Jhogasundram debuts with a compact, inviting treatise on purposeful living crafted to introduce readers to self-awareness, self-acceptance, the practice of gratitude, and other avenues toward fulfillment. “You are the magician who can make your wishes come true,” she writes, urging readers to stop making excuses–like being too old to start over–that might interfere with accomplishing their true desires. Emphasizing unconditional self-acceptance and the need for individuality, Jhogasundram offers some basic steps to overcome negative thoughts and boost intuition to successfully pursue your “heart’s calling.” Above all, she encourages readers to forgive themselves for past mistakes and learn how to believe in their own unlimited potential.
According to Jhogasundram, too many lives are spent trying to make others happy and conforming to unrealistic expectations. Instead, she teaches readers to reframe their anxieties and disappointments by understanding they can only control their own reactions to external events–and after they have done their best in any situation, the last recourse is to believe the Universe (her flexible term for a greater power) will bring their desires to fruition. Jhogasundram suggests that readers practice setting healthy boundaries to free up energy for pursuing their own interests, advising “you teach people how to treat you by the way you treat yourself.”
Much of this guide feels elemental, but readers new to the concept of conscious living will appreciate the straightforward counsel, particularly the sections on how to increase everyday gratitude and why to expect resistance when breaking with traditional ways of measuring success. Jhogasundram writes that making conscious decisions should start with small steps, such as paying attention to the sounds in our environment or relishing daily routines, reminding us throughout that no experience should ever be wasted. For those seeking a more meaningful existence, this preparatory guide will give them a good starting point.
Takeaway: This compact guide will give readers a base for making conscious decisions and pursuing their true desires.
Great for fans of: Drew Gerald’s Why You’re Still Stuck, Mallory Ervin’s Living Fully.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: B
Print Date: 05/30/2022
Career coach Jhogasundram continues her self-improvement series with this reflective exploration on overcoming negative emotions. Drawing on her personal experiences with each one of seven “forms of heavy energy”—grief, fear, anger, jealousy, guilt, hatred, and hurt—she offers readers coping skills and encourages them to bring about positive changes by no longer dwelling in negative energies. Jhogasundram warns that the vulnerability of these negative emotional states can lead to being manipulated–and to avoid that outcome, she offers several routes out of the darkness, including channeling grief into positive actions, asking questions to minimize fear, focusing on gratitude to counter jealousy, and avoiding triggers and gossip to defuse hatred.
Readers will appreciate Jhogasundram’s personal candor in this encouraging guide. She details a long career in a toxic work environment, reveals her challenging interactions with an abusive graduate advisor, and opens up about painful childhood experiences, such as neglecting one of her pets. Although some of her stories are light on details, readers will gain a solid sense of her struggles in younger years, and her guidance is simple enough for immediate action. Some of her more helpful advice is incorporated into the chapter on hurt, when she urges readers to reframe hurt as a symptom of emotional depth and view it as an opportunity for growth.
Audiences who balk at more holistic ideas—like the law of attraction that Jhogasundram cautions is a powerful natural truth—may find some of the teachings in this guide challenging, but overall Jhogasundram clarifies difficult subjects while adding commonsense appeal. In the interest of connecting on an emotional level with readers, she blends a personal touch into more logical concepts. Readers seeking extensive in-depth analysis will want to look elsewhere, but for those who feel limited in their current situation without understanding why, this quick unpacking of negative and positive energies will suffice.
Takeaway: A candid self-help guide that teaches how to reframe negative emotions in favor of positive change.
Great for fans of: Andrea Bonior, I.C. Robledo.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: B
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A
Print Date: 05/30/2022
