Don't Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen- a self help book summary and review

Genre: non-fiction-philosophy, self help

Free on Youtube

Don't Believe Everything You Think: Why You're Thinking is the Beginning & End of Suffering

The title offers a lot of insight on what the book is about, while creating questions in someone's head like, "Well, how do I stop believing everything I think," or "How could my thinking be both the beginning and end of my suffering?" The title wants you to get your brain going, and if you are anything like me, then your brain settled on these two thoughts. "How does this book know that I have negative thoughts that I want to stop believing?" And of course, "I wonder if this book will give me very obvious information that I have already figured out."

This book does a great job at answering questions and making you apply them to your real life.

It does not just tell you to stop thinking negative thoughts and you will be just fine. No. It gives you a little more depth than that by talking about the way the mind likes to go down all kinds of rabbit holes, and how it can be both helpful or harmful.

Joseph Nguyen used old stories with lessons, psychological tricks, and his personal experience to get to the root of thinking and how it can make people feel certain things. He managed to openly explain how one can do too much thinking. They can cause themselves to worry because of thinking or feel helpless.But, the book focuses on overcoming anxiety, self-sabotage and doubt while focusing on becoming the best you that you could be.

But, the book is far from condescending or confusing. It is as straightforward as it could be as it encourages you to try to silence your mind with helpful tricks/suggestions and why it would be grand to have your brain off (metaphorically speaking) in general.

It tells you that you held the answers inside of you all along. You know what you need to do. You are just second guessing yourself. You know what this book is about already and it will solidify what you already felt.

The book could be smmarized with the sayings: "God's timing is always right," "Let go, and let God," and "No thoughts, just vibes."

*Although, the book does not completely depend on spirituality or religion. It does mention the universe/God but does so in the way that I did (by saying both)*

It is pretty slow to medium paced, but does not use far too long sentences or ideas as it is broken up in different chapters.

My opinions:

Well, he did answer all of those questions that the title brought up.

The ideas did get repetitive and are very much "well I knew that," ideas, but the book acknowledges that we hold the answers inside all along. It did not lie, or force you outside of what I was already thinking and feeling. It allowed me to just solidify those ideas as I read it.

It was a tad funny, and completely easy to read and light. I liked that the person used words to say that this is for everyone, does not matter what religion or spirtuality practices you hold because he would say things like "God or the universe, or what you believe in," and certain language that would show it could be for anyone.

I did find myself a tad annoyed with the repitition and the fact that I already knew the contents before reading (and knew how to stop the "suffering,") .

I did feel as though this could be summarized in a social media video that was two minutes max.

It was quick though, so I appreciated that. Instead of recommending it, I would just send a five minute inspirational post or make someone listen to my grandma speak as she cooks.

Thank you for reading this! I hope you enjoyed it. Do you want to read the book now? It is on Youtube for free.

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Peace