Alane K. Daugherty PhD

I found this book unengaging and difficult to get through. The points made were interesting, but could have been communicated in a shorter and clearer format. I can see how this book would be useful for someone specifically looking for tactics and ways to help them manage severe and persistent stress, but since I am not in that category, I did not find it as useful.

The author starts her introduction with the sentences: "If you are like most adults, there may be a vast divide between the emotional life you long for and the emotional life you live. You may have a deep and ever-present yearning for more. You may be longing for inner and outer calm, for connection and a feeling of wholeness. You may long to feel grounded in your own core; generatively engaged with others, yourself, and your outside world; and fully blossoming in your potential and living the life you desire." Personally, these words did not resonate with me; I feel pretty content with my life and emotions. There are times I definitely need to learn to manage my emotions better, but I don't feel dissatisfied with my life in the way she describes here. Maybe if I did, I would have felt this book to be more worthwhile to me, personally. If the author's words above ring true for you, maybe this book will benefit you.… (altro)

"Unstressed" by Alane Daughtery is a terrific book that helps readers understand how to become less stressed and relieve their anxiety. I found this book so helpful! The suggestion of focusing on something small and being consistent over time was amazing. The author explains that the chances for successful change are very good if you stick to this behavior. It's referred to as the butterfly effect!

What's impressive is that her explanations make sense. She encourages readers to manage their emotions. She explains that stress blocks one's ability to thrive. When you are anxious you are in a fear response state that is dominant and when peaceful in a calm and connected place. The idea is to try to avoid chaos.

Basically, the key is to reduce your exposure to chaos and actively engage in calm. If you are someone who experiences high anxiety or even chooses stressful situations then this is a great book for you. If you want to be able to bounce back from stressful situations whether at work, with relationships with friends and family or you just want to improve your ability to relax, grab a copy of this book. You'll be glad you did and I encourage you to practice the author 's helpful hints concerning behavior modification! I am certainly going to try her suggestions!… (altro)

This book about stress is about how detrimental it is to remain stressed. It begins by explaining what stress is not-it's not the overdue bill; but it is our reaction to what we tell ourselves we are feeling. There are very clear explanations and examples. Then Daugherty goes on to show us how we can "rewire" our thought process. It gives us hope in overcoming the internal chatter. Then we can better choose our reactions. She calls this the "gift of shift". Next she teaches us a system to recognize and replace stressful responses and break old patterns.
Stopping to complete the exercises slowed me down while reading, but now I can see where I still need help and can go back to work on this further.
Lately I've read several books about overcoming stress, and this is the best one. I highly recommend it.… (altro)