Sunday 30 April 2017

Strip Naked and Redress with Happiness - Maria Hocking



Strip Naked & Re-Dress With Happiness is a handbook not only for surviving adversity, but for discovering how to thrive as a result. Maria Hocking’s own inspiring personal story is woven throughout the book, accompanied by ‘changing room tips’ - tools and techniques to help you understand your emotions and behaviours, and move through personal challenge. You’ll discover that ‘getting naked’ – losing what you used to take for granted - is an opportunity to let go of who you thought you were, and find out who you really are.

Enter the changing room to change your mind and your life. Maria is walking, talking, pen pushing proof that these tips work, because she used them to change her own life. Within every challenge lies a gift, just waiting to be discovered: this book will open your eyes to help you find it, and discover a higher level of happiness as a result.

What did I think?

I defy anyone not to be inspired by Maria Hocking's story.  Oh my word!  However bad you think your life is, just be grateful you haven't had to limp in Maria's shoes.  It was a rather sobering experience to read Maria's story as, at the time of reading, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself.  I just have to look at Maria's smiling face on the back of the book to give me a lift now.

Strip Naked & Re-Dress With Happiness, through excellent concise exercises, gives you the tools to be able to look inside yourself and go back to basics.  Just look at a child playing with an empty cardboard box and see how happy they are...take off your many layers of cynicism, negativity and self-doubt and go into the changing room to Strip Naked & Re-Dress With Happiness.

I'm not going to say that Maria's book changed my life the minute that I finished reading it as this is a book to go back to again and again, along with the resources available on Maria's website.  It has, however, changed the way that I think with simple exercises such as my favourite: random acts of kindness.  Have you ever noticed how contagious a smile is?  I've certainly noticed how contagious a bad mood is and, to my shame, I can see the mood of others around me changing to reflect my dark aura.

A sobering thought came towards the end of the book: "life is far too short to just exist" and if you take nothing else away from this book, take that one thought.  We only get one life so don't waste it by being unhappy, you have the power to change it with Maria's help, of course.

Think of Strip Naked & Re-Dress With Happiness as a guidebook to life and you'll live a much fuller, happier life by using it.  I know that my copy will be constantly within my sight and hopefully soon I will have a smile as true as Maria's.  Strip Naked & Re-Dress With Happiness  in one sentence: an enlightening quick read with huge rewards.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest an unbiased opinion.

My rating:




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