Notes on a Nervous Planet - Matt Haig

I've had my eye on this book for a while and finally got round to buying it (ignoring the already growing pile of books I have yet to read!) and what a quirky and special little book! I read this on holiday and it took me about a day and a half of lying on the beach to get through it, and despite the warmth it really was like a warm duvet and a hot chocolate to read this lovely book! Matt Haig has such a relatable and unique style, and is somehow magically able to really reach into your head and give you a hug! The book is an eclectic array of lists, thoughts, experiences and anecdotes which give you a real sense of hope and positivity for humanity.

The thing that struck me most whilst reading this was just how raw and honest Haig was - he goes into great detail about his own experiences with mental health, his fragility, his depressive spells and his panic attacks in shopping centres. And through this, he is somehow able to make you laugh, and feel uplifted. He talks about how we can attempt to make small changes in our habits, for example with the use of social media, to reduce the damaging effects that this technologically progressive world can sometimes have. He lists ideas of how you can be more mindful, more aware, how to cope with anxiety, how to get a better night's sleep, and more - this really is a great life-handbook!

I think this book could be so influential and important for so many people, whether you actively suffer from anxiety and depression or not. Matt's honesty and relatability is so touching and sincere, and I honestly believe that this openness about his suffering and recognition of this is much more effective for helping people than if he were to just list solutions. Everyone who reads this book will have their own relationship with it, and take meaning from it where it works for them, which is why you have to read it for yourself to appreciate its beauty. You find yourself nodding in agreement and it really feels like you're having a conversation with an old friend. 

This concisely written book will make you stop for a minute, reflect on how you engage with the modern world around you, particularly with regards to technology and social media, and become generally more aware of how you can utilise it in a useful and beneficial way and not a harmful one. I felt completely relaxed whilst reading (perhaps also because I was on a sunny beach in the Canaries!) and felt like I'd made a new friend along the way!