I enjoyed the book, but I feel like it is geared more towards a younger reader that I am. Good advise for someone just starting out..

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of How Not to Be a Hot Mess. This book offers a very accessible introduction to mindfulness and basic Buddhist practices, using modern language and humor to guide readers through six principles for navigating daily life. It's ideal for younger readers or those new to these concepts, as it focuses on meditation, kindness, generosity, truthfulness, and staying grounded in the face of modern challenges like consumerism and climate change. While I appreciated the inclusive language and relatable examples, some parts felt a bit inconsistent, such as the emphasis on sobriety followed by the author admitting to occasional drinking. The advice is mostly common sense, but the book’s approachable style and practical exercises make it worth a look, especially for someone seeking a fresh perspective.

This book is a short little book with a Buddhist take on how to get yourself together. It was ok. It's got personal stories in every chapter and then some author opinions. In parts it felt a little preachy.

How Not to Be a Hot Mess: A Buddhist Survival Guide for Modern Life by Nico and Devon Hase provides six rules that are inspired by Buddhist and mindfulness practices. They are meditate, don't be a jerk, give a little, say what's true, make sex good, and stay clear. While these are good ideas, I found them to be pretty obvious and simplistic. However, I have read quite a few Buddhist and mindfulness books, so this might be helpful for more of a beginner. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

I just don’t think this book was meant for someone my age. It felt geared towards younger. Great ideals for young adults though.

Interesting book. Authors talk a lot before they get to the point they are trying for but if you stick with it, it does offer some good advice.
Try meditation, don’t lie, and don’t use alcohol or other drugs.
All very good advice for anyone but the authors offer actual personal and statistical studies to back up what they are suggesting.
It is worth a look.
I do recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me this ARC.

This book is definitely geared towards younger readers, but I enjoyed reading this and found the examples and the exercises helpful and grounding. This book would be ideal for a college student or someone who is still kind of figuring things out, but it can definitely be read by anyone looking for a new perspective or who is looking to re-ground themselves in how to be in a society.

How Not to Be a Hot Mess presents six guiding principles to help us navigate daily life. Using humor and stories, the authors urge us to use meditation, kindness, generosity, truthfulness, and to operate with peace and clarity when faced with issues the Buddha could never have imagined —the information age, climate change, rampant consumerism, and more.

Much of this book is common sense —of course, we should all be kinder— but what sets it apart is the use of examples geared at younger readers, just starting to wonder about relationships, their place in the world, and how to deal with the crazy that can sometimes surround us. This book is approachable, easy to read, and written in a relatable style.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher of the ARC.

This book looks at various ways that Buddhist philosophy can be brought into our everyday life. Especially when life gets messy or hard to handle, these simple guiding practices are so important.

One section that stood out the most to me was in being truthful, and watching that what we say is both honest, kind and helpful. I especially love the story the authors shared about a Buddhist monk who, very calmly, told a practitioner to stop interrupting others, and that this trait was having a negative effect on his relationships with his family. How the authors questioned if this information was helpful was really important; there are moments where we may not want to hear things, but as long as it is delivered with kindness, the truth can be so necessary in growing as people.

I would recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a fresh perspective, for simple ways they can be more mindful in their lives. It was easy to read and the authors share many of their personal experiences to highlight the philosophy presented.

This is a common sense book of how to live...definitely written for the Gen-Z / Millennial generations. I did not find the writing style and examples appealing, but can see how a younger person might.