Books
How to Cope with Grief, Loss, and Building Self-Esteem
Whether you are looking for ways to cope with grief and loss or seeking practical tools for mindful living and increasing self-esteem, this collection offers a gentle path to healing. From the compassionate insights in Slippers in the Attic to my guides on overcoming self-doubt, these books are designed to support your emotional well-being
| When Everyone Shines But You “This is the best book I’ve read all year. Very well written & jam-packed with profoundly useful advice. So refreshing to read a self-help work that is on the same wavelength as me for a change“. Is this it? Why does life seem so unfair? It’s easy to see others living our dreams. It’s easy to feel held back, misunderstood and invisible, but there comes a time in our lives when we just can’t take it anymore. This is when we need answers and the confirmation that who we think we are can change. The pain of jealousy and envy grew too much for Kelly Martin when she saw friends, family and strangers passing her by in every single area of her life. Feeling crushed by the weight of the ‘comparison junkie’ she cried out for answers. How could she feel good enough when she felt knee-deep in poverty and loneliness and when she carried a bag called ‘I feel like a failure’ on her back? ‘When Everyone Shines But You’ (Book 1 in ‘The Shine Series’) was born out of a desperate desire for relief from the pain of depression and anxiety. Kelly sat down one day and asked her heart for answers that her mind was unable to bring. She longed for wisdom and knowledge, and it came. ‘When Everyone Shines But You’ takes the reader through everyday life challenges in a way that shows how to handle life’s stresses in a kinder and more intuitive way. It’s not a fast-food approach to personal or spiritual growth, because it takes commitment to take this path, but sometimes life encourages us into the depths of our life’s journey. If you want change, it has to begin from within. READ AN EXTRACT HERE Paperback KOBO KINDLE eBook Smashwords Barnes and Noble iTUNES |
“I was going through some challenging changes and if I hadn’t had this book I would have felt I was on the wrong path and very alone. This encouraged me to keep going…”
Hiding is no longer an option.
Being seen, being heard and sharing your light with the world is calling you. Are you ready to take the leap into the great unknown, leave the stories of the past behind, and shine?
When Everyone Shines INCLUDING You (Book 2 in ‘The Shine Series), takes the reader on a journey through the highs and lows of learning to shine for the first time. From resistance to allowing the natural unfolding of life to take place.
Not everyone is able to go leaping into the spotlight easily. Not everyone has the confidence to shout from the rooftops, ‘Look at me; here I am!’ After many years of feeling invisible, feeling like a failure, shining is a huge step.
‘When Everyone Shines INCLUDING You’ will make the journey a more fulfilling and compassionate experience, revealing how your humanity holds your greatest gifts and how vulnerability is your greatest strength.
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‘When Everyone Shines INCLUDING You’
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More Reviews Including Editorial
“…This book is not for every person; this is more for those who have read other self-help books on self-esteem and faithfully followed the books to the letter with little or no success. Throughout the book, Martin explains why current self-help books do not help some who seek them out the most and shows you a different path – one a bit less traveled…”
“What an arresting title. When everyone shines but you. The bald honesty in that horrible statement, the humility inherent in shouting that to the world—that takes guts. Can’t we all admit to feeling that way at some point in our lives? Even if not out loud?..”
“…When Everyone Shines But You by Kelly Martin sheds light on perfectionism and shows how to embrace imperfections instead of trying to fix them. Refreshingly, Martin doesn’t tell us what we need to change about ourselves, but rather how we can learn to accept who we are, flaws and all. “The greatest gift you can give yourself is surrender—surrender to what is,” she writes…”
“Have you ever read a book that spoke to you? I mean, really spoke to you? I have just finished reading Kelly Martin’s ‘When Everyone Shines But You’ and I’m convinced Kelly was addressing me in every page! This book ‘allows’ you to be yourself, not what you’ve been conditioned to think you should be, just simply to be yourself…”
“I have been struggling and “stuck” for the last couple years. I did not know what to expect when I started reading but was astonished that it was almost an exact timeline of my journey and what I was experiencing, reasons WHY I was experiencing these things and tools to handle all the scenarios. within a few days my life has transformed as I have validation for what I have been feeling and confirmation that life is just changing and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.” ~ Jen, USA
| “I cannot recommend this book enough. It has a great feelgood factor and just came to me at the right time, whilst I was beginning to feel the only one that was not shining. I try to follow the law of attraction insomuch as staying positive, an impossibility for me, but this book by Kelly Martin talks to you as a good friend would, in that it is really ok to accept your faults and failings. Kelly’s style of writing is friendly and not blinding you with facts and figures and there are a lot of her personal experiences which all together puts it on a personal level and easy to relate to. There are 39 chapters, but it is an easy read and full of personal wisdom. One to buy and to keep dipping back into.”~ Susan “I loved reading this book. The author covers topics such as jealousy, rage and judgement, and that general feeling of ‘not good enough’. Typically, humans see these things as bad and try to change them or pretend they aren’t there. Kelly provides a way of looking at these topics with a deep level of acceptance, and allows the reader to see themselves in pure human form, warts and all, and provides an outlook on life that you won’t see in many self-help books, many of which do not delve deeply into the ‘hard stuff’ and provide a way through them….” ~ Andy, UK |
A compassionate guide for navigating grief—through poetry, reflection, and raw honesty.
Have you lost someone and feel like the world expects you to “move on”? Slippers in the Atticis not about letting go—it’s about learning how to stay. Written during profound personal loss, this guidebook offers gentle companionship for those grieving, with each chapter beginning with a heartfelt poem followed by reflections that speak to the unspoken truths of bereavement.
Inside you’ll find:
- The shock of early grief and the collapse of normal life
- The loneliness after the funeral, when others move on and you’re left behind
- How grief appears in everyday moments—unexpected, raw, and real
- The shifting nature of friendships after loss
- Gentle insights to help you make sense of your emotions
- Resources for support when you need it most
Kelly Martin, a British author and mental health advocate, writes with warmth and clarity, drawing from lived experience and years of advocacy. Her words offer solace without platitudes, making this book a vital companion for anyone navigating the unpredictable terrain of grief.
Perfect for readers of self-help, mental health, and spiritual healing.
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‘Slippers In The Attic’
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Books for the Soul
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“…When Everyone Shines But You is like a breath of fresh air when it comes to “self-help” books. Instead of a list of steps that need to be taken, or exercises that need to be completed in order to successfully change your life, Kelly gently guides the reader through a journey that she herself has taken, which focuses on accepting yourself as you are, allowing all those so-called “negative” emotions to surface and teach you something (as opposed to trying to get rid of them), and finding your own natural purpose and rhythm in life. I found myself nodding my head and turning down page corners (for easy reference) throughout every single one of the 39 short and easy to read chapters, because there were so many points which just made so much sense. If you’re looking for a book which helps you stop chasing unreachable standards and shows you the way to find your own purpose and joy in life, then do give this one a go.…”
“When Everyone Shines But You by Kelly Martin is not just another self-help book lining the shelf, telling you to think positive or obey the laws of attraction to get anything you want. This book shows you how being human is not only okay, but also a good thing to be. Kelly Martin synthesizes years of reflection and deep soul searching into a multitude of small lessons any person can use to do some soul searching as well. This book is not for every person; this is more for those who have read other self-help books on self-esteem and faithfully followed the books to the letter with little or no success. Throughout the book, Martin explains why current self-help books do not help some who seek them out the most and shows you a different path – one a bit less traveled.
Calling all Type A personalities, those who have to plan every minute of their lives or their worlds would crumble before their very eyes, and those who feel they are not worthy of having the “good” or “perfect” lives they imagined themselves having. This book is the wake-up call you need to stop what you’re doing and take a deep breath. You do not need to be in such a big hurry to get to the finish line, nor should you be frozen at the starting line long after the marathon of life began. Martin wants you to look deep within yourself and fully understand that everything will be okay, so long as you don’t have such a death grip on trying to control every aspect of your world. Your world will still be your world – you’ll just be happier in it by the end of When Everyone Shines But You.“ Ayrial King – Readers’ Favorite
Amazon Reader
“…Well it took me 24hrs to read this book, I had to put it down eventually to go to bed but picked it up the next day and finished it, Inspiring, accomplished, motivating, caring, expressive, are just a few moving words to describe how I felt reading Everyone Shines Including You, a marvelous read, this book should be in every doctors surgery it should be prescribed instead of tranquilisers as the book is a pill that everyone should take.
Well done to the author for writing such inspiring words.
Thank you Kelly Martin.“
SLIPPERS IN THE ATTIC
A Guidebook for Grief
Written during profound grief, Slippers in the Attic speaks to the realities people rarely say out loud. From crying on the kitchen floor to the weight of everyday tasks after loss, Kelly Martin gives voice to the inner landscape of bereavement with honesty and care.
Each chapter begins with a poem, followed by reflections on how grief actually moves — unpredictably, painfully, and uniquely for each person. This is a book for anyone who has lost someone and needs reassurance that what they are experiencing is human, shared, and allowed.
Available in paperback and eBook Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Draft 2 Digital