Personally, I struggle reading non fiction as I love my novels so much and find I get so much more from reading fiction however I am so glad that together with LMP, we challenged ourselves to read these non fiction books together. All with a thread of wellness in their own way.

Wintering by Katherine May

A beautiful book in its own way and I'm glad it opened up some really great discussions within our community. I think that a lot of people found it hard to connect with the author, it feels a little unrelatable to be able to cocoon away from life without financial worry or other stresses.

I think what it does give us permission to do is to hibernate and honour the darker seasons of our life. Perhaps that doesn't mean not working or ignoring other life commitments but it means noticing nature more, lighting candles, going to bed earlier or rereading your favourite classic novel.

“Winter is when I reorganise my bookshelves and read all the books I acquired in the previous year and failed to actually read. It is also the time when I reread beloved novels, for the pleasure of reacquainting myself with old friends."

When the Body Says No by Gabor Mate

This was a tough read for lots of us and honestly I just dipped in and out rather than read it back to front so I don't feel like I can make a well rounded judgement. Ultimately it seems to say that we do now know that stress and trauma can cause disease, that feels scary and somewhat unavoidable. I think it enhanced for me the importance of practices like therapy, movement, nature, community, friendship. Connection! All those wonderful things we can do to try to work through and process our own traumas.

“In order to heal, it is essential to gather the strength to think negatively. Negative thinking is not a doleful, pessimistic view that masquerades as “realism.” Rather, it is a willingness to consider what is not working. What is not in balance? What have I ignored? What is my body saying no to? Without these questions, the stresses responsible for our lack of balance will remain hidden.”

The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal, PhD

I think the main takeaway from this book is the reassurance that movement is so good for us! And so important for our emotional and mental health as much as our physical health. That feeling of feeling proud of yourself for moving is so nice! Perhaps we don’t get that feeling as often as adults. But simply getting to your mat is something to feel proud of. 

I also think a big takeaway from this book is the important of community and connection. Something we are so lucky to be able to foster even via an online community at LMP however that doesn't have to replace in person connection. Perhaps this book will inspire you to book into a dance class once a month or going for a walk and a chat with a friend.

“By harnessing the brain’s capacity to fall in love, regular exercise helps us joyfully commit to a relationship that enriches our lives and augments our happiness.”

Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey

I've been thinking a lot about Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey and I don't want to add more to the conversation as her voice is powerful enough. However I'll share a few quotes and let you reflect on them:

“We must believe we are worthy of rest. We don’t have to earn it. It is our birthright. It is one of our most ancient and primal needs.”

“Release the shame you feel when resting. It does not belong to you.”

“When I take a digital Sabbath away from social media, I come back feeling smarter, less anxious, and tapped into an expansive energy I was unable to access while scrolling every day.”

I think my favourite out of the four was surprisingly The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal, PhD. I thought it would have been Wintering by Katherine May. So what shall we read next?

Disclaimers

*No AI was used to write this post.

*The links to the books are to bookshop.org where independent book stores get supported via the purchases. Lottie Murphy Pilates also gets a small percentage of the sale if you purchase via the links shared here.