Be Your Own Guru: 34 Essays on Figuring Out Life by Anastasia Petrenko Review

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Anastasia Petrenko shares a powerful collection of essays to help break free of the narratives that don’t help you to live your most authentic and best life in the book “Be Your Own Guru: 34 Essays on Figuring Out Life”.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

It’s time to shatter the shackles of mediocrity and embrace a life as it is: hard yet fascinating.

Be Your Own Guru is a refreshing take on self-help. Instead of telling you what to do and think, this book invites you to assess your assumptions and break free from narratives that don’t serve you in living your best life.

Featuring 34 insightful essays, each accompanied by thought-provoking questions and practical exercises, this book will inspire you to reflect on your beliefs and values, ultimately aligning them with your aspirations and goals.

Expect to be challenged, provoked, and even occasionally angered by the author’s observations, as they prompt you to confront your own biases and preconceptions.

This practical guide equips you with the tools and techniques needed to navigate life’s complexities. You’ll learn how to:

  • Recognize and reevaluate the expectations that cause suffering in your life;
  • Uncover your hidden priorities and integrate them into your personal values system;
  • Make decisions with confidence, knowing they are rooted in your true values and beliefs;
  • Cultivate a sense of inner peace and happiness by minimizing regrets.


If you’re tired of cookie-cutter advice and overblown claims that don’t resonate with your everyday reality, pick up Be Your Own Guru and initiate meaningful change now. No more delays, no more excuses. Step up, take charge, and create the life you want to live.

ABN Banner

The Review

What immediately stuck out to me as a reader was the depth of heart and passion that the author wrote. The way the author was able to dive into so many different avenues of thought, from making choices and caring about the important things in life to living life authentically and separating oneself from the media noise, allowed the reader to feel more connected to the subject matter, as it dealt with everyday life and yet felt like the importance was of a grand scale.

The thing that stood out to me the most was the author’s ability to connect with the reader. Rather than feeling like a step-by-step guide from an expert in a field, the book instead felt like an honest and open discussion from someone on the same path as the reader. The heart of each chapter came not in formal steps, but in guidance for the reader into the heart of each matter, allowing us to see the choices we make and go on an internal search for our own answers and paths forward in life. 

The Verdict

Insightful, honest, and passionately written, author Anastasia Petrenko’s “Be Your Own Guru” is a must-read book. The wonderful play on words for each chapter allows the reader to get the depth of internal searching that is required to become our own guru, and the emotional depth of the writing itself will keep readers invested enough to come back to this book time and time again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Anastasia Petrenko is a dynamic entrepreneur and writer, originally from Ukraine and now dividing her time between Canada and Costa Rica.

With a passion for asking tough questions and challenging common beliefs, Anastasia regularly contributes to Medium, sharing her unique perspective with a growing audience.

In addition to her non-fiction writing, Anastasia is currently working on her debut novel while sipping on cups of steaming hot tea next to her electronics.

anastasiawhy.com

Medium

Interview with Author Anastasia Petrenko

1)   Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

It sounds trivial, but I have been writing since my childhood. At school and universities, I always had assignments to write essays, both fiction and non-fiction. That’s how writing came into my life and stayed there.

 

 2)   What inspired you to write your book?

Writing is my favorite way to construct my thoughts and express myself. A book is a great way to do so in a complete reconciled manner.

I used to suffer from chronic depression and was always dead set on finding a way out. I had many thoughts, approaches, and trials to make it happen. But because thoughts were floating in my head in a chaotic manner, I could never act upon them. I understood that if I cleared my head, I could make sense of what my common sense suggested me to do. I needed a systematic approach. I needed to keep my ideas noted. I needed to remind myself when I felt down that there were still light and happiness in the world. Writing was what helped me to do so.

I also observed other people who could easily fall in a state of despondency. Simple encouragements wouldn’t give consistent results. I believed that a book – a short straight to the point writing – would be a daily assistant they needed to keep them going and change their behavioral pattern from finding pain to having joys in everyday life.

 

 

3)   What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

The everyday life we are having is not boring because of routine and banality. It’s our attitude towards them that makes them unpleasant and meaningless.

But if we are aware, if we care about what we are doing and why, we can add colorful touches to that seem grey painting of everyday life. Words, music, pictures, people, and nature are irreplaceable sources of inspiration. In my book, Loving Ordinary Life, I explain how to use them to brighten up your life with very simple straightforward examples.

 

4)   What drew you into this particular genre?

It came naturally. I was trying to help myself, so it degenerated into a self-help book. Literally.

 

 

5)   If you could sit down with any other author in your genre and pick their brain, what would you ask them and why?

I would ask them, if what they wrote about they implemented in their lives and if it actually worked for them. How often do they practice what they say? How much do they believe themselves? Why do they think they are experts on the chosen subject? Why do they believe their books should exist? I would ask them to be honest with themselves answering these questions to bring clarity into the significance of their works.

 

6)   What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I am not an active social media user, and that’s where I miss out many opportunities, I know. But to work properly with social media, I should dedicate much time to learn how to do it. I haven’t done it yet.
I believe Facebook is the place where I got some results by communicating with my network and groups dedicated to writing and publishing.

 

 

7)   What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

I would say – write. Put your fingers on a keyboard and start writing. Don’t wait for epiphany and inspiration. With writing will come practice to articulate your thoughts in a cohesive manner. Mastering this essential skill, you will be in your best shape when great ideas come to your mind.

 

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I have many ideas for books, both fiction and non-fiction. I already started writing short stories, consolidated by one problematic theme – relationship between man and woman. I also built a few universes in my head that I want to share with people, but I need clarity on where I would take a reader and what utility it would give him besides entertainment.  

For non-fiction, I will go deeper into a philosophy of human existence.

 

http://amzn.to/2f29f4y

Loving Ordinary Life by Anastasia Petrenko Review

Are you tired of the typical “self-help” books? Then this might be for you. Rather than focus on experimental treatments from around the world or a surreal look at the ins and outs of the self-help world, author Anastasia Petrenko introduces readers to Loving Ordinary Life: a self help book for people who are tired of self-help books. The short and easy read is a simple guide on how to be your best self without changing yourself and learning to accept who you are in the most loving way possible. Here is the synopsis:

Loving Ordinary Life is written for us: living, emotional people.

We all want to live a happy life, but we can easily fall into a state of despondency. We prefer to smile, but more often we frown.

We like being inspired, but most likely, we can’t recall the last time when we were.

There are many books and courses about self-motivation and inspiration. You might have heard hundreds of platitudes and affirmations. Each of them sounds valid but their utility is limited when you actually find yourself stuck in a pit of pain and despair.

Loving Ordinary Life is meant to make a functional difference. It’s not a treatment for depression. It is about living a life where depression has no place.

Loving Ordinary Life is your guide. It is designed so that you can open any page and find the inspiration to act and improve your life when you’re feeling down.

Each chapter in Loving Ordinary Life is a tool for moving from a negative idle state to a positive proactive state. It displays to you the art of being present, free, and genuine every day.

If you want to be more fulfilled and enjoy life more, if you’re open to quality changes, Loving Ordinary Life will become your loyal companion.

Everything is within your power. You are the master of your life. How you experience it depends only on you. Take the lead.

“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.”
Marcus Aurelius

This was a great and quick read. From start to finish you felt a sense of calm take over as you allowed yourself to absorb this book fully. It allows readers to examine their own lives and find happiness not from any external source, but rather from within themselves. Putting a stamp on the reliance of the self over the reliance of society, this book does a great job of creating an air of ease and an atmosphere of relative calm.

Overall this was a wonderful book. Filled with passion, compassion and genuine care, this non self help book does a marvelous job of showing the power we all have within ourselves, and how to embrace it wholeheartedly. If you haven’t yet be sure to pick up your copies of Loving Ordinary Life by Anastasia Petrenko today!

Rating: 10/10