The Ten Things to Do When Your Life Falls Apart: An Emotional and Spiritual Handbook

I read this book during my son's active addiction, when my world was grief and chaos. Daphne's book helped me to find some semblance of peace in mine and my son's storm. I read the book a second time after my son passed away. This time there was no chaos -- only grief. Ten Things helped me then too. As I read each point I wept with hope and healing. Excellent book.

What a graceful, serene, approach to life's disappointments and not-so-great surprises. After an 18 year marriage to an addict, this book was just what I needed for my life transition. Thank you!

I can safely say that this book jumped off the shelf in a bookstore precisely because my life is coming apart. Had I read the reviews first, I probably wouldn't have purchased it, but having read the book now, probably two or three times, I highly recommend this gentle, easy read which has a way of making the reader feel that he/she is not alone. You are encouraged to read the chapters as needed and not necessarily in simultaneous order. The ten things outlined are not rocket science, but they are so logical and comforting to read, whether you are experiencing job loss, death, or any other various tragedies that are mentioned, but not singled out or dwelled upon. I started with the chapter on Simplifying, clearly a common theme in today's news, but this one hits home in a precise, memorable way, which encouraged me to not just clean out once, but go back and get rid of more and more. As the author explains, you cannot hope to deal with the clutter around you even when you are feeling 100%, but when everything else is coming apart, it is essential to free up your surroundings. The chapter on "Letting Go", again not a new concept, but written in a conversational way that makes sense when your life doesn't... says, "You can't begin to fly when you have concrete on your feet." Take it for what it's worth. If you think this is corny, so be it, but for me it is a great spiritual and uplifting go-to manual. My head is swimming, thus I need the gift this author handed me at this specific time in my life.... order, peace and hope. And, one last thing, a chapter on the great healing value of crying. I really enjoyed the quick read, quick lift quality.

I liked this book. it is not the placating stuff many self-help books are made of, and not an accumulation of many old books put into one. i found this book very sweet and encouraging. she explains how we have dealt with things in the past and how these times are different she had a friend going through tremendous crisis and asked for a list of ten things he could do to help himself some chapters include Cry your heart out Face your defaults..habitual behavoirs Do something different...changing your consciousness acting from courage..feeling gratitude no matter what Let go..of old identities,frees your energy for new possibilities, holding on keeps us attached to our problems,your heart will lead the way, Remember who you've always been...you are still you,know your strengths and connect with them, Persist,don't give up, Go where love is--it is all around you Live in the light of the spirit..resuming our spiritual lives,change is not just happening to you

I found this book to be both very inspirational and practical as well. The author covers a lot of ground in this relatively short book, highlighting numerous examples of real-life people who have risen above various crises to live better lives in the end, combined with some practical suggestions for how to apply her recommendations. This title is a great tool for these challenging economic times, and for dealing with any other difficulties one may encounter in life. I highly recommend it as a spiritual and personal growth resource. Here's one of my favorite passages from it: "Persistence is the journey of effectiveness that allows you to hope. It is the energy that wants to get things done, to assist you in moving from crisis to solution. Persistence can take you from debt to solvency, from heartbreak to love, from sickness to health, from foreclosure to having a home. Emotionally, it can take you from fear to joy; spiritually, it can deliver you from despair to peace. So persist, be steadfast in your undertaking, for only the path consistently traveled can deliver you to the outcome you long for. Whatever your battle, it's never easy. The monsters never just slink back into the woods with their tails between their legs. They will fight you for every breath. There is a battle in this universe for every inch of light, and only those who persist will rise to behold the astonishing light of the sunrise."

I just finished "The Ten Things to do When Your Life Falls Apart" and find it a thoughtful and sensitive exploration of handling the challenges nearly everyone is now facing. Ms. Kingma doesn't offer the insulting bromides of so many self-help books, nor does she attempt to put a positive spin on tragic circumstances or tremendous losses. Her guidance is based on the awareness that we all have the solution to our crises within us, that by doing painful and challenging inner work we will evolve into the next step on the path, and that we will ultimately grow and prosper as individuals not only in health or finances but also in love and connection with our fellow human beings. Thank you for sharing this book with us and we will be ordering some for our bookstore.