Let That Sh*t Go

November 30, 2020
Purewal and Petriw, founders of, respectively, meditation workshops Pure Minds and Mind Matters, lay out strategies for using mindfulness to reduce stress in their amicable debut. The authors ground their methods for finding inner peace in practices such as deep breathing, observational thinking (which fights against a “chatty mind”), and counting one’s blessings. Most of the tips are quick and easy, such as breathing exercises one can do on a commute, “observing-mind” mindfulness for eating (“find peace while you chew”), and taking a 15-second “restorative break.” They also recommend making time to vent (such as a phone call with a friend where you “set an actual timer and then bitch your heart out”) and working to overcome blame in relationships (“When you blame, you are handing the reins to someone else and giving up control of your own life”). Above all, they push that readers should acknowledge suppressed emotions, “express them in every way,” and then let them go. While many of the concepts are simple, together they make for an appealing guide to daily mindfulness and stress relief. Those who liked Jen Sincero’s You Are a Badass will enjoy this.