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AUSTRALIA: IT’S TIME TO DITCH THE CYNICISM AND BUY INTO SELF-CARE

Announcement posted by Marie Skelton 01 Oct 2020

New book explores the science to help navigate the anxiety and stress of day-to-day life and a global pandemic

SYDNEY, Australia, Oct 1, 2020  — From the creators of the podcast “Happiness for Cynics” and just in time for World Mental Health Day, comes a little book of happiness, “Self-Care is Church for Non-Believers” (eBook ISBN: 978-0-6489180-0-4)

A decline in church attendance and an increase in overall scepticism mean that many Australians don’t practice self-care activities. Yet, we need to prioritise strong self-care habits more than ever.

Around the world, we're seeing a rise in loneliness, anxiety, stress and depression:

  • The Pew Research Center estimated that 52 per cent of working dads and 60 per cent of working mothers found it somewhat or very difficult to balance work and family life.
  • The 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer revealed that 83 per cent of employees feared losing their job, attributing it to the gig economy, a looming recession, a lack of skills, cheaper foreign competitors, immigrants who will work for less, automation, or jobs being moved to other countries.
  • The World Health Organization noted that depression and anxiety have an estimated cost to the global economy of $1 trillion per year in lost productivity.

Even worse, since the pandemic hit, there has been a dramatic increase in stress, anxiety and overall poor mental health across Australia.

“Quite simply, we have to do a better job of looking after ourselves, and the self-care activities we used to practice at church like kindness, service to others, and practicing gratitude are proven to help,” says co-author Marie Skelton. “People who no longer go to church are often neglecting the habits that lead to resilience, happiness and mental wellbeing.”

Let's be clear. This is not a book about religion. This book is for people who are looking for more… more happiness, more satisfaction, more contentment. Or maybe they’re looking for less... less stress, less pressure, less anxiety. 

“Australians are sceptics and cynics by nature, which means self-care has often been seen as self-indulgent or just fluff. However, the self-care interventions we discuss in the book are science-backed and proven to help build resilience,” says co-author Peter Furness. “It’s time we opened up the conversation and start prioritising our own mental health. This isn’t fluff, it’s science.”

In their funny and light-hearted way, authors Marie Skelton and Peter Furness break down misconceptions, discuss the science, and show readers the path to a happier and more fulfilling life. 


About the Authors

 

Marie Skelton is an Australian writer, speaker, and change and resiliency expert, currently living in Sydney. She started her career in journalism before working in public affairs and then specialising in organisational and culture change for some of the world’s largest tech and financial services companies, both in Australia and the U.S. Marie played volleyball for Australia and on scholarship in America, but following a motorbike accident overseas that nearly took her life, and leg, she began researching change and resiliency to find out how people cope with major life changes and why some people are resilient while others struggle. She is passionate about mental health and writes about happiness, resiliency and maintaining mental wellbeing at www.MarieSkelton.com

 

Peter Furness is the owner of Max Remedial and a qualified remedial therapist. He has worked all over the world with professional athletes, dancers, sporting organisations and medical professionals. Peter is now settled in sunny Sydney. His practice is influenced by his interest in Eastern philosophy and he works closely with Western, Chinese and Ayurvedic practitioners, approaching the body from the principles of classical medicine alongside Western-based science. Peter has practiced Ashtanga yoga for 20 years, currently trains in movement and gymnastics and combines these principles with his approach to health. Peter was also an award-winning contemporary dancer in Australia and in the UK. 

 

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Contact us for an interview or a free review copy of the book. For more information, visit our website at https://marieskelton.com/book/ or download our Media Kit from Dropbox.


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Marie Skelton

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Self-care is Church for Non-Believers

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-6489180-1-1

eBook ISBN: 978-0-6489180-0-4

Available from Amazon.com