Overwhelmed and Over It

August 31, 2020
Arylo (Choosing ME Before WE), a leadership coach, explores ways for women to define their personal success in this energetic, empowering guide. Arylo challenges what she sees as the original intentions of the women’s movement, positing that women were only given “choices based on conforming to or fitting into the images or following the path set by a society” and argues that women need to break out of “the prescribed paths of success” in order to live fulfilled lives. To do this, she asks readers to fill out a “burnout imprint” questionnaire in order to discover how one’s “choices, thoughts, and habits” are connected. She then nudges readers toward choices that are “aligned and in harmony” with one’s existential self, and provides maxims to help one decide what should be released and what should be embraced. For instance, she advises releasing notions of a “work/life” balance in favor of personal harmony, or releasing ideas of “taking it all on” in favor of embracing “focus on my part.” While her advice is often more inspirational than concrete—based on “liberating” one’s success, energy, heart matters, time, and power—her “acts of liberation,” such as bookending one’s days with meditations and resetting one’s weekly routine to a slower pace, offer a few practical steps. Readers will find some good cheerleading here, but may be disappointed with the amount of actionable advice.