Stress Wisely: How to Be Well in an Unwell World
It’s time to make stress your ally, not your enemy.
Stress is inherent to the human condition. When not properly understood, stress can wreak havoc on our mental and physical health, our relationships, and our lives. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
In Stress Wisely, award-winning psychology scholar and resiliency expert Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe explains how we can be strategic in stressful times by challenging everything we’ve been told about stress—and wielding its power in our favour.
With her signature honesty, humor, relatability, and intimacy, Dr. Robyne draws on her vast research and real-world experiences in wellness, stress, and resiliency to help you navigate the chaos in the wisest way possible.
Through smart strategies and awareness-raising exercises grounded in science and the eight touchstones of wellness—physical, emotional, intellectual, social environmental, occupational, financial, and spiritual—Dr. Robyne teaches you how to make your nervous system your ally in every stage of your life (yes, even in the most challenging circumstances).
Life is joyful, complicated, messy, and downright hard at times, AND you are capable to navigate it all. In Stress Wisely, get ready to learn, unlearn, and integrate smart stressing principles for a healthier, more meaningful, and purpose-filled life that is waiting for you. Better days are ahead.
Finalist
Plot/Idea: 10 out of 10
Originality: 9 out of 10
Prose: 10 out of 10
Character/Execution: 8 out of 10
Overall: 9.25 out of 10
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: The concept behind Stress Wisely – that, rather than eliminating stress from our lives (which is impossible) we learn to cope with it better --- is a novel yet practical argument that the author convincingly backs up with data.
Prose: Stress Wisely is written in a warm, authentic tone that finds an ideal balance between professionalism, empathy, and humor. Dr. Hanley-Dafoe's professional credentials infuse the prose with a comforting level of authority.
Originality: While the book does not necessarily contain a single "aha!" moment, part of its brilliance and originality come from the author's novel – yet perfectly relatable – argument that stress is unavoidable. The author takes the time to define terms like "burnout" within a clinical setting and explain practical steps to minimize its impact on our daily lives.
Character/Execution: The author's argument is novel and convincing (because of the author's credentials and the data she includes), and the reader especially appreciates the frequent care taken to acknowledge racial, gender, and economic factors that can increase stress and strain.
Blurb: Hanley-Dafoe's Stress Wisely is a nuanced, research-based book that encourages readers to acknowledge and work with the inevitable stress in their lives.
Date Submitted: October 18, 2023
