through the moods we all have. I’m going to give this to my aunt, my sister, best friend and eventually my future daughter.
100% the right book at the right time for me
I really enjoyed this one. I personally found Martin’s anecdotes and advice to be very real and practical. I’ve read a lot of criticism of her attitude throughout the book, however, I liked that she showed what could be perceived as a “negative” side of her, owned up to her behavior, but also provided insight to why she felt the way she did. Her honestly throughout was refreshing. If you think you’ve made it your whole life without having a single selfish or whiny-spoiled-brat moment, you’re lik
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As I was reading this book, I kept stopping and thinking to myself, "do I even like this book, should I keep reading this"? Which of course, wasn't a great sign. I did finish the book, it took me longer than I usually take to read a book, and it was a small book, but it really wasn't grabbing me. I have read several self-help books in the past and I usually get something out of them or they are written with great humor. This book really didn't have either. The author goes thru these "moods", whi
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This book was emotionally exhausting. You go from rooting for the author to realizing she spends most of this book behaving like a spoiled child who was never taught to play well with others.
From Words of Women to The Book of Moods, Lauren Martin’s writing and research brings me to a place of learning, curiosity and most often, understanding of my own self. Her depiction of “moods” in this book opened doors in my mind and heart that I didn’t know needed to be opened. Supported by research, there’s so much more to explore after reading. I would recommend this book to my best friends, my family, coworkers - any and all women in my life (and I have already begun that process). Having e
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EXCEPTIONAL. This book is undoubtedly in my all-time top five.
Lauren’s writing is strikingly honest, in the most valuable way. It’s what I‘ve loved about Words of Women. She tells the whole truth.
We all have moments where we act out in ways we aren’t proud of. Few of us admit it, and when we do, we leave the ugly details out. Lauren doesn’t, and it’s SUCH a comfort. The whole book is relatable and helpful. I want to gift a copy to every woman I know.
Lauren’s writing is strikingly honest, in the most valuable way. It’s what I‘ve loved about Words of Women. She tells the whole truth.
We all have moments where we act out in ways we aren’t proud of. Few of us admit it, and when we do, we leave the ugly details out. Lauren doesn’t, and it’s SUCH a comfort. The whole book is relatable and helpful. I want to gift a copy to every woman I know.
Wow. This book was special. I started reading this during a rough mental health week and I have to say it completely helped me not feel so alone in my feelings. Reading this book was the perfect little pick me up for those bad days. No matter how lucky or fortunate you are in life, you can still have down moments. Lauren Martin does a fantastic job being relatable, funny and raw. It's an honest look at emotions and emotional triggers. It normalizes not apologizing for not wanting to explain why
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Nov 02, 2020
Laura Gómez
added it
I’ve been following the IG account Words of Women while being uplifted by it without really knowing anything about the person running the show behind-the-scenes. Having just read The Book of Moods made me connect with Lauren on a personal level, understanding she has found inspiration from the words of all those great women she posts about, which have guided her to find a voice of her own while narrating an intimate and insightful portrait of herself. I thoroughly enjoyed the exploration of her
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You know those books you read in just one sitting? Well this book is exactly that, except I was reading it for days. I was trying to read every word carefully, trying to highlight sentences or paragraphs that hit home. I was trying to savor every chapter. I put it down so many times because I just didn’t want it to end. The book feels like you’re talking to a best friend, a person who gives the best advice, listens to you and just gets it. At many points in the book you will most likely think: “
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This is one of my favorite books of 2020. The way Lauren Martin talks about her different moods and how they have been transformed by her research, self reflection and actions is truly inspiring. I felt so SEEN by this book and her words. I found myself highlighting, circling, writing words next to quotes and it was such an experience reading each mood. Like most women, I can be super moody and I never know where those moods are coming from. As I was reading about Lauren’s experiences I finally
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Recommended reading for when you're feeling moody!
We're all a bunch of moody bitches and that's just the way it is! Many parts of this book were relatable, as others have said, which makes it more enjoyable. Sure there's some tools and learned behavior included here, but just listening to her talk about how she flipped out on occasion, I'm not entirely sure she'll reach into that tool bag every single time a mood strikes her - not will the rest of us, but it might change the way you think about ...more
We're all a bunch of moody bitches and that's just the way it is! Many parts of this book were relatable, as others have said, which makes it more enjoyable. Sure there's some tools and learned behavior included here, but just listening to her talk about how she flipped out on occasion, I'm not entirely sure she'll reach into that tool bag every single time a mood strikes her - not will the rest of us, but it might change the way you think about ...more
this book was so honest and raw, Lauren wasn't afraid to leave anything out. all her moods and triggers were very real - i almost thought she was writing about me. more often that not, we're victim to our own perceptions, when in reality things are never as they seem. it was such a great reminder of the constant work you need to do to bring yourself out of these moods. it's never easy and it never gets easier, but when you're aware of the root of your triggers, you can make the conscious effort
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