Fawning - Dr Ingrid Clayton

Often mistakenly labeled as codependency, fawning can present as being more of who someone is: smart, generous, successful, funny, or beautiful, while for others it's about being less: vocal, ethnic, creative, self-assured, or boundaried. Fawning can be visible or invisible, it can take the shape of sex, money, or the perpetual emotional regulation of others but one thing remains constant: it is about finding safety in an unsafe world, often at our own expense.

Written by fawning expert and clinical psychologist Dr. Ingrid Clayton, Fawning will be the first of its kind, shining a light on this under-represented, but extremely important piece of the trauma puzzle. Clayton draws upon both personal and clinical experiences of the trauma response and provides resources and tools for anyone who has lost intrinsic parts of themselves by constantly orienting to safety through self-abandonment. This book is for those who want to finally lessen their shame about patterns that haven't served for a long time. It is for doctors, therapists, and all those in the helping professions who need to understand this form and function of how the body seeks to survive trauma. This book is for the cycle breakers who don't want to carry unprocessed trauma down to future generations or foster another generation of fawners who aren't entitled to the full spectrum of human emotion, shrinking in the face of what caregivers can tolerate. It is for those who have been told to read all the literature on codependency and still don't see themselves reflected. Fawning is for anyone who has felt stuck in relationships, longing for meaningful, reciprocal connections and most importantly, a true relationship to Self.

 

What did I think?

I knew I had to read Fawning when I answered yes to the below questions on the proof cover and it really felt like the book had been written with me in mind.

• Are you a people-pleaser?
• Do you avoid conflict?
• Do you tend to take the blame?
• Do you take care of others at the expense of yourself?
• Do you live in a state of hypervigilance?

Dr Ingrid Clayton is an expert on fawning as she is a fawner herself and she uses her own example and those of some of her clients to illustrate how you can break the fawning cycle yourself.

It's a long road to break a habit of a lifetime but the first step for me is recognising that I am a fawner and, more importantly perhaps, recognising when I am fawning.  The first time I actually stopped myself from fawning was a massive step and I felt really proud of myself as I would have definitely taken the blame for the thing that wasn't my fault before reading Fawning.

Interesting, accessible and understandable, Fawning is a well-written and engaging self-help book that could change your life.  Don't get me wrong, I'm still a massive fawner but I have definitely seen an improvement since reading this book.  If you recognise yourself as a fawner then you really do need to read this book. 

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

My rating:

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I Am Enough: A 90-day challenge to find contentment - Sheridan Stewart

Stressed by your spending? Always feeling like you should do more? Join Sheridan Stewart on an inspiring journey towards spending less, feeling happier and focusing on the important things.

What began as a 90-Day challenge simply to spend less, becomes an exploration of what matters most. I Am Enough contemplates what it means to have enough, do enough and ultimately be enough. Told with insight and humour, this book is an antidote to the constant pressure we are under to do more, have more and be more.

Busy radio presenter and broadcaster, author and mid-lifer Sheridan Stewart created the 90-Day Enough Challenge out of necessity. She had been struggling with burnout for years but couldn’t find a way to break the cycle of dashing about feeling guilty about spending too much, eating too much and not being a good enough wife, friend, volunteer, work colleague and human being.

Sheridan’s quest to prioritise calm, self-care and what really matters in life is inspirational. The practical programme which she has created is in three parts with a detailed timeline, tips and checklists for every step of the journey.

 

SURRENDER:

• The first part of the book is about surrender – learning to let go and strip life back to the essentials: getting enough sleep and support, utilizing what we have instead of buying more and doing enough without being sucked into the relentless pursuit of perfectionism. 

MAYBE I CAN BE ENOUGH?

• The second part of the book makes a shift from not only doing things differently but beginning to feel and view things differently. Even though to the outside observer, Sheridan’s life may appear the same – same job, same relationships, same environment – she learns to see life through a different lens. She begins to take small actions that better served her physical, emotional and financial wellbeing and shows the reader how to do the same.

CHOOSE TO MAKE THE CHANGE LAST:

• The third part of the book is about choice. As Sheridan nears the end of her 90-Day Challenge, she starts to explore implementing lasting change. As a chronic dieter and a driven over-achiever, she is aware of how quickly old patterns and behaviours can take hold. Why will this time different?

Over the course of this journey, Sheridan learns to trust herself, and you can too by following in her footsteps on a journey towards financial and emotional happiness.

 

What did I think?

This book is very well written with short chapters that are easy to follow and hold your interest.  Having, being and doing ‘enough’ is a simple idea but it makes a lot of sense and it’s comforting to know that you’re not the only one with a harsh inner critic that never shuts up.

I’m pretty good at saving money, but it was absolutely mindblowing to see how much money is wasted on coffee shops and restaurants; it’s ok to have a treat now and again but you can save so much money by making things yourself at home.  Yes, that’s a no-brainer but seeing Sheridan Stewart quantify it in monetary terms would’ve given me a cold sweat if I was someone who had a takeaway coffee every day.

For me, what I want to get out of this book is learning to accept that I’m enough.  There’s no manual for life so we’re all just doing the best we can but I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t want the elusive ‘more’.  I think just looking at what you already have is a really good philosophy as we waste so much these days.  I’m as guilty of this as the next person: my other half says I’m more thrilled by the purchase of a bargain than by actually consuming said bargain, that is likely to be languishing at the back of the cupboard six months after its best before date.

It almost takes the pressure off by changing the way you think, by saying for example: ‘I’m going to TRY to lose weight’ rather than ‘I’m going to lose weight’, that sets you up to fail the minute you step on the scales and put on 0.5kg so you might as well eat that whole packet of ginger nuts.

I’m really pleased I have discovered Sheridan Stewart’s I Am Enough book.  The small steps approach is one that is easy to follow and you really can’t fail, as you’re only trying after all.

My rating:

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Main Character Energy - Jordan Paramor

"You have to start romanticising your life, you have to start thinking of yourself as the main character" Inspired by the viral TIK TOK trend, MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY is the essential guide to unlocking your greatness and practising self-love.

It's time to harness your main character energy!

Stop overthinking and start living with this step-by-step guide to becoming that girl. You know her. The one who is confident, assertive and always the leading lady in her life. You already are her; you just need to unlock your potential and remind yourself of your self-worth.

This book will take you on a journey of self-development with tips on how to be a #cottagecorequeen - from creating your dream home aesthetic to finding your unique style, #romanticseyourlife - from spending more time in nature to planning the perfect day, and harnessing your #maincharacterenergy by learning how to be more confident and saying yes to adventure.

This book will give you the tools you need to put yourself first.

 

What did I think?

There are some wise words in Main Character Energy and although it’s aimed at 16-18 year olds, I found it quite inspiring (and I’m in my forties).

The book itself looks like something you might find in a bargain shop as it’s quite small (13.5cm by 18.5cm) and it has very thin pages that curl easily.  Presentation aside, it actually has quite a strong message, in fact several messages and I think many young girls will benefit from reading it.  I certainly wish I had named and banished my inner gremlin many years ago.

It’s a fun read and there are perhaps a few eyebrow raising, cheesy moments but if you just take one or two things away from a self-help book then it’s worth reading.  For me, I was surprised to find that having such a harsh inner critic is far from unusual.  I also have a few annoying habits that I have struggled for years to break, but I have (so far) managed using the 5, 10, 15 minutes rule mentioned in Main Character Energy.

I perhaps wouldn’t go so far as to say that every young girl should read this, but if every young girl who does read this takes something away from it then it’s a very worthwhile book.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Cabinet of Calm - Paul Anthony Jones

Open The Cabinet of Calm and discover a soothing word that’s equal to your troubles…

These are words to soothe an unquiet mind. To inspire our creativity. To encourage fellow thinking and community spirit, and to give us fresh hope. In essence, collected here are nothing but kind words, for these unkind times.’

For almost a decade, Paul Anthony Jones has written about the oddities and origins of the English language, amassing a vast collection of some of its more unusual words. Last year, doubly bereaved and struggling to regain his spirits, he turned to words – words that could be applied to difficult, challenging times and found solace.  The Cabinet of Calm is the result.

Paul has unearthed fifty-one linguistic remedies to offer reassurance, inspiration and hope in the face of such feelings as grief and despair, homesickness and exhaustion, missing our friends and a loss of hope.

Written with a trademark lightness of touch, The Cabinet of Calm shows us that we’re not alone. From MELORISM, when you’re worried about the future of the world and AGATHISM, when you’re feeling disillusionment or struggling to remain positive to SELF-SOOTHE, when you’re struggling to sleep and STOUND, for when you’re grieving, someone else has felt like this before, and so there’s a word to help, whatever the challenge.

What did I think?

I absolutely love Paul Anthony Jones' books and his new book, The Cabinet of Calm, couldn't have come along at a better time.  In this crazy world that we're living in where we are afraid to leave our homes without a mask and we have been separated from our loved ones, we can find a word for the myriad feelings we are experiencing in The Cabinet of Calm.

Grief, worry and sadness can make someone feel very lonely.  We have all experienced these emotions at some point in our lives and felt like we're alone in the world.  Knowing that there's a word in the dictionary to describe what you're feeling means that you're not alone.  Paul Anthony Jones, you utter genius!  Just that simple fact can lighten your load, so throw out your self-help books as this little book of words is all that you'll ever need in troubled times.

I was only a few pages in when I found a word for missing my family and I'm sure the majority of us are experiencing antipelargy at the moment.  In the current COVID-19 crisis, if you're feeling overwhelmed and worried about the future of the world you're not alone!  There are words for this!  We all tackle crisis differently and in the current crisis, although under the guise of showing my support to local businesses, I have been guilty of abligurition by  spending lots of money on belly-cheer (the word previously known as beer).

This book isn't just a list of words; along with its description, the origin of each word is explained and linked words are also mentioned.  It was whilst reading about dolorifuge, meaning to be overcome with sadness, that I discovered a word that wouldn't have been out of place on Blackadder: mubble-fubbles for when you're feeling down or out of sorts.  Some of these words may be hundreds of years old but I've already added them to my vocabulary as they perfectly encapsulate my present day feelings.

The Cabinet of Calm is an absolute tonic for these troubled times in which we find ourselves living; it's a veritable treasure trove of facts and stories to charm and delight the reader.  There is so much to discover within these wonderful pages that, even though I've read it cover to cover, I know I will be constantly picking it up and finding something new in this invaluable book.  Every bookshelf should have a copy of The Cabinet of Calm.

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

My rating:

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About the author:

Paul has a Masters in Linguistics and is a language blogger from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. His obsession with words began with a child’s dictionary he received as a Christmas present when he was eight years old. As @HaggardHawks he has tweeted obscure words since 2013 and now has a social media following of over 75k, including the likes of JK Rowling, Robert Macfarlane, Susie Dent, Richard Osman, Greg Jenner, Ian McMillan, Rufus Sewell, Simon Mayo, Michael Rosen and Cerys Matthews.

HaggardHawks.com brings together the entire HH network including a blog, books, quizzes & games, the 500 Words YouTube series, Instagram gallery and newsletter. He regularly contributes to the media.

BOOKS

He has written seven books, most recently Around the World in 80 Words: A Journey Through the English Language (hardback 2018); The Accidental Dictionary: The Remarkable Twists and Turns of English Words; The Cabinet of Linguistic Curiosities: A Yearbook of Forgotten Words and Word Drops: A Sprinkling of Linguistic.

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Live Happy - Bridget Grenville-Cleave and Ilona Boniwell

Part self-help book, part psychology primer, Live Happy features 100 pieces of advice on leading a life of contentment. 

A distillation of the latest research into happiness, this is a guide to the tools and strategies most likely to make you happy. Informative, factual, accessible, and scientifically rigorous, Live Happy gives the best available advice across a range of situations and activities that are relevant to our happiness. 

Advice featured ranges from simple lifestyle changes, such as taking up a new hobby and spending time in the garden, to more abstract long-term goals, such as improving your luck and putting value in experiences. Presenting recent psychological and scientific studies as practical steps for the reader to take, Live Happy offers the perfect mix of practical and aspirational.

What did I think?

A lot of work has gone into the presentation of Live Happy and it certainly pays off; you can't help but smile and feel relaxed just from the beautiful sky blue sunny cover.  Each page is either coloured or illustrated with clipart style drawings of what the section is about and I really think the presentation helps to inspire and get the message across.  Although I read this book from cover to cover, it is definitely one that you will benefit from dipping in and out of when you want some inspiration.

Live Happy sets out 100 ways to fill your life with joy.  Well, I don't know about you but I'd be quite happy with just a handful of joyous activities, so with 100 to choose from I really think there will be something for everyone in this book.  A lot of the ideas to find happiness are common sense but some of them are reminders of the simple things we may have forgotten.  We are all so busy with lives running at 100 mph these days that we rarely stop to smell the roses.  Funnily enough, that is one of the tips in the book: 'connect with nature' - spend more time in the countryside or your garden as natural environments help to reduce blood pressure and stress.

For me, the sections that resonated with me and became tips that I will take away with me are: improve your luck, think highly of yourself, relieve stress, forgive yourself, worry less,  learn to like yourself, learn how to say no and my personal favourite: enjoy a glass of wine.  What I love about books like this is that somebody else will read it and pick out a different set of tips to help and inspire them.

Live Happy has something for everyone, whether you need a quick pick-me-up or a reminder to appreciate what you have in your life.  I think that everyone who reads Live Happy will end up smiling at some point whilst reading it, so the book does indeed do what it says on the cover. 😊

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

My rating:

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Ikigai & Other Japanese Words to Live By - Mari Fujimoto

Introducing and explaining some of the most poignant Japanese words, Ikigai is a lifestyle as well as a language book. From the wistful poetry of mono-no-aware, a word that asks us to recognize the bittersweet transience of all things, to the quiet harmony of wa, which knits together all of society’s structures, this book is an introduction to the intricacies and value of Japanese phrases and concepts. It hopes to inspire you to incorporate these words into your own lifestyle and adopt a more mindful attitude to life’s stresses, seeking meaning beyond materialism. 

In addition to over 40 ‘words to live by’, Ikigai features musings on the place of beauty, community, time and nature in Japanese thought, teaching mindfulness by way of compelling haikus, and illustrated by Michael Kenna’s reflective photography throughout.

What did I think?

When I think of Japanese people, a sea of serene and smiling faces comes to mind.  After reading Ikigai & other Japanese words to live by, I'm not surprised that they appear so happy and calm with such beautiful, meaningful words in their vocabulary.

The book is split into seven chapters: Harmony, Beauty, Nature, Mindfulness, Gratitude, Time and Respect, with a haiku (a 3 line Japanese poem) at the beginning of each chapter.  I've never been a poetry lover so these bite size poems are more my kind of thing and I rather surprisingly found myself lingering over the words and savouring their meaning.  Before we even get to the 'words to live by' there is a little essay on each chapter topic, however, this went completely over my head and I didn't really get it.  It might make more sense on the second reading, as I'm sure I'll be returning to this book for inspiration.

On to the words, which is the essence of the book.  My favourite section has to be 'Time' as I often say that time is something you never get back and particular moments in time cannot be repeated.  There's actually a Japanese phrase for this: 'Ichigo ichie' which means a once-in-a-lifetime encounter; a moment that cannot be repeated.  It's rather fitting for me (being a lifelong tea lover) that this phrase is attributed to renowned tea master Sen-no Rikyū and I'd already made a note to source some 'salty plum tea' that made my mouth water in the essay on gratitude.

I love black and white photography so I was completely spellbound by Michael Kenna's breathtaking images.  The images, coupled with the inspirational words and phrases, project an aura of calm and enlightenment, making Ikigai & other Japanese words to live by a book to savour and return to again and again.

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Artful Eating - Karina Melvin

This book can change your life forever!

Rediscover the magic of eating for pleasure and enjoy a life of balance with the freedom to eat the foods you want without dieting.

Artful Eating will take you on a journey filled with stories, life lessons, practical tools and strategies all rooted in the most up to date scientific and psychological research. Learn how to reprogram your mind to lose weight and achieve the body you desire, by changing your thoughts, behaviours and approach to pleasure.

Successful weight loss is not about what you eat, it's about why and how you eat. We are missing the most vital ingredient in the weight loss battle: the mind. It is our mind that fuels every decision we make about food and by focusing solely on the symptom, the excess weight, we have lost sight of the cause.

There is no strenuous exercise regime, no food elimination, no strict meal plan, just powerful psychological tools and strategies which will create lasting change. You will be amazed at how easy it is to achieve the body you desire and truly deserve.

What did I think?

As a life long dieter, I am always looking for the next amazing diet book to be published.  I do always follow the plan and get varying results but one thing is constant: I always morph back into Miss Blobby as cutting out all my favourite food and drink just makes me want them more, resulting in the inevitable binge when I fall off the diet wagon.

So I opened Artful Eating feeling motivated and ready to try anything.  It wasn't long before I was nodding my head as everything Karina Melvin has written makes perfect sense.  Just making a simple conscious effort to eat half of everything is sure to make the pounds drop off.  As Karina says, the flavour and enjoyment is in the first few bites so if your body is crying out for a doughnut, simply have half of one and share the other half with a friend.  Your body will be satisfied and you'll feel good sharing too.

Any dieter will know that you have good days and bad days.  It's almost its own worst enemy; you have a good day so you reward yourself with a treat, meaning that you have a bad day.  This can sometimes result in falling off the wagon completely as you feel so bad that your diet has failed.  Karina doesn't encourage us to be good all the time, just good enough.  This completely removes the guilt out of eating so you can keep following the Artful Eating plan even when you have what traditional diets call a bad day.

I read Artful Eating with the purpose of reviewing it, so I didn't manage to complete all of the exercises which I think are pivotal to embedding this way of eating in your life.  I am definitely going to go back through the book to complete the exercises as Karina Melvin has completely inspired me to become an artful eater.  I have already begun trying to listen to my body and eat when I'm hungry - it's actually a lot harder than you think!

The hardest thing for me will be leaving food on my plate.  I think back to when we are young: as a baby being a 'good girl' or 'good boy' for eating everything and as a young child being rewarded with a pudding for clearing our plate.  We are taught from an early age to eat all of our food in order to get a treat, so no wonder so many people hoover up their meals as if it's a race.  This is going to be the hardest habit for me to break but I am absolutely determined to do it.

I love the way the book is set out in sections representing parts of a meal: starter, main course, dessert and digestif.  It really helped to instil the mindset that food is there to be enjoyed and therefore eating something you enjoy isn't bad.  Although she doesn't profess to be the greatest cook, Karina Melvin has included some amazing recipes in her book that I can't wait to try.  Some that caught my eye: four-bean chilli (I love beans and anything spicy), courgette cake (to satisfy my sweet tooth), kitchen sink brown bread (there's nothing better than fresh homemade bread) and mini scones (the perfect treat and super-quick to make).

For me the key things in Artful Eating are:

• Listen to your body and eat when you're hungry
• Respond to your body's cravings by eating what type of food you want
• Taste and savour all of the flavours in your food
• Halve anything you eat
• Always leave food on your plate
• Be 'good enough' and remove guilt from eating
• Think of quality over quantity when buying food

Artful Eating is not like any diet book I have ever read before; you really can have your cake and eat it.  It isn't so much a diet plan as a way of life that will change the way you eat forever.  Artful Eating is so inspirational and I have every confidence that this amazing book will change my life.

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

My rating:

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About the author:

Karina Melvin is a Psychologist, with an MSc in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy from the UCD School of Medicine, an MA in Addiction Studies and over ten years of formal training within the field of mental health, she has dedicated her work to helping people feel more at ease in themselves. She lectures in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in University College Dublin and practices from her clinic in Sandymount. Her first book, Artful Eating: The Psychology of Lasting Weight Loss, became a bestseller in Ireland.

Karina currently runs an online program ‘Artful Eating: At The Table’ (www.artful-eating.com), and hosts the Artful Eating podcast which is available to download from itunes.

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Boundaries - Jennie Miller and Victoria Lambert

A four-step programme to help develop self-esteem, create time to do the things that nourish and fulfil you, discover a deep sense of calm, and achieve healthy control over your life, home and work, co-written by psychotherapist and relationship expert Jennie Miller and award-winning journalist Victoria Lambert.

The need to understand where to draw the line has never been more acute, with new online trends seeping quickly into our consciousness often before we’ve had time to consider what personal boundaries they might require. Covering email etiquette, office politics, healthy parenting, dating among the over 50s, oversharing, relationships and more, there is no other book that deals effectively and practically with the embryonic and ever-evolving relationship codes of today.

Discover how to set personal boundaries in the most important aspects of your life: from sleep to fitness, diet to social media and computer usage, and build the self-confidence that results from learning to care for yourself. Then you can progress to applying that knowledge to all aspects of your life including work, home and relationships.

With anonymised cases from Jennie’s clinical practice, Boundaries contains exercises, motivational quotes, statistics, and clearly signposts when exactly you need to bring in the boundaries.

What did I think?

As someone who can NEVER say no, I was immediately intrigued by Boundaries.  Could this be the self-help book I had been looking for?  Split into four sections: Me, Myself, I, The Workplace, Love and Intimacy and Your Family and Other Animals, I found the first half of the book was more useful to me than the latter half.  The second half has a strong emphasis on family and relationship boundaries and although very useful to some, were not relevant to me.  For completeness, I read the whole book but I will be returning in future solely to the sections where I feel I will get some benefit.

My first eye-opening moment was the drama triangle and moving on to the winner's triangle.  This is SO TRUE!  I immediately found that I was mentally placing myself, friends and colleagues on my triangles.  So the book was doing its job already!  This is the main thing that I took away from reading Boundaries, how often I found myself on the drama triangle without even realising it.  I think once you recognise something, you can change it so this is absolutely invaluable for me.

Another priceless tool in Boundaries is the debating table: a chance for the real me to have a voice where nobody will shoot it down.  You're only arguing/debating with other personas within yourself, after all.  I honestly think that we are all multi-faceted: we put on different faces for our family, friends and colleagues.  What would happen if these faces got in a room together.  Who would win?  Which one is the real you?

Although there are blank pages for this very purpose, I couldn't bring myself to write in the book.  Looking back, I wish I'd made some notes in a separate notebook as I think this is really beneficial to the whole mindset of setting boundaries.

Boundaries has set a good foundation from which I can work on.  For me, the first step was recognising myself.  Now that I have done this and when I have REALLY looked at myself, I will return to the book and see how I can implement change.  

Although I didn't have a huge 'eureka' moment, Boundaries gave me something to work on.  It won't make changes happen overnight but it will definitely make you think through each situation before jumping in with both feet.  After all, what's the worst that could happen if you say 'NO'?  Try it and find out!  

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

My rating:

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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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BLOG TOUR: The Happiness Millionaire - Janet Jones

Get ready to be a Happiness Millionaire and change your life forever.

Are you struggling to reach your potential, believing there is more to life but don’t know how to change it?

Perhaps you are feeling unconfident, unfulfilled or even a little vulnerable?

Chances are you’re suffering from a poverty mindset, born out of fear. You’re not alone. In fact, I used to feel the same way. Like you, I was stuck, struggling with life. And, through discovering 13 time-tested life principles and creating powerful visual imagery, I discovered how to turn my life around and achieve a R.I.C.H life—

Relationships, Income, Confidence, Health.

In short, I became a Happiness Millionaire, and now it’s your turn!

Through my workshops, I’ve helped people just like you break through to a R.I.C.H. mindset and a fulfilling life. And now, the transformative power of the 13-positive images from the workshops are available to you in this book, to work through at your own pace. Take the journey they offer and move towards that worthy goal for which we are all striving: happiness.

What did I think?

How very brave of Janet Jones to share her story with us and I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am that she did.  It sounds easy but I think it is a difficult question to ask yourself - are you happy?  If you have to think about the answer, then chances are you are not.  I admit to being happy in some areas of my life but not so happy in others.  I thought it was my lot in life and just took what I have been given but this wonderful book has taught me that I can take back control and change the direction of my life.

As a born worrier, I recognised straight away that I am P.O.O.R., with a Poverty mindset and often feeling Overwhelmed,  Off-balance and filled with Regret.  I didn't even see anything wrong with this, thinking that it's just the way I am, until Janet started talking about 'desire'.  It was like an epiphany for me as I realised that I'm floating along on the sea of life, letting the tidal currents take me where they will, and settling for 'good enough'.  So what am I doing wrong?  Listening to my pesky inner voice, that's what!  How many times do you call yourself names that you think are harmless?  You go shopping and forget your shopping list - what an idiot, or you drop your bookmark and lose your place in your book - you muppet!  I didn't realise how often I did this and what makes it worse is that your brain can't distinguish between fact and fiction so it actually believes what you're telling it.  This was another eureka moment for me and further confirmation that I was reading a truly inspirational book.

The book contains 13 positive images that you are encouraged to look at for a certain length of time.  Everyone will see something different in each image and afterwards we are given examples of other thoughts and interpretations.  There is no wrong answer!  For me, the images are there to inspire, provoke and enhance and I loved the 'in a nutshell' section at the end of each part so that we can be reminded of the images we have seen so far.  I do feel, however, that these images wouldn't transfer so well to kindle - seeing them in full colour and having the ability to flick back to them when required was an absolute necessity for me.

You're not going to be a Happiness Millionaire by the time you finish this book; like anything worthwhile, it's not going to happen overnight but you can start making deposits into the happiness bank today.  I hadn't even reached the start of the inspirational images before I had changed my outlook and started to see immediate results.  

Truly inspirational and thought-provoking, Happiness Millionaire is a book to live, not just to read.  Only by putting the ideas into practice will you start to see results and hopefully, like me, you will start to see results before you even finish the book.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

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The Dear God Letters - Claire H Perkins

You are not alone. Not for one minute, not for one second do you ever need to feel alone.

This is a year's journal of letters, letters to God. Not the God that is supposed to be feared, nor the God that will strike you down if you do something 'wrong'. It's not a religious book. This is a book that will bring you comfort, serenity and peace in a crazy world.

Claire writes letters to God asking questions such as:

If love is all there is, why are there terrorists?

Why do I feel that I never have enough money?

Is there a heaven?

How to find proof of God

Is death the end?

Why is it so hard to be patient?

How do you fall in love with your life?

What do you do when you have eternity to live?

The answers are astoundingly simple yet they comfort enormously.....Fear leaves, uncertainty is banished and you are left with an understanding that there is no separateness, that you are eternal and much loved.

God is approachable and God is listening.

What did I think?

It is a unique experience to read what is inside someone's mind and I felt that Claire H Perkins has really bared her soul in The Dear God Letters.  It was a privilege and an honour to read her thoughts and it is a book that I would read and refer to again.

I loved how the book was written in months with each chapter starting with a little paragraph which perfectly captured the essence of the month itself.  The questions and thoughts within are deep and meaningful with some eye-opening answers from God aka Claire's inner being.  Whichever God you believe in, he/she lives inside all of us so we only have to look deep within ourselves for the answers that we crave.

I think I need to read the book again as it's quite short at 90 pages, and I did rocket through it, as I didn't feel that it spoke to me as much as Life Purpose.  It did, however, lead me to seek out my own inner voice.  Once I find it, I intend to listen to it and perhaps I will have the amazing experience that Claire clearly has.

It's not a religious book but whatever your belief or religion, The Dear God Letters will bring peace and understanding if you allow it into your soul.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon