This book acted as a vital tool for evaluating how I deal with my emotions. It made me question which emotions I was expressing too much or repressing. I especially found the different chapters on all the different emotions beneficial, especially for me personally on anger, shame, and fear. Typically, I think we don’t give our energy or time to those emotions which have commonly been labelled as ‘negative’ or ‘bad’.

However, this book opened me up to the fact that the practice of labelling emotions as ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ is unhelpful. Karla McLaren shows how to honour all emotions, and to learn how to work with them in new ways that produce a new pathway of resolution.

Now when faced with different emotions, I feel like I have more tools to help me face the situation. I realised it’s time to befriend all emotions and welcome them in, rather than get annoyed at ourselves for feeling the ways we do.

An excellent book for growth and self-development. Albeit a long one.