Living the Life You Love

December 1, 2012
Certified professional coach Renaye employs the process of self-discovery as a tool for life change. In a no-nonsense manner, she asks readers to hold themselves responsible for the choices they make, and teaches them how to use various tools, such as a vision scripts and "as if" statements, to rework subconscious beliefs. One of her most practical chapters offers 13 "sanity-saving strategies" that help readers deal with people they'd rather avoid, resist replaying old dramas, share gratitude, and conquer the usual snafus that trip people up. Ideal for the person who indulges in pity parties.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 1, 2012
In her practical, hard-hitting yet realistic program for self-improvement, Renaye demonstrates that there's still plenty to say in the self-help industry. A professional life coach and transformational speaker, Renaye has created a concise, encyclopedic guide-cum-workbook that does the job of multiple existing titles, all while adding profound, useful insights and strategies to the conversation. She breaks self-exploration and retooling into manageable, sharply focused steps that help push the reader into honest reflection, emotional and physical health and, ultimately, empowerment and maturity. Though hints of other popular spiritual works shine through, such as the creation of vision boards to visualize what you want in life, the perspective is refreshingly grounded, and Renaye's confessional, empathetic narrative invites readers to identify with her while buying into her approaches. Each chapter focuses on a discrete issue or aspect of life--feeling stuck, body wisdom, living for others--and ends with a transformational insight worksheet (copying is advisable, since space is limited) with questions for self-analysis. Even without the worksheets, tripwires for aha moments run throughout the book. Recognizing that some difficult people are unavoidable, she prescribes stockpiling diversionary tactics in advance. She also lays out simple, sanity-saving strategies for navigating conversations, as well as tips for climbing out of inevitable dips in mood. She expands the vision board concept into a vision script that can help reprogram your thinking, with guidelines, precautions and sample language for recording. She calls her methods tough love, but they're also deeply human, compassionate and supportive. A self-help guide with real-world value and applicability, which proves it's never too late to grow up.

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