Everyone But Myself
A Memoir
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A USA TODAY Bestseller
A Washington Post Noteworthy Book
A Mom’s Choice Awards Winner
Funny, honest, and inspiring for readers feeling overwhelmed by life, Everyone But Myself is like a best friend’s story of how she returned to solid ground while embracing chaos along the way.
For Julie, an elementary school librarian and mother of two boys, there was no time for debilitating anxiety. Yet, the terrifying aftershocks of her first panic attack left her grappling with questions about the causes of her mental health crisis and where it would lead next.
What follows is a hopeful, honest account of love and loss, a husband who isn’t a mindreader, disastrous family outings, and finding a path (with help from loved ones and a few key new friends) to the joy of a well-lived life. Sure to resonate with mothers spread thin by the demands of modern family life, Everyone But Myself offers an intimate portrait of how one woman found her way back to herself.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Elementary school librarian Chavez recounts in her inspiring debut how a mental health crisis upended her busy life, and charts the subsequent journey to reclaim her peace of mind. As a frequent volunteer and mother of two boys, with a husband who frequently traveled for work, Chavez's mantra was, "I do, therefore I am." During a week when her husband was away and her sons were in middle school, however, the 38-year-old's stresses came to a head and she suffered a debilitating panic attack. The incident threw her into a tailspin, leading to weeks of disrupted sleep, little appetite, and constant anxiety about whether "in the end, everything would be fine." With her father facing a high-risk surgery, her husband grieving the loss of his sister, and Chavez desperate to show up for her family, she sought out the aid of therapy, antidepressants, and close friends. This support network gradually taught her to say "no," ask for help, and prioritize her own happiness, whether it came from assembling a jigsaw puzzle, riding a bike, or reading a book. In elegant, straightforward prose, Chavez speaks with compassion and candor to overextended women everywhere. There's plenty of wisdom in these pages.
