Mythical Me - by Richella Parham (Paperback)

About the Book

Do you ever find yourself stuck in the comparison trap? Speaker and author Richella Parham knows what this feels like, often finding herself admiring one person's achievements, someone else's personality, another's skills, yet another's relationships or appearance. While there are no easy answers, Parham helps readers pick up practices that help us walk in the freedom of Christ with confidence in ourselves.

Book Synopsis

IVP Readers' Choice Award

Do you ever find yourself stuck in the comparison trap?

Speaker and author Richella Parham knows what this feels like. "I couldn't break free from admiring one person's achievements, someone else's personality, another's skills, yet another's relationships. And don't get me started on how I looked at other people's appearances," she writes. "I was haunted by the admirable attributes of other people, certain that I could never match their worthiness. No matter how well-intentioned the teaching or pithy the advice, I found that most of it didn't help me change my thoughts, feelings, or actions."

While there are no easy answers, Parham has identified cultural and spiritual myths about others, God, and ourselves that keep us trapped. From there the journey is a spiritual one. We can pick up practices that help us walk in the freedom of Christ with confidence in ourselves. If you've ever suffered from tortured moments of comparison on Facebook, in the office, or in the hallway at church, you'll benefit from this fresh perspective.

Review Quotes

"Mythical Me is a sorely needed corrective to our contemporary culture's obsession with constantly adjusting our personal and public image to fit hopelessly impossible standards. The wonderful news is that Mythical Me not only provides an accurate diagnosis of these soul-crushing habit patterns, it also guides us step by step into transformative ways of living and thinking that are eminently practical and life giving. I recommend it highly."

--Richard J. Foster, founder of Renovaré, author of Celebration of Discipline

"For years Richella Parham has been a kind and consistent voice of truth in my own life. Now her hard-won wisdom is available to anyone who struggles with comparison, inviting readers to find hope and healing in the circle of Trinitarian community. Mythical Me is a thoughtful blend of personal story and solid theology, and I'm grateful to Richella for writing it."

--Emily P. Freeman, author of Simply Tuesday and The Next Right Thing

"Have you wrestled with the thought, I wish I could be more like . . . ? In this beautifully written, deeply personal, much-needed book, Richella Parham plumbs the depths of one of the most subtle, soul-deadening practices of our age: constantly comparing ourselves with others. In an age of compulsive comparison disorder, this book is a must-read. If you feel stuck in the steel trap of comparison and long not only for freedom but for a way to embrace the fearfully and wonderfully made person God has created you to be, this is the book for you."

--James Bryan Smith, author of The Good and Beautiful God

"In Mythical Me, Richella Parham offers practical, next-step wisdom, all rooted in rich theological insight and offered with companionable, encouraging candor. If you're looking for some empty jargon and the illusion of a quick, easy fix, this book is not for you. But if you're finally ready to embark upon the slow, difficult, beautiful journey toward becoming yourself, you won't find a better guide."

--Carolyn Arends, author, and Renovaré director of education

"In a world where endless opportunities for comparison are delivered to us every day through our smartphones, we need this truth-filled book more than ever. Mythical Me will free you to see the beauty in who you were designed to be."

--Melissa Michaels, author of Dwelling: Simple Ways to Nourish Your Home, Body, and Soul

"The beautifully and poignantly written book, Mythical Me, is full of helpful, practical advice to meet comparison where it exists and conquer those feelings of inadequacy. I applaud Richella for her transparency, honesty, and gentle approach to this overwhelming challenge we all face."

--KariAnne Wood, author of So Close to Amazing

About the Author

Richella Parham is a writer, speaker, and the author of A Spiritual Formation Primer. She serves as vice-chair on the board of directors at Renovaré, and she is also the worship coordinator at The Gathering Church and a member of the Redbud Writers Guild. Richella lives in Durham, North Carolina, with her husband, Jack.