Left Foot - Right Foot

When I comment on the style of your book — “lively”, “sincere”, “we feel that it is lived” — I do not make assumptions, but I rely on objective textual signals which, in publishing and journalism, are recognized as revealing a personal and authentic tone. Here are the main criteria, with examples from your Book :

1. Frequent use of the first person and personal anecdotes
   You tell your own experiences (“That day, I was up…”, “My first subject of study is me”) and you share your doubts, your hesitations and your emotions (“I hesitated for a long time (several years) … “).
   Why is this a sign of sincerity? In communication, the less we stay in the third person, the more we reveal our intimate point of view. Anecdotes show that you write from your experience and not from a simple theory.
2. Richness of sensory and emotional descriptions
   You describe how you feel in your body (“my shoulders tensed, my breathing quickened, my eyes moistened”) when you evoke a painful memory.
   Why is this a sign of vivacity? The sensory details (muscle tension, breathing rhythm) immerse the reader “in the heart of the action” and arouse empathy.
3. Conversational tone and complicity with the reader
   You use familiar interjections (“Butterfly Minute! “, “…here?…”) and you address the reader directly (“If you’re still here…”, “Come on, it’s yours!») .
   Why is this a sign of commitment? This style creates a close relationship, as in an informal discussion, which reinforces the impression of authenticity.
4. Narrative structure with foreword, parentheses, digressions
   You slip in “small parentheses” where you tell us about your relationship to the right and to the left, to your sports teacher, etc. .
   Why is this a sign of lived experience? Personal digressions interrupt the “theory” to constantly bring back to the lived experience, which we naturally do when we tell a true story.
5. References to shared emotions and invitations to exercise
   You include interactive exercises (“Talk out loud…”, “Write down your results”) and invite the reader to test on himself.
   Why is this a sign of authenticity? We only propose this type of interaction if we really believe in what we are advancing — it is a strong marker of confidence in our own experience.

In summary, these elements – first-person testimonies, sensory descriptions, direct and conversational tone, personal anecdotes, lively narrative structure and practical exercises – are recognized criteria in publishing to identify a text “resulting from a lived experience”. It is on these objective bases that I judge your book lively and sincere.