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HOW TO LOVE YOURSELF IN A WORLD THAT WON'T

by Adam Blevins ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A

A professional counselor offers pragmatic advice on self-empowerment in this debut nonfiction book.

The book’s trademarked “S.H.I.F.T. Framework,” per author Blevins, is “the permission slip you’ve been waiting for to stop waiting, stop doubting, and start living like you belong in your own damn life.” These opening lines are indicative of the blunt, pragmatic advice offered to readers who struggle with self-doubt and self-destructive behavior. Offered as a “Five-Part Blueprint for Changing Your Life,” the S.H.I.F.T. approach begins with “Stop,” as Blevins encourages readers to stop giving power to aspects of their lives that drag them down or distract from their healing. The second step, “Hype” (“If you want to thrive, you must hype yourself up”) is followed by “Innovate,” which urges readers to reevaluate their approaches to life and decision-making processes that aren’t working. Geared toward self-empowerment, the book’s final steps, “Fight” and “Thrive,” both center on taking proactive approaches to “owning your life so thoroughly that no one else can dictate how you experience it.” The book’s no-nonsense approach to self-improvement centers on individual liberation from societal expectations—it is dedicated, for instance, to “the unseen, unheard, and underestimated”—but Blevins is careful to emphasize the importance of empathy and self-awareness in relations with others. As a self-identified “white, heterosexual male,” Blevins acknowledges his own racial “privilege” and questions racial color-blindness as an effective tool to combat discrimination, calling out those who “ignore people’s experiences and pretend systemic inequality doesn’t exist.” He similarly critiques religious leaders and their acolytes who use their faith “as a tool to control, manipulate, and enforce conformity.”

Unafraid to embrace what he calls “spicy language” (the F-word, for example, appears more than 20 times here), Blevins writes in a down-to-earth style that eschews the jargon of counseling and psychology. The guide’s emphasis on engaging readers, however, is balanced by a sound foundation in best practices in the field. With a master’s degree in clinical counseling and credentials in Critical Incident Stress Management, Blevins is a current Ph.D. student focused on trauma-informed care. He blends examples not only from his career in mental health, but also as a former Virginia State Trooper who’s “seen humanity at its breaking point.” Stories of grieving families, chaotic crime scenes, and post-traumatic experiences of first responders provide real-life applications of the S.H.I.F.T. framework. And while the brash writing style is deliberately designed to appeal to readers skeptical of the traditional self-help genre, Blevins unnecessarily derides alternative forms of self-care. “I’m not here to hold your hand while you ‘align your energy’ and manifest good vibes,” Blevins notes. As such, the book takes a skeptical approach towards “toxic positivity with hollow affirmations” and approaches to self-improvement that include meditation, journaling, nature walks, and other “fairy tale version[s] of purpose.” While these dismissals of alternative healing practices may align with the book’s machismo tone, they seem gratuitously snarky and contradictory of the work’s emphasis on finding one’s own individual path toward fulfillment. For those looking for a no-frills, jargon-free, and often salty approach to self-help, this book’s S.H.I.F.T. framework offers a pragmatic approach to applying research-tested mental health advice to one’s daily life.

A concrete, even coarse, approach to self-empowerment and personal fulfillment.

Pub Date: N/A

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: N/A

Review Posted Online: April 3, 2025

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

CURRENT EVENTS & SOCIAL ISSUES | SELF-HELP | GENERAL NONFICTION