By Jamie Maletta
I’ve personally had a tough few years, and through therapy and soul searching, I really wanted to immerse myself in something good, something that would light my fire again. Finding Mallory Ervin’s Living Fully came to me exactly when it was supposed to.
Mallory writes this book from her own personal experiences of hitting rock bottom, and then committing to coming back to who she really is in order to begin living fully. This book isn’t a memoir but more of a commitment to help others who have found themselves lost after trauma, addiction, loss, or some other wrecking ball event. Its aim is help them rebuild themselves from a solid foundation. I have read more self-help/motivational books than I can count, and I can absolutely and confidently say: this one is different. THIS is the book I’ve been searching for.
Mallory has a way of speaking directly to the reader. She builds a connection through the pages unlike any book I’ve read before. Part 1 (chapters one through six) is appropriately named “The Wake-Up Call,” with Part 2, “Staying Awake” (chapters seven through twelve), really focusing on mindset and the work that’s going to be required. Lastly, Part 3 (chapters thirteen through eighteen) is named “Living Fully,” and guides the reader toward how they can achieve this life in a sustainable way. These chapters brought to light the things that I’ve been struggling with, and why I’ve maybe looked the other way or called them something they weren’t.
Mallory recounts her successes, her missteps, the coping mechanisms she was using, and the beginning of her road to recovery, all the way to living fully. She really gets into the nitty-gritty of things, and although she speaks of her own journey, somehow she’s written words that speak directly to the reader and their own struggles, regardless of what they may be. Her process is founded in faith, but spiritual or not, I completely believe this book can be beneficial to anyone on a journey to finding their true and best self.
This book could honestly be read as a three-part self-help program (and one I’d pay good money for). The things I was able to reflect on and work through surpassed all my expectations, and I completely recommend this book to anyone and everyone interested in something such as this. A 20/10 for me!