Recovering Me, Discovering Joy by Vivian Eisenecher

About the Book:

Recovering Me, Discovering Joy reveals how to recover (from any ailment or condition) not to normal but to a better normal. After numerous attempts at sobriety, stints in more than three rehabs, followed by repeated relapses, Vivian shares the “secret” that finally brought her lasting recovery and profoundly changed her life. In an effort to improve the success rate of recovery and quite possibly save lives, one of the book’s main goals is to raise awareness about the profound correlation between depression, social anxiety, and alcoholism. Vivian has struggled with these disorders and is in recovery from all three.

In addition, Recovering Me, Discovering Joy is a remarkably honest book of creative non-fiction about the positive nature of life’s problems. It is about the journey to know oneself. With a sense of humor and an uplifting spirit of gratitude, Vivian suggests ways to live a more meaningful life. She offers a fresh look at enduring truths which we all tend to forget in our day-to-day fast-paced lives. By using stories from people in recovery, famous quotes and personal reflections, she re-establishes the importance of faith in the healing process. Her experience, strength and hope provide the reader with keys to living a richer, easier and happier life.

Review by Tess of Think Between the Ink:

This book is a wonderful and honest account of this author's battle with social anxiety disorder and alcoholism.

I, also, was diagnosed with a panic disorder and agoraphobia in 1980. So, I truly understand the "devastation" of the catastrophic experience. I also agree, that with the right medication and proper counseling this battle can be won. I can thankfully say that I, too, have beat this disorder. But, for those who have not, this book will definitely be of some service to you.

She also explains her self-destructive addiction to alcohol for self-medicating purposes. This, too, I could relate to. You would do anything to take away your pain and unfortunately this demon "seems" to have the answers, temporarily.

This is a very informative book for those who need some help and guidance. There is nothing like hearing it from the horses mouth, so to speak. She offers many solutions and suggestions for you to help you become a more successful and happy person.

I applaud this author for her brutal honesty and compassion for her fellow man as far as these disorders are concerned. It takes a very strong woman to lay out her life so that she may help others. Thanks for the encouragement and support and keep up the good work.

About the author:

Author of Recovering Me, Discovering Joy / Uplifting Wisdom for Everyday Greatness, Vivian Eisenecher has been an inspirational speaker, mentor and writer since 1996. Using her experience, strength and hope, she is committed to helping educate and enlighten the general public about the puzzling aspects of the addiction/recovery process and the strong correlation between anxiety, depression and alcoholism. Vivian holds a marketing degree in Business Administration (magna cum laude). Her other published works include articles for The Chicken Soup for the Soul series, Woman’s World, Viewpoint, and JUST FINE: Unmasking Depression and Anxiety Disorders (due out in 2009). She is featured on the 2009 Faces of Recovery Calendar and is a Board of Director for A New Path (Parents for Addiction Treatment and Healing).

You can visit Vivian Eisenecher's website at: http://www.recoveringme.com/.

Amazing Grays by Maggie Rose Crane

About the book:

Balanced somewhere between a memoir and a how-to, AMAZING GRAYS is a uniquely refreshing and candid look at midlife for those unwilling to become feeble old women with boobs in their laps, dreams on the shelf, and Memory Lane their only destination. As a leading edge boomer, Maggie uses her own journey through midlife to shatter stereotypes about aging. At the core of her message, she exposes the fears and anxieties that often haunt maturing women and reveals how to mindfully navigate the turbulence with wisdom, perspective and practice. She encourages women to relish their roles as Amazing Grays and not waste time and energy trying to hang on to the past.

For women who are entertaining the possibility of life without hair dye, Maggie shares her story of going gray. She outlines several strategies to take you from colored to natural and includes photos and stories of women who have taken the plunge.

Hers is not an anti-aging message. This book is a little about going gray and a lot about aging mindfully and joyously (with a healthy dose of kicking and screaming) from an everyday womans perspective.

Review:

by Tess 0f Think Between the Ink

This book is a wonderful compilation of how to successfully and gracefully move through your 50's and beyond. This is a difficult time in a woman's life, at best, and this author has certainly provided us with all the information we need to survive and become fulfilled during this time.

She reminds us that we are the "boomer" generation who has never taken anything lying down and that we can change the stigma of what it means to get "old."

I truly give her credit for deciding to let her hair "go gray." She explains in great detail how much damage hair color can do physically to a woman. She has done much research in this area and as a hairdresser myself, I can tell you that her findings are a accurate. Unfortunately, I can also tell you that I'm not as gutsy as she is because I still color my hair. This truly is the one thing woman seem to think they can "control" as far as getting older. But, if we were all honest with ourselves, we would realize that it never looks natural because it isn't.

She also goes into a deep and very informative description of the cause and affects of menopause. I learned so much by reading these chapters. Every woman should be informed about this very crucial part of their lives and the affects it has on all of us. So many unasked questions were answered for me that I actually felt empowered.

There is also a lot of emotional and spiritual suggestions that can certainly pump up any woman who is trying to smoothly move through mid-life. If you feel like you don't know where you "fit" anymore it will become clear after reading this book.

This book is also peppered with anecdotes and quotes throughout. It is a great resource for any woman and I thank this author for making me see things more clearly. This book is highly recommended and you will keep going back to it for encouragement.

About the author:

Maggie Crane was born on the leading edge of the Baby Boom generation, and has had the quintessential boomer experience: she worked her way through college, married, had a child, divorced, thrived in a few careers, survived as a single mom, remarried and struggled with blended family issues.

After traveling the country for nearly a decade delivering leadership and life skills workshops for women, the demands of her travel schedule and the onset of menopause collided with the big 5-0. She was moved to press the pause button on her life and reassess her priorities. She watched in astonishment as her skin began to lose its elasticity, and was mildly horrified when her tummy morphed into a permanent flotation device. Smile lines etched in deeper and she found it necessary to color her hair more often. When she made the decision to stop dyeing her hair, she came face-to-face with her fears about aging in a youth oriented culture. And so began her not-so-graceful quest to age mindfully.

Gradually, Maggie learned that her frustrations, fears and anxieties about aging grew quiet when she faced them directly. She learned to refocus her energies on the people, things and activities that brought a smile to her face and a song to her heart. By letting go of old identities and rediscovering new passions, she has gradually (but not always gracefully) hitched her rope to a growing movement of Amazing Grays.