Books

My own personal journey from severe anxiety to the other side.

Written from personal experience rather than theory, Finding Calm shares the thoughts, lessons and simple ideas that helped me understand anxiety, regain confidence and find greater contentment in everyday life.

This is not a book about complicated techniques. It is about looking at life, worry and happiness a little differently — and discovering that sometimes calm is closer than we think.

Inside, you’ll find real-life stories, gentle reflections and practical ideas that anyone can use — whatever life throws at you. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, anxious or caught in a cycle of worry, this book is for you.

My hope is that these pages will help you see that things can get better, and that finding calm doesn’t require changing who you are. Sometimes, a different way of looking at things can make all the difference.

How well do you understand the way you think, react and feel? And could a little more awareness help you handle worry and build confidence?

In this revised edition of Awareness, Stress & Confidence, Barry Taplin explores three connected parts of everyday life: understanding yourself, dealing with stress and worry, and growing in confidence. Through stories, questions and simple weekly exercises, he invites you to notice familiar patterns, question unhelpful thoughts and take manageable steps towards the things that matter to you.

Originally published in 2008 and revisited with eighteen more years of life experience, the book offers practical ideas without pretending there is one answer that works for everyone.

Read it at your own pace, try what feels useful and leave aside what doesn’t. Change doesn’t have to happen overnight. Sometimes it begins with one small step — a bite at a time.