Be the One You Need

21 Life Lessons I Learned While Taking Care of Everyone but Me

By: Sophia A. Nelson

Narrated by: Sophia A. Nelson

Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

From acclaimed journalist Sophia A. Nelson, the best-selling author of The Woman Code, comes a poignant, powerful, and revealing memoir providing life lessons that emphasize the importance of self-care, self-love, and self-understanding that will lead to freedom, healing from the past, and a better future.

Sophia A. Nelson is a highly accomplished woman. Yet following a bout with Covid-19, caretaking for a sick parent during the pandemic, running a business, and being a mainstay on national television as a political pundit and legal analyst on CNN, MSNBC, the BBC, and Sirius XM, she realized that she was struggling internally even as she maintained her breakneck schedule.

Like so many others, as an adult child of an alcoholic Nelson struggled with self-love and knowing her value despite her successes. As she came to learn, it was when she stopped feeling guilty and neglecting herself emotionally and started understanding the importance of self-care and nurturance that she found the freedom to truly live and thrive. Her message, Be the One You Need, reveals lessons illuminating for listeners that the answers we seek are always within us. Nelson’s call does not mean we do not need other people — quite to the contrary — but that our first love and our priority must be to self. Good emotional health. Good physical health. Good spiritual health. Good relational health. The earlier we can figure this out and take care of these basic needs — love, connection, faith, and success — the better chance we have of a balanced, fulfilled life.

In this thought-provoking book — at times sobering yet also uplifting and encouraging — Nelson speaks to listeners from all walks of life: young people just starting out; those at mid-life trying to wrestle with what she calls “your second life”; and listeners in their later years who still have time to forgive themselves and seek forgiveness where needed. Her purpose in this book is to encourage men and women alike to practice meaningful self-contemplation, self-care, and self-love.

This book is for anyone who is still fighting demons from their childhood. For anyone who has been hurt too many times to count. For anyone who desperately wants a roadmap to break free from toxic family ties. Or simply for those who need to be reminded that until you take care of yourself first, you will have little to nothing of yourself to give to others. As the old saying goes: It’s never too late to have a life, and it’s never too late to change one.

©2022 Sophia A. Nelson (P)2022 Recorded Books

Great tone and content

I really enjoyed listening to this book, not only was the content valuable, but also the narrator’s voice had a nice tone. I loved the anecdotes and I would highly recommend to anyone looking to do the work necessary to experience true self care.

Awesome Book!

This book has a plethora of helpful tips, techniques and insight. Sophia’s narratives as well as quotations and research from other great minds help us to shape the life we want and need. This life of self care, soul care, faith, and dependence on God and self empower us with the strength to be the one we need.

Inspiring me to care for myself on a higher level

My Grandmother used to say that a hard head makes a soft behind. It’s an old saying that talks about a persons ability to take correction and learn from wise counsel. This book is full of wise advice learned through the author’s experiences. The author shares so candidly about the lessons she has learned and I really felt like listening to her was like a conversation with a wiser big sister.
I had never thought about asking myself the three simple questions to check in with me.
It’s changing the way that I care for myself for the better.

Wonderful life lesson, especially for other influencers

I listened to Sonia Nelson’s book twice immediately to fully absorb what she is imparting by way of the willing heart and the over achiever. She is a gem, a book to keep on file for yet another read!

The most outstanding self help book I have ever read!

I have read a lot of books of personal growth and to me, this is the best I have ever read! I highly recommend this book to whatever season in your life, but especially if you are in your early 20’s!

Loved it!!!

I absolutely loved this self care book. I have listened to most of the chapters more than once. This book resonated with me in so many ways and I would recommend this book for anyone one on a self care journey.
I love the authors narration and use of scripture throughout the book. Her narration allows me to identify with her in many of the situations as I hear her voice in my head with advice and how she has handled situations. This book is a perfect gift to your best friends, girlfriends and family. I highly recommend!

Thanks for the journey

There is plenty of wisdom to go around in this book. I’m a Therapist and have recommended the book already before finishing it. I’ve recently become certified in complex trauma treatment. A lot of times there are books that can be a kind of how to during an after recovery and this will be one of those books that I would recommend. I like the gentle simplicity combined with a firm and somewhat stern set of recommendations. Once trauma has been addressed and the person who has experienced it can come to terms with the impact Of trauma on their lives they become very open to recommendations as to how to live a better life for themselves. I’ve always been curious about scripture telling us to love God self and other. Pretty much everyone as we grow up is missing one of those three elements. People who have been traumatized usually don’t know how to love themselves and this is a good book to not only learn how to do that but the rationale for actually doing it.

Perfect!

This I have recommended to so many people! It blessed me ! It is a good read and listen for both male and females.