How To Be You by Jeffrey Marsh

Content Tags: Non-Fiction, LGBTQIA+, Self Help, Reflective

Description from Storygraph:

Too short. Too weird. Too quiet. Not true. Let Internet superstar Jeffrey Marsh help you end those negative thoughts and discover how wonderful you are.

An interactive experience, How to Be You invites you to make the book your own through activities such as coloring in charts, answering questions about how you do the things you do, and discovering patterns in your lives that may be holding you back. Through Jeffrey's own story of growing up fabulous in a small farming town--along with the stories of hero/ines who have transcended the stereotypes of race, age, and gender--you will discover that you are not alone.

Learn to deepen your relationship with yourself, boost your self-esteem and self-worth, and find the courage to take a leap that will change your life.

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Two reviews in one day??? Unheard of! I read one chapter a night for this book and happened to finish the last chapter the same night I finished Manhunt. And both I finished on the Trans Day of Visibility which is very nice for two books representing Trans authors (and characters). 💓

I adore Jeffrey Marsh. They are so kind and uplifting and fabulous. And all of that energy was interwoven into this book. Each chapter covers a different topic for ways to Be You and embrace all that means. At the beginning of the book Jeffrey states, "If I could offer a teeny bit of advice, it's not to shoot for understanding anything in here, but to shoot for seeing what resonates with what you already understand." I really appreciate in self-help books when it's acknowledged that not everything will be for everyone, especially not all at once. It's a process to get to know and love yourself and expecting to get it all right all at once is a daunting task.

Each chapter is crafted with this same understanding, patience, and love from Jeffrey. They share from their personal experiences growing up and learning to know and love themself. There were moments for reflection and exploration included in each chapter as well. I took great pleasure in reading this book.

Time for a Book Review Wrap Up!

What were your impressions on the author's style? Did you find the book easy to read, or a slog?

I found this book very easy to read. It was broken up into different parts so it wasn't just a full wall of text (which I find challenging at times with non-fiction books). The cadence and flow really reminded me of how Jeffrey Marsh talks in their social media videos.

Of all the information presented in the book, what has stayed you the most?

What stayed with me the most was the frequent reminders and reassurances that *you* are not a mistake or wrong or any of the negative things *you* were told growing up (and even sometimes now). You are worthy and loved because *you* are *you*.