This latest edition to our "Busy People" series offers just the right mix of practical, easy-to-implement tips and background about why it is important to reduce stress. Dawn Groves writes with an upbeat, "if I can do it you can too" attitude, and she herself has recently experienced stress as never before: Her aging mother suffered a massive stroke, Dawn had some health problems of her own, the deadline for the book loomed, and the family was trying to move.

Dawn offers a realistic view of a busy world counterbalanced by goal-setting approaches to take control and to thrive. Describing our choices and priorities, she shows that by starting with a few simple changes, anyone can find a few minutes each day to take care of their bodies with exercise, sleep, and good food; their souls with meditation and prayer; and their minds with pursuits that challenge and please. Techniques such as "reframing" and "facts not stories" will help readers understand how to use thoughts to reinterpret events and issues for healthier emotions.