I related a lot to the premise of this book - I've always been a "gifted" kid, a straight-A student, a perfectionist. Yet I've also struggled with depression since I was 13. I've found myself stressed out, burnt out, barely hanging on. So, I have a lot in common with the author! That being said, my review is probably a little biased, but I found the writing extremely relatable and thought-provoking. Compared to some other self-help books I've read, it was a little less practical/evidence-based, but it is written very personably and accessibly. I found it interesting and helpful overall.

I'm always looking for a great book that helps my overall well-being. Unhappy Achiever has this and so much more. There is some witty banter, awesome advice, and different ways to take back my independence and happiness. Definitely recommend this for all women, whether you feel a bit lost or not.

#NetGalley #UnhappyAchiever

Sharp, witty, and brilliantly insightful- Unhappy Achiever looks at why and how we become overachievers and how to stop trying to earn love and embrace real life. Told with empathy, humor, and tenderness, Jordan uses her own deeply personal stories to illustrate the way women are taught to strive for an unattainable life and exhaust themselves trying to have it all.

Unhappy Achiever is a ​story of healing, of revolutionary awakening—of what happens when we summon our courage to step out from behind the mask of the “good girl” to wholeheartedly embrace our true selves and the joy of being perfectly imperfect.

​It’s no secret that women have been sold a bill of goods: we’re taught we can—and should—have it all and that happiness is ours for the taking…if. If we go to college and become a degreed professional. If we marry someone respectable and buy a house in a picturesque neighborhood. If we become the proud parents of two children. If we land our dream job, get promoted, or make partner. Women spend decades, even lifetimes, believing: If I can just do—or have—or become—that one thing, I’ll be satisfied, content, complete. 

Many of us nearly “do” ourselves to death, sacrificing health and relationships to arrive at some elusive, “ultimate” point of existence. Still, no matter how much we do, genuine satisfaction evades us. And the parts of us we sought to fill with the trappings of wealth, power, goodness, and praise somehow feel emptier than before. All the while, missing the most fundamental key to our happiness—the joy of inner fulfillment.

For most of her life, journalist, public speaker, and former lawyer Ashley Jordan ingested the commodified myth, bought and sold on the open market of capitalist culture, that what was missing inside her could be fixed by something outside her. Then, shortly after her 37th birthday, life cracked her open. An unexpected trigger sent her spiraling into the darkness of traumatic grief she buried when she was 13 years old. These memories inspired a new perspective: love isn’t earned by what we do, have, or become. That everything Ashley needed to be, she already was at 37, at 13, and since the moment her soul made its home in her body.

Deeply personal and openly forthright in the style of Erica L. Sanchez’s Crying in the Bathroom and told with the tender and soulful storytelling of Shauna Niequist's Present Over Perfect, this is an intimate memoir of one unhappy achiever’s journey to discover the self underneath the accomplishments. Conjuring the courage to upend every aspect of her existence—from her friendships to her career to her marriage—to make her life more reflective of her heart’s deepest desires, Ashley shares stories of healing from loss, her struggle with eating disorders, perfectionism, stories of love and friendship, and the complex relationship between mother and daughter—and what we go on to teach our own daughters about self-worth.

Unhappy Achiever is the story of how we use masks of achievement to buffer against the world and protect us from pain, how these masks keep us disconnected from ourselves and distanced from those around us—and ultimately, the magic, wisdom, and wholeness we encounter when we exist unencumbered and unobscured by external pursuits.

My Take:
This book is as advertised. If you are in your thirties or older and are questioning the "bill of goods" American women are sold, this memoir provides another example where like women can exclaim, "me too." And that is where what one can expect ends. The selling point and its strength is the power of testimony, which this book provides in abundance.

There was so much I loved about this book y'all. First, I loved its honesty. I loved that this was one woman reflecting on her life for all to see. And that's hard to do, so I appreciate that she wanted to let us all in on that experience. I also loved this book's relatability. Yes, it's one woman's sotry, but there were pieces of my own I could see in hers. I loved the nuggets of reflection that were interspersed along the way. There were definitely some chapters I related to more than others, and that's a good thing - Each reader can see their own achiever and (un)happiness in these pages. I was drawn to this book by the title, and it was such a timely and wonderful read for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this September 2024 release.

Women are always made to feel like we need to be constantly "on" and "doing" and achieving. Thing is a great motivator for taking back your life

Engaging and accessible. A recommended purchase for collections where self-help and memoir are popular.

Hands up for the over achievers

Really enjoyed this liberating story of a former unhappy achiever who takes the reins back on her life. So much relatable content here. So many highlights to go back to. Parts of her story didn’t resonate with me so I skipped through but the parts that did, hit very close to home. Recommend for overachieving women trying to find more peace and balance

I found this one at the perfect moment for me. If you are a kind of type A person, who is always on the way for something more, more impact, more evolved, more, more, more ... This book will make you think if you want to let go of your obsessions for perfection and just be happy with who you are and all the good you already do. It resonated deeply with me ! However I read the second part with less enthusiasm because it became a little repetitive. So it's a four star for me. Thank you for this great reading!