The Confident Woman: How to Take Charge and Recharge Your Life

After going throug a particulary rough patch, I found myself rather depressed and my confidence was at an all time low. I bought this book on the recommendation of a friend, and am really glad I did!The author lists several reasons that women, as a group, may lack confidence, even when their lives have been fairly productive, and I found that interesting, but in my opinion, the best part of the book was the self rating quiz. This confirmed my feeling that I was in a real slump. The next part of the book had really excellent exercises that helped me clarify my values, wants and desires. The aim was to help me get back in touch with who I really am, and who I want to become. what I like and dislike, what I want to "be, do and have" and generally just get back in touch with what was and wasn't important in my life.The next section of the book dealt with practical ways to act on what I'd learned in the values clarification exercises, and how to "get it in gear" and take an active role in mazimizing things that made me happy, and minimizing those that left me feeling like a used dishrag.I have to tell you that it perked me right back up in the first week! I'm now putting those positive things back into my life, slowly but consistantly, and feel far more hopeful and focused than I did before the book arrived.This book did a lot to boost my morale, and level of confidence, and that was just exactly what I seemed to need right now.I hope other readers will find it as benifical as I have.

As a woman re-entering the workforce after years of being a "stay-at-home-mom" I found this book to be invaluable. Not only was it insightful on a psychological level, but also fun to read as I explored the different areas the author has you examine about yourself. Personally and professionally, it provides a concrete roadmap for any woman wanting to be "confident" which, as Marjorie so brilliantly explains, is simply knowing yourself. I recommend this book to all wo men and particularly hope that young women will read and absorb it. Then maybe the next generation won't have to work so hard at becoming the confident women we should all be.

I wish I had had this book when I was younger! There is so much helpful insight into why we women often lack confidence, and so much help on how to increase it -- and value it. The author is expert at sharing her own experiences in a manner that makes you feel like you're talking with a good friend, a friend who knows how to help you grow into all you can be. This really is a book for women at any stage in their lives, for those who feel they are confident as well as those who recognize they would like to increase their level of confidence. Go,Woman!

As a women's health care professional, I think The Confident Woman will be a boon to all women - especially those of us who consider ourselves highly competent, and caring. Marjorie Hansen-Shaevitz shows us how, in our desire to be good employees or professionals, good mothers, helpful to teachers and coaches, and good wives, we too often say "yes", in spite of our already feeling overburdened. We have lost control of our lives. Being a confident woman means choosing what we want to do, and don't want to do - and taking back control of how we spend our time. My husband has particularly enjoyed watching my transformation, as I became a woman who said yes when she meant it, and became a more poised and loving wife. There's one place where I disagree with Hansen-Shaevitz. She expresses the opinion that a mother's becoming a confident woman will make her a good role model for her daughter. As the mother of three young sons, I feel that being a confident woman has made me a better role model in terms of showing them the kind of person they will want for a wife. The book contributes to raising daughters and sons alike.Eve-Ellen Barnett, RN, MS Medical-Legal Consultant, Former Assistant Professor of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, and Northeastern University

I just finished reading The Confident Woman and I already want to pick it up and read it again! I'm ordering copies for my best friends as well as my two daughters-in-law. No matter where you are on the pendulum of confidence, this book is for you. I not only walked away feeling uplifted, more positive, and of course more CONFIDENT, but I am continually going back grabbing great ideas from those end of chapter "Be Good to Yourself Breaks" Thanks Marjorie. I needed this!