Book Review: Checking In by Michelle Williams

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for the gifted copy.

Title: Checking In

Author(s): Michelle Williams

Release Date: May 25, 2021

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Genre(s): Nonfiction, Memoir, Self-Help

Synopsis:

“I need help.”

Those three words saved Grammy Award–winning singer Michelle Williams’s life. After decades of sweeping her anxiety and depression under the rug—even during her years in the spotlight with Destiny’s Child—Michelle found herself planning her own funeral. Realizing that she needed immediate help and could no longer battle her anxiety and depression alone, she checked herself into a treatment facility. When she came home, she was energized and determined to check in on a regular basis with herself, God, and others.

 Practical, engaging, and full of wisdom, Checking In helps us understand that

building walls around our vulnerability can hinder our healing; 
we need to reject the lies of anxiety and depression and replace them with the truth of God’s Word;
joy can be found when we release toxic thought patterns;
childhood wounds need to be healed;
freedom can be found when we forgive ourselves and others; and
a beautiful life comes from living honestly.
An uplifting, behind-the-scenes look at one woman’s path to healing, Checking In reminds you that you are not alone, and that God is not yet finished writing your story.

My Review:

Checking Is an honest and vulnerable self-help book that shines a light on mental health. Michelle Williams shared her experiences with anxiety and depression that will ultimately have the opportunity to help others including myself with their own struggles.

I am and will always be a fan of Destiny’s Child so I was eager to read about Michelle’s life. I liked that she gives readers a backstory into her life. It helps us understand how she grew up and how she grew into the person that she is today. It is refreshing to see her open up and tell her truth. Normally, we put celebrities on a pedestal assuming that because of their fame they are immune to everyday struggles but Michelle dives deep into her own issues to prove everyone wrong.

In this book, Michelle opens up about her childhood, her issues with feeling less than, and her struggles with anxiety and depression. She does even experience having suicidal thoughts. Something like this could break a person down, but Michelle gives credit to God and the concept of ‘checking in’ as her saviors. Michelle introduces checking in with yourself, God, and others as a way to help you live your most honest life. Like she says in the book a person that is depressed is probably the best liar. So, she explains why checking in can help everyone live a healthier and more positive life.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

I give Checking In 4 stars. I think this book will reach so many people who have ever struggled with mental health and insecurities. Her experiences are raw, vulnerable, and relatable. She introduces the concept of checking in to help individuals stop thinking that they are defined by what others think. This book provides times for reflection and motivation to help you realize that you aren’t alone in your struggles and remember that you have to put in the work to stay healthy in all aspects of your life.