Title: Meditations for Mortals

Author: Oliver Burkman

Series: N/A

Genre: Non-Fiction

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: Meditations for Mortals takes us on a liberating journey towards a more meaningful life – one that begins not with fantasies of the ideal existence, but with the reality in which we actually find ourselves. Addressing the fundamental questions about how to live, it offers a powerful new way to take action on what counts: a guiding philosophy of life Oliver Burkeman calls ‘imperfectionism’. How can we embrace our non-negotiable limitations? Or make good decisions when there’s always too much to do? What if purposeful productivity were often about letting things happen, not making them happen? Reflecting on ideas drawn from philosophy, religion, literature, psychology, and self-help, Burkeman explores practical tools and shifts in perspective. The result is a bracing challenge to much familiar advice, and a profound yet entertaining crash course in living more fully. To be read either as a four-week ‘retreat of the mind’ or devoured in one or two sittings, Meditations for Mortals will be a source of solace and inspiration, and an aid to a saner, freer, and more enchantment-filled life. In anxiety-inducing times, it is rich in truths we have never needed more. –Goodreads

The Review:

This might be my favorite non-fiction book.

Four Thousand Weeks no-joke changed my life with its core idea of embracing finitude and focusing on what matters most. Whereas that book was mostly philosophical in nature, this M4M companion book is almost completely practical application. You’ve embraced the philosophy with one, so now it’s time to implement the ideas.

Brilliant.

Out of the full 28 days of insight, there were only one or two ideas that didn’t totally resonate with my entire being. When coming up with material to talk about in a Youtube vid, I already had ten minutes of talking points from the intro alone. The book helps to increase understanding on why we as productive beings suffer stress, anxiety, and overwhelm. Then it offers new ways of thinking about situations and tools to feel more at peace amidst the chaos. At the very least, this book will help narrow down priorities and empower you to go through life with a little meaning, fulfillment, and grace.

If you can’t tell, I loved this book. I’ve already started in on a second read a few months later and am sure I’ll pick it up again for continued inspirations. The 5-7 minute daily snippets were absorbing, and whenever I started my day with one I experienced a lot more clarity and peace.

Overall, a 5-star winner. If Burkman hadn’t already been one of my gurus before, he absolutely is now.

Recommendations: Read this now if you want to get off the meaningless pursuit of chasing the bottom of endless to-do lists (an impossible task). The book encourages you to read it slowly over the course of 28 days, and I highly recommend that route. It lets you sit with each idea much longer and increases the efficacy at which you can apply it to your life. Consider this an Obsessive Bookseller favorite!

Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Jen, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, Bee, Tracey, Dagmara, and Poochtee! <3

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