I was very excited to get my hands on a copy of Lisa Olivera’s new book, “Already Enough”. I’ve been following her Instagram account for a solid couple of years and this book goes deeper into the stories we tell ourselves abs how we change that narrative. There was so much practical advice in this small book that I’ll definitely be revisiting this gem of a book, again and again.

Already Enough is a guide to reframing the stories we tell ourselves and offers encouragement to accept ourselves entirely. Olivera, a therapist (@_lisaolivera on Instagram) who was abandoned as a newborn uses her personal experience to explain how we, as humans, create stories (to make sense out of the nonsensical) that need to be challenged and rewritten. She also shares how a therapist helped her see how her old stories benefited her and how updating them would would allow her to see that she is inherently worthy and enough.

I felt an overwhelming amount of support, encouragement, compassion, and kindness reading this book. It feels like Olivera cares about the reader and wants him to feel like everything is okay and that it's okay to have feelings (even if they're negative!) and that it's up to him to decide how he wants to live, especially if he didn't have a childhood he wanted. Unlike many self-help books I've read, Olivera includes thoughtful check-in points where the reader is encouraged to acknowledge the difficulty in doing deep inner work while Olivera offers words of praise and encouragement. There is also a useful resource guide organized by topic with more books readers might find useful as they continue their journey toward self-acceptance.

This book will resonate most with curious people looking to reframe their stories and who are seeking to better understand themselves and those around them. By reading Already Enough, readers will find that a more meaningful and nourishing life is always within reach.

(Thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing an ARC via NetGalley)

"We so easily forget that accepting ourselves isn’t about reaching some final destination but is more about doing the deep work of slowing down, turning inward, and gently reintroducing yourself to parts of you that you were told you should fix."

What a joy and gift this book was to read. Lisa Olivera is a kind and gentle voice throughout this book as she walks you through the journey of unpacking your own stories and finding your way back to yourself.

Lisa guides you to spend time seeing and understanding the stories you're telling yourself so that you can put the distance you need between yourself and the stories and can see the distortion they cause in your life. This book doesn't contain absolutes, quick fixes or easy answers.

"Looking for confirmation of our stories is a way of consistently validating the belief that they are true, which makes it really challenging to see things through a different lens. But once you start, you can look for proof of the opposite—and make room for the possibility that the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves are wrong."

Instead it encourages you to look within yourself, ask yourself the questions and create room for the possibility that maybe your stories are not, in fact, truth. Maybe, just maybe, you are creating this lens that is not serving you and you might be able to let it go and choose a different way to see things. She gently pushes you to explore and question and make room for possibility.

"The truth is that unless we do that work internally, a relationship will only mirror the work we haven’t yet done within ourselves."

This book is not a lecture. It's an interactive experience. There are many questions at the end of each chapter, inviting you to participate in your own journey. Inviting you to explore. To dig deeper. To be willing to do the work. To show up for your own life.

It gently guides you through the steps of slowly coming back to yourself. Being who you are meant to be without all the distortion. Giving yourself what you need. Creating the version of you that feels most true to you. Reminding you that you get to choose. You always get to choose.

"The truth is that we get to choose who we are. We get to choose how we care for ourselves and how we show up in the world."

with gratitude to netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fantastic read; equal parts educational, empowering, and uplifting. Lisa Olivera uses her experience with trauma and depression and her career in therapy to share her knowledge with others looking to find acceptance and realize their self-worth. The book provides helpful questions to consider throughout and Olivera encourages and compliments you as you "do the work" of digging deep and finding your own path towards acceptance and healing. This is a book worth keeping on your shelf so you can pull it out and explore the questions as you need them, or to guide journaling or a self-reflection practice. I highly recommend this read for anyone!

I have loved Lisa's work ever since I found her instagram account and was so pleased to be able to read this book early. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had the chance to read this inspirational book on self-acceptance, healing abandonment wounds, and how the stories you tell yourself shape your self-image (and consequently, your life) from Instagram content creator + therapist @_lisalolivera.

I instantly related to Lisa’s deep-seated wounds of abandonment trauma that she experienced from adoption (since I am adopted, too). How this crafted a belief of not being enough, not being lovable, and being broken in some way.

These are a lot of the wounds I am working to address in therapy myself. The book was a great compliment to my healing work, as each chapter concludes with guiding questions and coaching on applying the lessons she was learning to your life/story.

Already Enough is currently available for pre-order and will be released in January 2022. Thanks to @netgalley for the review copy!

This was a good book. The author shares her story about being adopted, along with the tips that has helped her. Most of the things in this book, were the same as other books. All in all it was still a good book.I am grateful that netgalley let me read this in exchange for an honest review.