Follow Here To Purchase The Yummy Book: 25 Life Recipes for Happy Living

Author:  Deborah Calla

ISBN: 978-0-615-58378-5

This book was borne out of a series of blog posts written by Deborah Calla. Her website centers around living with awareness and purpose as well as creating community around difficult times in our lives.

The book itself is broken in to four sections, each with a quick ‘recipe’ for achieving self-love, working on change, avoiding the things that prevent us from being happy, and living in a new, more meaningful way. The recipes themselves are more tongue-in-cheek than anything – a nod to the title of the book - and I found myself skimming over them as the book went on. Within each section, the chapters are approximately two pages long - about the length of an average blog post. The book is organized in such a way that the reader can find particular essays quickly without having to read the book from beginning to end. If you are struggling with letting go or battling fear or self-judgment, you can simply turn to the section you want and find the author’s wisdom on that subject.

Each essay begins with a quote followed by Calla’s clear, concise assessment of the subject at hand and how to best apply it in your own life. Her writing is accessible and reasonable and offers the sort of insight a good friend might offer. I can see this book gracing many a nightstand or desk drawer as a quick pick-me-up or reminder of what to do when the stress and emotion of a busy life becomes overwhelming.

I used the book as a series of meditations, reading a chapter at a time and sitting with the message for a while, letting it sink in and resonate. I took note of times in my life when I had felt the way she described and spent a few minutes thinking about how I could apply the author’s suggestions to make my life a happier one. While it is not a comprehensive philosophical or psychological text, I think that the bite-sized bits of insight are perfect for busy people who are struggling to find more peace and joy in small ways as they make their way through the day.

Deborah Calla is an accomplished writer who blogs for The Huffington Post, has written a screenplay and produced movies and television shows as well as “Out of Silence: Readings from the Afghan Women’s Writing Project.” She is the chair of the Media Access Awards which annually honors those who have enhanced employment or accurate portrayals of individuals living with disabilities. Additionally, she chairs the Diversity Workshop of the Producer’s Guild of America and is a member of the Writer’s Guild of America. She is the published author of three fitness books as well.