Self-care is an essential, everyday practice. But learning how to treat oneâs own busy self with compassion, creativity, intention and care can sometimes feel like an impossible challenge. To help with this important practice comes the uplifting A Book That Loves You: An Adventure in Self-Compassion (Workman Publishing, on-sale: September 13, 2022). Compiled by the cofounders of the internationally renowned FLOW magazine, Irene Smit and Astrid Van Der Hulst, A Book That Loves You helps readers slow down, own the good stuff, celebrate the flaws and focus on learning to love and appreciate themselves.
In addition to essays, interviews with artists and creators, and mindfulness exercises A Book That Loves You is filled with Flowâs trademark paper âgoodiesâ designed to help readers put what they read into action: complete a âslow downâ sticker puzzle, unfold and fill in the âMy Own User Manualâ road map, punch out and assemble a DIY flowerâjust becauseâand more.
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Following the revolutionary, A Book That Takes Its Time (with 205,000 copies in print), which encouraged readers to slow down in order to savor lifeâs little pleasures with creativity and intention, A Book That Loves You offers a message that will resonate in its simplicity: Be nice to yourself, no matter what kind of day youâre having.
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Infused with the iconic Flow sensibility of finding joy in the imperfect and overlookedâand 100% interactiveâA Book That Loves You shows readers how to:
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¡    Discover the beauty of stumbling
¡    Become immersed in the restorative power of a walk in the woods
¡    Explore the pleasure of niksen, or the art of doing nothing
¡    Sit with loneliness and learn to enjoy oneâs own company
¡    Embrace the advantages of anxiety
¡    Move forward during different kinds of grief
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A Book That Loves You is here to remind readers be kind to themselves even (and especially) on the down days.
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Alicia Puig has been a contributing writer for Create! Magazine since 2017. Find more of her work: www.aliciapuig.com
