Book Review: The Love Habit: Daily Self-Care Practices for a Happier Life and Healthier Relationships

Book Cover Images image of The Love Habit: Daily Self-Care Practices for a Happier Life and Healthier Relationships

by Rainie Howard

    List Price: $26.99

    Broadleaf Books (Sep 10, 2024)
    Hardcover, 174 pages
    Nonfiction

    Book Reviewed by Eryka Parker


    In The Love Habit: Daily Self-Care Practices for a Happier Life & Healthier Relationships, author and relationship expert Rainie Howard provides a guide to transforming your life and relationships through self-care and intentional habits. Each chapter is crafted around her LOVE acronym, which stands for Learn/Listen, Optimize, Validate, and Experience, a framework that supports readers in cultivating lasting change.

    The book is divided into three parts, each building on the idea that self-awareness and personal habits directly influence not only our own well-being but the health of our relationships. The first part, “Reinventing Yourself—Create the Life You Want,” starts off by outlining personality habits that enable pain and suffering. It also explores how to redefine your self-image and design the life you desire. The second part, “Habit Techniques—Think, Believe, Expect, and Become,” provides practical advice for building new, positive habits that align with your goals. Finally, Unlocking Your Discernment—Align, Execute, and Impact” offers insight into how to make impactful decisions and take action based on your evolving needs and expectations.

    Howard’s focus on identifying and breaking toxic relationship cycles, self-limiting beliefs, and building self-confidence sets her book apart from other self-help guides. She emphasizes the importance of understanding not just how we interact with others but how our actions subconsciously teach others how to treat us. By becoming aware of these patterns, we can take control of our relationships—both personal and professional—through clear communication, boundary setting, and cultivating self-love.

    One of this book’s key strengths is its lucidity. Rainie Howard writes with clarity and simplicity, making her ideas easy to digest and put into practice. The chapters within each part are straightforward and filled with actionable steps that encourage continued self-reflection and growth. The consistent use of the LOVE acronym throughout the book serves as a useful tool for creating actionable plans to apply the information to our lives and keeps the focus on self-reflection, growth, and improvement.

    Two chapters stood out to me the most: Chapter 4, which focuses on elevating self-confidence, and Chapter 6, prioritizing yourself at work. These chapters resonate deeply with me, offering significantly applicable lessons on creating the ideal version of yourself, manifesting the life you want, and strengthening your emotional intelligence. On knowing and understanding yourself, Howard writes: “When prioritizing myself became a daily habit, I grew to know myself. This practice enhanced my relationship with myself and built a strong foundation of self-trust.” Howard has an incredible ability to speak from a place of experience and wisdom that feels both personal and universal. Even when certain chapter topics didn’t directly apply to my current situation, I still found significant value in her guidance and perspective.

    I valued Howard’s approach to emotional intelligence, as she writes: “Instead of adapting to the energy that others give off, influence the environment with the energy you choose to maintain that supports you in a healthy way.”

    What makes The Love Habit a standout read in the self-help genre is that it avoids the common pitfalls of redundancy and recycled ideas. Howard’s writing is concise and engaging, making it a one-sitting read that I valued in its entirety—a rare occurrence for self-help books. Her approach to self-care and relationship building is holistic, covering mental, physical, and emotional health, and she speaks to a wide range of topics, from career goals and entrepreneurship to romantic and familial relationships, making this book a valuable resource for a diverse audience.

    Overall, The Love Habit is a powerful guide for anyone looking to positively shift their mindset and embrace the possibilities in their future, build healthier habits, and create a life that aligns with their goals and values. Whether you’re seeking to improve your relationships, find fulfillment in your work, or hone personal influence, this book provides all the right tools. I highly recommend The Love Habit as a resource tool to access and to revisit at various stages of your personal and professional development.

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