Living Like You Mean It by Ronald J. Frederick, Ph.D.

About the Author:

Ronald J. Frederick, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and life coach, with over 15 years of experience helping people get the life they really want.

A long-time proponent of the transforming power of emotion, he co-founded the Center for Courageous Living, which offers innovative therapy, coaching and consulting. Noted for his warmth, humor, and engaging presentation style, he lectures and facilitates workshops nationally.

Frederick is a senior faculty member of the Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) Institute, as well as the Clinical Supervisor of Park House, an outpatient program at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.

About the Book:

So many of us long to feel more alive, connected, and secure in our lives, particularly now, in these challenging and difficult times. Why is it so hard? Part of the problem, says Dr. Ronald J. Frederick, has to do with a fear of our feelings—a feelings‐phobia—and the consequences of expressing our feelings to others. It's this fear that keeps us stuck, detached from the wisdom inside us and distanced from the people around us.

And yet positive emotional experiences can actually “rewire” our brain and free us up to experience ourselves and our lives more fully. LIVING LIKE YOU MEAN IT: Use the Wisdom and Power of Your Emotions to Get the Life You Really Want by Ronald J. Frederick, shows how we can overcome our feelings phobia in order to enjoy more satisfying lives.

Drawing on cutting edge science, many years as a psychotherapist and his own personal experiences, Dr. Frederick advocates that we understand and express the broad range of our emotions so that our feelings actually become allies in our search for fulfillment. His proven four-step process for tapping into the hidden power of our emotions includes:

*Recognizing the signs of fears in ourselves, and the defenses we unknowingly use to cut ourselves off from our potential power.
*Understanding how to tame our fear and exercise control.
*Learning how to experience our true emotions and make use of their many resources.
*Developing effective, measured ways to express and share our feelings.

A master story‐teller, Frederick interlaces therapeutic techniques with stories from people who have learned to recognize and deal constructively with the emotions that have kept them from living their best lives. The trick, Dr. Frederick shows, is in being able to navigate and diminish the fear that is so entangled with our feelings, so we can progress in a healthier, less encumbered direction, and get the life we really want.

I was fortunate enough to get the author to agree to an interview. This is what he had to say:

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

Living Like You Mean It: Use the Wisdom and Power of Your Emotions to Get the Life You Really Want is a self-help book published by Jossey-Bass, a division of Wiley. Based on cutting-edge science, it shares my proven four-step approach to overcoming fear and becoming more emotionally present in one's life and relationships.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?

I was inspired to write Living Like You Mean It by my own life-changing experience. I was in my early thirties, had just finished my doctoral studies, and despite having everything going for me, I hit a wall. I was in relationship I frequently questioned and found myself filled with trepidation and fear about moving forward. I ended up in therapy and discovered, rather surprisingly, that the anxiety I was experiencing at the time had so much to do with being uncomfortable with what I really felt deep down inside. I had become so afraid of my emotions, of listening to and trusting my true feelings, that I couldn’t hear the voice of my deepest self buried somewhere inside me—the voice that knew what I wanted, knew what I longed for, knew what felt right to me and what felt wrong. I might have gone on doubting myself forever had I not gotten the help I needed to recognize what, in fact, I really was afraid of and to learn how to overcome my fears, accept and embrace my emotional self, and really connect with others. The experience changed my life. My anxiety decreased, I stopped doubting myself and felt much more confident and in touch with my personal truth. I found it much easier to be emotionally present and felt closer to the people in my life. Ultimately, I found the courage to listen to and trust my heart and move forward, to leave the relationship I was in, and to realize the kind of relationship and life I had dreamed of having.

When you have an experience like that, when your life is changed in such a dramatic way, you want to spread the good stuff around. The more people I’ve been able to help, and the more I witness the dramatic changes that can take place when we develop the ability to be with and share our feelings, the more I have felt compelled to spread the word. I guess you can say that it’s become a mission for me: to help people to wake up to their feelings and get the lives they really want. I wrote this book to help people do just that.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My biggest supporter is my life partner Tim. As I say in the acknowledgements section of my book, “a better partner I couldn’t have imagined if I tried.”

Your biggest critic?

My biggest critic is probably myself. I have pretty high standards which I challenge myself to meet. It’s probably why I ever give up!

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

I’m most passionate about helping people be more accepting of their feelings and more emotionally present in their lives. Why? It’s our feelings that make us feel alive and vital, that bridge the gap between ourselves and others and help us to feel close. We get only once chance at this life; shouldn’t we give it our best shot?

What are you currently working on?

Currently, I’m working on promoting Living Like You Mean It which is pretty much a full-time job. I’m also beginning to develop an audio series based on concepts in the book that will help people experience more joy in their lives.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

The approach I share in Living Like You Mean It is solidly based on cutting-edge findings from the fields of affective neuroscience, brain development, and attachment studies. Consequently, the program I offer, while easy to understand and implement, is not the kind of anecdotal, “quick fix” found in so many self-help books. Instead, it offers tools that have the potential to fundamentally change the way our brain works and truly transform our lives.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

What I share in my book: To not be afraid to take risks and try to connect more deeply with others.

What is your favorite past-time?

My favorite past-time is being with my partner Tim (even though sometimes he drives me a little crazy!). Add in our two dogs and I’m pretty much good to go.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Getting a book published has so much to do with being tenacious. For me, it was four years from start to finish, with many road blocks along the way. I’m so glad that I persevered despite all the rejection, all the hurdles, all the down times. That I reached out to others for help and that I stuck with it as long as I did. I can hardly believe it sometimes when I’m holding the book in my hands that it’s actually come to fruition. It’s been quite a ride. So, don’t despair. Hang in there and keep at it!

And, to learn more about me and Living Like You Mean It, please visit: http://www.livinglikeyoumeanit.com/index.html

Keys to Living Joyfully by Sheri Kaye Hoff

About the Author:

Sheri Kaye Hoff resides in Parker, CO with her husband and three children. She is a Life Coach and owner of the Sheri K Hoff International Coaching Company. She teaches college classes as an adjunct faculty member and has earned her Master of Arts in Organizational Management. Her new book, Keys to Living Joyfully,offers a way of living a meaningful, successful and joy filled life.Ms. Hoff is a personal and executive life coach.

Spirituality is a vital part of her life’s work. Prayer and meditation are integral pieces of her daily ritual, which enables her to pursue her life’s passions and live a truly joyful life.Her words on faith are derived from her own Christian walk and spiritual self-discoveries. Her action steps mix faith and years of leadership training, mentoring, and management. Sheri Kaye Hoff suffered the tragic death of her younger brother when she was a teenager and struggled for years to rediscover the capacity to feel joy and to enjoy her successes. She has a heart felt desire to pass on her knowledge and discoveries that have led to a truly transformational life.

Ms. Hoff publishes a free weekly inspiration newsletter, Coach Sheri’s Weekly Inspiration Tips. The Sheri K Hoff International Coaching Company also offers:
* Teleclasses
.* Webinars
* In person small and large group Coaching
* Corporate Training
* Keynote speaking
* Seminars
* Individual Career and Life Coaching (For a limited time- receive a free introductory one hour life coaching session)

You can visit her website at http://www.lifeisjoyful.org/.

About the Book:

Keys to Living Joyfully is an inspirational book on experiencing joy, peace, passion, and energy in daily life. It is designed to demonstrate the powerful roles of thoughts, action, and faith. The book is a merging of Sheri Kaye Hoff's spiritual life and lifelong interests in leadership and motivation. The ideas presented in the book are techniques and processes that have worked for the author and clients. Foreword is written by Michele Caron, creator of MyLIfeCoach.com

The book, Keys to Living Joyfully, was born out of a heartfelt desire to share the keys that lead to living a transformational life. Ms. Hoff is a personal and executive coach working with individuals, small businesses, and corporations. Her words on faith are derived from her own Christian walk and spiritual self-discoveries. Her action steps are a mix of faith. love, leadership skills, and management experience.

Chapters include topics such as: Is your heart thinking right? And how to tap into intrinsic motivation. This book, Keys to Living Joyfully, offers the techniques and insights that move people towards more peace, joy, energy, and passion in everyday life.

I had the chance to interview the author. Here is what she had to say:

In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?

In the last year, I have learned a lot about social networking, blogging, and internet marketing. I thought I knew a lot, until I started promoting my book and my knowledge and skills in this area have jumped. I now have facebook, twitter, myspace, LinkedIn, and other account. I have also become friends with people on almost every continent. I became part of a very promising exclusive mastermind group. My world has expanded exponentially.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?

When I finish a piece of work, I celebrate with cake and champagne. I make a big deal about it. I use to just quickly move on to the next project or task, now I relish and revel in the celebration.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

I have been reflecting on my writing process and inspiration. My mother was always enrolling me in creative writing classes even as a young child. I think I always thought of myself as somewhat of a writer. I enrolled in Mr. Peterson's Creative Writing class when I was in 10th grade and I felt very confident about it. My mother was even one of his students when she was in high school and he was her favorite teacher. I was excited. I was one of those-mostly "A" students and knew that this would be my fun class-compared to Trig.

On the first day, we were told the we would spend the first fifteen to twenty minutes of every class free flow writing in our journals. We would also hand in our journals. I thought, I can handle that. Then Mr. Peterson announced that he didn't grade work-he either wrote VG for very good, G for good, and nothing if it was less than good. My whole "working for my grade" became a confusing process for me.

We had different types of creative writing assignments. Soon, I had the frustrating experience of pouring my heart into my work and receiving only a "G". I kept working harder, but felt disappointed inside. I thought, maybe I am not a writer. I remember the most difficult assignment for me was to write a sonnet. I love poetry-but write in free verse. Now, I had to follow the rules of the sonnet. I was afraid that I could not do it. I created my one and only sonnet of my life and it is called Mountain Paradise. And I received my first "VG". I glowed with pride. Mr. Peterson was helping all of us learn discipline.

I went on to work with Mr. Peterson on the school paper. In one of my articles, I had some facts that were incorrect. When I walked in the door at school, he almost tackled me and said that some of my facts were wrong. I then, said, "Well, I assumed". Then his face turned beat red and he hollered-"You assumed? You assumed? a journalist never assumes anything." I learned my lesson about checking facts.

He was a demanding, brilliant teacher and he loved writing. I am a better person because I experienced working with him. I even suspected, afer awhile, that he did believe in me. By the way, I did earn an "A" in that class.

To all the Mr. Peterson's out there-Thank you for caring so much.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

My readers tell me that they feel that I am writing directly to them in my book, Keys to Living Joyfully. They feel that I am speaking to their hearts and know their stories. When I wrote the book, I had a deep desire that people could feel my heart and feel like they were one of my personal friends when reading. I wrote with gentleness and truth. When you hold the book in your hands, I think people can feel this and feel the spirit of the book.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

This is a hard question because I love books and books from many genres.
I would probably bring Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits. There is a section that talks about how Sadat felt more free when he was in prison because he realized his mind was free. I read this book the first time when I was on bedrest for 11 weeks when I was pregnant with my oldest daughter. I could only get up for three minutes every hour and the medication that I was taking made me shake. I felt trapped in my own body. My mother gave me the book and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I thought if a prisoner could feel free, so could I. This is when I began to study the importance of thoughts in terms of a person’s reality. So, if I were stranded on an island, I might need Covey’s words to remind me that my mind was still free-so I was essentially free.

Is there anything you regret doing/not doing?

I think there will always be a part of me that wishes that I could have somehow prevented my brother’s death. This experience has, of course, added a level of deep sadness to my life and spurred my pursuit of finding a way to live a joyful life in spite of life events. Now, even though I do experience joy on a daily basis, I still have times when I cry over him. I think that my thoughts about loosing my brother hover slightly around the poetry that I write. I also have a deep compassion for characters in real life and in fiction with lost souls. I want to soothe them and make them better. For instance, I wish I could heal the Phantom of the Opera’s loneliness.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Sure, you can find me at http://www.lifeisjoyful.org and my book is available on Amazon.


WIN PRIZES!!!
KEYS TO LIVING JOYFULLY VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR '09 will officially begin on March 2 and end on March 27. You can visit Sheri's blog stops at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in March to find out more about this talented author!As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available.