Wake Up Your Life book review and tour.
I am always thinking about how to better myself, how to be a better mother, a better friend, a better human being.
I have faltered at times throughout my life in all of those areas.
When I first got divorced and became a single mom, I didn't think I could do it on my own, I thought the boys needed a man in their lives, their own father didn't want much of anything to do with them, he was far too busy with his band and his groupies.
Heck, he still is after 15 years, but the boys needed a man, or so I believed.
I went from one failed relationship to another, repeatedly.
I then thought I had found a really great guy, we spent 2 amazing years together, he loved my sons as his own, he called them his, they called hm "Daddy A". (Name withheld for privacy)
Then one night he didn't come home.
For 3 days I panicked, worried, freaked out, had my friend with contacts at the police and fire departments make some calls, he wasn't dead or locked up, so where was he?
It seems that he had gone out that night after work and had one of those love at first sight experiences that everyone talks about, and that's why he didn't come home.
When he did, he was there to pack his things.
He apologized like crazy, told me how sorry he was, how much he loved me, but this woman, he knew that this woman was his soul mate, he had to go.
I was really angry at first, then it hit me and I fell apart.
I was a giant heaping, sobbing, destroyed mess on my kitchen floor.
Another friend had been trying to call me, it wasn't like me to not answer the phone, so she came over and found me on the floor just crying uncontrollably, my sons in their high chairs eating hot dog and french fries, scared.
Mommy was on the floor, crying, babbling, a mess.
My friend picked me up off of the floor and took me to my bed and tucked me in it.
She got my boys things together and took them to her house for the night so I could rest, cry, slam things, whatever I needed to do.
What I ended up doing was calling my sister here in Florida and asking if we could come live with her, if there was work, help me, my life has fallen apart and I can't deal with it anymore, help me.
I ended up having a yard sale in which I sold everything that I could move from the third floor apartment down to the driveway, bought 3 one-way plane tickets, and left, all in a matter of 3 days.
I ran from my life there.
In "Wake Up Your Life", Doris Roper shares how 1 woman interfered in all of her major relationships, and how it became her wake up call to change her life.
She chose the moment that her life came crashing down around her to do something about it, to look inside herself to find out what it was about her and her reactions to things that played a part in what had happened.
She didn't run from it, not like I did, she looked inside and made the choice to change how she reacted to things in her life, she woke up.
I love reading these kinds of books because they really do help me see all the mistakes in my life, the times that I took what was happening to me and the things that hurt me, and how I allowed myself to run from it instead of taking that pain and changing how I dealt with it.
Doris Roper talks about how to take those rejections and turn it into redirection, change how it affects you, and redirect it into something positive, how forgiveness can release the power in you to be something better.
I am not at that place of forgiveness yet, I'm almost there, but I have a lot of hurt to still deal with not only from that relationship that caused me to run away, but from my failed marriage.
I know now that I was young, it was a stupid thing to do, and I know that at the time I had alarms going off like crazy, and I completely ignored them.
I don't regret my marriage, without it I wouldn't have the 2 most amazing sons a mother could ever ask for, but I know that I ignored all the warning signs that the marriage was doomed from the start.
I thought love could conquer all, love could make it all better, but that only works if both people feel the same way, want it, and are mature.
I will probably read "Wake Up Your Life" a few more times, the words in it are really hitting home for me, helping me wake up and see how I sabotaged myself and still do.
I totally recommend it for any woman who is limiting themselves, ignoring their own inner voices, and wants to change how they react to what's going on around them to help make better choices, better reactions to what may feel like the end of the world.
For more information, you can read more about this book on Amazon by clicking here.
I am so very pleased to be a stop on author Doris Roper's Virtual Blog Tour.
Each time a visitor comments here or on any or all of the other blog stops, they will be entered in a random drawing for a 6 month Gold membership to The Smart Woman's Success Connection.
This membership has everything one needs to know for money management including information about having a financial plan and starting a business, and includes a copy of her book in audio and PDF.
Please share your thoughts and comments today with Doris.
She will try to check in throughout the day to answer questions.
To purchase her book please click here.
For more information about Doris Roper and her virtual tour, check the schedule here.

Comments
I wonder if that guy is still with his "soul mate" -- somehow I doubt it.
I think it took amazing strength to pull up roots and start a new life as quickly as you did...I think I would have laid around feeling sorry for myself for weeks!
Posted by: Chris (Singer) | January 7, 2009 3:23 PM
No, the guy is not with his soul mate any longer.
About 4 months after I moved here, my best friend called me up and told me that she ran into him, he said he was looking for me, could she tell him where I was.
It seems that it wasn't true love at all, the woman was using him or something, they broke up like within a month after he left me and he had been searching for me since, he realized he made a mistake, he was sorry, wanted me back blah blah blah.
Friend said he looked like total shit too.
That made me feel rather good...LOL
Posted by: Kat | January 7, 2009 3:27 PM
Hi Kat,
Thanks for your review of my book. Forgiveness is very difficult but it's really for you and not them. I was forced to hurry up and forgive in order to be able to face my ex boyfriend and the "other" woman at the only tennis club in town. I couldn't stand that anxious feeling I had whenever I saw them so did everything possible to figure out how to get my power back and the only way was to forgive.
Posted by: Doris Roper | January 7, 2009 4:16 PM
Doris,
Thank you for coming by and posting.
I know that the forgiveness is for me, I am still trying to work through the hurt. I live far away from both of them, but I still have the hurt left over to deal with. I know I need to let it go and I am working on it.
Thank you for a really great book, I really enjoyed reading it and doing the review.
Posted by: Kat | January 7, 2009 4:24 PM
Kat,
That was a very interesting post. To be honest, I haven't heard of too many of those "love at first sight" moments working out, so I'm not surprised it didn't for your ex either.
I commend you for being such a wonderful single mom. Part of me agrees that your children could benefit from a man having a role in their lives, but I'm sure it was very difficult for them to accept him simply leaving and not coming home without any notice.
CK
Posted by: The Constant Complainer | January 7, 2009 4:57 PM
Wow, that was a great post, thank you so much for sharing your upset...jerk...chicken....ugh/men!
Anyways sounds like you are in a much better space!!!!
I would love a copy of this book for like you if I am open to it, I learn so much from these type of books!!! Currently I have a situation going on at work and it happened again today....my reaction was "hurt" and I reminded myself that it was not them, it was how I was reacting to the situation and why was I reacting the way I was....I don't have an answer and I still think it is "them" (snicker), so I need to read this book to figure out where I go from this point!!! UGH, working with women is so dang catty!
Thanks for listening!
Darby
darbyscloset at yahoo dot com
Posted by: Darby Lohrding | January 7, 2009 11:15 PM
I guess I have always been a thinker out side of the box. I have never let a man define who I am. Even when Jeff's father left (most women would have been devastated) I just kept doing what I had to do. I never once felt sorry for myself. I had responsibilities to take care of and at the time there was someone more important than myself to worry about. Another thing that I realized was the man I though I was in love with never existed. Jeff's dad showed his true colors and therefore it was much easier to assess the situation. I never looked back and I have never thought about what could have been. I like the part about forgiveness. It really does make a lot of difference in the way you perceive and handle any situation. Jeff's dad was forgiven the moment he said he wasn't ready. From what I have found out recently in fact that he has had a miserable life... I think maybe it's time he forgave himself.
Posted by: Mindy | January 8, 2009 9:07 AM
I'm going to get this book as soon as I have some spare cash..hopefully on pay day lol! I keep going back to this post and re reading it and going to Doris' site and the other stops on the books virtual tour. Last night I ended a relationship that I thought was possibly the real deal, but then again every man I meet and have a LTR with I think could be the real deal. I now know I need to find myself and be happy then maybe love will find me without me going out and searching myself. Thanks Kat for posting this review and your story! Today is the first day of the rest of my life!
Posted by: Amanda | January 11, 2009 9:23 AM