Annie Beaton's Year of Positive Thinking

I have really got to stop agreeing to blog tours where the book does not sound like my kind of thing. But I want to be a more adventurous reader so I guess that means reading books that scare me. Luckily, I haven't had to write a bad review yet!

What could be scary about a book called Annie Beaton's Year of Positive Thinking?

Book Description: THIS YEAR I WILL:

Get a new job

Get a new man

Get a new LIFE!

It’s Annie Beaton’s 50th birthday! But instead of getting roses and perfume, she gets sacked, her son, Ben, tells her she’s growing a beard and her husband Joe tells her he wants a divorce.

Divorce stories, failed marriages, affairs. These are my nightmares.

It's why I couldn't get past the first 50 pages of Girl on the Train. It was just so horribly depressing.

I think a lot about why the idea of being cheated on or getting a divorce is so scary to me. Without turning this into a super deep post about me fears I guess the best I can say is:

When I was young, I was scared of the dark. As an adult, I'm scared of being left in the dark.

The idea that I'm not privy to what is going on, or that I maybe don't have the strongest grasp on reality freaks me out.

But when I read the description of the book, it sounded like it was less about a marriage falling apart, and more about a woman getting back on her feet. I thought I could handle this without that really sad squirmy feeling I get in the pit of my stomach when I read similar stories.

This was such a fun book! Yea it sucks that shit hits the fan on Annie’s birthday of all days. But as her friend says, ‘Beaton by name, not by nature!’

I imagine for any single parent, Annie’s inner, and sometimes not so inner, monologue is incredibly validating. She’s funny and she feels very real. This isn’t some deep reflective woman who has accepted her conscious uncoupling Gwenyth Paltrow style and is at peace with it. Nope. She’s an absolute mess but gosh darn it is she going to try and keep her head held high. 

And I love it. 

Like Annie, I am also incredibly skeptical of self help books. So reading this, I saw a lot of myself in her pessimism and when she would roll her eyes at these books that promise to change your life, I would roll mine right along with her. But seeing her desire to break down negative thinking reminded me a lot of my own. And though I haven’t turned to self help books on my journey, it was a good reminder that we’re all working towards similar goals, but we don’t all have the same path there. So I’m going to try to refrain from rolling my eyes at self help books in the future.

The only real bummer about this book is that I started to feel like it was ending too quickly. I know books don't have to end in a neat wrapped up gift box, but I really started to care about so many of these characters! I've never wanted an Epilogue more!

Do I start a petition to have author Mink Elliot write another book? Beg her to give us an Annie Beaton 1.5? How does one go about bribing an author? Where's an advice columnist when you need one??

Should you take me advice and give this fun, up beat, can-do-attitude book a shot, I give you not only the book, but as always, the recommended book pairing!

First, you'll need lots of hot cocoa and Tunnock's Tea Cakes. All this talk of hot beverages, and on cold Chicago nights no less, and you'll want one for yourself. Do yourself a favor and grab one before you sit down. For the Tunnock's Tea Cakes, if you're in the US like me, they're only available in select stores, so order now! They will be a little more difficult to get your hands on. But you can try to order from Walmart as well.

What's next?

If you're like me and have been trying to be a more positive person, see previous blog post here, but self help books aren't really your thing, try a guided journal! I swear by 52 Lists journals, and just last year I finished 52 Lists for Happiness! I've already embarked on 52 Lists for Calm for the year 2020, and you can follow along with me on Instagram.

These journals are fun, low maintenance, and provide an opportunity to do a quick refresh and bring you back to someplace positive.

Lastly! Last year I had the opportunity to see Mahogany L. Browne do a reading, and the most amazing experience was having her read "The Ritual."

I listen to it every morning and now you can to! Perfect for anyone who prefers podcasts or audiobooks to reading, or if you're pressed for time.

If you give the book a shot, let me know what you think!

If you're looking for a second opinion, check out these other stops on the Annie Beaton's Year of Positive Thinking Blog Tour!