The Monkey Mind Workout for Perfectionism: Break Free from Anxiety and Build Self-Compassion in 30 Days!

Description

A 30-day cognitive workout to help you cultivate self-acceptance, resilience, and the "mental muscle" needed to thrive in an imperfect world! Do you hold yourself-and others-to unrealistically high standards? Are you afraid of making mistakes? Do you live for to-do lists and deadlines, and yearn for flawlessness? You aren't alone. In our competitive, high-pressure world, it's natural to strive for excellence. But over time, these perfectionistic tendencies can feed the internal anxious "chatter" known as your "monkey mind." So, how can you quiet the monkey and stop feeling like you need to be perfect all the time? In this illustrated guide, psychologist and anxiety expert Jennifer Shannon will show you how to break free from the monkey mindset that drives your perfectionism and set realistic goals; unleash creativity, joy, and productivity; and foster self-compassion and compassion for others. Most importantly, you'll learn how to give yourself permission to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes, leading to a fuller and more meaningful life. Our monkey minds are hardwired for survival. They depend on the approval of others and the need to fit in and be accepted by the "tribe." But monkey minds can also get in the way of reaching our full potential. If you're ready to welcome imperfection and start taking risks, give this workout a try!

Jennifer Shannon, LMFT, is author of Don't Feed the Monkey Mind, The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook for Teens, The Anxiety Survival Guide for Teens, and A Teen's Guide to Getting Stuff Done. She cofounded the Santa Rosa Center for Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in Santa Rosa, CA. She is a diplomate of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. Illustrator Doug Shannon is a freelance cartoonist.

"If you think that your perfectionism is ingrained in your personality and you just have to live with it, then here's some great news: The Monkey Mind Workout for Perfectionism will change your mind-set by asking you to make small and deliberate changes in your actions. Enough with setting such sky-high standards that you are doomed to failure. Enough of all those disappointments and self-criticism. Jennifer Shannon has been there and done that. Let her book liberate you from the tyranny of perfect. When you finish this workout, you'll get to unleash your creativity, your purpose, and your self-compassion." --Reid Wilson, PhD, author of Stopping the Noise in Your Head--Reid Wilson, PhD "Jennifer Shannon has written another nearly perfect book. In The Monkey Mind Workout for Perfectionism, she describes the illusion that perfectionism promises and the soul-crushing reality that it delivers. Take heart, though. Jennifer presents a path forward, filled with compassion, insight, and a host of activities that will calm any perfectionist's 'monkey mind.' I highly recommend it." --Michael A. Tompkins, PhD, ABPP, codirector of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy; assistant clinical professor at the University of California, Berkeley; and author of The Anxiety and Depression Workbook--Michael A. Tompkins, PhD, ABPP "Jennifer Shannon is back with thirty exercises to tame your inner perfectionist! From setting realistic goals and expectations to jump-starting those tasks you dread, she offers specific, concrete exercises with which you can compassionately rein in those habits of compulsive perfectionism." --Dave Carbonell, PhD, "coach" at www.anxietycoach.com; and author of Panic Attacks Workbook, The Worry Trick, and Fear of Flying Workbook--Dave Carbonell, PhD "Jennifer Shannon understands perfectionism inside out! Her engaging explanations and creative exercises are expertly designed and paced. Perfectionists are in good hands as she coaches us through daily exercises to help us learn to accept, and even enjoy, a less than perfect life." --Christine A. Padesky, PhD, coauthor of Mind Over Mood--Christine A. Padesky, PhD "This fun and engaging book includes thirty practical exercises designed to change the thoughts and behaviors that keep perfectionism alive. The strategies in this highly accessible guide are rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): a well-researched, effective approach for dealing with perfectionism. If perfectionism is a problem for you or someone you care about, I highly recommend checking out The Monkey Mind Workout for Perfectionism." --Martin M. Antony, PhD, ABPP, professor of psychology at Ryerson University in Toronto, ON, Canada; and coauthor of When Perfect Isn't Good Enough and TheShyness and Social Anxiety Workbook--Martin M. Antony, PhD, ABPP