Bookstore Owner + NYT Bestselling Author Jenny Lawson on How to Be Okay When Nothing is Okay

·29 min·2 clips

Jenny Lawson found that becoming a number one New York Times bestseller only intensified her imposter syndrome.

Zibby Owens hosts Jenny Lawson, a number one New York Times bestselling author and bookstore owner, to discuss her latest book 'How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay'. Lawson explains that the book is aimed at people who struggle with traditional self-help, offering practical tips and humor. She delves into her personal experiences with ADHD, describing how fluorescent lights can be overwhelming and using pink noise to focus. Lawson talks about her imposter syndrome, revealing that even after achieving bestseller status, she felt increased self-doubt. She shares a story about receiving a negative trade review that initially crushed her, but later a positive review for the same book's audio version helped her perspective. Lawson discusses owning Nowhere Bookshop in Texas, including a touching anecdote about a customer leaving free books in memory of her mother. She explains how she uses Substack to post weekly doodles as a creative outlet and accountability tool. Lawson also describes reframing techniques, such as pretending tasks are for someone else to overcome executive dysfunction. The episode covers her approach to rejection sensitivity, including avoiding reviews and having a trusted person filter feedback. Lawson emphasizes the importance of creativity and self-care, comparing self-treatment to how one would care for a pet. She shares humorous moments, like misreading book publication dates and asking neighbors to snuggle kittens via Nextdoor. The conversation concludes with Lawson highlighting a quote from Shannon Hale about writing first drafts, underscoring the book's themes of perseverance and self-compassion.

As heard by us

Jenny Lawson turns creative survival and bookstore life into plainspoken advice.

Jenny Lawson's conversation on Zibby's show pairs creative persistence with the realities of living with mental illness and chronic pain. It also gives a grounded look at her bookstore in Texas, which she presents as more than a shop: a community hub with an online following, a…

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You get Jenny Lawson on reviews, resilience, and an independent bookstore finding its feet as a community place.

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