A Whole New You: Six Steps to Ignite Change for Your Best Life

by Brett Blumenthal

From the author of the bestselling book 52 Small Changes comes a smart, practical approach to reinventing any aspect of your life that’s not working for you. Whether you want to start eating healthy, switch careers, or improve a relationship, Brett Blumenthal’s A Whole New You will inspire you to take control of your life and live at your very best.

Drawing on her own experience with personal reinvention, her professional work as a change-management consultant, and her studies in the fields of psychology and human behavior, Blumenthal breaks down how to successfully reinvent your life in six steps. Each stage is comprehensively explained, with action items, tools, and resources to enable you to follow through and effect change in your life. In A Whole New You, Blumenthal will lead you

The three times in your life when you’re most ready for change, including during life transitions and after trauma.The symptoms—rational, emotional and physical—that indicate you need change.How to stay motivated by making an investment in your successFinding ways to capitalize on your strengths, making change easier.A Whole New You is for anyone who wants to make a change but is not sure where to begin, or for those who’ve tried to make a life improvement in the past but have failed. With the right tools and knowledge, you’ll be able to reach your goals and live not just a good life or a better life—but your best life.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Psychology

253 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 18, 2012

About the author

Brett Blumenthal is co-creator and illustrator of I Wish for You. Prior to becoming a full-time artist, she was the International bestselling author of the wellness book series - 52 Small Changes. Her art career began after giving birth to her son and daring to paint his nursery art. Passionate about wildlife, animals, and the environment, Brett uses her art to raise awareness about the importance of preserving our beautiful planet. You can purchase her artwork directly at www.tinytoesdesign.com.

Brett received her MBA from Johnson at Cornell University, where she graduated as a Park Fellow; she also earned her bachelors degree from Cornell University. She is certified by WELCOA (Wellness Council of America) and AFAA (Aerobics and Fitness Association of America).

Reviews

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve ever felt like reinventing yourself then this book is for you. It breaks the process down into easy steps and provides a host of worksheets at the back of the book to help you through each stage of the process. There is some extremely good advice contained in this book and it is written in an easy and accessible style. There are references to other self-help books throughout the text and a list of further reading at the end of the book.

The book is divided into three parts:
Part I Preparation
Part II Your Path to Personal Reinvention
Part III The Activity Journal – which consists of the worksheets

The section called ‘Your Path to Personal Reinvention’ consists of six stages:
Stage 1 Identify the Need
Stage 2 Discover Yourself
Stage 3 Design Your Vision
Stage 4 Create the Plan
Stage 5 Make it Happen
Stage 6 Monitor Your Performance

I think one of the most important aspects of this book is the stress it puts on making sure that changes you plan to make are in accordance with values that you genuinely hold. It is all too easy to be unduly influenced by the people who matter to you and to find yourself struggling with changes for which you lack enthusiasm. When that happens it is quite possible that you have chosen something which does not fit in with your own personal values. Then it is time to go back to the drawing board and work out what your core values are and to proceed on that basis – rather than on the basis of what other people consider is best for you.

I liked the way the text is brought to life by examples of people making changes in their own lives. I also liked the worksheets the book provides which will help anyone wanting to reinvent themselves to actually follow through and complete the process. If you know you need to make changes in your life then I think this book could help you make those changes and help you monitor your own progress.

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a GREAT "feel good about yourself and change what you don't feel good about" read! Thanks Brett Blumenthal! Inspiational!

[Michelle Gross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a book to read on the kindle. Would have been better if the forms were put in with the text. Having to go to a separate section was really irritating.

[Donna Huber · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking to make a change in your life, from changing careers to changing habits, this book would be a good one to try. I liked the step by step organization of the book. Full review soon.

[LemontreeLime · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted this to be better. But was alot like a dozen other similar titles.

[Namita Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading "A Whole New You" and found it a genuinely helpful and motivating book. Brett Blumenthal offers a clear and practical framework for making positive changes in one's life through six well-defined steps: envision, motivate, plan, commit, execute, and celebrate. This structured approach, accompanied by examples, exercises, and valuable tips, effectively guides readers through the change process and aids in overcoming challenges.

What sets this book apart is the author's personal touch. Blumenthal shares her stories and insights, making the content more relatable and authentic. It is evident that she deeply cares about the readers' success in their journeys of self-improvement.

Despite its many strengths, "A Whole New You" is not without some minor flaws. Some broken online resource links can be frustrating for readers seeking additional support. Moreover, a few suggestions may be unrealistic or unfeasible for individuals with limited time or financial resources. Additionally, it would have been beneficial if the book had taken a more inclusive and diverse approach to cater to a broader audience.

However, these minor imperfections do not significantly detract from the book's overall value. This book provides a valuable source of guidance and motivation for anyone who wants to improve themselves and their situation. It does not promise easy solutions or instant results; it gives a thorough and practical framework to help readers pursue their dreams and live their best life.

I wholeheartedly recommend "A Whole New You" to those committed to personal growth and self-improvement. Whether you're an adult embarking on your journey or a young reader seeking guidance, this book has something to offer. The engaging writing style, fun exercises, and relevant examples also suit young minds. Children with some adult guidance can benefit from the book's lessons on setting and achieving goals, fostering a positive and growth-oriented mindset.

In conclusion, "A Whole New You" is a valuable resource that can spark positive changes in your life, providing the tools and inspiration needed for growth and self-improvement. Despite minor drawbacks, its practicality and relatability make it a worthy addition to anyone's personal development journey.

[J Crossley · Rating 3 out of 5]

In A Whole New You, Brett Blumenthal outlines the ways that you can supercharge the change process for your life. He explains six stages that need to be followed to ensure that the change is a permanent part of yourself. After each section there is a summary. I liked that when an idea would be explained, he would then show how it was related to the journey.

Something that really helped me in the book was the discussion about the elephant and the rider. The elephant is our emotional side. This is the side that will give in to cravings and have a low self-discipline threshold. The rider is your rational side. Your rider can create a plan to do something, such as lose weight. However, if you do not get the elephant moving in the same direction by becoming excited about the change, you will have struggle.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book would be great if I had the money the author assumes we all have to hire experts, go back to school, etc. The problem is that I am looking for actual ideas that I can implement. Going into the book, I had already done the work that the book spends almost the entire read going over. My roadblocks are financial and time based which the author then goes back over to say it is my fault that I have hit the roadblocks because my goals are too lofty. I would have preferred a more uplifting read. Thank you.

[Aditya Tah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practically applicable

Realistic content and doesn't feel preachy . It's straight from the heart yet the content is structured and pragmatic.
A must read !

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Links no longer work

The link for the pdf's are no longer working. Information is good but difficult to follow through without the journal.

[Chris Craddock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Change is hard but A Whole New You by Brett Blumenthal lays out a six phase plan that can really help you make it happen. I have been involved with personal transformation--trying to reinvent myself--for years, and I've come a long way, but really I have only scratched the surface. I see a pattern in many of these books--they often repeat the same things--but the hardest part about these books for me is following the simple steps, actually doing what the books say. I read them and they make perfect sense, but then I put the book on the shelf, and I'm reading the next book, perhaps even feeling a little deja vu, and not following through with the simple steps that will help this old leopard change his spots.

But all that is going to change because I am going to commit to this book and actually do the things it told me. The "six steps necessary to ignite change for your best life" are, according to Blumenthal:

1. Identify the Need
2. Discover Yourself
3. Design Your Vision
4. Create the Plan
5. Make it Happen
6. Monitor Your Progress

Blumenthal is there to help you every step of the way, with inspirational quotes from such luminaries as Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein, charts and graphs, and advice and stratagems for overcoming all obstacles, my biggest one being myself.

The difference for me between this book, and say, a very useful book that helped me very little like for example Getting Things Done by David Allen, is that A Whole New You does address my biggest obstacle--that being Yours Truly--and shows me how through self-leadership and self-management I can create self-empowerment and build up my self-confidence. Blumenthal's book can help me transition to the type of person who can do the things in Getting Things Done and be more productive.

Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.
~ Tao Te Ching

[Catherine Gillespie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In her surprisingly helpful book A Whole New You: Six Steps to Ignite Change for Your Best Life, Brett Blumenthal offers a well-distilled, easy to implement track for breaking down your vague feelings of ennui into an actual plan of achievable steps for making your goals a reality.

{Read my full review here}

[Ricardo Mendoza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great

Good start for a person evolved in self development. Only issue is that th link for the downloadable off template are nonexistent.

[Debra]

Stopped reading this as you can't find the journal pages on Amazon. So what's the we point of finishing it.
Found I had printed it out so did work on it and finished the book