CHANGES: The Busy Professional's Guide to Reducing Stress, Accomplishing Goals and Mastering Adaptability

As a leadership consultant, author and coach, I can safely say I have a really good grasp of the topics the author covers in Changes...and yet, I was impressed,captivated and actually learned some new ways to look at an approach personal and professional change challenges. This book is like having your own personal coach at your fingertips. Bravo to Mr. Diettrich-Chastain!!One of the many things I admire about CHANGES is the application and integration activities it provides. They may be new ideas or reminders for readers and yet they are fresh and accessible. The case stories and the author’s personal stories are deeply moving and let us know he’s been there and witnessed and struggled just like the rest of us. I was particularly fond of the “G” chapter on Gratitude. The author’s approach to the subject was refreshing and a wonderful resource for my own clients. I highly recommend this book for anyone navigating personal or profssional relationsips and the changes that happen or need to happen in those relatinships. This book is loaded with practical tips and practices to get help us unhooked from habits that don’t serve us anymore.

I gave this book a try even though I've always thought of myself as a skeptic (about most things, really). At some point, however, I realized that if I simply opened myself up to what others have to say about taking a long, hard look in the mirror, making decisions, and instituting a new regimen, I could take what seemed sound and leave what didn't. To my pleasant surprise, when I glanced at this book's introduction I didn't encounter any of the condescension that I was bracing myself for. I kept going and read page after page of thoughtful explanations, examples, and suggestions without judgment or any particular agenda other than wishing the best for the reader. That in itself was disarming. More amenable to new perspectives than I had imagined, I've been mulling over the holistic approach that Diettrich-Chastain consistently espouses and considering ways to integrate new practices and behaviors across various life domains to make positive change as effective and as permanent as can be. Though I'm still at the beginning of my own journey, I feel confident that I would recommend CHANGES to those who want to learn about what it takes to become the person they know they can be and could use a trusted guide along the way.

Recognizing a change is needed often leads to a sense of overwhelm and paralysis. You can recognize change is needed but may not know where to start. This book helps create a useful map to move forward in a step-by-step fashion. The guide challenges you to examine the personal issues that may be holding you back and inspires actionable steps to move forward. Many times while reading I found myself taking a pause, jotting down a note, and then reveling in the thrill of inspiration and motivation that zinged through my body. Excellent read and even more importantly- wicked useful in getting to where you want to be. I highly recommend this book.

Having been promoted into management of a company that seems to be sprinting towards complete dysfunction, my stress level has been through the roof. Michael’s book is a timely call to action for regaining control of the things I can, and weathering the things I can’t. He has laid out an ultimately simple and intuitive framework for things I can do today to better myself and benefit the teams that I manage. I especially like the exercises at the end of each chapter to reinforce the need to act to see change. This book is far more than just mastery over professional life; it’s a holistic approach that will impact all aspects of your life, and turn professional mastery into a natural byproduct.

If ever there was a book to help in the immediate moment of our lives, it Is Michael's on how we can successfully cope with changes in our life. Change is hard to work through. Change has one definition for me...Stress. That all change causes some form of stress in our lives is a given, but what you don't hear often enough are the proven things you can do to help flatten the spike of stress that seems so much worse because we are mostly locked away in our quarantine caves. I am so grateful for him. It's a great read and deserves the second reading I'm do now.

We are more than any part of us. As human beings we have physical, mental, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual capacity. “The more we can connect the different parts of ourselves, the more successful we will be with any individual aspect.” (Introduction)Thank you, Michael Diettrich-Chastain for giving us CHANGES! The gift for me in this work is a robust and helpful construct that helps me keep a holistic approach in front of me always. Within moments of picking up this book I was using it to recognize where I needed to pay attention in my leadership. Quickly scanning through Cognition, Heart, Action, Nourishment, Guts, Environment, Spirit, I was seeing clearly a few actionable items I could focus on. And, on top of the recognition in my own life, the impactful exercises woven throughout the books will be accessible for years to come. For your own discovery and action plan, I would strongly urge you to pick up CHANGES!Jeff MeyerAuthor: "Fear Not, Dream Big & Execute: Tools To Spark Your Dream And Ignite Your Follow-Through"

As a busy professional, this book came at just the right time. I appreciated how each chapter had exercises and activities to form new habits, and its teachings were new and challenging. I thought that Michael's take on time management and his tactics for maximizing your time were especially helpful!

I have found this book to be an impactful book for professional and personal growth. The author uses stories to demonstrate principles, and then challenges readers to self-examine. The short chapters are easy to digest and work into a daily routine. CHANGES has led to some breakthroughs for me, and I highly recommend!

Changes sets out with the premise that if you are seeking a positive result or CHANGE then look at it holistically. More specifically, consider a self evaluation of how you think, feel and act. Then how these affect your outcomes.Many people tend to look at attainment of results or change from one perspective. The author encourages you to seek the pathway to results you seek; from 7 different core dimensions of your life.These 7 CHANGES include amongst others your a) thoughts and focus, b) your belief systems and even c) your environment. Then how these may be moving you towards or further from the changes you want.The author urges you to explore these areas individually and collectively. Then by doing so; you greatly increase your chances of discovering strategy for the change you seek.If you are in any way interested in the topic of self improvement this book is certainly worth exploring. The author offers lots of examples to illustrate his findings. Then lots of exercises throughout so you can take part as well.I hope you give yourself the gift of reading this book.