Keep It Simple and Sane: Freeing Yourself from Addictive Thinking [Paperback]

Barb Rogers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2009

Inspired by the 12-step saying, “Life is simple, it's people who are complicated,” Barb Rogers points out in Keep It Simple and Sane that it s pretty easy to tell ourselves lie upon lie as we explain away bad behavior associated with drugs, alcohol, food, sex, work...whatever, in an attempt to feel better about our complicated lies. And of course, we can't do anything to simplify our lives because we're too busy keeping up with our complicated lives, so we drink, smoke, or shoot, to seek release in inappropriate ways to relieve the complications. But we never do.

Through the telling of her own story and those of fellow travelers, Rogers encourages readers to wait, stop, and hold the phone! Start with Mentally Simple (the opposite of Stinking Thinking) and just do it. Start small. “Grab a mental flashlight” and follow her lead to discover what you were thinking and how you might think differently.

Offering 24 simple ideas in four sections (mind, emotions, spirituality, physicality), along with strategies and exercises to introduce them into your daily life, this book is for people on the simple path to wellness, for people who simply want to take charge to change the things they can change, accept the things they cannot change, and learn to know the difference without an operatic, addictive song and dance.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Rogers (Clutter Junkie No Moe) walks readers through the steps of ridding oneself of the emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical clutter that often leads to bad behaviors.  Her recommendations include being oneself in all situations and tackling problems in small pieces.  Her strength is in providing thought-provoking questions that will help readers examine choices they've made in the past and decide how to make better decisions in the future." --Library Journal, January 2009

"Extremely helpful for anyone who is trying to find a way to deal with 'stinking thinking' and establish a healthier balance in life. Keep It Simple and Sane definitely deserves a spot your bookshelf." --Allen Berger, Ph.D., psychologist and author of 12 Stupid Things that Mess Up Recovery



"Barb Rogers does it again with a simple, heartfelt, refreshingly honest look at how to keep life simple and therefore meaningful. A book that will benefit everyone who reads it." --Elizabeth Engstrom, author of The Northwoods Chronicles

"Barb Rogers has a compelling story and an even more compelling way of telling it in Keep It Simple and Sane. Majestically, she weaves her tragic story of addiction and miraculous recovery within the tapestry of thoughtful and sensible suggestions for discovering and maintaining a lifetime of peace. She is a wonderful example of what the promises tell us await us." --Karen Casey, Ph.D., author of Codependence and the Power of Detachment

About the Author

Barb Rogers is a professional costume designer, the founder of Broadway Bazaar Costumes, and author of two books on costuming. In the '90s she moved to Arizona to focus on her writing. She is the author of Twenty-Five Words: How the Serenity Prayer Can Save Your Life and Clutter Junkie No More.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Conari Press (January 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573243574
• ISBN-13: 978-1573243575
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #400,680 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars NO, NO, February 9, 2011

By 

knowledge - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Keep It Simple and Sane: Freeing Yourself from Addictive Thinking (Paperback)

The author talk 2 much about herself and not enough about anything that helped me apply anything 2 my life. Maybe it way my fault. If this book was only for addicts then I simply chose the wrong book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keep It Simple & Sane...accessible common sense, June 7, 2009

By 

Robin StClair "knowledge seeker" (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Keep It Simple and Sane: Freeing Yourself from Addictive Thinking (Paperback)

Barb Rogers' guide to freeing yourself from addictive thinking is a true jewel. Written in four major sections: Keep it Mentally Simple, Keep it Emotionally Simple, Keep it Spiritually Simple, and Keep it Physically Simple, Rogers weaves her own personal story of tragedy and redemption through common sense lessons of recovery. Her writing style is very accessible, I feel like I have been having a chat with her across the table with a cup of coffee, a plate of cookies and box of tissues near at hand. She shares the art of the possible for those of us who have addictions and/or addictive personalities in a way that is both inspiring and within our reach. Her practical common sense discussion of what it is (or may have been) like, suggestions for how we can change our patterns, and what it can be like now without the fetters of addictive thinking, is clear, actionable and full of promise. I have begun starting my day with a cup of coffee and reading of a few pages of this book and find myself internalizing the lessons she provides and finding ways to put them into action throughout my day. I can recommend this book without reservation! Thank you Barb Rogers!

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine handbook to use to remove some complexity to life, March 13, 2009

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Keep It Simple and Sane: Freeing Yourself from Addictive Thinking (Paperback)

Over-thinking can be just as much a problem as not thinking at all. "Keep It Simple & Sane: Freeing Yourself from Addictive Thinking" is a guide to simplifying one's life by not over-thinking the common problems in one's life. Divided into sections discussing emotional, physical, and spiritual simplicity, "Keep It Simple & Sane" is a fine handbook to use to remove some complexity to life.