Manifesting Your Best Future Self: Building Adaptive Resilience

Manifesting Your Best Future Self is a short self-help book concerned with developing adaptive resilience in challenging situations. Dr Gruenewald explains the four different areas of resilience and introduces exercises and techniques such as Coherence Training to effectively deal with the unhealthy stresses and negativity that can lead to poor physical and emotional health.This year has been and continues to be incredibly difficult due to the ravages of Covid-19 and for many stress levels have risen dramatically. I found Dr Gruenewald’s book to be concisely written and practical. It is not too dense or jargon-heavy and does not take a superior tone. Dr Gruenewald explains the issues and techniques in very easy to understand, reassuring language that is also quite soothing.There are seven exercises which deal with various areas of life where overwhelming tensions can arise. Each of them is clearly explained and simple to follow. They also have the flexibility to be adapted to your personal life and challenges. I tend not to have too much patience and can lose focus with breathing techniques but the first exercise in Coherence Training was relatively uncomplicated (you did not need to keep referring to the text to remember what to do whilst attempting to focus which always rather ruins it). The concept of ‘gratitude’ which features in the first exercise is something we take for granted and taking time out to exclusively focus on this did make me feel relaxed. I also felt more motivated after undertaking this again the following day. I also thought the exercises on Active Listening and Transforming Difficult Relationships were thought-provoking and certainly techniques I would refer back to.The inclusion of diagrams that condensed the information was helpful in consolidating issues and their possible solutions. I also liked the ‘Troubleshooting’ section. Personally, I would have left the Case Studies to the end of the book or left them out.Manifesting Your Best Future Self is a beneficial little book with easily accessible and adaptable techniques. Definitely recommended.

A practical way to support and help yourself in particular during the months where the virus has restricted peoples lives so much and they are left to cope on their own.Highly recommended

An excellent read for anyone struggling with their physical and mental health. Given the circumstances of everything that's happened this year, this book is a great tool to help you deal with stress and anxiety. I found this book very helpful, especially when working and studying.What was especially helpful, was exercise 2 on page 38. It’s a breathing exercise which massively helped me take control of my stress and made my decision making more concise and effective.Would definitely recommend it!