Book Review: The Wiggle Way
This is a book review of Lilly Wang’s upcoming book The Wiggle Way: A Guide from Despair to Unf*ckwithable Joy.
To be honest, I don’t think I would have read this without seeing a snippet of the reviews.
“In a world where everyone is focused on “doing” and an effort-based approach to mental health treatment, “The Wiggle Way” offers a refreshing perspective . . . ”
“I have always prioritized my mental health, but until I read, ‘The Wiggle Way,’ I never realized . . . I am now free from the “self-care hamster wheel” and feeling more joyous and easeful than ever before.”
It made me curious what it was about.
I flipped open the copy, and read through the initial story. I admit: I didn’t care. Unbeknownst to me, something was softening in me reading even just that.
What Lilly presents is more than just a techique. It is a vibe. It is a vibe not so distant from a traumatic past as to never break into trembles remembering it. It is also a vibe not so distant from the lessons she learned to ever truly forget the unfuckable-with joy of being here now.
Reluctantly invested, I continued reading, trying to skim for the parts where she gives me a toolbox, only too prepared in some sort of self-prophesizing way to be disappointed by yet another “toolbox” that doesn’t work for me and leaves me feeling with yet another mask.
Yet another mask.
Lilly writes, “How can I write a strength story about triumphing over depression when here I am feeling depressed again?”
But that’s exactly the kind of person I wanted to hear from. I needed someone who’d been there and back, to dancing bliss, to long periods of just normalcy and back. Someone who could promise me a solution that didn’t work for the forever, but just worked for the periods that it did.
That’s sort of what Lilly did.
What follows is my chapter-by-chapter response to the book. May it inspire you to pick up the book, or write your own thoughts as it pleases.
TODO