Find Your Strongest Life by Marcus Buckingham

[The following is a review of the new book Find Your Strongest Life by Marcus Buckingham. Since the book is geared toward women, it was reviewed by my wife, Dawn.]

Finding My Life: Strong or Not

There couldn’t have been a better time in my life to read this book.  I am 34 years old, married for 5 years to an amazing husband, working at a company that I love, in a job that I thoroughly enjoy BUT with all of that, I would not have said that I was the happiest woman around.  At least, not prior to two months ago.

Two months ago I gave birth to my first child.  A beautiful boy named Sawyer whom I absolutely adore.  From the moment I saw him I knew I was in trouble, he had me hook, line and sinker.  I was completely and wholly in love with him with every part of my being.  Every day I was home with him on maternity leave, I enjoyed. There was nothing more I wanted to do than stay at home to be Sawyer’s Mom.  But alas, as life has it, my maternity leave had to come to an end.  I am also the breadwinner of my household and so last week I headed back to work.  My husband joined the increasing percentages of dad’s who stay at home while mom heads off to work.

In Find Your Strongest Life, author Marcus Buckingham, speaks specifically to women like me.  Those who are splitting their time between work and home and still not feeling like they are doing what they are passionate about.  Buckingham offers some key points on what women living a strong life might be experiencing.  First of all, he says that women who are living their strong life are successful.  They feel successful at work and/or at home. Second, they are instinctively looking forward to tomorrow. Third, they’re growing and learning. And fourth, they are getting their needs fulfilled.  It’s not that I don’t necessarily feel these things, the challenge can be that now that my son has joined us, these feelings are experienced most frequently for me while I am at home with my son and no longer while I am work. It’s amazing how having a child can so quickly change your priorities and your perspective on life. But just like so many women who wrote to Marcus, I am in a position where I must work everyday and therefore don’t feel like I am living a strong life. I am no longer doing what I am passionate about.  Now don’t get me wrong, ask me two months ago if I was doing what I was passionate about, I would have given you an resounding “Yes.”  But there has always been something deep down inside of me that said, this isn’t it, there has to be something more. Now I know there is.

So what’s a girl to do?  Buckingham offers various examples and anecdotes of ways in which a woman can take what she’s got and make the best of it.  Chapter after chapter gives suggestions on ways in which one can change their circumstances realizing that it’s not going to happen overnight and it’s going to take some sacrifice but the sweat and tears could be worth it in the long run.

For those of us women who struggle with the suggestion that women should be at home with their kids, the first few chapters may be a challenge to get through.  But press on my sister, there is more of a message than one may think.  With an open heart and an open mind, this book can be life changing.