A good pragmatic first step in getting back on the path to living and working in harmony.
Mullen offers advice on how to blend work and life into a happy merger.
This eclectic self-help guide begins with a (literally) shocking anecdote: “Drowning in life and its obligations,” Mullen found himself going into psychological shock as he struggled to keep it all—work, family, joy, life—together. The idea of maintaining a healthy work-life balance will be familiar to most, but the author asks, “How is anyone supposed to find balance when both work and life demand so much?” Mullen claims that “work-life balance” is an outdated concept, especially with the ways that work has slowly seeped into every nook and cranny of life. Between the shift to remote work and the rise in technology that demands constant communication, Mullen suggests it’s impossible to separate the two—or so it would seem. So the author offers this “practical, actionable guide” to help readers “evaluate [their] life’s metrics, negotiate priorities, make time adjustments, and increase [their] overall value of life,” resulting not in balance, but in “work-life negotiation.” The book is divided into four parts: “Examine Your Life,” “Envision Your Life,” “Elevate Your Life,” and finally “Excel at Life.” In the first part, Mullen breaks down why the work-life balance mantra doesn’t work and focuses on the root of burnout; the second part is dedicated to determining values and priorities in a busy and demanding life; part three takes a frank and challenging look at self-care; and the fourth part offers encouragement to enjoy life’s journey and continue negotiating for success and happiness. This to-do list seems daunting, but it’s not an impossibly abstract idea. Mullen recognizes that “people need practical and actionable steps to help them dig their way out of struggles.” Overall, Mullen writes with confidence and compassion. The struggles and solutions he offers will apply to a broad cross-section of readers, no matter their professional or personal obligations. Whether the author’s teachings come through personal anecdote, straightforward advice, or an in-depth worksheet, the book as a whole is written with enough motivational brio and common sense that no struggle feels too big.
A good pragmatic first step in getting back on the path to living and working in harmony.Pub Date: yesterday
ISBN: 9798891381803
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Amplify Publishing
Review Posted Online: Aug. 12, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A sweet final word from an actor who leaves a legacy of compassion and kindness.
The late actor offers a gentle guide for living with more purpose, love, and joy.
Mixing poetry, prescriptive challenges, and elements of memoir, Heche (1969-2022) delivers a narrative that is more encouraging workbook than life story. The author wants to share what she has discovered over the course of a life filled with abuse, advocacy, and uncanny turning points. Her greatest discovery? Love. “Open yourself up to love and transform kindness from a feeling you extend to those around you to actions that you perform for them,” she writes. “Only by caring can we open ourselves up to the universe, and only by opening up to the universe can we fully experience all the wonders that it holds, the greatest of which is love.” Throughout the occasionally overwrought text, Heche is heavy on the concept of care. She wants us to experience joy as she does, and she provides a road map for how to get there. Instead of slinking away from Hollywood and the ridicule that she endured there, Heche found the good and hung on, with Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford starring as particularly shining knights in her story. Some readers may dismiss this material as vapid Hollywood stuff, but Heche’s perspective is an empathetic blend of Buddhism (minimize suffering), dialectical behavioral therapy (tolerating distress), Christianity (do unto others), and pre-Socratic philosophy (sufficient reason). “You’re not out to change the whole world, but to increase the levels of love and kindness in the world, drop by drop,” she writes. “Over time, these actions wear away the coldness, hate, and indifference around us as surely as water slowly wearing away stone.” Readers grieving her loss will take solace knowing that she lived her love-filled life on her own terms. Heche’s business and podcast partner, Heather Duffy, writes the epilogue, closing the book on a life well lived.
A sweet final word from an actor who leaves a legacy of compassion and kindness.Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2023
ISBN: 9781627783316
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Viva Editions
Review Posted Online: Feb. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2023
A far-reaching, mostly persuasive guide that seeks to change how people approach inner challenges.
Ion and Irimia’s self-help book presents seven principles that can alter readers’ lives.
Many people face internal roadblocks that keep them from succeeding. While therapy remains a common treatment option, it can take years to make progress. Fast Transformation Protocols, the method advocated in Ion and Irimia’s guide, is the opposite, only requiring a minor time commitment. The seed for FTP was Ion’s first company, a recruitment agency for corporations in Transylvania, Romania. On a trip with a colleague named Sara, Ion freed the woman from the perception of abandonment, making Sara understand that benefits exist in even the most negative situations. FTP primarily operates by asking many “weird questions” and utilizing seven universal laws: those of duality, reflection, transformation, synchronicity, eristic (i.e., argumentative) escalation, order, and fractals. The laws mingle concepts from science, philosophy, and psychology. Just a few of the numerous examples the authors discuss regarding the law of duality alone include the Babylonians’ concept of celestial cycles; the Chinese version, yin and yang; and, in biology, the balance of cell birth with cell death. Another inspiration is Carl Jung’s exploration of coincidences (the law of synchronicity) and archetypes (the law of fractals). Added to the mix is a helping of spirituality. The authors ask readers, when they’re contemplating life challenges, to consider sacred contracts, an idea that “before birth, your soul carefully chooses the exact context and circumstances it will incarnate into.” The ambitious guide is written in Ion’s voice; she’s a sensitive presence who seems to genuinely aspire to help others. She recalls that as a child, “I pulled my emotions inward and packed them tightly inside me, like delicate things wrapped in newspaper.” Yet this delicacy is balanced by a love of organization and rationality, reflected in this well-structured and mostly convincing book. Intriguing case studies demonstrate how the laws the authors discuss apply to real situations. But some readers will question the success rate. Using one of the seven universal laws is always shown as succeeding, although perhaps not immediately.
A far-reaching, mostly persuasive guide that seeks to change how people approach inner challenges.Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2025
ISBN: 9798993098203
Page Count: 313
Publisher: Inspired Life Circle LLC
Review Posted Online: Feb. 6, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
