Life in Gestures · Book 1
The Facepalm
Self-Help for the Overcommitted, Under-Rested, and Hilariously Human
Your mistakes aren't the problem - your reaction to them is. It's Monday morning. You've hit snooze three times, spilled toothpaste on your shirt, sent a “hey babe” text to your boss, and Googled “is being this tired permanent?” at 2 a.m. Welcome to being human. Population: literally everyone with a pulse. The Facepalm isn't here to fix you. You're not broken - you're just mid-upgrade. This is the book that turns your cringe into comedy, your shame spiral into a standing ovation for effort, and your worst moments into the stories you'll tell at brunch.
What’s Inside
18 Chapters of Guided Chaos
From the universal facepalm to career-crisis karaoke, from self-sabotage 101 to saying no without the self-loathing - every chapter tackles the real mess of modern life with humour that pays rent by funding an actual tool.
Sonic Interventions
Every chapter ends with an original 2 - 3 minute song written and produced by Naomi Shiels. Not background music - emotional reset buttons designed to shift your nervous system when you're spiralling. Emergency first aid, but with better bass.
The Facepalm Manifesto
Ten laws of human ridiculousness. Including: “Mistakes are not failures; they are plot twists,” and “Cringe is currency. Spend it on good stories.” You'll want this on your wall.
The Facepalm Manifesto
The Unofficial Declaration of Human Ridiculousness
Mistakes are not failures; they are plot twists. Shame is compost - let it rot, then grow something funny from it. Embarrassment is free entertainment; own the stage. Regret is optional; humour is mandatory. Cringe is currency - spend it on good stories. Above all: when in doubt, slap your forehead, laugh, and keep walking.
A Taste of the Chaos
“Be honest: did you pick up this book because your life feels messy, not flawless? Good. Perfect people don't need this book - the rest of us do.”
“You won't get flawless wisdom. But you will get funnier, lighter, and much better at telling the story of your own magnificent, chaotic life.”
This Book Is For You If…
- →You've eaten Pringles for dinner and called it a food group.
- →You've cried in the bathroom at work and then walked out like nothing happened.
- →You've compared your life to someone's Instagram and felt like you're losing a game you didn't sign up for.
- →You've whispered “I can't even adult today” and meant it with your whole chest.
- →You've ever needed someone to say: you're not failing - you're just facepalming your way through being human. And that's enough.
Part of the Life in Gestures Series
Life in Gestures is a 12-book series where every book is built around a single everyday gesture - and the survival strategy hidden inside it. The books can be read in any order or as a complete set. The Facepalm turns mistakes into fuel. The Wink teaches subtle influence. The Shrug drops what isn't yours to carry. One gesture at a time. Twelve books toward a life that laughs back.
See all twelve gestures →The Facepalm isn’t out yet.
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