The Book Therapist, 249 UCB, Boulder (2025)

08/30/2025

I'll never forget the first time I pressed play on the audiobook of The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku. I finally gave in to a friends recommendation, "Listen to this Holocaust survivor who calls himself the happiest man alive". Curled up under a heavy blanket, I wasn't ready for the tidal wave of emotion the story would unleash.

As the narrator channeled Eddie’s words, it felt as though he was opening a door for me, drawing me into his world and letting me see life through his eyes. Within minutes, my chest tightened and tears stung my eyes, but a strange, radiant hope flickered through the ache.

There were passages where I had to pause, close my eyes, and just breathe. I remember one evening, sitting in my living room with the lights low, as Eddie described the horrors of Auschwitz. I could almost feel the cold, the hunger, the despair pressing in. Yet, in the middle of this unbearable darkness, what stunned me most was his capacity to still see humanity, to still cling to hope, and eventually, to build a life defined not by hatred but by love and gratitude. Listening to this story was an experience; it was like being invited into a sacred space where pain and healing coexist. Listening became my refuge, and I found myself gripped by a torrent of emotions I can barely put into words—grief, awe, anger, and an unshakable will to live.

And by the time I finished, I knew one thing for certain: this was more than just a memoir. It was a gift; a blueprint for resilience, forgiveness, and choosing joy even in the face of unimaginable suffering.

Here are seven powerful, life-shaping insights from Eddie Jaku’s remarkable story:

1. Hate Destroys, but Love Heals
Eddie lived through one of the darkest chapters in human history, where hate was institutionalized and weaponized. He saw what unchecked hatred could do, and he could have easily carried bitterness for the rest of his life. But he chose differently. He chose love. He often said that hate is a disease that eats away at the person who harbors it, while love has the power to restore. That lesson struck me like lightning — because how many of us, in much smaller ways, still cling to grudges, resentments, and anger? Eddie reminds us that our healing begins the moment we choose love over hate.

2. Gratitude Can Exist Alongside Suffering
One of the most shocking revelations was how Eddie, even in the camps, found fleeting moments of gratitude. Whether it was the shared warmth of another prisoner’s body in the freezing nights, or the smallest piece of bread, he saw that even in suffering, life still offered fragments of humanity. Listening to this, I felt my own complaints shrink in comparison. Gratitude isn’t about denying hardship — it’s about refusing to let hardship blind us to the good that still exists.

3. Resilience Is Built in the Smallest Decisions
Eddie’s survival wasn’t due to one single act of defiance or luck — it was the countless small choices he made every day to keep going, to hold on, to believe there was something worth living for. His resilience was not grand or heroic in appearance, but steady, quiet, and relentless. As I listened, I realized how resilience in our lives, too, often comes down to the small things: choosing to get up one more time, choosing to take the next step, choosing not to give in to despair.

4. Community Saves Lives
Eddie never pretends he survived on his own strength alone. He makes it clear that it was the friendships he formed — the people who looked out for him and those he protected in return — that gave him a reason to keep living. In a world designed to strip away humanity, solidarity became his lifeline. That truth hit me deeply. We sometimes underestimate the power of simply standing with someone, but for Eddie, that solidarity meant life itself.

5. Life Must Be Celebrated, Not Merely Survived
What moved me most was that Eddie didn’t just “get through” life after the Holocaust. He built a joyful one. He married, raised a family, worked hard, and traveled the world sharing his story. He wasn’t content with survival alone; he insisted on finding joy and meaning, every single day. Listening to him made me reflect on how often we settle for “getting by” instead of truly living. Eddie shows us that life is too precious to simply endure — it’s meant to be embraced and celebrated.

6. Forgiveness Is Freedom
Perhaps the most astonishing part of Eddie’s story is that he forgave — not in the sense of excusing what happened, but in the sense of releasing the grip of bitterness that could have destroyed him from the inside out. He understood that forgiveness wasn’t for the perpetrators; it was for his own peace. As I listened, I realized how radical and freeing forgiveness truly is. If a man who lost almost everything could forgive, what excuse do I have to keep clinging to my own grievances?

7. Happiness Is a Choice, Even in Brokenness
Eddie called himself “the happiest man on earth,” not because his life was free of suffering, but because he chose to see life as a gift. Every morning he woke up, he chose happiness. Every breath he took, he considered a miracle. Happiness, he believed, isn’t something handed to us — it’s a decision, a mindset, a way of approaching life. That’s the legacy he leaves us: happiness is possible, not in spite of hardship, but because we refuse to let hardship define us.

Listening to The Happiest Man on Earth was one of the most profound experiences I’ve had with a book. It wasn’t just Eddie’s story I heard; it was his wisdom pressing into my own life, shaking me, challenging me, and inspiring me. His message is simple yet unforgettable: life is precious, and we honor it best by choosing love, gratitude, forgiveness, and joy.

This is a story of survival, yet a profound teaching on how to live. And I promise you, once you listen to it or read it, you’ll never look at your own life the same way again.

BOOK: https://amzn.to/3HCSdHr
Enjoy the audiobook with a membership trial using the same link.

08/30/2025

Life can feel like a constant battlefield. One careless comment can ruin our day, one rejection can shatter our confidence, one disappointment can spiral into self-doubt. It’s as if every opinion, every failure, and every obstacle pierces straight through us, leaving us raw and vulnerable. And while many of us smile through the storm, inside we’re overwhelmed, overthinking, and exhausted from letting everything affect us.

This is the reality Daniel Chidiac addresses in his book Stop Letting Everything Affect You. It’s about reclaiming your inner power, learning emotional mastery, and freeing yourself from the prison of external validation. Chidiac exposes the traps of self-comparison, the weight of negative thinking, and the way we hand over our happiness to circumstances and people outside our control.

At its core, the book is about building resilience—not by becoming cold or detached, but by becoming deeply grounded in yourself. And in that grounding, you learn to meet life’s chaos without losing your peace.

Here are 5 strong, and empowering lessons from the book:

1. Your Reactions Shape Your Reality
Chidiac stresses that events themselves are neutral—it’s our reaction that gives them power over us. Two people can experience the same setback, yet one sees it as failure while the other sees it as growth. When you realize you can choose your response, you begin to reclaim control. The book teaches that emotional freedom is not about changing the world around you, but mastering the world within you.

2. Stop Seeking Validation Outside Yourself
One of the biggest traps we fall into is letting others’ opinions dictate our worth. A compliment makes us soar, a criticism crushes us. Chidiac reminds us that this constant chase for approval keeps us enslaved. The book pushes us to build self-acceptance so strong that whether people applaud or disapprove, our sense of self remains unshaken.

3. Detach From Negative Thought Patterns
We often mistake our thoughts for truth. A single negative thought spirals into overthinking, fear, and self-sabotage. Chidiac emphasizes that thoughts are just mental events, not commands. By creating distance between yourself and your mind, you can observe negativity without being consumed by it. This practice of mental detachment gives space for clarity, peace, and wiser choices.

4. Resilience Is Built Through Challenges
Many people see hardship as proof that life is unfair, but Chidiac reframes it as training ground for resilience. Every challenge is an opportunity to grow stronger, to refine your character, and to prove to yourself that you can withstand more than you think. Instead of being crushed by difficulties, you can allow them to forge you into someone tougher, wiser, and freer.

5. Focus on What You Can Control
At the heart of the book is a simple yet profound truth: suffering grows when we obsess over what we can’t control. People’s actions, external circumstances, and the opinions of others are beyond us. Peace begins when we redirect our energy toward what we can control—our choices, attitudes, and actions. By narrowing your focus to your sphere of control, life becomes less overwhelming and far more empowering.

In essence, Daniel Chidiac’s Stop Letting Everything Affect You is a guide to emotional freedom. It’s for anyone tired of being tossed around by life’s ups and downs, drained by overthinking, and desperate for inner stability. The book teaches you to be resilient, self-assured, and unshakeable in a world that never stops throwing challenges your way.

BOOK: https://amzn.to/4lQVIrw
Enjoy the audiobook with a membership trial using the same link.

08/30/2025

Parenting is one of the most beautiful yet overwhelming journeys. There are mornings in my home that feel like a battlefield. A spilled bowl of cereal turns into frustration, a child refusing to say “thank you” in front of guests leaves you embarrassed, and teaching kindness sometimes feels like teaching rocket science. As parents, we all share this struggle: wanting our children to grow into respectful, kind, and confident adults, yet often feeling like we’re falling short.

That’s why Manners Begin at Breakfast by Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece stopped me in my tracks. Here is a woman who, beyond her royal title, is a hands-on mother of five. She knows firsthand the chaos of raising children, the exhaustion of parenting, and the desire to raise grounded kids in a fast, distracted world. She blends her life experience as a mother with timeless wisdom on manners, values, and raising children with character,

This book is practical, modern, and surprisingly warm. Marie-Chantal shows that good manners aren’t about elitism or strict rules, but about raising children who are kind, thoughtful, and confident wherever life takes them. That’s what makes this book such a valuable resource: it’s advice not just from a princess, but from a parent who has walked the same road we’re walking.

Here are 6 strong insights from the book that every parent will find invaluable:

1. Manners Are Rooted in Everyday Life, Not Formal Events
Many of us think of “manners” as something we pull out for fancy dinners or special occasions. Princess Marie-Chantal reminds us that manners begin at home, in the smallest daily routines—saying please and thank you at breakfast, greeting parents in the morning, or showing consideration to siblings. These everyday acts become the foundation of a child’s character, far more powerful than teaching them which fork to use at a banquet.

2. Consistency Is the True Teacher
Children watch what we do more than what we say. If we want them to respect others, they must consistently see respect in how we treat people around us—from the waiter at a café to the neighbor across the street. The book stresses that consistency in modeling and reinforcing manners matters more than long lectures. As parents, our everyday actions are the silent lessons shaping our children’s future behavior.

3. Kindness Is More Important Than Perfection
It’s easy to obsess over “getting it right”—making sure kids sit straight, use the correct spoon, or avoid making noise. But Princess Marie-Chantal insists that the true essence of good manners is kindness. A child who spills juice but apologizes kindly has learned more than one who sits stiffly at the table with no warmth. The heart of etiquette, she explains, is empathy—helping children see how their actions affect others.

4. Digital Etiquette Matters More Than Ever
In today’s world, children learn to swipe before they learn to write. Manners Begin at Breakfast tackles modern challenges like screen time, online respect, and balancing digital life with family time. Princess Marie-Chantal emphasizes teaching children to value presence—putting devices aside during meals, making eye contact in conversation, and being mindful of what they post online. These lessons prepare them for both personal and professional relationships later in life.

5. Gratitude Is the Core of Lasting Politeness
Gratitude transforms manners from surface-level politeness into a way of living. Princess Marie-Chantal highlights how teaching children to be genuinely thankful—whether for a gift, a meal, or someone’s time—builds humility and grace. Gratitude makes children not only more respectful but also happier, as they learn to focus on abundance rather than lack.

6. Raising Well-Mannered Children Builds Their Confidence
Many parents worry that teaching manners will make their kids timid or overly formal. But in reality, manners give children confidence. A child who knows how to greet people, sit at a table, or show courtesy feels secure in social situations. Princess Marie-Chantal shares how these skills empower children to navigate the world with ease and respect—whether they’re meeting grandparents, teachers, or new friends.

In the end, Manners Begin at Breakfast is not about creating “perfect” children. It’s about raising kind, grounded, and confident human beings who understand that their actions impact others. As a parent, this book has been a refreshing reminder that teaching manners isn’t about rules but about building values. It gave me not just tools for parenting, but hope that even in a world that moves too fast, we can raise children who slow down enough to care.

BOOK: https://amzn.to/4mIBSjE
Enjoy the audiobook with a membership trial using the same link.

08/30/2025

When Manisha Koirala, one of Bollywood’s most celebrated actresses, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012, her world shattered. Known for her radiant beauty, iconic roles, and powerful screen presence, she suddenly found herself staring at her own mortality. The lights of the film sets were replaced by the cold glare of hospital rooms. The applause of fans turned into the steady beeping of medical machines. In the face of this cruel twist, she had two choices: to crumble under the weight of fear or to fight with everything she had. Healed is the story of how she chose to fight, not just for survival, but for life itself—richer, deeper, and more meaningful than before.

Here are 6 profound lessons from her journey in Healed, from her own story and the wisdom she discovered along the way:

1. Illness Can Become a Teacher, Not Just an Enemy
When cancer entered her life, Manisha first saw it as the ultimate curse. But as she went through treatment, she realized it was also a mirror—forcing her to slow down, confront her fears, and re-evaluate the way she had been living. She admitted how her glamorous, fast-paced lifestyle had often left her disconnected from her inner self. Through her suffering, she found lessons in humility, patience, and presence. Illness stripped her down, but in that rawness, it became her greatest teacher.

2. Healing Goes Beyond Medicine
Chemotherapy and surgeries played their role, but Manisha’s healing was also deeply emotional and spiritual. She drew strength from meditation, prayer, and reconnecting with her family. She speaks about how tears, conversations, and silence around her mother’s presence gave her a sense of safety no medicine could provide. This revealed to her that true healing doesn’t come only from doctors—it also comes from nurturing the soul, surrounding yourself with love, and allowing space for inner peace.

3. Vulnerability is Courage, Not Weakness
As a public figure, she had always been seen as strong, beautiful, untouchable. But cancer stripped away the illusion of perfection. She lost her hair, her energy, her sense of control. For the first time, she let the world see her fragility. Instead of hiding, she began sharing her struggles openly. She writes how this act of being vulnerable—crying, admitting fear, asking for help—gave her immense freedom and brought her closer to people than she had ever been. In her weakness, she found strength.

4. Relationships Are the Real Pillars of Strength
During her darkest hours, it wasn’t fame, success, or money that mattered. It was the presence of family and close friends who sat by her bed, held her hand, and reminded her she wasn’t alone. She recalls how her parents became her anchors, their quiet sacrifices giving her the courage to endure. The lesson here is timeless: when everything else falls apart, love is what keeps us standing. She learned to never take relationships for granted again.

5. Gratitude Transforms Suffering into Grace
Manisha writes about a shift in perspective—how even on days when the pain was unbearable, she forced herself to notice the little blessings: the smile of a nurse, a phone call from a friend, a glimpse of the sunrise from her hospital window. Over time, gratitude became her anchor. Instead of focusing on what cancer took away, she began noticing what life still offered. Gratitude softened her suffering and opened her heart to grace, even in pain.

6. A Second Chance is a Sacred Gift
After surviving cancer, Manisha didn’t want to just “go back” to life. She wanted to live differently. She embraced healthier habits, cultivated mindfulness, and redefined what success meant. She began choosing projects, people, and pursuits that truly aligned with her heart. Cancer, she realized, was not the end but a doorway into a more intentional, meaningful existence. She emerged not just healed but reborn.

Healed is not just the memoir of a cancer survivor. It is a beautiful story of courage, faith, and transformation. Manisha’s words remind us that life is fragile, yet within that fragility lies an incredible strength. Her story whispers hope to anyone standing in the dark—that even in the most broken places, healing and light are possible.

BOOK: https://amzn.to/46cPwWe
Enjoy the audiobook with a membership trial using the same link.

08/30/2025

When my son was born, I thought parenting would be an extension of what I already knew from raising a daughter. I had seen my friend do it effortlessly, her little girl was gentle, talkative, easy to reason with. But when her second child, a boy, came along, she admitted things shifted. Raising a son turned out to be an entirely different ball game. I didn’t understand that fully until I had my own son. The endless energy, the constant testing of boundaries, the wild mix of tenderness and toughness—it left me exhausted, questioning if I was doing enough or even doing it right.

One day, while sharing my struggles with her over coffee, she simply smiled and said, “I know exactly what you mean.” Then she handed me Monica Swanson’s book Boy Mom. She told me it had given her both hope and practical wisdom when she felt lost. That night, I started reading, and it felt like someone had finally put words to my experience—and offered a compass to navigate it.

Here are some of the Greatest Lessons from the Book that saw me through:

1. Raising boys requires intentional guidance, not just survival.
Monica emphasizes that boys don’t simply “grow out” of rough edges; they grow into the values we consistently model and teach. Unlike the myth that boys should just be left to “be boys,” she shows how parents can channel their energy and drive into purposeful directions. I realized my son didn’t just need me to manage him—he needed me to guide him into becoming the man he was meant to be.

2. Respect is as important as love.
One of the book’s most eye-opening truths is that boys crave respect just as much as they crave affection. Where I sometimes saw defiance, Monica helped me see a deeper longing in my son—to be trusted, to be treated as capable, to know his voice mattered. When I shifted my approach to include respect alongside love, the power struggles eased, and he responded with more cooperation and confidence.

3. Discipline is about shaping character, not controlling behavior.
Instead of harsh correction or permissive indulgence, Monica offers a middle ground—discipline rooted in teaching, patience, and consistency. She explains that discipline literally means “to teach,” not “to punish.” This shifted my perspective: instead of reacting to my son’s misbehavior with frustration, I started asking, “What is this moment teaching him about self-control, kindness, or responsibility?”

4. A boy’s heart is tender—even when he hides it.
Monica’s stories reveal that behind the noise and chaos, boys are deeply emotional beings who long for security and affirmation. My friend confirmed this with her own son—his rowdy play often masked his sensitivity. The book helped me slow down and notice the tender moments in my own son—the way he lit up at encouragement, or how small failures hit him harder than he let on. Parenting a boy, I realized, is just as much about protecting his heart as it is about guiding his actions.

5. Faith and values form the foundation.
A recurring theme in Boy Mom is that raising sons isn’t just about keeping them out of trouble, but about shaping their hearts and values for life. Monica highlights the importance of faith, integrity, humility, and service. This reminded me that while I can’t control every influence my son will face, I can lay a strong foundation at home. My role is to equip him not just to succeed in the world, but to stand firm in character, kindness, and faith.

Boy Mom is both practical and heartfelt—it understands the challenges of raising sons without sugarcoating them, but also shows the joy and privilege of the journey. Reading it, I felt less alone, more equipped, and more hopeful.

If you’re raising a son and sometimes feel like you’re stumbling in the dark, this book is the flashlight you need. It helps you see the incredible opportunity of raising a boy into a man of character, strength, and compassion.

BOOK: https://amzn.to/45VaszH
Enjoy the audiobook with a membership trial using the same link.

08/29/2025

Parenting is evolving—and with each generation, the stakes seem to get higher. Today’s parents are bombarded with endless advice: blogs, podcasts, parenting gurus, social media “hacks.” Yet, for all the information available, modern parents often feel more stressed, anxious, and disconnected than ever. Children, too, are showing the weight—rising anxiety, behavioral struggles, and strained family dynamics. Parenting, once a natural part of community life, has become a pressured, isolating, and almost competitive endeavor.

You see it everywhere. A toddler’s meltdown in the grocery store aisle spirals into parental shame and exhaustion. Dinner tables become battlegrounds, where kids refuse to eat and parents resort to bargaining or yelling. Families move through crowded schedules filled with school runs, work deadlines, and endless screen distractions, leaving parents depleted and children aching for real connection. The modern parent often feels like they’re carrying the world alone, yet never quite getting it right.

It’s in this environment that Michaeleen Doucleff—a science reporter for NPR and a struggling mother herself—embarked on a journey to discover if parenting could be different. She traveled to remote communities in Mexico, the Arctic, and Tanzania to learn from Maya, Inuit, and Hadzabe families—cultures where parenting seems calmer, children are cooperative, and family life flows with less conflict. Her discoveries became the foundation of Hunt, Gather, Parent, a book that challenges modern parenting norms and offers ancient wisdom that feels surprisingly practical for today’s world.

Here are 5 Strong and Profound Insights from the Book

1. Children thrive when they are included, not managed.
In many traditional cultures, children are not treated as tasks to be scheduled or problems to be solved. Instead, they are woven into the daily fabric of life. Maya families, for example, don’t force children to do chores but invite them to participate—helping stir a pot, sweep the floor, or fetch water. Over time, children naturally internalize responsibility and cooperation. Doucleff contrasts this with her own experience of constant battles over chores at home, showing that inclusion fosters intrinsic motivation, while commands breed resistance.

2. Calm begets calm—children mirror emotional tone.
Among the Inuit, parents rarely yell at children. Instead, they model calmness, even in moments of chaos. If a child hits or misbehaves, the response isn’t punishment but storytelling—narratives that teach lessons and help children reflect on their behavior. Doucleff realized that when she raised her voice in frustration, her daughter escalated in response. But when she practiced stillness and gentle correction, her daughter mirrored that calm. The insight: children learn emotional regulation not from words, but from the example set before them.

3. Autonomy builds cooperation.
Western parenting often swings between over-controlling and permissive extremes. Traditional cultures, however, give children surprising autonomy—space to explore, make mistakes, and contribute meaningfully. The Hadzabe children roam in groups, learning by doing rather than being constantly directed. Doucleff saw how giving her daughter more independence—like letting her take charge of small tasks—reduced power struggles and increased cooperation. Micromanagement may seem protective, but it often erodes a child’s confidence and natural willingness to help.

4. Parenting is meant to be communal.
Modern parents often feel crushed under the weight of “doing it all” alone. But in nearly every traditional culture Doucleff visited, child-rearing is a shared responsibility—extended family, neighbors, siblings, and even older children all contribute. The mother isn’t the sole entertainer, disciplinarian, or caregiver. Doucleff highlights that part of modern parental burnout stems from isolation. Rebuilding community—whether through family, friendships, or shared childcare—can ease the burden and restore balance.

5. The goal is cooperation, not control.
Western parenting often focuses on controlling behavior—timeouts, punishments, bribes. Traditional approaches aim instead at fostering cooperation, seeing children as capable members of the family. The Maya perspective, for example, is that children naturally want to help. Parents don’t push or pressure, but trust that children will engage when invited respectfully. Doucleff found that when she shifted from controlling her daughter to inviting her into collaboration, conflict dramatically lessened. The shift wasn’t about forcing obedience but building partnership.

Hunt, Gather, Parent is more than a parenting is a reawakening. Michaeleen Doucleff’s journey shows us that the answers to modern parenting struggles aren’t always found in the latest research study or parenting trend, but in ancient wisdom passed down through generations. Her message is clear: raising children doesn’t have to feel like a battle. By reclaiming calm, connection, and community, we can raise children who are not only cooperative but confident and joyful—and, perhaps most importantly, rediscover the joy in parenting itself.

BOOK: https://amzn.to/4lTeCOO
Enjoy the audiobook with a membership trial using the same link.

08/29/2025

Parenting is tough, messy, exhausting, and at times overwhelming, but it’s not impossible. With patience, support, and the right perspective, the hard moments can give way to growth, connection, and joy. Every struggle is simply part of the journey of raising not just children, but ourselves. Here are 9 simple strategies you can practice.

08/29/2025

Motherhood has a way of breaking you open; not just physically, but emotionally, mentally, and relationally. When the baby arrives, the picture-perfect family portrait often shatters under the weight of sleepless nights, endless feedings, and the crushing responsibility of keeping a fragile human alive. The mother, who once had her own identity, suddenly feels invisible. She is consumed by laundry, crying, nursing, and the mental load of managing everything, while her partner often seems to move through life unchanged.

Resentment builds quietly but ferociously. The late-night feedings are hers. The child’s tantrums are hers. The invisible to-do list—doctor’s appointments, meal planning, remembering birthdays, packing school bags—all hers. She feels unseen, unheard, and overworked, while her marriage begins to wither in the shadows of survival.

Jancee Dunn lived this reality. After the birth of her daughter, she found herself boiling with frustration toward her husband. What started as exhaustion grew into anger and disconnection. Determined to save her marriage from collapse, she set out to find practical, honest solutions. Her journey, told with humor and honesty, became the basis for this book; a survival guide for couples navigating parenthood without letting love die.

Here are 6 Strong Insights from the Book:

1. Resentment thrives in silence—communication is oxygen.
One of the biggest lessons Jancee shares is how unspoken anger poisons a relationship. Mothers often swallow their frustrations until they explode, while fathers remain clueless about the storm brewing. Jancee learned that resentment shrinks when frustrations are voiced openly. Clear, honest, and sometimes uncomfortable conversations are not just helpful—they’re necessary to keep love alive.

2. Division of labor must be deliberate, not assumed.
Many couples unconsciously fall into outdated roles after children arrive—the mother becomes the default caretaker while the father “helps.” This imbalance is unsustainable. Jancee highlights how couples need to actively divide responsibilities—both household and emotional labor. Parenting is not about one partner helping the other; it’s about building a true partnership where both are equally accountable.

3. The mental load is real—and invisible.
Beyond the obvious chores, mothers carry the invisible weight of remembering and planning everything: school projects, birthday presents, medical checkups, grocery lists, emotional well-being of the kids. This “mental load” is exhausting, yet often unseen by fathers. Jancee emphasizes the importance of making this invisible work visible and sharing it fairly, so one partner doesn’t drown under the burden.

4. Couples who argue constructively stay together.
Conflict is inevitable, but how couples fight makes the difference. Jancee draws from experts like John Gottman, who stress that fights shouldn’t aim to “win” but to solve. Learning to pause, listen, and approach conflict with curiosity instead of blame helps partners grow stronger instead of further apart. For Jancee, this shift changed explosive arguments into moments of connection.

5. You can’t forget your marriage while raising kids.
Many couples make the mistake of pouring everything into parenting and leaving nothing for their relationship. Over time, the bond between partners weakens, and resentment grows Jancee discovered the importance of intentionally nurturing her marriage—whether through small date nights, humor, or simply taking five minutes to connect daily. A strong marriage, she argues, is one of the greatest gifts parents can give their children.

6. Self-care is not selfish—it’s essential.
A depleted mother cannot show up as her best self for her children or her partner. Jancee shares how she had to reclaim time for herself—whether it was exercise, hobbies, or rest. Taking care of her own well-being gave her the strength to face the daily chaos of parenting and the resilience to handle relationship challenges with more grace.

BOOK: https://amzn.to/4fZLxj2
Enjoy the audiobook with a membership trial using the same link.

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