The Lilypad List

This is a surprisingly charming and thought-provoking book which avoids the typical "Simple Living" tips like decluttering your closet, and instead focuses mainly on how to simplify yourself from the inside out. That is, if we examine WHY we complicate our lives with so much STUFF and so many activities, we can more effective in getting rid of a lot of it. There may not be any major new ideas of breakthroughs here, but McCain has a writing style that expresses her sincerity. She just seems like the kind of woman you'd want to call friend and nothing in the book comes across as exploitative or opportunitistic (how many "simple living" books have you read that seem merely to be written just to take advantage of the current interest in the subject?) Anyway, I give it a big thumbs up for anyone (mostly women, though) wanting to have a more fulfilling and less stressful life.

In The Lilypad List: Seven Steps To The Simple Life, author, psychologist, and personal development expert Marian Van Eyk McCain focuses on the inner aspects of simplifying our daily lives to reveal how our inner feelings about life will guide us to decisive and effective actions. Rather than listing general prescriptions, The Lilypad List offers readers a working self-help model to assist them in discovering their own unique paths to a simpler and more fulfilling life. Written in a jargon-free, intimate, and conversational style, The Lilypad List is one of the most accessible, applicable, and down-to-earth advice books available to non-specialist general readers with an interest in adapting their lifestyles to simpler rhythms, less intrusive demands, and more rewarding satisfactions.

The Lilypad List is a perfect read for anyone in transition or longing for a simpler life. The author invites readers to look inside, evaluate their unique circumstances and desires, and make lasting change. Marian VanEyk McCain leads by example and offers reflection and practical guidance, but don't expect a one-size-fits-all guide to simplicity. I'm often disturbed by books offering the "no more lattes, throw out half your stuff, all better" solution. As The Lilypad List points out, simplicity isn't that simple! But if you are considering real, conscious change from the inside out, read this book. It's like reading the travelog of an inner journey from a caring friend who has been there.