The Little Book of Alpaca Philosophy

Author: Jennifer McCartney

Wise, kind, observant and gentle, alpacas are the Dali Llamas of the animal kingdom. Their days consist of quiet contemplation, empathy and sweet-natured interactions with their herd – we have much to learn from them. (Excerpt from blurb of the The Little Book of Alpaca Philosophy)

At first glance, these books appear to look like any other self-help books on the market, albeit a cuter and more simplified version for general audiences. As a university student, I didn’t see the point of reading yet another self-help book about how I should learn to relax or play more - however, after reading these two books, I was impressed by how relatable the book is to my current day-to-day lifestyle as a university student.

Out of the two books I’ve reviewed, my favorite would be the Alpaca Philosophy, as it teaches you how to juggle your numerous commitments and to take time to relax and unwind, something that I’m sure many of us students definitely struggle with.

The ALPACA Philosophy (CLIMB)

Check out of the situation

Log out and let it go

Imagine it the other way round

Meet halfway

Be kind

The Alpaca philosophy encourages one to be understanding towards others and themselves, and I think that as a 22-year-old in the current world today, it is a timely reminder to myself that just because I hold myself to incredibly high standards, it does not mean that I do not deserve a chance to rest and relax. 

It also features a wide array of inspirational quotes and cute alpaca 🦙 designs.

If you are like me, a driven 22-year-old with great aspirations for world domination (just kidding) but if you do have a great drive and aspire to succeed, then this book is definitely meant for you. Here are some great quotes from the book that I’ve found to be very helpful.

“An alpaca person takes the time to figure out what feels right and chill, confident. Because there’s nothing more liberating than being you.”

• Don’t be too in a rush to decide what you wish to accomplish in life! For many of us students, we are still on the precipice of deciding what we hope to do in life and this book tells us that it’s okay! 

“The higher a person’s desire for relationship visibility, the more anxious about a relationship they are.”

• For many people, especially those in romantic relationships, there is a tendency to want to ‘show off’ your partner, to constantly post about them - while this behavior is not inherently bad, wanting high relationship visibility would sometimes be an indicator of how anxious you are about your relationship. Secure relationships usually do not require high relationship visibility. Besides, sometimes its great to have private moments for you and your partner.

“Try some pronking! (Be proud of your achievements!)”

• Alpaca’s love to pronk! Which usually involve jumping on all four legs at the same time, it's very cute and usually they do that to show off. This book reminds you that while being humble about your achievements is a good virtue, sometimes it’s important to acknowledge your own achievements and share them among people who will be proud of you on your behalf. There’s a stark difference between being humble and being self-deprecating of your own achievements.

Interested in reading The Little Book of Alpaca Philosophy or the Otter Philosophy? Purchase them at NUS Co-op@Central Forum or here at 15% OFF*