First Impression: Written by a veteran speaking directly to their peers, this book aids those that have seen combat with an abundance of positivity to strengthen their mental health.
Before I talk about this book, I want to take a moment to firstly thank John Davis for his service. As a veteran, he has seen combat through honoring his country. He knows only too well the scars that service individuals carry with them. Consequently, this book isn’t a vanity publishing. It’s not writtenn by someone that is exploiting a talent to create a quick buck. This book is borne out of experience and personal suffering. I thank John Davis for the Advanced Reader Copy he has gifted me, for providing an insight into his history, and for writing a book that will hopefully bring hope to all those that come after him.
John Davis is a veteran, so who better to reach out to other veterans and offer them a journal to help dispel their negative self-talk and associated demons. In his book 365 Days of Veteran Affirmations, John Davis provides a thorough, comprehensive range of positive statements that can be used how each individual sees fit. That said, Davis does provide his own suggestion for how to use them based on his own experience. He also gives a whistlestop tour of his history, and how the book came to exist having coached a peer, who went on to share the learning.
The book is divided into months, with each month having a word of the month to focus on. Each month is headed by a quote from a serviceman in held in high esteem. The chapters also contain a brief introduction. For example, January reminds the reader of new beginnings but dispels traditional resolutions. It then proceeds to list affirmations under a date. March focuses on leadership, and therefore speaks of these values. Other themes include change, courage, ambition, and resilience. At the end of each month, there is space to record reflections and monitor one’s progress.
The book is very well laid out and uses blocks of color to make it easy to locate where you want to be. Dates are in bold green font that is underlined, whilst affirmations are printed on mustard-colored blocks. Consistent spacing has been used throughout which gives the book an overall professional finish.
As promised, the book delivers affirmations that speak largely to the veteran community and often includes this title to acknowledge their former life in each of the statements being reviewed. Despite the PTSD that the target audience has/is suffering from, Davis doesn’t shy away from this or the effects. Instead, he asks his peers to embrace this, celebrate it, remember the good they have done for their country, and then to adapt these skills of serving others to now start serving themselves.
Although it is not a book for me personally, for a variety of reasons, I recognize the value of this book. It keeps the target audience and its purpose at the forefront at all times. It uses appropriate language and demonstrates a degree of respect and camaraderie. The book is also meticulously organized and error-free. All round, it is an exemplary text that should be shared.
Quick Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ / PG
Have your say: What is an affirmations you would like to share to help others? Feel free to drop your responses in the comments below for the Papergirl Community to discuss and ponder on.
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