Be Bad, Better: How Not Trying So Hard Will Set You Free

'An anthem! A permission slip! Freedom to be us in full glory and messiness ... a fun and freeing read' Melissa Hemsley

'What a powerful, freeing, thought-provoking read this is. I let out a breath I hadn't even realised I was holding' Anna Mathur

You do not have to be good.

At some point, you'll have absorbed the message that being good is to be calm, efficient and tidy. Wise and well-meaning people offer to help you become worthy, to be positive and productive and to always say 'yes, I can!' But what if this is wrong? And what if some of the things we've been told are bad, are just as useful as the good?

Blending science, expert interviews and practical advice, here is the flipside of everything we've been told we should be - and how the bad parts are really not so bad after all. You'll discover:

- Why it's helpful to feel angry
- How it's counterproductive to always be productive
- How laziness can improve your relationships
- Why your body is, and has always been, absolutely fine
- How clutter inspires creativity and enhances your sense of place
- Why mindlessness is good for your mental health

Be Bad, Better is not an invitation to start misbehaving but it is about taking what you think are your worst bits and asking what they could do to serve you. Examining how society polices our behaviour and artificially constructs the good and bad, here is a thoughtful and eminently helpful guide to reassessing your ideas of success, embracing every part of yourself and being bad, better.

Rebecca Seal is a features journalist, TV presenter and author based in London. She has written cookbooks, appeared as a regular expert on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch, and written for publications across the board. She has been freelance for over 12 years and is the host of The Solo Collective podcast and author of Solo: How to Work Alone (and Not Lose Your Mind).