At the beginning of her memoir entitled Sober Yoga Girl, Alexandra McRobert shares how, at the age of twenty-five, she rushed headfirst into a marriage…in spite of the fact that it went against her gut intuition. This costly decision causes Alex’s mental health to decline rapidly, and she spirals to the point of wanting to end her life.
As we journey with Alex into the past to learn about the factors that led up to this event and then accompany her as she embarks upon a path towards healing and growth, we are able to experience, first-hand, how spirituality, broadening her perspective beyond the boundaries of the Western world, community and connection are able to provide her with the resources that she needs to become the strong, confident and capable woman that she is today.
Nevertheless, Sober Yoga Girl is so much more than just a memoir. As Alex explains in her book, she now sees “the purpose for the pain” that she “went through.” In sharing her story, it is Alex’s hope that she can accomplish a goal that Brené Brown so aptly put into words when she stated, “One day, you’ll tell the story of what you overcame, and it will be someone else’s survival guide.”
In anticipation of the release date of this phenomenal memoir on September 5, 2024, I wanted to take a moment to write about all of the reasons why I love this book, as well as why I truly believe that it will serve as that “survival guide” for others.
And so, what are the five reasons why this memoir needs to become a part of your book collection?
Sober Yoga Girl is relatable. It is the friend that you didn’t know you needed.
There is a moment in Sober Yoga Girl when Alex describes the kindness of a stranger that she encountered at a time when she was struggling with her mental health by stating, “[a]ll he did was walk beside me, but sometimes all you need is someone to walk beside you. It made me feel much less alone.”
The book, Sober Yoga Girl, is very much the personified version of this kind and compassionate stranger. By openly talking about her own journey with mental health, addiction and the deep-rooted impacts of trauma, Alex’s memoir makes any of us who have struggled with those same difficulties feel less alone. It makes us feel seen, heard, validated and loved.
Sober Yoga Girl works to combat the stigmas that surround both addiction and mental health.
Through the use of yoga philosophy, Alex allows us to view both addiction and mental health from a completely different angle than what we may be accustomed to if we grew up in the Western world. She bravely steps out of the shadows where she was “hiding in shame with [her] story,” and she shines a spotlight on it in hopes of teaching others that it’s okay:
It’s okay…
if you aren’t perfect,
if you have self-doubt, or
if you have struggled with conditions such as bipolar disorder, anxiety, or depression.
It’s okay…
if you can’t figure out how to moderate,
if you have formed unhealthy patterns, or
if you feel unloveable.
All human beings struggle, and all human beings suffer.
In Sober Yoga Girl, Alex shares about her current approach towards holistic healing and the practices that she has in her “mental health toolkit.” Readers can learn about the strategies that Alex has used to promote growth and healing and decide if any of them might fit into their own lives.
Sober Yoga Girl is an exciting adventure that allows us to explore places that we may have never visited before! Alex’s life is unique, and she has lived in many places around the globe. Through Alex’s eyes, we are able to learn more about the language, customs and cultures of individuals in places such as Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Bali.
Sober Yoga Girl is one-hundred percent authentically Alex! Quite simply put, to know Alex is to love Alex, and she has poured her heart and soul onto each and every page of her book. There is certainly no way that I would rather spend my time than to learn more about this kind and talented woman who is wise far beyond her years!
If I haven’t convinced you yet, then let me just end with these last lines:
Add Sober Yoga Girl to your bookshelf now! You won’t regret it.
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