The Woman’s Field Guide to Exceptional Living
by Corrie Woods
Published by Morgan James Publishing
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Reviewed by Diane Keyes
Subtitled: Practical Steps for Living a Big, Bold, Beautiful Life!
I’m particularly interested in books where the first paragraph captures my imagination. Such is the case with The Woman’s Field Guide to Exceptional Living.
“As I look back on my life, my juiciest memories come in waves when I revisit moments that I stretched myself, showed up with a burst of courage, tried on a new hat, stepped off the well-worn path, or set out in a new direction. Think about your most vivid memories…. ” (page 7)
“When was the last time a stretch took you into new territory? It is ever so easy to find yourself in early retirement from your life…Those peak moments become few and far between and you wonder why life starts feeling flat. When you find yourself facing such a quandary, it is time to take action, pump some new blood into your veins, and seek out new vistas.” (page 8)
It may be just a nugget, but it’s a nugget that will serve me well this year–perhaps the most challenging professional year of my life. At an age where many of my friends are gearing down, I’m ramping up— and spending much of my time in places far from my comfort zone. Sometimes, I feel sorry for myself, sometimes scared, sometimes elated, but never does my life feel flat. It helps knowing there is a downside to my comfort zone, and an upside to my frequent bouts of feeling like a stranger in a strange land.
Author Corrie Woods, offered me several of these nuggets. Although, on the whole, this book covers some familiar territory, some thought-provoking questions, comments, and journaling space make this book a good choice, especially if you’re headed off for a little reflection time.
My only real complaint is that the insights are nugget size and I would have enjoyed a complete meal. Several of the chapters could definitely be expanded to cover more ground—maybe even an entire book. On the other hand, maybe that’s the reason for all the journaling space.
Armchair Interviews says: A journal for your own life nuggets.
Author’s Web site: http://www.WomensFieldGuild.com