Break tasks down: Divide larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks to make progress more attainable. Take it one step at a time, and don't forget to be compassionate towards yourself throughout the journey. As someone from the Southern hemisphere, the discussions about seasons throughout the months were a bit mixed up and confusing because the author is writing from the Northern hemisphere perspective.

Gratitude rituals: Develop gratitude rituals, such as saying grace before meals or expressing gratitude before bedtime.From the tendency to lack motivation in January and to experience red-hot anger in the heat of August, to the weight of expectation associated with that back-to-school feeling in September and the pressure to enjoy the December holiday season, we're shown recognisable features of behaviour over the course of the year. Intellectual challenges: Engage in activities that challenge your thinking, such as puzzles, brain games, or learning a new language. By breaking down the main principles into actionable checklists, you can easily incorporate the book's recommendations into your daily routine. Challenging self-criticism: Identify self-critical thoughts and challenge them with self-compassionate alternatives. Conflict resolution: Address conflicts openly and constructively, aiming to understand each other's perspectives and find common ground.

Professional support: Consult a mental health professional to learn personalized coping strategies for managing stress and anxiety. Savoring moments: Take a moment to appreciate and savor positive experiences to enhance positive emotions. Enjoyable activities: Engage in activities that bring you joy and a sense of accomplishment regularly. I imagine young people leaving home for uni or heading out into the world of their first job will really benefit from the lessons in this book. I don't think I'm a fan of the structure of the chapters, I'd prefer if each chapter was titled after the problem/idea/solution/story/theory/strategy/etc which would make the book easier to navigate as a reference.Psychology underpins everything we do, determining the decisions we make, the relationships we build, the roles we play and the places we live, and our behaviour is further influenced by the changing seasons, encouraging many of us to fall into unhelpful patterns again and again each year. I really enjoyed this read which is set out in 12 different themes addressing challenges we face in each month of the year. Gratitude expression: Regularly express gratitude towards your friends and family for their support and kindness.

Positive affirmations: Create a list of affirmations that focus on your strengths and repeat them daily to reinforce a positive self-image. I think non-fiction books are often about timing and whilst I didn’t read this book in the manner I think the author intended, it was lovely to read a self help book that is so practical. She alludes to the hardcore problems she confronts in her work with young people in hospital settings, not to set up an us-and-them hierarchy of suffering, but to show what we can learn from people who face serious battles with their inner and outer circumstances.We perhaps turn to psychology in the hope of being surprised out of the furrows in which our habitual thinking can get stuck. Flexibility and adaptation: Practice flexibility by adjusting to changes in plans or routines without undue stress. It felt very repetitive and some chapters were way too long as some ideas and suggestions needed only one or two pages instead of 20 which there was generally one idea per month/chapter.