Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your Passion for Life

My wife Lynn and I were having coffee a few mornings ago, discussing the demands and stress young women face when raising kids, working, and caring for their marriage. Now, the days when we had a young child at home, and the unique challenges of that season in life, are long behind us. Our son is 27 years old.

So why were we talking about it? Lynn has developed a mentoring friendships with some of the young mothers in our church. We are both amazed by the amount of time, energy, and stress these young women shoulder. They are truly amazing, taking pn what appears to me a nearly impossible array of responsibilities.

So I was particularly interested to read a book recommended to me by my friend Daniel Decker: the book is called, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: Nine Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your Passion for Life.

It's written by Crystal Paine, who is a wife, homeschool mom of three, businesswoman, author, and speaker. In 2007, she founded MoneySavingMom.com, a site that has grown to be one of the most popular blogs on the web, currently averaging a million readers per month. Her mission is to challenge women to steward their time and resources wisely and live life on purpose.

The book is written for women, but is filled with advice that works for anybody (including a scooting–past–middle–age guy like me.) Here are three things I particularly like about this book:

  1. Crystal doesn't take on a “guru” attitude. Though she is very wise and clearly successful (her blog has over 1 million readers per month), she is quick to give credit to others for ideas that have worked for her. I find this humility refreshing and engaging.
  2. She has her priorities in order. it's clear that Crystal's first priority is her relationship with her creator, and she unabashedly declares her devotion to the Lord and his priorities in this book.
  3. She reveals the good, bad, and the ugly. Like all of us, Crystal has made mistakes along the way and is quick to admit the. Beyond admitting her mistakes, she's very specific about sharing what she learned from them.

This is the perfect book for a young mother who feels stressed out and overwhelmed. Crystal can show you a better way to find a more peaceful, restful, and passionate life (while still getting the important things done.)

I realize that most people reading this blog may not be  young working mothers, but I'm willing to bet you know someone who is. This book is a perfect gift for any mother with kids at home. And frankly, even for guys in their 40s (and beyond) who just want to bring more margin and balance back to their life.

Question: how do you deal with stress and overwhelm?

Ray Edwards is a world-renowned copywriter and communications strategist, writing for some of the most powerful voices in leadership and business including New York Times bestselling authors Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen (Chicken Soup for the Soul) and Tony Robbins. Ray is a sought-after speaker and author, hosts a popular weekly podcast, and blogs at RayEdwards.com.