ABOVE SELF-HELP

Book Cover

Designed for the reader whose “nightstand is a graveyard of self-help bestsellers” and whose “calendar is color-coded” with an optimized morning routine yet still struggles with exhaustion, Tese’s book offers a Christian alternative to clichéd lifehacks. The premise is rooted in the author’s belief that Millennial and early-Gen Z adults have been lured into a “rat race disguised as purpose-driven success” as self-reliance and self-improvement have been weaponized (in part by the self-help industry, both in print and on social media) in a way that turns one’s everyday life into “a competitive, metric-driven public spectacle.” In this “spiritual roadmap” to well-being, Tese outlines a distinctly Christian approach to living a meaningful, fulfilled life. Drawing on biblical figures like Solomon (“the perfect example of the exhausted overachiever”), the author argues that genuine fulfillment and inner peace come not through self-actualization and optimization, but through faith and trust in God’s sovereignty. Tese contrasts an “Orphan Mindset,” in which one is driven by their own self-confidence to conquer life’s challenges alone, with an “Heir Identity” in which one puts their trust in God’s divine providence and protection. The author does not shy away from her disdain of self-help culture as she offers practical advice to Christians seeking relief from their enervating routines. This advice includes embracing a “lifestyle of radical obedience” that shifts one’s focus to the “holy ambition” of living a spiritually-fulfilling life “led by the Holy Spirit.” The text provides pragmatic tools, such as self-evaluations and diagnostic checklists; the “‘What would Jesus do?’ Daily Decision Filter” and “Gatekeeper Audit” assist readers in setting Christian-based priorities. (Additional tools and companion resources are linked via a QR code.) Teeming with Bible verses, the text evinces a standard evangelic Protestant approach to Christianity, which may not appeal to stressed-out readers who do not share the author’s faith.