On Being Human

A Memoir of Waking Up, Living Real, and Listening Hard

By: Jennifer Pastiloff, Lidia Yuknavitch - foreword

Narrated by: Jennifer Pastiloff

Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

An inspirational memoir about how Jennifer Pastiloff's years of waitressing taught her to seek out unexpected beauty, how hearing loss taught her to listen fiercely, how being vulnerable allowed her to find love, and how imperfections can lead to a life full of wild happiness.

Centered around the touchstone stories Jen tells in her popular workshops, On Being Human is the story of how a starved person grew into the exuberant woman she was meant to be all along by battling the demons within and winning.

Jen did not intend to become a yoga teacher, but when she was given the opportunity to host her own retreats, she left her 13-year waitressing job and said “yes”, despite crippling fears of her inexperience and her own potential. After years of feeling depressed, anxious, and hopeless, in a life that seemed to have no escape, she healed her own heart by caring for others. She has learned to fiercely listen despite being nearly deaf, to banish shame attached to a body mass index, and to rebuild a family after the debilitating loss of her father when she was eight. Through her journey, Jen conveys the experience most of us are missing in our lives: being heard and being told, “I got you.”

Exuberant, triumphantly messy, and brave, On Being Human is a celebration of happiness and self-realization over darkness and doubt. Her complicated yet imperfectly perfect life path is an inspiration to live outside the box and to reject the all-too-common belief of “I am not enough”. Jen will help listeners find, accept, and embrace their own vulnerability, bravery, and humanness.

“On Being Human is beautiful and tender, profound and absorbing. I never wanted to put it down. In writing with such clarity and honesty about her jagged path to becoming, Jennifer Pastiloff has told the story of not only herself, but so many of us. I was consoled by this book and also inspired. On every page I felt the presence and the power of Pastiloff’s brave and gigantic heart. This is a book friends will tell friends they have to read for years to come. It’s an important, enthralling debut.” (Cheryl Strayed)

©2019 Jennifer Pastiloff (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“In this candid memoir, Manifest-Station blogger Pastiloff transforms from a troubled restaurant server at a celebrity haunt in Santa Monica, Calif., into a yoga teacher and maven for self-discovery.... Readers feeling stuck in their lives will devour this inspiring story of a woman finding her way.” (Publishers Weekly)

“In On Being Human, Jennifer Pastiloff shares the story of how she left her 13-year waitressing job to become a yoga teacher, despite her fears about her inexperience. These days, she's a widely regarded and beloved speaker, and in her memoir, she tracks her inspirational journey from a life of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness to one of contentment, gratitude, and bravery.” (Bustle)

“I devoured On Being Human in one sitting - nodding, laughing and connecting from the first word to the last. Jen Pastiloff is a brave and vulnerable leader whose book will help people take a deep breath, recognize themselves, and understand each other. What more can we ask of a book?” (Glennon Doyle, author of number-one New York Times best-seller Love Warrior and founder of Together Rising)

“Jen Pastiloff is the only human ray of sunshine who could ever make me earnestly consider incorporating unpalatable things like ‘manifesting joy’ and ‘listening’ (UGH) into my life. This book is a treasure.” (Samantha Irby, author of We Are Never Meeting in Real Life and Meaty)

Listen, Laugh, cry, Listen harder

Jen is a real writer and a poet. Her chapters all end in a beautiful farewell, each with a line of poetry. She finds a way to leave me in my thoughts swirling about. I can’t wait to listen/read the next.
I am reading and listening to this book back and forth until I finish the whole book. It’s amazing and I keep thinking “What will she write about next?” I don’t want it to end.
Her voice is lovely. She is telling me what I need to hear. You’ll want to share it with everyone you love. Buy the hardcover too.

Magic

Jen P is simply an amazing person. Her words are thoughtful and thought provoking. Her story is a story of struggle both mentally and physically. And of overcoming.
I am so proud of this lady I’ve never met. I’ve followed her since she was Jennifer Pastiloff Yoga and have often recognized her soul as a kindred spirit of doing love. I hope you’ll chose to drop your I A and do love, too!

love. love. love.

loved every single chapter. i fell in love with you on Instagram, but your book solidified my love for you! thank you for sharing.

Beauty straight from the heart.

WOW! This book is incredible! Raw beauty and love can be seen and heard here, straight from the heart of the author, Jennifer Pastiloff. (side note: I also LOVE when the author narrates their own book! The reading comes alive in so many more ways. Thank you!) Thank you Jen for this book. Thank you for showing me your incredibly messy rollercoaster ride of a life. Thank you for your words of wisdom. This book, or at least the spots I have bookmarked, I am going to listen/read to over and over because the words go straight into my heart. I can feel the Love and the hug whispering Let go of your worries and fears. Embrace the I don't know. If you want to take that brave leap into a new life project or direction, if you want to connect deeper with your voice and community in order to experience connection and self love on a different level, then choose to let go, listen, and tell the truth. There are no guarantees in life. Be brave, Be bold. Be you!
Who are you to not be you?
Maybe you can be inspired to tell your story after listening to or reading Jen's story. <3

very interesting

very interesting and inspiring story, definitely learned some skills for dealing the inner voice that tries to discourage you

this book!

one of the most delicious and relatable books ive ever read!!! I loved everything about it and am not even a little bit embaressed to admit that i just finished it and am about to start reading it ..AGAIN!!

outstanding

absolutely incredible book. motivation and love!
I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone!

Awe inspiring ❤️

To know you aren’t alone in the world is an amazing thing ... we are imperfect humans and Jennifer reminds us of that through this journey with her. Reminds us that is ok. Forever changed after this journey THANK YOU ❤️

Easy to relate to human struggles and how to overcome what life throws at every human

So many lessons and nuggets of life wisdom sprinkled throughout this memoir. From the loss of a parent, living with years of self destruction, having invisible disabilities, to the beautiful creation of workshops that change lives and so much more. Inspired to always keep going, even if not always strong. Time for some rockstar and karaoke yoga in our lives✨

Absolutely THE Best

The best book I have ever listened to! The poet description of detail was raw, beautiful and powerful. Thank you!!