Disappointing Affirmations

From the wildly popular Instagram account, Disappointing Affirmations hilariously counters the culture of relentless toxic positivity with a realistic take on a disappointing world where failure is always an option, but that’s okay.

Pairing lovely vacation photos taken by the author himself with sayings that are amusingly self-critical, encouraging, disillusioned, or all three at once, Tarnowski points to feelings commonly unacknowledged or hidden and spotlights them with humor, wit, and empathy. You can do it! But you probably won’t. But also: Be kind to yourself, asshole. Transforming and re-envisioning the material for print while adding tons of new work, this is the funny-because-it’s-true, sneaky self-help gift book for anyone who isn’t happy all the time and doesn’t feel seen in the whole “positive mental attitude” culture. Unfollow your dreams! IT REALLY IS OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY: People say, “It’s okay to not be okay,” but then it feels like they need you to be okay. This subversively funny book is the perfect way to remind ourselves, or anyone who needs it, that it's better to deal with our feelings honestly than fall into the “positive vibes only” self-help trap.

COMEDY FOR A NEW ERA: Wellness has been slowly taking a darker turn in popular culture, and comedy is no exception. From Inside by Bo Burnham to the absurdity of TV giant Succession, audiences are drawn to media that embraces discomfort rather than drowning it out. Disappointing Affirmations may not look very comforting, but not all self-care comes in the form of warm hugs and sunrise yoga.

FOR HUMOR BOOK FANS: Seeking a gift for the anti-optimist in your life? This one fits the bill for fans of satirical doom classics and self-help antidotes such as All My Friends Are Dead, Am I Overthinking This?, the Worst Case Scenario series, and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck.

THERE’S MORE: See also the Disappointing Affirmations Pencils and Disappointing Affirmations: 30 Postcards set. You won’t be disappointed. Perfect for:

• College grads, people entering the workforce, people who wish they hadn’t entered the workforce
• Fans of the @disappointingaffirmations Instagram account
• Anyone who isn't always cheerful and doesn't feel seen
• Fans of satire and sarcastic humor 
• Anyone feeling burnout, empathy fatigue, positivity fatigue, or fatigue in general 

Product Details

Free Local Pickup

All orders placed online are generally ready for pickup in 2-4 hours if all products are available at the pickup location you've chosen. If one or more of your items are out of stock at your chosen location, it may take our team 1-3 days to transfer the items. We will let you know via email as soon as your order is ready to be picked up in full.

You can see available inventory quantities per location on each product page on the right-hand side.

Local pickup is available at the Fircrest/Tacoma location from 10am-6pm Monday through Saturday, and 12pm-4pm on Sundays.

Local pickup is available at the Gig Harbor location from 10am-6pm Monday through Saturday, and 12pm-4pm on Sundays.

We will email you once your order is pulled, packaged, and ready for you. Simply call us at 253-328-4967 (FIRCREST) or 253-900-2132 (GIG HARBOR) when you arrive, and we will run your package out to your car. You are also welcome to come into the shop and pick up at the front register!

Shipping Information

Paper Luxe currently ships all orders via USPS or UPS. We strive to ship out all packages within 1-3 business days after purchase, with many of our orders going out next day, Monday through Friday. A few items we carry may require additional processing time due to size, weight, or other special handling considerations.

Shipping is currently being offered for a $7.50 flat rate to locations in the USA. FREE standard shipping is available on orders over $100. As we cannot control the reliability of the USPS or UPS, delivery by a certain date is not guaranteed. Most orders once shipped take 3-7 days to arrive. Please allow more time if shipping to Hawaii (current shipping estimates are 3-5 weeks). If you need quicker shipping to Hawaii, please contact us and we can provide additional options and costs.

International Shipping

We do not currently offer international shipping.

Expedited Shipping

If you have special circumstances requiring expedited delivery, please email us at customercare@paper-luxe.com, and we will do our best to accommodate your request. We can usually ship UPS or Fedex 2-day or overnight with additional fees.

Sales Tax

Please note that orders shipped within Washington State will be charged sales tax. Out-of-state orders may be charged sales tax depending on individual state laws and regulations.

Backorders or Unavailable Items

If an item has sold out due to overwhelming demand, you will be notified regarding the back-order status, and your order will ship when our stock is replenished. We make an attempt to email all customers with back-ordered items and provide an estimated ship date. You will also be notified if the item will no longer be available. If this should occur after your order/payment has been received, you will be given the option of a full refund or store credit.

Cancellation Policy

Orders may be cancelled after completing your purchase up until 11pm PST on the date of purchase, provided the item has not been shipped. If an order is cancelled after your credit card has been processed, a full refund will be issued for the order amount plus shipping and tax, if applicable. If you wish to cancel an order which has already shipped, upon receipt of the item, please refer to our return policy.

Lost Packages

Lost packages happen rarely, but they do usually resolve themselves within 1-2 weeks (if not sooner) in our experience.

Most times, the package is either still on the mail truck or was accidentally delivered to a neighbor and will be redelivered within 1-2 days.

Our first recommendation is to reach out to your direct neighbors to see if the package was delivered to them. If that's not the case, please reach out to UPS or USPS directly and file a claim for the missing package with your tracking number.

Stolen Packages

Please ensure the shipping address you provide is a safe and secure address. We are not responsible for packages stolen during transit or off your porch. You can file a claim directly with UPS or USPS for these incidents.

Incorrect Address

Paper Luxe will not be held responsible if the customer provides the wrong shipping address and the package is not recovered. If we need to reship the package, the customer will be charged an additional shipping fee even if free shipping was earned on the order. The fee will be equal to our actual shipping cost.