In Sit Down to Rise Up, mindfulness teacher and activist Shelly Tygielski shares her transformative journey of radical self-care and mutual aid, illuminating how these practices can ignite powerful social change and personal empowerment. Through stories and practical guidance, she demonstrates the profound impact of showing up for yourself and your community. This book is a blueprint for anyone seeking to cultivate resilience, compassion, and a sense of purpose in a fractured world. Discover how small acts of kindness can create ripple effects that lead to broader movements for justice and equity and how, despite the challenges we face, we should never lose hope or lose faith in humanity. Join Shelly in exploring how every human life matters and how together, we can rise up to build a better future.
Shelly Tygielski is a CNN Heroes-featured trauma-informed mindfulness teacher, self-care activist, and the founder of the global grassroots mutual aid organization Pandemic of Love. ShellyTygielski.com
Beloved comedian, bestselling author, TV personality, and activist Chelsea Handler lives in Los Angeles. "[Shelly Tygielski] is saving people's lives . . . and giving them hope."
- President Joe Biden
"A bid for awe over anger."
- TIME
"[Shelly Tygielski] is like a superhero whose special superpower is her heart."
- Arianna Huffington, bestselling author of Thrive
"Shelly has proved that one person can bring awe into the life of another, that we can all make a difference, and that asking for help is incredibly brave."
- Maria Shriver, award-winning journalist and bestselling author
"Shelly's story and her ability to take action will show people how much power they really have. Sit Down to Rise Up is for anyone who is ready to heal themselves and help heal the world."
- Yung Pueblo (Diego Perez), New York Times bestselling author, activist, and influencer
"Kindness can be contagious and [Shelly] proved that."
- Kelly Clarkson, Grammy Award–winning singer, songwriter, and television host of The Kelly Clarkson Show
"The writing is friendly and warm, brimming with energy, imagery, and positivity - and there's nothing fluffy about it. Indeed, this advice stands to be life-changing."
- Foreword (starred review)
"Shelly Tygielski is the real deal, a force of nature."
- Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, bestselling author of Wherever You Go, There You Are
"A road map . . . to what it means to give and receive love."
- Chelsea Handler, from the foreword
"Shelly is one of the great mindfulness teachers of our time, a captivating storyteller, and the epitome of what it means to authentically live a heart-based life."
- davidji, bestselling author of Sacred Powers
"This work of heart will change your life as it provides us all with a practical guide to transforming our selves from the inside out to create more collaboration and well-being in our shared world."
- Daniel J. Siegel, MD, New York Times bestselling author of Mind, Aware, and IntraConnected
"Through Shelly, we're reminded that our weary hearts are more than strong enough to love the world as we love ourselves."
- Susanna Schrobsdorff, former TIME editor at large
"This is a do-not-miss book for anyone skeptical of the idea of self-care. It will inspire you to show up in ways big and small."
- Busy Philipps, award-winning actress and bestselling author
"Shelly is making mindfulness and self-care more accessible to everyone but specifically for individuals who have experienced trauma. In Sit Down to Rise Up, she makes the important argument that the inner journey for each person must be connected to our actions and words in the outer world for true well-being to emerge."
- David Simas, former CEO of the Obama Foundation
"In this remarkable new book, Shelly illuminates the ways in which lov
