Run, Don't Walk

Every twenty something that I know should pick Dr. Meg Jay's new book The Defining Decade:  Why your Twenties matter- and how to make the most of them now.  I read the book in a 12 hour stint, purchasing the book late Saturday night and finishing it, after a morning of Father's Day breakfast and attending church, on Sunday afternoon.  And when I mean every twenty something, I mean every twenty something.  Twenty somethings who are nannies, yoga instructors, and baristas should read this book.  Twenty somethings who are grunt workers or entry levels at any kind of businesses, corporation or company should read this book.  Twenty somethings who are in graduate school, law school, or med school should read this book.  Twenty somethings should read this book, regardless of what they are currently pursuing in their lives.  Can I say this again?  Read this book!

The book is divided into three parts: "work," "love," and "the brain and the body."  Each contains anecdotes from the author's own life as well as from patients from her practice and experience as a clinical psychologist.  The book doesn't contain a guide about how to make choices that will make your life better.  The book informs you about the ways in which the choices you make in your twenties could impact your life, and how to make the best, most active choices for you.  This book does what a lot of self help books cannot do: it gives you a tailor made approach to fit your own needs and desires.

I recognized a lot of the passages in the book from articles by Dr. Jay that I had read in the NY Times.  Although they were tremendously insightful and interesting as stand alone articles, they were much more helpful in the context of the overall book.  Instead of feeling guilty about where I am in life, and guilty about the way I feel (lost, excited, anxious, ready, nervous, hopeful, terrified, confused), I left the book feeling reassured.  My feelings at this stage of life are normal, but I don't have to stop there.  There are positive things that I can do in my life that both allow me to enjoy my twenties and also begin building my future.

As I said, I feel as though each reader will gain a different insight into his or her life by picking up and reading this book!  Five stars.