Be Kind to Yourself - by Cindy Bunch (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

It's easy to let self-criticism become our default setting. But as we learn to pay attention to what bugs us and identify negative thinking, we can lean into the things that bring us joy. Filled with spiritual practices and creative exercises, this book from spiritual director Cindy Bunch calls us to self-care through greater compassion for ourselves.

Review Quotes

"Be Kind to Yourself is a lovely gift of grace. I love that it is filled with practices to help act as antidotes for difficult times. This really is a sweet treasure to reach for when life is feeling especially unkind; it's guaranteed to inspire a new perspective."

"Be Kind to Yourself is one of those rare, triple threat books in Christian spiritual formation. One, it actually makes you want to do the work-and it is work-of formation. Two, it offers deep and wise and authentic counsel that is both ancient and current as it deals with life in our modern world of technology and social media. And three, it offers the right level of intensity-too difficult and we quit, too easy and we don't grow. We need this book right now. It will teach you not only how to be kind to yourself but also to love yourself rightly so you can naturally be a blessing to others."

"'The only true gift is a portion of oneself, ' writes Ralph Waldo Emerson, and this, to me, is an apt description of what Cindy has done in the book you hold in your hand. She has shared with us generous portions of herself-her own story, her honest struggles, and the practices that have helped her endure and find joy in the midst of it all. Since all of us have our own stories that include joy and pain, gladness and sadness, this is something we all need."

"'What's bugging you? What's bringing you joy?' With these two simple questions, Cindy Bunch, like an experienced mariner, masterfully steers us through the choppy seas of negative self-talk and disheartening feelings that we all know so well. Each chapter of Be Kind to Yourself is a testimony to an important insight: by responding to God's grace with classic spiritual practices, we can anchor our lives in a peaceful harbor resplendent with joy and free of frustrations. This is wise and practical spiritual formation at its best!"

"For some time I have been contemplating writing a book that would offer support for life's ordinary days. Now I won't have to write it because my dear friend Cindy Bunch has written an inviting, creative book of reflection and noticing. All too often we are focused on the highs and lows of life, which may be less than 20 percent of our days. But how can we enjoy the plain, old, routinely typical day? Thanks, Cindy, for inviting us to see and know the presence of God in the ordinary days of our lives and helping us to hold on to the 'unforced rhythms of grace.' May Be Kind to Yourself become a go-to for all who long to stay awake to the beauty and revelations of life."

"I sometimes say unkind things to myself that I would never say out loud to another person. We really do need to learn to be kind to ourselves as God is kind to us. Be Kind to Yourself is a beautiful and practical guide to show us how. Thank you for sharing your wisdom, Cindy."

"In her book Be Kind to Yourself, Cindy Bunch vulnerably shares her journey of surrender, and in doing so, she's given us a precious gift. Cindy generously and lovingly shows us how to listen to our own hearts and for the voice of God. Be Kind to Yourself is chock full of essential truths and insights, and creative, empowering, and practical tools. As a writer, counselor, and spiritual director, this book challenged and encouraged me to be more gentle with myself and others. I believe it will do the same for any small group, retreat, book club, or individual wanting to more fully embrace joy. This book is a treasure trove that you will return to again and again."

"Reading this book is like taking a walking tour of real life at ground level and making the surprising discovery that each day's prickly pokes and elegant graces are fodder for meaningful engagement with life and God. Cindy Bunch, in her marvelous book Be Kind to Yourself, shares her own story with candid vulnerability, stopping along the way to illustrate and introduce creative and livable spiritual practices. This book is truly a gem, and from an author who embodies its truths artfully and authentically. You will love it!"

"The beauty of Cindy Bunch's book Be Kind to Yourself is its simplicity and balance. With just two questions, What's bugging you? and What's bringing you joy? Cindy presents a daily framework for a disciplined but tender spiritual life. Be Kind to Yourself is both practical and confessional. An array of old and new practices helps the reader to mine and illumine those two questions. Stories of her own faithful but flubbed spiritual life encourage us to be gentle with ourselves in the challenging work of prayer and devotion. What Cindy offers is an honest, doable, and shameless way to connect to God and self."

"There is a sweet space where wisdom and innocence meet in the relationship between those who have given themselves to the rhythm of spiritual formation for a long time and those whose commitment is new. Cindy Bunch found it and then set the table for all of us to come together, using the same practices, to explore who we are in God and who we can become."

About the Author

Cindy Bunch is associate publisher and director of editorial for InterVarsity Press, where she acquires and develops books on spiritual formation. She is a trained spiritual director and lives with her husband in the Chicago area.