A Moment for Me: 52 Simple Mindfulness Practices to Slow Down, Relieve Stress, and Nourish the Spirit

by Catherine Polan Orzech

In our busy, high-stress lives, A Moment for Me is the little book of everyday mindfulness to help readers find inner calm and lasting peace of mind. Featuring 52 quick and meaningful rituals, readers will learn to de-stress, stay grounded, and nourish the spirit-anytime, anywhere.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology

278 pages, Paperback

Published March 8, 2021

About the author

MA LMFT

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly]

Review coming up.

[The Sassy Bookworm]

This one was just okay for me. Let's be honest, these types of books are a dime a dozen nowadays, and you really need to have something "special" to set your book apart. This one just didn't. For me, it was the lack of illustrations, or something to give it that "visual" appeal. Apart from that, I enjoyed how it was laid out in monthly themes. And it offered some great information and guidance.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

[Ell]

I enjoyed this book! I love the author’s approach to mindfulness. The author has a wonderfully unique and compelling perspective which takes sometimes complicated emotions and mind habits and beautifully simplifies them. This book is divided into monthly themes and weekly chapters rooted in discernment, and soothing rituals. I especially enjoyed the “mind the gap” chapter. If you find yourself occasionally craving a calming, comforting voice amidst the busyness of your week, this book is for you.

[Stef]

I enjoyed this book. The one 'negative ' for me is I don't have the patience to go through a book like this week by week, month by month. I read the book straight through. There is a lot of really good information and guidance through out the book. I like that there is real life examples through the book and different ways how mindfulness can play a part. My favorite quote from the book is this: For a few minutes every day, remind yourself that the people all around you are full of dreams, longings, hopes, struggles and losses. Try to see them as beings who, in other circumstances, could be close friends if you just knew them.

[Helen - Great Reads & Tea Leaves]

“Mind the gap.” And there is a gap, a small space that exists between thoughts. What would happen if we really “minded” it? If we really paid attention to what train of thought we were getting on and whether it was where we really wanted to go?’

What better way to start the new year than with this little gem on Mindfulness. A timely reminder to breathe and be present in the small moments of the everyday. Set out in monthly themes, made up of 52 chapters each containing a core concept to contemplate and reflect upon. The reader is then provided with practical suggestions to move from the theory to the practical in making small yet significant changes to their life. For it is in these seemingly mundane everyday activities that real life happens - so it makes sense to pay more attention to the little details as together they combine to make up one’s life.

The author declares that each and every day there are the little moments where we experience both enriching and depleting activities and it is about maintaining a balance between the two. How it is important to seek those moments of stillness, where you can let things go and be at peace with how things actually are.

‘While it may be true that there is nothing we can concretely do right now to change the final outcome of some of our major stressors, we can reclaim our sense of mastery in our lives in myriad small ways in the tasks of daily living - one small step at a time. By reclaiming our ability to take care of things and influence the flow of our lives, we nurture an internal reminder of our competency and lessen the likelihood that we will succumb to being overwhelmed.’

Whilst there are indeed many mindfulness books out there, I think that this one is worth a look.






This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

[Bea (beansbookshelves)]

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley.

This is a great book about mindfulness. The author gives us 52 different practices in order to slow down, relieve stress and nourish our soul — one for each week of the year. If you're looking for some exercises to do throughout the year, this is the book for you. I really enjoyed reading it. Rating: 4/5 stars.

[Ryan]

"I once thought that equanimity meant a serene, unmoved peacefulness that rose above difficulty, an elusive state that I rarely experienced. But what if equanimity just means embracing and allowing the messiness of life? Irritation, sadness, and grief - these too are a part of the whole human experience." - A Moment for Me

Embracing the messiness of life is a bold and powerful statement, especially in the world right now. Embracing the anxiety, the worry, the sadness, the joy is not always easy. I think for me it's allowing myself to have the feelings and not go numb. To sit in them - that's the hard part - and that's where A Moment for Me can help.

Split into 52 different exercises, one for every week of the year, A Moment for Me offers simple and peaceful ways for us to breathe and find balance in small moments everyday. I loved how much I could feel my body relaxing as I read reminders and ideas on how to be present and live in the moment.

For those of us who sometimes have a hard time with meditation during stressful seasons, I think this book will be the perfect companion to find peace without expectation. Orzech describes these 52 moments in her book as acts of love instead of meditation. Just a simple moment to love yourself, meet yourself where you are. Absolutely recommend this for the busy humans out there that just need a moment.

"Intentions take faith. When we start with the intention to walk, we begin each step - without consciously realizing it - by falling....Every step is a leap of faith."

[joyce w. laudon]

What better way to start a new year than with this title that will be published on January 2. The author has penned a book on mindfulness and focuses on taking a little bit of time for one’s self each day. I hope to start and continue following some of this author’s advice over the next year.

The book is divided into chapters by month with something to consider for each week of the year. A few of the chapter headings include New Beginnings (January), Storms and Changes (March), Loss and Birth (April), Being a Curious Learner (September) and Darkness and Light (December).

I recently spent time reading the section on November. In it the author talks about what gratitude is and how to cultivate it. For example, she has helpful insights into how to create a gratitude journal and how to keep writing in it from being a rote exercise. This is just one of the sections for November. The others include Smiling and Laughter as Medicine, The Power of Attention, and Loving the Life Within,

There are so many mindfulness books out there. Even so, I think that this one is worth a look.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Kimberly Tierney]

What I love about this book is the versatility of how to read and use it. It can be used weekly with one focus for each week during the year. It can be used daily in which you would repeat throughout the year, starting at the beginning roughly every six weeks. Or it can be used by topic if you feel a need to focus on something specific. It is formatted for weekly use, but that is by no means a requirement if you need to use it in another way. The topics are easy to navigate to find just what you need to get the most out of your mindfulness practice.
I am so grateful to have come across this book and have been given the opportunity to read through it before making my big personal goals and plans for the upcoming year. I read through the entire book in one sitting because I was so excited about the concepts that I was reading. I have not decided yet how I will be using this book myself throughout the upcoming year, but I will be using it.

[Ann Kolomenskaya]

Столько воды налито, даже в моих школьных сочинениях её было меньше. Очень долго мусолила книгу по этой причине. Пару закладок сделала, но не потому что материал новый и интересный, а скорее освежить свои знания и практики.

Разбита на 12 глав по месяцам и 52 составляющие. Новая неделя - новая практика. Рекомендации и текст до практики - сплошная вода, сократить все это можно было буквально до 1-2 страниц и пары предложений на каждую из практик. Нет необходимости все так разливать по тексту.

Скорее не рекомендовала бы тратить на нее свое время, только если совсем нечего читать, а хочется свой книжный план на год/месяц/неделю выполнить. А так, касательно практик, есть литература полезнее.

[Josephine]

This is a cool book with 52 mindfulness practices, one for each week of the year. She leaves it open to you how to decide to go through these practices, either in order, or just flip open to wherever and go. I like the idea of flipping open to wherever and going, but this is more difficult with the kindle version. I think this would be an excellent book to have in a paper copy. This way you can flip open and dog ear and highlight and flip through again to find what you've marked previously.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Eric Hannemann]

A Moment For Me is filled with important exercises, prompts, and reflections. There are no shortages of these! The information contained in the book is not new, and you will find many principles about looking inward and finding happiness and contentment inside of yourself is repeated throughout the self-help world of books.

What makes this book different is the engagement that comes with it. It's not begging to be read, it's telling you how to use it, befriend it, and integrate it within your life and world.

[Sharon Naylor Toris]

So perfect for this moment in time, for this era, for all the season's limitations. For grief. For sadness. For feeling like you're at a crossroads. I enjoyed the 52 entries for mindfulness in the moment, and I am so impressed with Orzech's calm voice, the easy flow of the book. This is the kind of book you always seem to be searching for when you're a little bit frazzled, maybe a lot lost, and just needing some easy guidance toward feeling better. This will be one of your best self-care decisions in a long time.

[Candace]

Unfortunately, I didn't finish reading this as it was not what I expected. However, I did see some value in the book as it is meant to be used as a daily ready for each day of the month. Each day the author asks the reader to participate in a ritual of mindfulness. We definitely need this today.
Thank you #NetGalley for giving me a chance to review A Moment for Me by Catherine Polan Orzech #AMomentForMe

[Andreea]

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange of my honest opinion.

I liked this book. It's helpful and compassionate, but without trying to force you to live your life in a certain way. It's more like a guide who shares little bits of wisdom with you, and you get to decide what works for you or not and what you want to implement.

Definitely a nice book to read in the beginning of the year to bring you closer to living more in the present.

[Zee Monodee]

Good book that encourages you to take time for yourself and also how. With it being based month by month, and with 52 topics (1 for each week of the year), this would make for a nice New Year gift for someone wanting to be more in tune with themselves and getting away from the rush through the coming year
(note - the seasons are geared month-by-month for the northern hemisphere, it seems, so do keep that in mind)

[Mandy Hazen]

How frustrating is it to be told by all the different sources the things you must do to be successful in life? This book definitely does NOT do that. It instead takes an empathetic approach and gives bite size approaches and allows you to have kindness and patience with yourself. This is so necessary for everyone to read in life. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lovely Loveday]

A Moment for Me by Catherine Polan Orzech shares 52 simple mindfulness practices to slow down, relieve stress, and nourish the spirit. The author has a wonderfully unique and compelling perspective that takes complicated emotions and mental habits and beautifully simplifies them.  A Moment for Me is a great book about mindfulness.

[Amanda]

Offering 52 activities broken down by month and theme, this book gives poignant reminders to reflect on the little things in life and to take time for yourself. As the popular saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup. A Moment for Me gives cup-filling activities to help you relax and centre yourself in these crazy times.

Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kaitlin]

The perfect sized weekly reflections. It gives you something to focus on each week and tasks to go along with what to focus on without being overwhelming. A nice mix of different philosophies and religious traditions.

Thanks to Netgalley for an Advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[Lisa Sim]

Sometimes a book comes along at the exact right moment, and this was that book! Very heartwarming and centering. I liked that I could pick and choose areas of interest. This book was like a comforting hug, or warm cup of tea during the darkest winter night. All five stars, or more!

[Lovely Jane]

I learned to have a grateful journal with this book.

Other than that, I just couldn't connect with the book.

[Tina Milledge]

A beautiful book to nibble away at through the year to put into action daily mindfulness. Lots of topics are covered making this a useful book for your journey through life experiences. I would definitely buy a paper copy and am grateful to Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to review a digital copy.