For Matthew Emerzian, Mondays aren’t full of dread or fear – they are full of hope. Years ago, Emerzian found Every Monday Matters after having a mental health crisis on a Monday morning. To him, his whole world was ending, but what came out of those few hours was so much more: a non-profit working to show others how much they really matter. This journey has taken him to prisons and into conversations he never could have dreamed of, but that impacted how he chose to move in telling others You Matter.
Emerzian is a well-known motivational speaker, having delivered keynotes to some of the nation’s most recognized brands. You Matter is his follow up book to the idea that started it all, Every Monday Matters. This book walks readers through three phases of learning to love who you are. In “I Matter”, readers learn to see their own value, independent of others. In “You Matter”, Emerzian shows readers how to connect with those around them so that both sides feel valued. With the final section “We Matter”, he displays the value of community and network – something that is not prioritized as much in today’s world as it was even 50 years ago. This book is peppered with his personal stories of the people who matter in his life to hammer home these concepts. He ends every chapter with journaling prompts and questions to help readers apply what they have read to their own lives.
I give You Matter 5 out of 5 stars. It is not often I give full marks to a self-development book. Most of those we have read this year struggled to get out of the 3’s! This book delivers the message in way that feels less like someone yelling one-liners at you in the hallway, and more like a genuine conversation with the author. I put the journaling prompts to use right away and will continue to review them periodically to keep these concepts fresh in my head.
I would recommend this book for all audiences. There are light references to terminal illness and death, but are included in a way that is quick and respectful. I think this book would be most useful to readers in a leadership position professionally, or those who have struggled with mental health challenges. As I noted earlier this week, we have read several books recently that centered around mental health, including this one. I think books like this can serve as a refresher between scheduled therapy or counseling appointments, but, with all things health related, would recommend you discuss it with your health professional before beginning.
This book was actually recommended by my personal therapist a few months back. I picked it up, but with the horrible track record we’ve had with self-development books this year, I was in no hurry to read it. I wish I had been! This is a more recent release (2020) and includes some relevant historical events in the narrative. I also really connected with this in a way I haven’t connected with a book in a very long time. I usually sell or trade my books once a month to make room for new reads but have a handful I keep to reread in the future, or loan to friends. You Matter is joining It’s Your Ship and some really great novels on that shelf!
If you or someone you love is experiencing a mental health crisis, please reach out for help. The National Alliance on Mental Illness can be found at NAMI.org or by calling 988. You matter.
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What I’m Reading
- Current print book: Abigail Adams: A biography, Janet Whitney
- Current audio book: **taking a break**
- Book I’m most looking forward to: Triptych, Karen Slaughter
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