Antidote for the overwhelmed
933539
As a self-professed control freak, what I like most about this book is revealed in the title.  Indeed, there are checklists galore, designed to help the reader master everything from college selection to move-in to the pursuit of an internship.  I suspect many people will use Ms. Muchnick's lists as templates which they can customize to include the particulars they find most important.  In a time when the mention of the word "college" can strike a student or family with a sense of overwhelm, Ms. Muchnick has produced a tool for harnessing that nervous energy into productive and meaningful personal progress.
2277907
My husband of 53 years got up one morning, passed out and died right in front of my eyes and in less time than it takes to tell about it. I fluctuated between shock and devastation, not able to wrap my mind around what had just happened. Since I couldn't find a grief recovery group close by--and since I'd been advised not to drive because I was too mind-blown to be safe on the road--I began purchasing books on grief. Book after book after book. For the most part, I wandered around my house crying, yelling at the ceiling, and trying to come to terms with the path I would now have to walk. Being a Christian, I wanted godly advice, godly reasoning, and godly principles. About a year after my husband's passing, I discovered Stunned By Grief and purchased it. This book helped save my sanity and helped me decide that I no longer wished to die, but to continue my walk with grief, knowing God would be with me every step of the way. I wish I'd discovered this book sooner. I could have saved my sanity and a lot of money that I put out for non-helpful books. It is now barely two years since I've been widowed and when grief blindsides me, I get out my well-worn Stunned By Grief and start reading again. Thank you, Judy. I know you learned what you wrote here the hard way.
4949465
"Life-changing" is not an overstatement. This book is a thoroughly helpful guide to living a low-stress, clutter-free life. My home will never be the same. Thank you, Marie!
1746410
This is the first time I have every written a review on Amazon, but I feel compelled.  I am relatively certain that many folks are looking for some encouragement after dealing with a diagnosis and the pain and fear that ensues. This book started me on my journey to wellness after being diagnosed with RA last April.  I have done quite a bit of reading, both in book form and online and have reviewed many YouTube videos on point, as I am sure many of you have.  This book, along with "The Infection Connection" and "Biological Medicine: the Future of Natural Healing" gave me hope and a call to action.  I thank the author profusely and feel that her work comes from a place of compassion and a desire to heal others. I understand there are profit motives involved in publishing books and selling supplements, but for me this book came at a pivotal time in my life and started me on a journey toward healing.  I admit feeling quite overwhelmed after reading this book and the other two I mentioned above. Overwhelmed to the point of tears, truth be told. But instinctively, I deeply believe in the body's ability to heal and I felt I needed to take all necessary steps.  I started with gut health and changing my diet.  I immediately lost 60 unwanted pounds over the course of six months.  I personally did not notice any particular food causing my symptoms, but since my weight loss was so dramatic after years of wondering why I could not lose weight, I have stayed off gluten, dairy, sugar and caffeine.  It has been a year and I do not miss these things, except for the obvious convenience of eating them since we are completely surrounded by these "food" items.  Because I was so overwhelmed with all of the possible underlying causes, I pursued treatment by functional and biological medicine doctors.  I was diagnosed with heavy metal toxicity - mercury, lead, cadmium, aluminum, etcetera. My biological medicine practitioner told me that mercury also causes intestinal permeability. I tested positive for leaky gut as well. My treatments include the dietary protocol outlined in this book, with supplements, and chelation therapy supervised by a functional medicine physician.  My traditional rheumatologist believes that there is a lot to the intestinal permeability theory, so that was also reassuring.  After one year of the dietary protocol and about three months of chelation treatments, my symptoms have dissipated considerably.  I hiked a portion of the Bright Angel Trail at Grand Canyon this week with no issues!  My rheumatologist plans to reduce my medication by 50% at my next follow up.  Be persistent in your healing journey.  Only you can make you well.
3248147
I immediately started employing some of the strategies outlined in this book and I feel less stressed, but more strategic and purposeful.  Worth reading if you feel overwhelmed and feel you don't get to accomplish what you are truly passionate about.
4049966
I have been treated for depression, dysthemia, and anxiety for over 20 years. While reading Sandra Felton's Messies Manual (a book I never managed to finish) I was surprised to learn that people like me who are messy and yet overwhelmed by the clutter in my life, may have A.D.D. I mentioned it to my therapist, and she recommended Sari Solden's Women With Attention Deficit Disorder. This book had so many "ah-ha!" moments for me, it was almost as if I was experiencing a flashback of my entire life. I had no idea that women with A.D.D. could actually be hyperfocused, could be the girls who got by in school just on intelligence (because we were bored by everything and we had no study skills!), could be those who live in a constant state of overwhelmedness. It was also validating to read that A.D.D. can go undiagnosed for years (a woman's whole life, even!) if it's the inattentive kind. It's given me insight into possibly why I have suffered from self-esteem issues and depression for so long, and why I feel as though I've never lived up to my potential.

This book explains how women's experiences with A.D.D. can be very different from the experiences of men. It has revealed the "missing piece" of my own puzzle and has prompted me to seek help and try to get some order in my home, work, and marriage. Thank you Sari Solden!
689903
I purchased this book to find new resources and tools to manage my PTSD and Anxiety Disorder after a recent death in my adult life brought back.memories of childhood traumatic events.

For me this was a refresher course on some topics, that I covered in therapy at the time I first learned my "social anxiety" was actually based in a traumatic event, making it essential to work on that before I could move forward.

I was actually taken by surprise that "death" remained such a powerful trigger point for me. That I really became so overwhelmed in /by my symptoms that I didn't even notice I was dealing with P.T.S.D. exacerbation.

This book has really helpful me to "polish the tools" I already had in my toolbox (along with my Worry Box App). I would recommend this book to others. If you are just beginning to build your tool box, or if you are looking to do a refreshing of your skills.
3729903
For starters, this book is aesthetically pleasing, it is elegant and beautiful. However, it goes far beyond that. She has a way of breaking down a huge, seemingly unobtainable, task into small-I can do this!- steps. The lists are so helpful and she is so encouraging. The routine is helping me manage the chaos. When my house is clean and organized, I feel mentally organized and a better version of myself. Cant recommend this book enough!
278348
Great book !!! An easy read, backed by Scripture. Will help you understand that your not alone in overwhelming circumstances. And that you can turn those circumstances around by being overwhelmed with God.
2345168
The phrase "life changing" is not an understatement. I used to refer to myself as naturally messy and disorganized. Now, I can't stand hearing people say that about themselves--I know they're wrong.

The practice of consciously discarding and donating items that no longer suit the life I envision for myself has done more than simply clean my room, which is great in itself. It has helped me to gain a more acute sense of my personal style by eliminating the clothes that don't fit me and the books that I never could get absorbed into (but guilted myself into holding onto for "one day").Organizing the papers and tchotchkes that surround me daily has relieved me of the stress of being overwhelmed; it is still challenging to prioritize tasks on a daily basis and navigate through a busy working life, but looking at my desk and seeing a clean, organized pile of to-dos makes me feel like my goals are attainable.

The deeper, concluding portion of the book deals with letting go of the past. It's incredibly difficult to get rid of letters from former lovers, friends, and family. That is the one part of the book that I've really struggled with, and I honestly still have a ways to go to sufficiently complete this aspect of the practice. That said, upon completing a large portion of the recommended discarding, there is a sense of lightness that I'm experiencing as a byproduct of releasing myself from the (self-administered) chains that have bound me for many years.

Cannot recommend this book enough to anybody who could use a bit of spring cleaning, or simply wants to transform the space around them into one that they feel good within.
2327453
Seriously, a GODSEND.
I am a recent college graduate who has an impeccable knack for screwing up her life in really stupid ways and getting away with it, only to feel guilty, confused, and lost most of the time. Add to that a cripplingly poor understanding of who I want to be and what I want to do, and you have a pretty worrisome 22 year old. I have been searching for a book that would help me see life and dreams and career choices in a completely new context, but I didn't want to browse the "Self Help" section at Barnes and Noble, so help me.
I came across this book at my college bookstore, and just flipping through the pages, I knew it was something special. I saw big, bold, but CLEAR messages with such unique explanations and analogies that spoke to me, and helped me a lot in identifying what all I need to do to set my life straight, or at least, view concepts like success/failure differently.

I got a feeling that the writers of this book actually CARED, and actually LIVED the uncertainties and confusion that they speak of. What an amazing piece of work and driven, cool, individuals that created it. PLEASE give this to your kids, grandkids, heck - parents and grandparents, too. If anything, I learned that there's no such thing as "too late" to get up each morning and try to rewrite the rest of your life. :)
4771327
I found the book to be extremely helpful to people who are "snowed under" with work and other obligations.  The author has sound ideas that everyone who feels overwhelmed should read and consider.  While the book, in my opinion, is overly long and loses some of its impact in the last few sections I found the reading (of the book) to be worthwhile.
2772505
I am so grateful to the authors of this book! First, I realize I'm not alone in being frantic...but this goes beyond "misery loves company..." it's "misery gets a makeover!" I have used several of the book's tips, and read a couple more pages each day. It lifts my spirits, makes me laugh, but most importantly gives me manageable, real world solutions to balancing life as a working woman, mother, wife, daughter, and active participant in my community. In fact, I have purchased several as gifts for birthdays, and the ones I have given are met with overwhelming enthusiasm.
I hope by the time I finish reading this book (which won't take me too long because it's so reader-friendly) there will be news on what else these 2 women have to offer those of us navigating life in the frantic lane. In the meantime, I'll keep pulling out my Frantic Woman's Guide to try various ideas and tips as I make my way through my house, my life, and the year ahead!!
1750415
I found this book in a time of great need and personal crisis.  Note, a crisis doesn't have to be a big, instantanous event like a death or divorce.  It could just be a nagging unhappiness or feeling that things "aren't right" that is eating you up.  Either way, this book applies.

It helped me tremendously and I have since given this book to several friends in crisis.  Regardless of the nature of what you are going through, it can help.  If you have a friend that you are worried about but don't know how to help, this book might help them.

It is written in a very real, accessible way (no chanting or meditating necessary!) that is non-threatening to people who may not be used to reading "self-help" books.

I do not know if authors regularly read these reviews, but Laura Day, if you ever read this, thank you.  Know that you helped me to discover what I really want from life AND believe that I deserve it.
388547
First I must admit one thing: I haven't read the entire book. It is so full of stories from mothers who describe their struggles to find balance, but it also includes helpful suggestions for moms who are struggling right now. And if we're honest, I'd have to say we're all struggling right now, today and everyday. Just like laundry, there is no end to the balancing act we must perform. Each morning will present new challenges to our best-laid plans, and it is our ability to find ways to weave those challenges into our lives without giving in to the chaos that make us "Good Enough" moms.

My second confession: I'm not rushing to finish the book anytime soon. Rather, I see it as a permanent fixture on my nightstand, something to read carefully and completely, not skim through to the end so that I can check it off my to do list. It is the book that I will pick up at night after a particularly hard day when I need encouragement, support or just a good laugh. It will be the one I use when my children or family or friends or co-workers come up with a completely new way to frustrate or confuse me. And it will be the one I will turn to when I am on the verge of tears, desperately trying to keep my life in balance and feeling like a complete failure.

What I like the most about The New Perfect is how Hollee and Becky have woven personal stories of their own along with stories from a variety of women to provide us with the "how we got here" history of modern motherhood. Our mothers provided us with unprecedented opportunity, and we have felt the pressure to live up to their expectations ever since. What we forgot along the way is that these women didn't live up to anyone else's expectations; they created their own. That's how they made progress and changed the workplace. Instead of feeling like we're not doing enough from their point of view, we need to use our energy to make sure we're doing enough from ours.

With Mother's Day coming this weekend, I know that The New Perfect will be a popular gift for moms of all ages, but I have another suggestion. I see this book as a wonderful graduation gift for those young women who are just starting their lives. College graduates, and even some from high school, may really benefit from reading our stories. Would they take from this book the same things I do as a mom who has been out of school for a number of years? I wouldn't expect that. But I would expect them to find inspiration in its pages, and I hope that they would see that we still don't have all of the answers. Maybe they'll see this as an opportunity to find new ways to balance their lives at an earlier age. And maybe they won't expect to have the answers, either. And that's good enough for me.
2284260
If you are overwhelmed and usually fall into all your own fuzzy traps, or if you keep everything you ever touch and never throw it away, or if you mostly put things off until maana, or are especially disorganised or totally busy with a million things to do each day (as Chaucer used to say and and then many after him "too much to do, too little time to do it") and tomorrow a million more, then this book is for you. It can be a life changer if you apply this system to everything you do
765424
I'm a very busy woman and i'm having hard time keeping up with my schedules. I rarely have time for my kids since i always got home tired and sleepy. As a mother you have to keep up with everything and i'm struggling because of my busy schedule that's why i find this book helpful and interesting. It teaches me to get rid of unecessary things that keeps me on moving like a cellphone. I never thought it causes my delays. I spent more time checking my phone than checking what i have to do and complete. It teaches me how to organize and balance everything. And the most is i learned how to get rid of procrastination. This book has given me more than what i needed.