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Changing Course Gracefully: A Strategic Guide to Building Foundational Self-Trust
Are you living your life on autopilot?
On paper, everything looks fine. You meet the deadlines, care for the family, and keep the machinery of your life running. But inside, there is a nagging disconnection—a sense that you are a passenger in your own vehicle.
You are suffering from "Remote Control Living": moving through your days guided by a relentless chorus of "shoulds" rather than your own internal signal.
From Award-Winning Author Elaina Kelly Smith comes the strategic guide to getting the controller back.
Changing Course Gracefully is not just another book of abstract theories. It is a practical, "brick-by-brick" toolkit designed to help you rebuild your foundational self-trust.
Drawing on her own journey and the powerful PARQS Framework, Smith provides a navigational compass for modern
How to identify what you actually want (versus what you think you should want).
Using the "5-Sense Reset" to calm anxiety in under 60 seconds.
Right How to make decisions with integrity, even when they are difficult.
Flipping your inner monologue from criticism to curiosity.
The art of being on your own side, no matter what.Whether you are navigating a career change, recovering from caregiver burnout, or simply trying to make it through a family holiday without losing yourself, this book provides the map.
Stop navigating blind. Pick up your compass today.
On paper, everything looks fine. You meet the deadlines, care for the family, and keep the machinery of your life running. But inside, there is a nagging disconnection—a sense that you are a passenger in your own vehicle.
You are suffering from "Remote Control Living": moving through your days guided by a relentless chorus of "shoulds" rather than your own internal signal.
From Award-Winning Author Elaina Kelly Smith comes the strategic guide to getting the controller back.
Changing Course Gracefully is not just another book of abstract theories. It is a practical, "brick-by-brick" toolkit designed to help you rebuild your foundational self-trust.
Drawing on her own journey and the powerful PARQS Framework, Smith provides a navigational compass for modern
How to identify what you actually want (versus what you think you should want).
Using the "5-Sense Reset" to calm anxiety in under 60 seconds.
Right How to make decisions with integrity, even when they are difficult.
Flipping your inner monologue from criticism to curiosity.
The art of being on your own side, no matter what.Whether you are navigating a career change, recovering from caregiver burnout, or simply trying to make it through a family holiday without losing yourself, this book provides the map.
Stop navigating blind. Pick up your compass today.
129 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 20, 2025
1 person want to read
About the author
Elaina Kelly Smith
3 booksElaina Kelly Smith knows the feeling of "Remote Control Living" intimately.
Elaina Kelly Smith is the founder of Ventures & Bloom Press and the author of Changing Course Gracefully: A Strategic Guide to Building Foundational Self-Trust.
Her life has been less of a gentle journey and more of an emotionally action-packed odyssey. Growing up in a highly restrictive environment, she eventually broke free to travel to all seven continents, building successful businesses along the way. Yet, despite her external freedom, she realized she was still living on "autopilot"—guided by a quiet chorus of "shoulds" rather than her own internal voice.
Elaina spent years navigating the "messy middle" to develop the PARQS™ Framework (Preferences, Awareness, Right Action, Questions, Self-Acceptance). This practical, "brick-by-brick" system is the compass she built to find her way back to herself—tools she continues to use every day to reinforce her own foundation. She shares this framework not as a rigid prescription, but as a way for readers to disconnect from remote control living and build their own path to self-trust.
Beyond the Book
Elaina describes herself as a fellow traveler and a lifelong learner who reads for utility, not just theory. When she isn’t writing, teaching, or cooking for those she holds close to her heart, you will likely find her outside. She has a deep appreciation for flowers—often stopping to take photos of them on her daily walks to share with friends.
She is also focused on direct-impact philanthropy, including supporting centers for visually impaired children in Vietnam and delivering essential supplies to rural families in Cambodia.
Elaina Kelly Smith is the founder of Ventures & Bloom Press and the author of Changing Course Gracefully: A Strategic Guide to Building Foundational Self-Trust.
Her life has been less of a gentle journey and more of an emotionally action-packed odyssey. Growing up in a highly restrictive environment, she eventually broke free to travel to all seven continents, building successful businesses along the way. Yet, despite her external freedom, she realized she was still living on "autopilot"—guided by a quiet chorus of "shoulds" rather than her own internal voice.
Elaina spent years navigating the "messy middle" to develop the PARQS™ Framework (Preferences, Awareness, Right Action, Questions, Self-Acceptance). This practical, "brick-by-brick" system is the compass she built to find her way back to herself—tools she continues to use every day to reinforce her own foundation. She shares this framework not as a rigid prescription, but as a way for readers to disconnect from remote control living and build their own path to self-trust.
Beyond the Book
Elaina describes herself as a fellow traveler and a lifelong learner who reads for utility, not just theory. When she isn’t writing, teaching, or cooking for those she holds close to her heart, you will likely find her outside. She has a deep appreciation for flowers—often stopping to take photos of them on her daily walks to share with friends.
She is also focused on direct-impact philanthropy, including supporting centers for visually impaired children in Vietnam and delivering essential supplies to rural families in Cambodia.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 24, 2025
Changing Course Gracefully: A Strategic Guide to Building Foundational Self-Trust is a thoughtful and compelling book that draws deeply from Elaina Kelly Smith’s personal journey. As one of four books she has written, this one stands out to me because of how honestly she shares her experiences while offering practical tools that feel genuinely usable in everyday life.
What I found most impactful was her unique PARQS framework, which she explains clearly and supports with real, relatable examples. The framework—Preferences, Awareness, Right Actions, and Self-Awareness— showed me how to slow down and truly consider how I make decisions. I especially resonated with the emphasis on Right Actions and Self-Awareness, as these concepts encouraged me to act in ways that are aligned with my values rather than reacting out of habit or pressure.
I appreciated how Smith breaks each element of PARQS down in a way that feels approachable instead of overwhelming. Rather than being abstract or theoretical, the examples made it easy to reflect on my own life and recognize where small shifts in thinking could lead to better outcomes. For me, her PARQS Framework became a practical guide for navigating everyday decisions, not just major life changes.
Overall, this book is a brilliant guide for dealing with life’s complexities with more intention, clarity, and self-trust. It’s a book that invites reflection without judgment and empowered me to move forward with confidence and as she implies - with grace. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to better understand themselves and make more aligned, thoughtful choices in their daily life. It just happens to be one of those challenging, life-changing books that stays with you wherever life takes you.
What I found most impactful was her unique PARQS framework, which she explains clearly and supports with real, relatable examples. The framework—Preferences, Awareness, Right Actions, and Self-Awareness— showed me how to slow down and truly consider how I make decisions. I especially resonated with the emphasis on Right Actions and Self-Awareness, as these concepts encouraged me to act in ways that are aligned with my values rather than reacting out of habit or pressure.
I appreciated how Smith breaks each element of PARQS down in a way that feels approachable instead of overwhelming. Rather than being abstract or theoretical, the examples made it easy to reflect on my own life and recognize where small shifts in thinking could lead to better outcomes. For me, her PARQS Framework became a practical guide for navigating everyday decisions, not just major life changes.
Overall, this book is a brilliant guide for dealing with life’s complexities with more intention, clarity, and self-trust. It’s a book that invites reflection without judgment and empowered me to move forward with confidence and as she implies - with grace. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to better understand themselves and make more aligned, thoughtful choices in their daily life. It just happens to be one of those challenging, life-changing books that stays with you wherever life takes you.
Displaying 1 of 1 review