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Beginning to Live

The Art of Existential Freedom

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Beginning to Live

Written by: Emmy van Deurzen
Narrated by: Emmy van Deurzen
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Brought to you by Penguin.

A user's guide to the everyday challenges of living, which looks to philosophy to reframe the way we understand ourselves and our relationships

How can we find our own direction and purpose? When life feels too much, is it possible to free ourselves from the concerns that weigh us down? Whether you’re in therapy or prefer to find your own way through life’s struggles, pioneering therapist Emmy van Deurzen offers a lifeline for rebuilding trust in the world.

Beginning to Live is a practical invitation to step back and discover what really matters by considering each of the four key aspects of our experience in turn: physical, social, personal and spiritual.

Harnessing over fifty years' experience, this book is filled with wisdom and moving stories that show how to deal with dilemmas and difficulties of every kind, so that even when survival takes all you have, you can rekindle confidence in your own abilities and revitalize your capacity to relate to others. It is not about a quality of personality or character, which you either have or don’t have, van Deurzen shows. It is about a way of being, which is available to each of us – enabling us all to find a more engaged way of living that is purposeful, deliberate and buoyant.

Your future is a work of art in progress. And it starts here.

© Emmy van Deurzen 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

 Emotions Movements Philosophy Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Self-Help Success
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Critic Reviews

One of the most profound and potentially life-altering encounters I’ve had . . . van Deurzen writes about helping people rediscover their existential courage in the face of life’s struggles and uncertainty . . . demonstrates a knack for distilling complex ideas into something easy to grasp and practical . . . She is interested in how we can cultivate meaning, courage and freedom despite or because of the suffering life throws at us, a process that begins with how we approach life, how we cultivate our inner worlds (Sophie McBain)
A refreshing reframing . . . interlaced with fascinating case studies . . . calls for a return to existential literacy: an ability to confront the fundamental givens of life without recourse to labels or premature or inauthentic consolations (Anna Katharina Schaffner)
Speaks powerfully to the lived experience of being in a body – its freedom, fragility, and change – offering profound insight into ageing, identity, and transformation (Kriss Akabusi)
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