Note to Self | Book Review #3

If I ever write a book that tells whatever is on my mind, could it touch people's heart even the slightest?

For my third book review, is my first ever non-fiction book that made me fall in love with books all over again: Note to Self by Connor Franta. This book is filled with Connor's deepest thoughts, private life, poets and beautiful photographs.

First of all.
I FREAKIN' LOVE THIS BOOK TO DEATH. 
It's all I would ever ask for in nonfictions.
Anxiety related topics? Checked.
Beautiful appearance? Checked.
Relatable contents? Checked.
Poetries that are easy to comprehend? Checked.
Make you look back, reflect, and wanting to do something in your life? Checked.
A Hard cover that is pink? Hell checked.

Well, he's different. Connor's different. But when I read this, it makes me think that it's really that okay to be different. Difference makes us beautiful. Even made me think that how our society informally creates 'rules' where people has to be the same with each other, that's where defect lies. We don't have to act like other people. It doesn't have to be pulled by bystander effects wherever we go. We are free to do whatever we want, like going somewhere and not being asked about going there alone would make them think that you're antisocial or something? How about not wanting to spend the day with other people on weekends just because you don't want to, but they wouldn't accept such reason because that means you're arrogant?

Everyone struggles. With each and their own problems and fears. There's always something that we can never share with others, no matter how close you are to them. And I have one too.
So what are going to do about it?
We do nothing. We accept them, and we confront them.
The point is, the book tells me (us) to reconcile with your past, no matter how hurtful it was. It might have shaped us the way we don't want it to be, but it's still never too late to reshape our future.

"In a world that appears to indulge in negativity, I find we need to do our best to share the good."

It's the one line that I really love and perfectly relatable with societies nowadays. There will always someone who buries some kind of feelings or sadness and carries them around, pretending that everything's okay and nothing needs fixing. I've been there too, and the mere reason I'm keeping them with me is because we're not used to maintain our mental health, let alone other's. When we choose to not pretending that everything's perfect, there will be someone out there who thinks that we're a downer and not fun to be with. That's why I chose to make everything seems perfect, and hoping that someone else will lighten up my struggles by doing good deeds to me. It's as simple as not judging and not forcing me to do things I don't want to.Or telling me that everything's going to be okay. Or telling me that I wear nice clothes.


This book also encourages me to travel more, and just... enjoy life. After 22 years of living, doing been-there-done-that routines, and the same old worries like finishing my studies and working on college homeworks, I can't even differentiate between living and existing. I want to feel alive again. Travel more. See the world more.

There's this nice words from page 15 that I will never get tired of:
"This will emerge as one of the more memorable moments of my life so far, and I'm not really sure why. Maybe it's because I had eagerly anticipated what my happy place would feel like, and it exceeded all expectations. Maybe it was a simple, soulful moment that required no internal editing or filtering, no explanation. Or maybe it was a moment of pure joy that, deep down, I needed to feel alive again after going through some of the hardest months of my adult life. I'm not sure. But what I do know is the time I spent on that hilltop -- roughly for two hours -- flew by and left me wanting more. More time alone. More of these magical moments. More time to reflect. More time to appreciate the natural good in the world.
I went up there alone, empty-handed. I left alone, but walked away with a unique memory no one else will have; it was mine and mine alone to treasure. That's so special to me. As I grow older, I wish for more of these snapshots of joy, to be able to string them together into a long line of happiness. To remember how life should feel. To remember to take time out by myself and appreciate both my own company and the world around me. The world is filled with happy places, but sometimes I forget to look for them or fail to see that I'm already in a happy place."

Whatever struggles or problems you may face, don't forget that you are never alone in this world. It's just life. It's our job to make it right and make the full out of it.

Cheers, 4.5/5*