Open When...

Name: Open When...
Author: Dr Julie Smith

by Dr Julie Smith

Healing & Recovery

A Companion for Life's Twists & Turns

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Chapters

211+

Action steps

Minutes

PERSONALIZED

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Preview — Chapter 01: When you compare yourself and come up short

The central focus is on how constantly judging yourself against others can truly harm your happiness. It’s a very common human experience, but it frequently creates a feeling of not being enough, leading to sadness and a low opinion of yourself. The piece suggests a better way: instead of looking at what others have, try to see them as a source of motivation. Social media can make things much worse because it only shows a perfect version of other people’s lives, which isn’t real. The way these platforms are built often makes us feel worse about ourselves, and that’s a big problem. It’s important to recognize the negative beliefs you hold about yourself that cause you to compare. Then, think about how those comparisons affect your relationships. Instead of focusing on trying to be better than someone else, concentrate on your own goals and values, and practice gratitude for what you have. Choosing to compare yourself to people who are at a similar stage in life can also be helpful.

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Chapter breakdown

Chapter 02
When your friends are not your friends
Chapter 03
When you want to be less awkward around people
Chapter 04
When you feel unwelcome and want to fit in
Chapter 05
When you keep saying yes but you want to say no
Chapter 06
When you’re dealing with passive-aggressive people
Chapter 07
When your parents got it wrong
Chapter 08
When you get it wrong as a parent
Chapter 09
When they don’t love you back
Chapter 10
When they love you but you won’t let them get close
Chapter 11
When you want to win the argument
Chapter 12
When it’s hard to ask for help
Chapter 13
When your inner voice is your own worst critic
Chapter 14
When you doubt yourself and want to feel more confident
Chapter 15
When you feel overwhelmed
Chapter 16
When you hate who you’ve become
Chapter 17
When you’re scared of making the wrong choice
Chapter 18
When you’re short on willpower
Chapter 19
When you must perform under pressure
Chapter 20
When you’re overthinking everything
Chapter 21
When fear shows up
Chapter 22
When grief overwhelms you
Chapter 23
When everything feels pointless
Chapter 24
When you feel like an imposter
Chapter 25
When you have done something you regret
Chapter 26
When anger erupts too often
Chapter 27
Conclusion

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Open When... summary — FAQ

What will I get from the Open When... summary on Pustakh?

The key ideas of "Open When..." by Dr Julie Smith, distilled into a roughly 15-minute read across 26 chapters, plus 211+ personalized action steps built around your goals and an optional audio version.

How long does the Open When... summary take?

About 18 minutes to read the full summary on Pustakh, or you can listen to the audio version.

Does Open When... have an audio summary?

Select Pustakh titles include audio summaries you can play in your browser, and new audio titles are added every week.

Is the Open When... summary free?

You can read the introduction to "Open When..." for free. Full access to every chapter and your personalized action steps is included with a Pustakh subscription. New accounts start with a free 3-day trial — no credit card required.