In thoughtful, candid, and often funny vignettes, Hilaria Baldwin reveals the highs and lows and unpredictable outtakes from her different and not-so-different life.

There’s no set of instructions when it comes to navigating the challenges life throws at us. However, by sharing our narratives and finding our commonality, we can better deal with what comes our way.

After meeting her husband, actor Alec Baldwin, Hilaria found joy and purpose entering the public eye, where she sought to build community and connection with others. She also faced the challenges of the uglier, more toxic parts of the spotlight, living under a warped magnifying glass. Through the ups and downs, Hilaria leaned into wisdom and support offered by others, learning that optimism, kindness, and a sense of humor can put life into perspective. And additionally learning that we are not alone, that we are more alike than we are different.

In Manual Not Included, Hilaria writes about the relatable, hard-earned insights she’s gained from her experiences as an individual, a partner, and a parent—from feeling empowered, to having a fulfilling relationship, to being as good a mother as possible, all while still being a work in progress.

Within chapters about love, motherhood, and friendship, Hilaria offers up her candid stories around common themes facing women—from feeling like you’re too much and also not enough, to grappling with the expectation to be a “good girl,” and to striving for unattainable perfection. While there is no one right way to live, by sharing what we’ve learned along the way, with compassion and without judgment, we can each create our own perfectly imperfect manual.