It’s Okay Not to Get Along with Everyone by Dancing Snail (Trans. by Sandy Lee Joosun)
This self-help book has really been an eye-opener for me personally. It’s Okay Not to Get Along with Everyone was written by Dancing Snail, originally in the Korean language. It has been translated by Sandy Lee Joosun into the English language. This version was published by Blink Publishing an imprint of Bonnier Books Uk in 2025, and originally published in 2020 by the author known as Dancing Snail by Bacdoci Company Limited through the Eric Yang Agency, Seoul, Korea.
Cartoon-like comic book conversations
Sectioned up into three parts, this book has cartoon-like comic book conversations of a multitude of scenarios, of what a person would typically handle a situation when ‘trying to get along with everyone’, and then an alternative suggestion of what could be said instead. Although this book is 256 pages long, it is a very straight-forward and easy to read book, recapping every so often, so that the reader can make sure that they have digested the information correctly. It also has bubble captions at the end of situations every so often called MY TIPS FOR BALANCING HEALTHY BOUNDARIES IN RELATIONSHIPS.
Having been bullied in school, come out of my first serious relationship of nearly 4 years when I was 22, and having been and still am the black sheep of my family, I just want to shower people with love, and give them my all. It hurts though when I am rejected, or not treated in the same way that I would treat someone. As a mum of two, a wife and a human being with numerous medically conditions, I can give my all to everyone all of the time. Even if I continued to do so, people still choose not to get along with me. AND YOU KNOW WHAT…? This book has shown me that it is okay not to get along with everyone, but we can all be kind to each other, or at the very least civil in a friendly manner.
It’s Okay Not to Get Along with Everyone: the blurb
Back to the book, the blurb at the back of the book reads as follows:
“RSVPing yes to an event even though you don’t want to go; feeling drained responding to text messages; networking with colleagues that you can’t stand. You need to hear that it’s okay not to get along with everyone.
We live in an era of constant communication and obligation – messages, calls, meet-ups, events – and sometimes it’s just too much.
The No.1 bestselling author and illustrator Dancing Snail explores the necessity of maintaining a healthy distance in relationships, prioritising your needs and surrounding yourself with people you are comfortable with.
Whether it’s learning to say no, embracing solitude without guilt or focusing on personal wellbeing over pleasing others, this book serves as a guide for those seeking balance in their everyday interactions. Written in short-form chapters and with delightful illustrations, It’s Okay Not to Get Along with Everyone is a must-read for anyone looking to cultivate healthier and more fulfilling connections in their lives.”
I strongly recommend this book
I strongly recommend this book to people of all ages, no matter your circumstances. I am a happily married mum in my early 40s, but maybe a 70-year-old mother finally needs to say enough and life her life their way, or a 12-year-old boy starting secondary school needs to know that it’s okay not to get along with everyone. This would be just as useful to a young lady in college, a man in his 30’s changing career, a widower always having done what he was told, or perhaps like me you had a health scare that made you say enough. Whatever your situation, I bet that they’ll be at least some area in the book that will shout out to you and resonate with you.
We are here for a short time, we need to be happy and healthy, even if that means cutting or loosening ties with someone you love.
(c) Grace O’Reilly
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