Book Review: How To Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay by Jenny Lawson

If you haven’t read a Jenny Lawson book, what are you waiting for? I have been a fan of Lawson’s for years, so it was never if I was going to read How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay, just when. I absolutely loved, and own, all of her previous books. Once again she managed to make me laugh, think, and occasionally tear up—all within a few pages.

If you are not familiar with Lawson’s books, she uses humor and a lot of swear words, so if you are not a fan of bad language you might want to skip this one, to talk about some hard subjects.  She has been dealing with very serious depression, and anxiety for years.  In her books she gives us a glimpse of her life and how she has dealt with these issues.  One of the things I admire most about Lawson is her willingness to share the messy, uncomfortable parts of life with honesty and humor. She has a gift for reminding readers that it’s okay to struggle, that healing isn’t linear, and that sometimes simply making it through the day is enough. Rather than offering unrealistic promises or easy fixes, she gives us something much more valuable: permission to be imperfect.

I was fortunate that I was able to see and meet Lawson several years ago, when she was here for a previous book tour.  Due to her anxiety she no longer does extensive book tours but she does have a large social media presence as “The Bloggess”and if you follow her, she instantly becomes one of your best friends. That reference will make much more sense after you read the book. I have to admit that while I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it isn’t my favorite book of hers.  This book feels a little more like she was trying to make it self-help where her other books are more like listening to stories from an old friend. That being said I still 100% recommend this book to anyone(who doesn’t mind a lot swear words) because even a “not my favorite” Jenny Lawson book, is still one of my favorite books of the year.

In How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay Lawson is able to make the readers feel seen, understood, and just a little less alone. As someone who already appreciated her earlier books, I wasn’t surprised by her wit or her unique perspective. Her stories are often laugh-out-loud funny, but they’re grounded in genuine vulnerability. That balance makes her writing feel authentic and reassuring, especially during difficult times. 

This isn’t a traditional self-help book filled with step-by-step advice. Instead, it’s a compassionate reminder that you don’t have to have everything figured out to be okay. Lawson’s humor lightens even the heaviest moments, and her empathy shines through every chapter.  This book is set up a little differently from her earlier books.  Each section of this book is set up to give the reader some ideas of how to handle the hard times that we often encounter in life while weaving in some hilarious stories. I both read and listened to the audio book of this one.  If you are an audio book person, I highly recommend this as Lawson narrates all of her books. But be prepared to get some looks when you start laughing out loud while listening to this, you won’t be able to help yourself.

 Jenny Lawson has done it again. I closed the book smiling, feeling a little lighter, and grateful for another reminder that even when nothing feels okay, laughter, honesty, and connection can carry us through.