Valerie Bertinelli Shares How She Let 'Go of The Mindset That Made Me Feel Broken' in New Memoir

John Russo Valerie Bertinelli

"Enough already!"

This is the phrase Valerie Bertinelli said to herself after she found an old recipe box, filled with notes about the inspiring women in her family.

The Food Network star — who "judged herself harshly" for gaining weight or showing signs of aging — was reminded she needs to love herself as she is. So began Bertinelli's journey to self-love, which she shares in her upcoming book, Enough Already: Learning to Love the Way I Am Today. The memoir will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in January 2022.

"This book is about letting go of the mindset that made me feel broken and always trying to fix something about myself," Bertinelli tells PEOPLE in an exclusive statement. "It's the most personal, intimate writing I've done."

"I explore the things that I have gone through and continue to deal with in getting to where I am today — topics that I think will be familiar to many people — my relationship to food, being a mom, mid-life career changes, aging parents, saying goodbye to loved ones, and asking why the hell have I been so hard on myself for so long," she continues.

"I cover a lot, but ultimately it's about growing older, with the emphasis on growth, learning lessons and reminding myself — and hopefully those who read the book — that life is a gift and too short to waste."

In Enough Already, the actress and bestselling author not only reflects on her past, she shares advice and delicious recipes. Bertinelli's hope is for others to find joy in all aspects of life, like she has.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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This project isn't the first time Bertinelli has opened up about her complicated relationship with food and her self-image. In January 2020, she began an interview series with the Today Show addressing these issues.

Bertinelli started the series "because I wanted to lose 10 lbs. for my 60th birthday — and then it became much more than that," she told PEOPLE in May 2020. "It became, 'I'd like to lose the weight but I may never lose the weight.' How do I love me for who I am right now? Today. At this body. At this age."

"That means you have to do the internal work. I've been really good at covering it up and eating through it. It's just ... I'd like to be good at something else now," Bertinelli added with her signature laugh.

Vincent Sandoval/Getty Valerie Bertinelli and husband Tom Vitale

By writing the book, the star is continuing in her mission to inspire others who are also struggling.

"So many kind people have reached out to me, and said, 'I feel that way too,' it's overwhelming," Bertinelli told PEOPLE at the time. "It would be a gift to connect with people and hopefully have them feel good about themselves. Treating each other with kindness, starts with ourselves."