I’ve always been skeptical of self-help books. Particularly ones supposedly designed for us teenagers. It always seems like the writers are disconnected, somehow. Trying to think of a teenager as a machine or a unit, without realizing that having a teenager reading their book doesn’t magically program new software. So I was similarly skeptical when I was asked to review ‘Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: For Teens.’ Another self-help book? Another book about how to survive life through the most difficult period of my life, written with good intent, but miserably failing as far as application? No thanks.

So I was surprised when I got past my loathing of self-help books to read this book.

It is written by Joseph V. Ciarrochi, PhD, Louise Hayes, PhD, and Ann Bailey, MA. All three remember what it was like to be a teenager with accuracy. In fact, their personal stories are woven throughout the book. This book won’t be like any other you’ve read. It’s not about how to look and act so that you’ll appear ‘cool’ to others, but about how to let go of the entire superficial drama that is the life of the average teenager and how to reach for something better.

The book talks about four skills. Breathing deeply, Observing, Listening to values, and Deciding and performing actions. Together, they make BOLD, the framework for the book. This book is laid out very well. It’s meant to be read over the course of weeks, or even months, slowly helping the reader learn to improve relationships, make friends, remain calm in most situations, and most importantly, lose the need to feel ‘cool’ in the opinions of other people.

The book actually does a great job in helping teens grow out of the shells we sometimes build for ourselves. The book only works, however, because of the blunt honesty of the authors. Too many authors forsake honesty for trying to please everyone. The authors of this book do an excellent job of being different in nature. They know how it’s like to be a teenager, and they make that clear. It also gives them an understanding on how we behave and how our minds function that allows the book to connect well with reality. That’s the best thing about it: it’s all applicable. It’s not a book built on abstract ideas, but on the reality of what works.

In short, I highly recommend this book to any teenager. It will, if you take it seriously, change your life. For those tired of the artificial relationships and the emotional masquerade that is the average teenage life, this book is a terrific place to start in the search for something better and more meaningful. The cover of the book proclaims ‘recognize your strengths, let go of anxiety and self doubt, make lasting friendships, live your dreams.’ I think this book is an utter success on each one of these claims.

William Wellman is a member of the Youth Travel Blogging Mentorship Program.

Note: We received a review copy of this book from the publisher - thank you!