Nihalani pulls from various research and well documents her resources at the end of each chapter, to explore how lack of self-esteem makes individuals vulnerable to the judgments of others, especially in the era of social media. People tend only to post the best parts of their lives, Nihalani notes, which can lead others to see their own existence as inadequate. She explores bullying and micro-aggressions, the impact of fashion on one’s perceived value, and the sharp distinctions between how success is measured for women versus men.
With an inviting tone, incisive insights, and a wealth of practical takeaways and hard-won advice, Nihalani encourages accepting one’s flaws and imperfections and not running from bad feelings but not dwelling on them, either—feel them and move on, she advises. Other choice suggestions: use the cognitive dissonance that occurs when behavior does not match beliefs as a motivator for change, and that self-managing time spent on social media helps recalibrate how people see themselves in reality.
Takeaway: Encouraging guide to nurturing healthy self-esteem in the social-media age.
Comparable Titles: Kim Dabbs’s You Belong Here, Corey Keyes’s Languishing.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
