[REVIEW] 7 Minutes to Freedom by Natalya Androsova, PhD

Title:  7 Minutes to Freedom: Simple Writing Meditations to Liberate Your Writing and Your Life
Author: Natalya Androsova, PhD
Publisher: Moon Books
Pages: 364
Publication Date: January 28th, 2021

Have you always wanted to take up writing or journaling but don’t know where to start? Have you been writing for years but are struggling with writer’s block? Would you like to learn more about yourself, make sense of your life, and reconnect to parts of yourself you've overlooked?

If you said yes to any of the above, this book is for you!

7 Minutes to Freedom offers a roadmap for writers and nonwriters to find their voice, embrace their creativity, and radically transform their writing and their life. It is for anyone interested in self-discovery, journaling, creativity, and deep spiritual insight.

What if you could let go of limiting beliefs, build a joyful daily writing practice, and discover your authentic voice and your authentic life?

Freedom is closer than you think. Freedom to write and rewrite your life. Freedom to write yourself happy, clear, and free. Seven minutes at a time.

With one hundred simple seven-minute writing meditations, this book will help you rediscover the joy of writing, build new daily habits, and embrace the freedom that comes with knowing you can write and live without fear.

Use the powerful meditations in this book to learn exactly how to:
• Overcome writer's block and develop your authentic voice
• Quiet your inner critic and build a joyful daily writing practice
• Abandon limiting beliefs and self-judgment
• Unlock your creative potential and change the course of your life
• And so much more!

If you're ready to make powerful discoveries about yourself and improve your writing habits forever, get your copy today and see just how far freedom, clarity, and inspiration can take you!

Thank you to the author/publisher for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. This review was written by Triquetra's Intern, Rael. 

The author skirts the line of over-promising benefits the way a lot of self help books do, but never crosses that line and that's appreciated. In fact she at one point stresses that the prompts she presents have no inherent power, the benefit is in what the reader writes in reply. The prompts are primarily but not entirely based on inner work, examining one's emotions and the like, but I was pleasantly surprised by a few that invited flights of imagination as opposed to introspection. 

The author is candid about her own experiences and bravely includes a section with her own responses to each prompt, a level of sharing that grounds the book - these aren't directives from on high, but a journey she went on and invites you to do the same. 

Author at several points, in one chapter in particular, assumes belief in a monotheistic (Christianish flavored) God, so be forewarned. Most other assumptions the author makes about the reader are more passive than I have found in similar self help texts, which often assume a gender or a certain level of privilege in regard to the audience. 

Definitely mostly geared towards people who are emotionally prepared for introspective work, but accessible and friendly to writers of all experience levels, especially first time writers. Absolutely targeted towards journaling as opposed to creative writers seeking fiction prompts.

The writing prompts I used myself, a random selection, were an enjoyable experience. Not life changing or eye opening, but certainly refreshing. Would have been a beneficial habit for me to keep up with steadily, speaking personally. Overall, would recommend, specifically to people writing primarily for mental wellness reasons at any experience or skill level.

Finally, I found that the author's language verges on pomposity at times but her candid willingness to share her own memories, experiences, and feelings ensures it never crosses that line

About the Author

Natalya Androsova is an award-winning writing and dissertation coach with over two decades of experience teaching writing. She has coached professional writers and university writers of all skill levels–students, staff, and faculty.

Her passion is helping writers become more courageous, authentic, and kind to themselves.

Through individual coaching, writing groups, and writing retreats, she has helped hundreds of writers to break through blocks and find inspiration, a more authentic voice, and a greater freedom in their writing and their life.

She lives in Toronto, Canada, and when she is not writing or meditating, she loves to play tennis, practice yoga, or sit by the water and cloud watch for hours.

WEBSITE

https://www.writingdissertationcoach.com/