The former U.S. First Lady announced The Light We Carry the follow-up to her 2018 best-selling memoir Becoming on Thursday. Obama explained in an Instagram video that the book came about while she was reflecting on how to keep herself centred in a world filled with so much uncertainty. She is now sharing with readers the perspectives and practices that have helped keep her calm "even during times of high anxiety and stress". In the accompanying caption, she wrote, "This book is a collection of stories and practices that have helped me sort through all the challenges...”