YOU-NICORN

A guide promises to help readers get out of ruts and start living more authentic, fulfilling lives.

At age 35, Vincent (You-Nicorn Journal, 2018, etc.) looked like she had made it, at least professionally. She had a six-figure job at the Oprah Winfrey Network, but her work didn’t excite her, and her personal and inner lives were the “equivalent of a stagnant pond.” So she embarked on an intense journey of self-discovery and self-help and was able to turn her life from ho-hum into something far more satisfying. Now, in her manual, she offers a crash course for others who are looking to change their lives but aren’t sure how or where to begin. Vincent freely (and refreshingly) acknowledges that many, including herself, are skeptical about self-help mumbo-jumbo and openly declares that “this book is for cynics.” But she nonetheless urges readers to give her monthlong program a try, tackling a single chapter and its accompanying action steps per day. Each short, easy-to-digest section focuses on a different challenge or roadblock, such as success, mental health, friendships, forgiveness, and meditation, and the daily steps are meaningful but not so ambitious as to be overwhelming. Rather than demanding that readers transform their lives overnight, the author suggests low-commitment but still impactful activities like writing down a situation they’d like to alter and brainstorming solutions or putting together a list of daily affirmations. The result is a sort of “Whole30” diet for life, a plan meant to jump-start readers on the path to wellness. The author’s own experiences deeply inform her spirited, offbeat work, which gives the advice an idiosyncratic feel—she delves into managing road rage, discusses “esoteric magic items” like talismans and “bath spells,” and explains how Dreiser’s Sister Carrie inspired her attitude about work. It’s a bit of a wild ride at times, but her sheer enthusiasm, combined with her quirky, conversational style and the volume’s charming, uncredited illustrations, makes this an enjoyable and often thought-provoking read.

A frank, funny self-help book perfect for those who view the genre with a healthy bit of skepticism.