National Network for Equitable Library Service

From Dr. David Posen, the bestselling author of Is Work Killing You' and The Little Book of Stress Relief, comes a book about listening to your body, understanding your mind, and making better choices in your life. For over thirty years, Dr. David Posen has counselled patients suffering from severe stress, anxiety, and depression. Over that time, he noticed a pattern. As our lives have become faster and increasingly fragmented, many of us have become disconnected from our true selves. We've become round pegs trying to fit into square holes. And when we try to be what we're not, the result isn't surprising: we become unhappy, possibly depressed, and in extreme cases, burnt out. Using a holistic approach that combines elements of physiology, psychology, and philosophy, Authenticity teaches readers to identify, acknowledge, and accept their true selves in order to make better, more informed, and realistic life choices. Drawing on real-life examples from his experience in stress management, Dr. Posen has identified five common sources of anxiety and unhappiness: personality traits, time and speed, sleep, values, and passions. For each of these areas, the solution is surprisingly simple. We must learn to live in a way that is authentic and true to our unique selves; we must live in harmony with who we truly are.