Due to Rising Energy Costs, the Light at the End of the Tunnel Has Been Turned Off: How to Have a Happy, Fabulous Life Even When Your Circumstances Look Dim [Bargain Price] [Paperback]

Karen Scalf Linamen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2008

Everyone experiences those days--or weeks or months or years--when it seems like nothing is going right. When things in our relationships, careers, finances, environment, and even our bodies aren't going as planned (and when it comes to our bodies, things never seem to go as planned!), our emotions follow. How can we get back that inner peace we so desire? With her signature wit, Karen Scalf Linamen helps women put it all into perspective. She shows how to feel alive and vibrant despite our circumstances. With hilarious true stories and plain-sense practicality, this book is just what women need when life seems to be falling apart at the seams. After all, life on this planet is bound to make us crazy, but, as Karen says, some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

EXCERPT FROM CATALOG You remember how I mentioned all the stuff muscles do? I said they give us strength, determine our paths, get us going, keep us on track, and even help us change our worlds. There's something else they do for us. When we find ourselves flat on our faces in a dark place, muscles get us back on our feet, moving toward an exit, and reaching for the switch that makes the world illuminated and bright once again. And the next time the light goes out at the end of one of your tunnels, a well-toned sense of peace, hope, and joy can do the very same thing. In the following chapters, we're going to talk about ten ways we can stretch, flex, and tone our peace, hope, and joy. Every day. Rain or shine. Even when it's dark outside. Especially when it's dark outside. Life is too short and too rich for anything less. After all, you and I've got places to go, things to do, people to love, life to live, and dances to dance. Who wants to stay home in bed because of a little inclement weather? The bad news is that sometimes skies are gray. The good news is that you and I don't run on solar power. Whether we realize it or not, we really do have the moxie we need to hone the moves that will help us get the most mileage and joy out of our lives. Even if we do look like C3PO when we belly dance.

From the Back Cover

Ever have a year when nothing seems to go right? When things in life--relationships, careers, finances, and even our bodies--aren't going as planned, our emotions often take a nosedive. It's hard to feel joyful, confident, and excited about the future when circumstances threaten to send you on a downward spiral. Wouldn't it be great if you could always find peace and hope, even in difficult situations? You can! Armed with insight, candor, and wit, Karen Linamen will give you a new perspective on what you can do when life is falling apart at the seams. Whether you realize it or not, you really do have what it takes to get the most mileage and joy out of your life. Don't let circumstances drag you under! Karen Linamen shows you how to experience a happy, fabulous life no matter what the world throws your way. Karen Scalf Linamen is a mother of two and the author or coauthor of several books, including Just Hand Over the Chocolate and No One Will Get Hurt and Chocolatherapy. Two of her books have received recognition as finalists for the ECPA Gold Medallion Award. She lives in Colorado.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Revell (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800731905
• ASIN: B002SB8QZU
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,083,495 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Funny Book, November 22, 2008

By 

N. Black (The Bahamas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Due to Rising Energy Costs, the Light at the End of the Tunnel Has Been Turned Off: How to Have a Happy, Fabulous Life Even When Your Circumstances Look Dim (Paperback)

I read this book at a time when laughter was rare and it seemed that the light at the end of the tunnel was turned off. Karen Linamen certainly has a sense of humor that was much needed. She tackled some serious issues such as the inner conflict that we face on a daily basis. Overall, I found her writing to be very witty but nothing new in regards to living that fabulous life. Yet her spin on it makes the read a quick and happy one.

5.0 out of 5 stars Lighthearted and Uplifting, January 19, 2012

By 

Dana Rongione (Greenville, SC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Due to Rising Energy Costs, the Light at the End of the Tunnel Has Been Turned Off: How to Have a Happy, Fabulous Life Even When Your Circumstances Look Dim (Paperback)

In her book "Due to Rising Energy Costs, the Light at the End of Tunnel Has Been Turned Off", Karen Scalf Linamen manages to address some very serious issues in a fun, lighthearted manner. Being a huge Linamen fan, I had been wanting to read this book but had not yet purchased it when my mom gave me her copy to read. At the time she gave me the book, I had no idea how much I was going to need it in the very near future. But as with every Linamen book I've read, I laughed my way through the tears that fell as I related to the circumstances detailed within.

To summarize this book, I'll quote a short excerpt from the last chapter. "I don't know about you, but I want to live above--not under--the rocks in my life. I want to stop letting painful stuff in my life smash me down or hold me under, and start letting it take me forward. After all, the same slab of granite can be a millstone, tombstone, or a stepping-stone. It can crush, signal the end, or create a path. I'm voting for the path."

The subject matter is deep enough that one chapter gives the reader plenty to meditate on. However, the catchy (and hilarious) chapter titles make it nearly impossible to put the book down. Her witty chapter discussing the positive traits of MacGyver had me nodding my head and saying, "Yes, I remember that episode" and "Wow! I never thought about it like that."

By the end of the book, I was refreshed, re-energized and ready to face the gloomy circumstances that surrounded me. While Linamen didn't extol on any new means of finding joy and peace I hadn't known before, her words served as a reminder that Jesus is the source of my song. My circumstances do not dictate my attitude. It's up to me how I use the slabs of granite in my life, and I choose to create stepping stones.

3.0 out of 5 stars Good subject & well written, but lacks standard Linamen laughter., September 22, 2009

By 

T. Bentley "laughter junkie" (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Due to Rising Energy Costs, the Light at the End of the Tunnel Has Been Turned Off: How to Have a Happy, Fabulous Life Even When Your Circumstances Look Dim (Paperback)

Linamen addresses a great subject matter (not letting our emotions control our attitudes) and does it quite well. You can't miss the heavyness of the journey she has made to come to this point in her life. But if your expecting Linamen's standard sense of humor which provides a steady stream of laughter, perhaps the next book.