I'm an organized human. I get stressed out when I don't know what will happen and I prefer to be as informed about a given topic as I can be. With that said, I was hit like a sack of bricks with Postpartum Depression (PPD) and Postpartum Anxiety (PPA) after our son was born. Like a train. Out of "nowhere". Punched in the face. You get the picture.
I was unpleasantly surprised.
In general, my husband and I tend to lean more toward homeopathic solutions for ourselves and our son. We like to think we sit somewhere in the middle between "yes, we follow the actual science and will vaccinate our kid" and "no, I don't want to use a steroid cream for a skin condition when I can just use some beef tallow to do the same job". ANYWAY, when I found myself struggling with PPD & PPA (and hubs lovingly mentioned that maybe a doctor could help), I found myself on a prescription that I am ever so grateful for. I took it for the remainder of the winter and when spring hit, I worked my butt off to wean off of it. I forced myself to exercise (which I know is so so hard when you're mentally struggling) and started to eat just a tiny bit better food (also SO hard to prepare food when all you want to do is sleep or cry).
I also started reading and listening to podcasts. I became the only person in my immediate friend group who only reads non-fiction and was LOVING the self-help thing. I learned a lot, grew a lot, and am here to share some of my top reads, in case you need a little boost.
*As with any mental health problem, talk to a trusted doctor for help. If you are just wanting a friend or need someone to talk to, email me.
Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting by Lynn Grabhorn
Feelings are sometimes difficult for me, especially when it comes to being a millennial parent. I loved Lynn's sarcastic, funny point of view in this book, as well as needed the motivational kick in the butt that she offers. If you're in the mood for some inspiration and that get off the couch and stop feeling sorry for yourself motivational talk, this is your book.
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Into the Magic Shop by James R. Doty, M.D.
Absolutely my favorite book on this list. Dr. Doty explains how he learned about the magic of meditation and manifestation as a child and how it has changed the course of his life. I loved reading it in the context of learning for myself while also thinking about how to teach this type of mindset to my son (always thinking in the context of motherhood). A beautiful mix of hippie-dippie and scientific.
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Mindset by Carol S. Dweck
As with this entire list, I loved this book for both myself as an adult and as a parenting. Dr. Dweck explores both fixed and growth mindset and the effect it has on our decision making.
"We often see books with titles like The Ten Secrets of the World’s Most Successful People crowding the shelves of bookstores, and these books may give many useful tips. But they’re usually a list of unconnected pointers, like “Take more risks !” or “Believe in yourself!” While you’re left admiring people who can do that, it’s never clear how these things fit together or how you could ever become that way. So you’re inspired for a few days, but basically, the world’s most successful people still have their secrets.
Instead, as you begin to understand the fixed and growth mindsets, you will see exactly how one thing leads to another— how a belief that your qualities are carved in stone leads to a host of thoughts and actions, and how a belief that your qualities can be cultivated leads to a host of different thoughts and actions, taking you down an entirely different road."
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Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza
LOVED this one too. When it comes to self-help and mental health, I'm very fascinated by the biological capabilities of the brain. Dr. Joe explains neuro-plasticity and altering the brain based on feelings and thoughts. It's a long read, but offers an interesting point of view when it comes to our thought processes. This might be one to put lower on your list, for when you're out of the postpartum fog and really ready to focus. The audiobook is 10 hours long.
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Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
Love loved this book for considering my own "gritty-ness", as well as in terms of raising a gritty child. It took me like a solid month to get through as it is pretty scientific (not difficult to read, just a bit dull at points), but I still highly recommend it. I'll likely want to read it again, but will probably do the audiobook version the second time around.
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