My First Book: Loving Yourself In Style

October 23, 2017

to Read (

Words)

Me with some of my lovely gym class students and a co-instructor at the private book launch

On 5th October and 7th October, I launched my book, Loving Yourself In Style. This is the 'secret project' I have been talking about in my previous posts and on my social media. It took me three years to write, edit and illustrate {it's filled with watercolor illustrations done by me}. Me and Nada, {my editor, publisher, and all-round hand-holder}, and I kept the book under wraps as it was my first book to write {and hers to publish} and we didn't know whether it would even see the light of day. So until it was actually published, we didn't want to announce it.

The book touches on many topics such as passion, education, career, fashion and style, health and fitness, {even my battle with anorexia which I have often found difficult to talk about}, and is filled with advice, suggestions, tips and tricks, and life lessons that I have learned over the years through the diverse things I do in life. Being a blogger, entrepreneur, and fitness instructor, I've had lots of experiences with different situations, and I've learned lots of life lessons by making stupid mistakes. {I still do!}. And being someone who actively chases her passions, I have seen my self-esteem and self-confidence grow by following my heart. All this has only been possible because of one thing- because of loving myself. And that's what this book {and this blog!} is all about.

Loving yourself is such a difficult thing to do today. Everyone else's social media makes you feel like such a loser. Even when you feel good about something you do, you don't feel free to feel happy because there are so many others who are unhappy and who find your happiness irritating or mistake it for showing off. Being 'dead inside' has become cool, and being happy and satisfied with your life is frowned upon. It's as if we're becoming allergic to happiness. But no matter how nonchalant we act, we all want to be happy. And I have realized that the best kind of happiness comes with loving yourself. This book talks about how I wasn't someone who loved herself, and how I realized that loving yourself starts with getting to know yourself, discovering your passions, and how being on that journey helps you to discover the Authentic You that you are.

The book is mainly aimed for women, but apart from the Fashion & Style chapter, the rest of the information is generic. Which means, yes, guys, you can read it too.

Here are a few photos of the two launches- the official launch at Jashanmal Book Stores which was attended by blog fans and members of the press, and a private launch for family, friends and my gym students, hosted by and at Revolt Fitness Studios.

Photo credits: Arif Feroze, and Amr Rizk from Layalina magazine.