Waiting for Prince Charming to ride up on his white horse and make you happy? Don’t waste your time. You hold the reins of your own happiness.
We women have all the power, knowledge and confidence necessary to create the life we want – without relying on a man to do it for us. We just need to learn to use our innate gifts and start living deliberately today.
You don’t need a knight in shining armour to live happily ever after. But if he arrives, you’ll be ready to ride by his side.
The last sentence sets this book apart from the typical “feministic” self-helps that encourage and incite (even!) women to be the best they can be, minus a man by their side.
I’m wary of books like these because they tend to emphasize the message “Women don’t need men”.
Somehow, such books promote the idea that:
1. Divorce is OK – you can only give the best to your kids only if you’re happy (while ignoring statistics that children with parents who stay together grow up with a healthier self-esteem than separated parents) . Divorce is easy. Staying married is tough.
2. It’s OK to be single – it IS OK to be single but if you ask any woman (e.g. Meredith Grey of Grey’s Anatomy) “it’s better to have someone than to be alone”. Some women tend to call it quits too soon at the first sign of trouble, assuring themselves that they are better off alone.
Having said that, I DO NOT agree with staying with a man who physically, mentally or sexually abuses you or your kids just for the sake of having someone.
A happily-married woman and a mother herself, Saundra talks through 5 principles that focus on
- being “deliberate creators”,
- calling on women’s uniquely feminine talents e.g. multitasking and intuition,
- leading the way in our relationships with men,
- creating a “cavalry” of other women and
- finally, mastering the 3 Cs of “confidence”, “credit” (not credit cards!) and embracing “comfort with success”.
I was glued to this book because she draws on her personal experiences as a corporate vice president, a global franchise leader at Fortune 500 companies like GD Searle and Monsanto, and a board member for global pharmaceutical companies.
I could identify with her as when she describe a battle in the corporate world – with of course, another woman 
Women (and men) may find the relationship section that asks the question “Sex: How Much Is Enough?” particularly interesting. Hubby was happy to find that a WOMAN agrees with him on the magic number…
Anecdotes, jokes, quotes by successful women and also stories from other women she’d met make the book easier to read.
Given that Saundra is a life coach and professional speaker, she includes bits of self-promotion e.g. recommending that women attend a life seminar as personal reward.
I also found the “A Woman’s Declaration” a bit too ya-ya for me, which came across as flaky after the deep, soul-searching and insightful discussion throughout the book.
Finally, I was a disappointed that Saundra didn’t discuss more money management, which is the keystone to a woman’s (especially mothers, married or single) happiness and security.
Still, I’d strongly recommend this book to any woman who’s unhappy with her life, feels like she’s going nowhere or simply wants to energize herself with a dash of self-motivation.
I would especially encourage women who say things like:
“You’re so lucky you married a good man…not like me, I’m so unlucky”
“Sigh, I pity my children because their mother is not smart…”
“It’s OK if I don’t get enough sleep, look horrible or eat less…as long as my husband is happy, my kids are healthy, I am happy.”
Stop being a victim or a martyr – you CAN do something to change things and lead happiness right to your doorstep
Click here
ISBN: 978-09797961-0-4
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