So Elena had this bright idea that we start reading books and giving our review on them. To be honest I wasn’t much of a reader before we became friends but now I’m reading all the time. So anyways, she picked this book for me to read because I assume she felt I was distracted by my phone …..but little did she know it doesn’t take much for me to be distracted. Squirrel!!! 😂 So here goes nothing on my first ever book review.
Stafford gives a 12 step by step guide to becoming a hands free mama. Whether it is putting down your phone, throwing away your to-do list, or letting go of perfection. She helps us to grasp what really matters.
The 12 steps are:
Awareness
Connectedness
Deliberateness
Presentness
Serenity
Clarity
Simplification
Acceptance
Authenticity
Forgiveness
Compassion
Gratefulness
For each step she gives you her personal stories that helped on her journey to becoming hands free. At the end of each chapter she has a ‘Hands Free Reflection’ that offers a way to incorporate each action into your life. The book is formatted for a year long transformation, allowing you a month to put each step in action.
As moms we have enough on our plates with our regular responsibilities. Then we want to help at school parties, help at church events, help with moms club, help at sporting events, because we want to be involved in our kids lives. But it’s those events that end up taking our time and attention off of them. We get so wrapped up in the meetings to plan the events, baking for the events, and making every detail perfect that we have no time to enjoy special moments with our family.
This book will help you realize that you need to slow down, do less, be less involved and live in the moment. Life goes by fast and time will pass you by. So grasp what matters by letting go of what doesn’t.
For so many years I would be busy doing and never slowing down enough to give my kids my undivided attention. They are always asking me to watch them do something or can I do something with them, and my answer was usually ‘in a minute’. And as embarrassed as I am to admit it, I never had intentions of really doing what they asked me to do. So now I find myself watching tv shows that I can’t stand and them teaching dances that I’ll never be able to do. As bad as I want to be able to do the darn floss, I know it’s not in the cards for me! Lol, but it’s worth every laugh and smile by being a part of their fun.
Since I read the whole book to review, now I’m going back and doing each step for a month. So maybe a year from now I’ll be able to update you on my journey.
If you need to discover the power, joy, and love of living “Hands Free” this is the book for you!
-Erin
Elena And Erin.....It Is What It Is 