This is a sweet book for women (primarily mothers of young children) who feel overwhelmed. It did feel very personal and perhaps a bit like a memoir or blog posts. Heartfelt and helpful, just not for everyone.

Thank you Sounds True and NetGalley for this ARC.
This is my second reading of this lovely book. It is wonderful to reread this at the end of the year, reminding the reader to shift into another gear, unwind, make connections and feed our souls.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Soul Shift is a must read for people looking for support in slowing down, self reflection, living with perfectionism, and trying to enjoy authentic life. I loved this book. It took me a while to get ready to read it, I knew it would ask me to do some real soul searching and get honest with myself. That's where I found motivation to make changes to improve quality of life for myself and loved ones. Highly recommend!

There are some writers who capture the feeling of close proximity and the comfort of a long standing friendship that envelope you the minute you open their books. Rachel is one of these authors. This book was gentle, soothing and carefully executed in a way that made it so unique and compulsive to read. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it and all the little gems she shared.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the gifted copy.

I love Rachel Macy Stafford!! Her gentle wisdom and words touch my heart every time I read something she writes. However, this book missed the mark a little bit for me. I love the format in theory, but it just didn't work for me while reading. The personal stories are very touching and honest, which is what I would expect from RMS. I do think I will give this another try when I can take it more slowly over time. I think that is definitely required for this one! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

As others have described, 'Soul Shift' blends memoir and self-help. I appreciate the author's approach here, as it feels more empathic and inclusive. Early on in journeys of mindfulness and mental health treatment, it can be helpful to have a sense of community to counteract feelings of isolation and shame. With that being said, I definitely think this book is best utilized by those who are just beginning their journeys of mindfulness and self-love.

Personally, I prefer books that are either more science-leaning or action-oriented. There were portions that spoke to me, but more in a resonate sense. My actual utilization of this book wasn't as strong as it would have been if I'd read it a year or two ago.

Soul Shift; The Weary Human's Guide to Getting Unstuck and Reclaiming Your Path to Joy by Rachel Macy Stafford is a book that makes you think. One that makes you draw from deeper wells! I felt so lucky to get a copy for myself! I have shared on my goodreads, bookstagram, and booktok!

I already followed Rachel Macy Stafford on Facebook and was excited to get the opportunity to review this book as an ARC. Unfortunately, it just didn’t connect for me. The writing felt a little disjointed. I can tell that she worked hard to give the book structure (the map, the stepping stones) but it didn’t really work for me and it felt a bit chaotic. It might be that the structure didn’t translate as well to my Kindle as it would visually in a paper book.

There was certainly some good content here and I know that she is a lovely, earnest person. This may just not have been the right read for me at this particular time of my life. I find that to be true with this genre… sometimes it just doesn’t connect with the person, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with it.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Soul Shift is a wonderful book, filled with wisdom and insight. Through the sharing of personal experience, vulnerability and little victories the author leads us on a journey towards finding our most authentic way of being, and how to show up for our lives. Showing up as our authentic self is not an easy thing in today’s world, however, Soul Shift guides us through the journey in small, easy steps and with inspirational mantras that we can use to return home to ourselves.

What struck me first and foremost was when I read “Just because you made mistakes doesn’t mean you are forever defined by them. Just because you took an unauthentic path doesn’t mean that you must stay the course.” So often we feel guilt and shame over our past mistakes, and we continue to beat ourselves up about them. Through the author’s insight, there is the dawning realisation that mistakes will be made, we will at times be unfaithful to our true self, we will make mistakes and choices that don’t accord with our deep self, but that these are learning points and not shameful events that we must punish ourselves over with again and again. What doesn’t work, the choices that we make that aren’t true to our nature and our own will: these can often tell us so much about how we should be in the world. What doesn’t work can be our greatest teacher.

The “Dreamer Girl”, that authentic part of the self that the author shares with us, resonated deeply with me. I have my own Dreamer Girl, a time before I was inundated with the world’s opinions on how I should be, where I should be, what I should be doing. I have been returning to my Dreamer Girl over these last few years, and a feeling of “coming home to myself” has been strong. Our true selves are always with us. My Dreamer Girl has always been there, and it’s through paying attention to ourselves that we can rediscover that part of our being. Take good care of your “Dreamer Girl”, for it is a part of you that can be your guiding light in the world. I know she is mine.

The author also touches upon a subject regarding how women are often pressured to give and give until there’s nothing left. We must be selfless in order to be worthy. But how she phrased it, by showing us that selfless means “less of self” we can begin to understand how this is not a sustainable way of being. We must learn to take care of ourselves, set clear boundaries that are in accord with our authentic selves, and listen to ourselves. “The practice of True Self-Worth is one of the most transformative practices I’ve cultivated on the journey. It has empowered me to make choices by heart, according to my core values and beliefs, rather than by societal standards or the expectations of others.” She talks about not throwing good energy at bad situations, and how to keep toxic elements out of our lives by protecting ourselves with our own inner guardians.

When we are portraying a false or fake image of ourselves, we are unable to make true, authentic connection. When we are being authentic and true, that’s when the real connection happens and you are able to see it spreading out into the wider world. Your own genuine connections will be stronger for it, for people will be connecting to the true you, not the person you are pretending to be on any given day. Those genuine connections are where love sits deeply and comfortably, both in yourself and with others. “Know these acts of acceptance will lead to more significant surrenders that will bring unexpected joy and peace to your life.” The ability to love and be loved is when we are being our most authentic selves.

Kindness creates peace, as the author so beautifully states. She also mentions how growth and healing are fluid processes, rather than being competitive in nature. “I promised right then and there to reserve ‘best ever’ status to recipes, not humans”. I also took away her words that “Someone else’s opinion is not my truth”. Words to live by. I was also blown by the realisation that other people’s disappointments in me need not shatter my own peace and my own life. I feel that this may be a very powerful way of moving forward in my own life. She states “There’s no peace worth keeping if it requires me to betray myself and what I hold most dear.” We have to be okay with other people’s disappointments in us. In fact, should this happen to me again, I will be using the quote “I am okay with your disappointment in me,” rather than betray a part of myself through sublimation.

Every day our stories are being written. Every day we have an opportunity to show up in our life. This book is not a book about how to be perfect, but rather how to be a perfectly imperfect human being filled with grace and peace, leaning from the stepping stones of our past in order to walk awake and aware into our future. This moment, right now, is what matters most; not yesterday, not tomorrow, but this present moment. It’s the only moment we can truly show up for, in all honesty.
We can all learn how to “walk differently in the world”. Taking steps that are right for us. Connecting with our deep sense of self, who we are, what we will and will not tolerate, what brings us peace and joy. We can make soul-deep connections that nurture and sustain us, rather than upset or drain us. By listening to our self, by being true to who we are, by coming into our own authenticity we can move forward as sovereign beings that make a real difference to the world, simply by showing up and being free.

Soul Shift is part memoir, part "self help" that encourages exploring the areas of presence, worthiness, letting go of perfection, self-kindness, authenticity, forgiveness, looking after yourself, and cultivating your gifts.

It sounded promising enough, but this just wasn't the book for me and I resorted to skimming after the first couple sections. If someone is new to practicing mindfulness or has interest in this author's life story, this could be the right fit. I am neither, and I found Soul Shift to be overly prescriptive, lacking evidence, repetitive, and leaning too far into memoir.

Thank you to Sounds True Publishing and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC to review! I wish it was a better fit.

I heard about Soul Shift and Rachel Macy Stafford from the On Purpose podcast earlier this month. The subtitle “The weary human’s guide to getting unstuck and reclaiming your pathway to joy” was very intriguing. Soul Shift did not disappoint. It was a very honest and practical guide through a symbolic garden. Focusing on eight areas towards finding joy: presence, worthiness, letting go of perfectionism, self kindness, authenticity, forgiveness, self care, and cultivating your gifts.

Thank you Sounds True publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Soul Shift should be read slowly, with time built in to really take Stafford's advice as you go. I'm impressed at how raw and honest her personal stories are. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Disclaimer: I have never engaged with this author's content before, so I went in blind and didn't know what to expect. I could not connect with this at all - the author's perspective is from that of a mother struggling to push through being overwhelmed and burnt out. I appreciated the encouragement and willingness to be so openly vulnerable, however. This absolutely has the potential to help the right reader, I just don't think I fit that demographic.

As a long time reader and fan of Rachel Macy Stafford I really enjoyed this upcoming release. Stafford has a way of relating to people in a very raw and real way, her vulnerability inspires ones own deep contemplation about life and all the contrasting and competing goals taking place in our days. Stafford doesn't claim to have all the answers, she offers her own hard won experience has a guiding insight to your own life. Thanks so much for an advanced copy of this book!

I've been eagerly keeping an eye out for examples of my favourite non-fiction writers reflecting on their experiences and growth during quarantine and the COVID pandemic. Rachel Macy Stafford writes from the perspective of a loving mother grappling with distraction and overwhelm, and I always find her work intensely relatable because she has such high aspirations, while always remaining humble enough to recognise her own mistakes and stumbling blocks. While sharing her vulnerabilities so openly, she writes with beautiful ease and poetic charm. Like the best children's stories, her work is easy to read yet the simple format disguises the rich, complex life lessons on the page. The author uses the extended metaphor of a garden to explore the Soul Shift universe, and in much the same way as a garden through the seasons, I felt the bloom of life and the encouragement to rest.

If you enjoyed any of the author's previous work, you will love Soul Shift. If you enjoy reflective self-help that feels like a conversation with a loving friend or a kind teacher, this is the book for you. If you don't enjoy examples driven by the author's own family life, or religious overtones, this probably isn't the book for you.

disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from Sounds True Publishing via NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

Soul Shift: The Weary Human's Guide to Getting Unstuck and Reclaiming Your Path to Joy is a self help book primarily aimed at women. The aim is to offer a practical, instructional guide to finding your way through a culture of distraction and exhaustion to feeling peace and contentment. However I did find it more conversational and quite padded out rather than practical. All the examples are related to the author's family life and won't relate to everyone. It is quite laboured and can go off on tangents. However I think there are lots of women out there who will enjoy the chatty, example based style even though it wasn't really for me. A useful book that will be enjoyed by many women.