2/5 Not really up my alley but some will love!

This review is for the audiobook version.

First off, it should be noted that this is basically a diary and that should definitely have been in the description because I would not have picked it up. I didn't mind this type of book when I was younger and reading it physically but I don't really like it audibly. Despite being described and titled as a loving yourself book there was quite a bit of this book that was other than that which wasn't great since I was already having a bad day. Maybe this book would be good for those who already love themselves and not those who have always struggled with their self-image.

I probably won't be picking anything up from this author again unless it seems like something I'd really like. For those that like books about struggles and growth you should check this out though because it would definitely be more up your alley!

Disclaimer: I read/listened to this arc on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

As the title implies, this book incorporates principles from Buddhism and offers an around the year, fresh with each month and season look at self care. After this 12 month approach there is another series of essays and lists offered.

This was a pleasant, soothing audio offering that might make a nice gift for someone going through a hard season of life, or someone who has an interest in applying a Zen approach to a Western life.

With thanks to NetGalley and Orange Sky Audio for the eArc.

An interesting collection of vignettes of loving kindness, this will appeal to readers who are interested in minimalism as well as Buddhism. If you're looking for a calm, warm voice to enjoy and provoke your thoughts about simplicity and loving kindness and how it manifests in life, this may be great for you.
As an audio book, it lacked clear signposts between sections of the book--the year sounds like it's only the first half of the book, with other vignettes following.

I enjoyed this book, but it wasn’t my favorite. I feel like there were a lot of good reminders, but it wasn’t anything new.

Lovey read about being present and being kind to yourself. With the holidays around the corner, it's that time of the year where you reflect on the past year and look forward to next. Brigid provides some great tangible tips fr how to treat yourself with kindness - going for a walk, grounding yourself, finding activities that make you happy, etc. I liked this book because it wasn't preachy - it was honest and realistic. Great book to read looking forward to 2022.

Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. A lovely collection of essays that serve as a soft and kind reminder to us to be kind to yourself and to treat yourself with as much love and kindness as you would treat anyone else. A great reminder to be more mindful and take care of yourself before you can truly take care of others. ⭐⭐⭐#netgalley #brigidlowry #ayearoflovingkindness #tea_sipping_bookworm #goodreads #litsy #amazonkindle #thestorygraph #bookqueen #bookstagram

"Writers don't want to write, they want to have written."

"A Year of Loving Kindness to Myself" is a pleasant, fast read. Like most memoirs/self-help novels, there's an ongoing theme of growth and following happiness. There's a rather brief journey through Lowry's life, which feels just like touching water with the tip of your toes... I wish we could've known more about it.

I enjoyed most of what I read, except certain bits where Brigid chose to "give lessons" through one liners with small descriptions (it felt like I was reading an article in a Blog instead). The narration is casual, like a talk in a coffee or a park. I liked the variety of concepts (Iike the Japanese concept of Enoughness, which was foreign to me), even if a lot of them seem overrated (family, happiness, sadness, etc).

I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a taste breaker from fantasy or romance, or anyone that needs a little push going through a hard day. Lowry's lessons might sound cookie-cutter to most cynics but take them with an open heart and you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC :)

This collection of essays is a lovely reminder to not shy away from being kind to oneself and respect and value one’s current emotions. It’s fluid and easy-to-understand, and all the insights and pieces of advice are approachable and interesting.

However, this wasn’t a life-changing book, as it has the same advice other essay collections and non-fiction books offer. It was a good listen regardless, keeping me entertained and reminding me to enjoy the little things in life. I did like how it tackled a wide variety of topics, from dealing with stress to the wonders and implications of traveling.

I wished I had read it instead of listened since I could have annotated it to keep some of the reminders closer.

This was an extremely well done book. It doesn't read as a self help book, and instead gives you life lessons and different perspectives on how to look at life to improve your own life experience. I found some of the chapters truly profound and really want to implement some of the things I learned into my own life. The author is quite inspiring in an almost unassuming way. She doesn't shove life lessons down your throat or tell you how you should be living but instead suggest things she did to change her life and how they worked for her and how to change your thinking to align with what you truly want out of life. I really found myself focusing on her words so that I could remember them in my daily life. I really enjoyed this. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Year of Loving Kindness to Myself by Brigid Lowry

Audiobook
Playtime: 2 hours, 37 minutes, 36 seconds
Narrator: Vanessa Rhodes

Release Date: October 26, 2021
OrangeSky Audio

Nonfiction, Essays, Collections, Memoirs, Health, Mind, Spirit & Body, Self-Help

I absolutely loved everything about this audiobook. The short stories were so timely and personal that I felt a connection to the author. Also, the narrator was so engaging. I have listened to this book twice already and plan on listening to it more times. The second time I listened to it, I pick up something I missed the first time.

This is not a true self-help book that will show you how to meditation or perform loving kindness to yourself. It is more like journal entries from a woman experiencing loving kindness within a year. We readers are along for a ride as she experiences happiness and heartbreaks.

A Year of Loving Kindness to Myself starts with one entry for each month, covering various topics. Listening to the audiobook, and based on the title, I was under the impression that once I reached the last month of the year and the New Year's Prayer entry, the book would be finished. Instead, there were then several more entries, starting with how to journal and then discussing other random topics at various lengths. Some entries throughout the book seemed quite dark (depressing? or maybe just honest?) for a book on loving kindness. A few thoughts were noteworthy for me and worth underlining, had I owned a hard copy; however, I felt that some of the material was unrelatable, for me specifically, although they might be just right for another listener.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This book isn't really self help or memoir. It reads like an unedited, sparsely kept journal. A very personal experience with a few attempts to give some guidance, but there are much better books out there on both the subject of lovingkindness and yearlong inner journeys.

I found some valuable ideas in the first half of the book, but lost interest by the second half. I appreciate the self-help/memoir combination, but found her brand of philosophy got a little old and she ran out of things to say by the end.

A Year of Loving Kindness to Myself was a good reminder that we need to put ourselves first in order to help others. The author gives background to her story throughout the book and enlightens the reader on her choices throughout her life. I especially enjoyed the suggestion of list-making in the latter part of the book. A gratitude list is often spoken about but the addition of things you like was eye-opening to me.

If you are looking for a light read with practical guidance this is the book for you.

Title: A Year of Lovingkindness to Myself and other essays
Author: Brigid Lowry
Published: October 2021 by Orange Sky Audio
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐. 5

I was fortunate to get to review the audio version of this book courtesy of NetGalley, Brigid Lowry, and Orange Sky Audio. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Amazon: "A beautifully presented and uplifting collection of contemplative, wry, sometimes funny essays about living thoughtfully and with care amidst life's challenges. If you're struggling to maintain grace and good humor amidst daily potholes and pitfalls, Brigid Lowry may be just the warm, wise, and witty companion you need. 
Informed by contemporary psychology and Zen Buddhism, Brigid's essays offer reflections on everything from friendship to grief, and from gratitude to self-care."

Review: I really loved the concept of how the author took a whole year to focus on different aspects of lovingkindness towards herself. It is something I am seriously considering doing myself in the coming year (if there is anyone who would be interested in joining me, please let me know! Would love to have some buddies along!).
As far as the other essays in the book go, they were quite thought provoking. She talks a lot about enjoying the little things, welcoming hard times, and really showing kindness to other people.
While I, myself, don't practice Zen Buddhism, I do still appreciate the emohasis that is made on being kind to your fellow humans and enjoying nature, as well as forgiving and letting go. It reminds me of a Bible verse in Ephasians that says, "And be kind to one another, tender hearted and forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."
I believe we need more kindness in this world, especially now. But I also believe that the kindness and forgiveness that we extend to others should be something we learn to extend to ourselves as well.

*Thank you NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for the audiobook to review*

3.5 stars rounded up.

To me, this book is broken up into two sections: One separated by month detailing ways Lowry chose kindness towards herself despite obstacles and two largely "kindness" tactics or topics that were further elaborated on. I found the first half to be much more enjoyable and would've enjoyed the book more as a whole had it continued with that formatting even if extended past one calendar year.

The audiobook itself didn't hold my attention consistently throughout and I found myself getting used, particularly during the second section of the book.

Beautiful and sincere, A Year of Loving Kindness to Myself, deserves a slow, introspective read. This book never veers into the clichéd (easy to do with these kinds of books) but stays authentic, compassionate, and kind. The collection is written in short essays, easily digested each day, full of emotion and cognizance for life, and how to be kind to ourselves. I felt uplifted and positive, exactly what is needed in the world today. Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I just reviewed A Year of Loving Kindness to Myself by Brigid Lowry.

Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for my audio ARC in exchange for my honest review. The audio book was published October 25, 2021.

While I loved the title, I thought this book lacking in depth. It was a series of essays and it didn’t really seem to flow. It’s a very quick listen at about 2.5 hours.

If this is a true self-help book, there are better ones out there. If if is a memoir with some comedy thrown in, then it was ok.

“It is wise to remember that everyone has their own unfolding, and that the way we see things is only one way of seeing things.”
- A Year of Loving Kindness to Myself by Brigid Lowry

This book's beautiful cover caught my eye while scrolling NetGalley, but the title sounded very "woo woo.” I wasn't familiar with the author or narrator, but at only 2.5 hours in length, it was a small risk to try it.

This collection of brief essays was such a pleasant surprise! The first 12, about half of this slim volume, focus on a month (January through December) and a theme (having fun, anxiety, living simply, creativity, etc.). The author is Australian so her experience with seasons is opposite the northern hemisphere.

The remaining 27 essays have a wide range of topics, from friendship and Friday to travel, sitting quietly, solace, house-sitting, and death. All include humor, insight, and emotion. The quote above stopped me in my tracks - something my judgmental nature needs to be frequently reminded.

Brigid Lowry is Buddhist and she includes her faith in several essays. I don't share her belief but found it very interesting to learn how it informed her thoughts.

The audiobook is narrated by Vanessa Rhodes who reads the deeply personal text with a great array of emotions in her rich Australian accent. I'm thankful I first experienced these essays on audio, but the wisdom passes too quickly in this format so I'm ordering a print copy to flag and mark meaningful passages (something I rarely do).

Thank you to OrangeSky Audio and NetGalley for the review copy.

This self-help book was just what I was looking for. I like to listen to books while I work out. I was looking for something with good affirmations and positive contact without short personal stories that did not pertain to me.

This audiobook was perfect. I felt the author understand my feelings as opposed to feeling crazy. She gave very helpful suggestions and insights.

I found the narrator's voice to be soothing and calming. This is a book I will listen to more than once and may purchase a hard copy to highlight the points I want to review.

I received this galley from NetGalley.