Lighten Your Load: 35 Surprisingly Simple Ways to Free Yourself From Stress, Toxins, and Clutter

by Karin Kiser

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed and stressed out? Do you want to take control of your life and create more time, energy, and freedom? Look no further than Lighten Your Load, the #1 international happiness bestseller that reveals the simple, actionable strategies to address the root causes of stress and finally start living life lighter.

Benefits of reading Lighten Your Load:

- Discover 35 surprisingly simple ways to a happier, more fulfilled life
- Regain control over your inbox and free up time and energy
- Boost your energy levels with natural exercises
- Add more peace, calm, and tranquility to your day
- De-stress your life with lasting results

Inside the book, you'll also learn how to detox your mind and body in just 3 minutes, why your bathroom is a source of stress, and how even the products in your medicine cabinet can affect your health and happiness.

Included in Lighten Your Load:

- The truth behind stress management and why most mainstream advice is wrong
- The root causes of stress and how to address them
- Strategies to detox your body and mind
- How to create more time, energy, and freedom in your life
- And much more!

Don't wait any longer to free yourself from stress, toxins, and clutter. Get Lighten Your Load now and start living a lighter, happier life.

Genres: Self Help, Health, Nonfiction

124 pages, Paperback

Published January 29, 2016

About the author

Karin Kiser is founder of Radical Simplicity and author of 10 books, including the international bestseller Lighten Your Load. She helps people simplify and detox their lives so they can live at a higher level with more time, energy, simplicity, and ease.

As a visionary, mentor and speaker, she inspires individuals around the world to greater health and happiness by helping them reduce the physical, mental, and emotional toxins blocking their path. She is on a mission to help people live lives of joy, radiant health and regeneration, for themselves and for the planet.

Karin is also known as a transformational coach and Earth steward. In 2020, she created the pro bono Power of One Project to demonstrate how one person can reach thousands of people and positively impact the world. Using book proceeds and donations, she has funded more than 1,800 new trees that will be planted around the world. Learn more about her work at KarinKiser.com and CaminoChroniclesPress.com.

Reviews

[Cherie M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring

There is a little bit of everything.
Ways to change your outlook, how to declutter, and living a happy and healthy life.

[Joseph Langen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am reviewing this book provided to me as a review copy. Many books are currently available on these and similar topics. Some of them tend to be lengthy and difficult to wade through when you are looking for quick answers. This book cuts to the chase and provides a well organized, practical approach to making your life easier and healthier. If you want to go directly to what you can do now to release your life from what weighs you down, this is a good choice.

The book begins by listing the root cause of stress which lies inside you rather than in what surrounds you. Sources of stress are listed as what we put into our bodies, toxic buildup of unnecessary possessions, self destructive attitudes and thoughts as well as clinging to negative emotions.

Next is a self administered test to determine how much of a stress load you carry. You are invited to explore healthy nutrients to cleanse and nourish your body as well as exercises and practices to calm you. Then the author moves on to toxic and healthy approaches to treating yourself. You will learn ways to remove clutter from your living space. You will also learn how to declutter your computer including your email and social media life. You will also learn how to declutter your mind of destructive and useless concerns. One of my favorites is to get the word “should” out of your mind. The psychologist Albert Ellis warned us about the dangers of “shoulding on yourself.” Most of us tend to set rigid rules for at least some parts of our lives which interfere with living a useful and peaceful life.

Habits of physical relaxation, meditation and looking at life with gratitude are suggested as useful ways to exchange stress for peace. In addition conscious efforts to create and enjoy happiness in your life and celebration of your successes also help. Finally our place on earth and our efforts to make it healthier and more peaceful are the next logical steps.

You can always move on to more technical explanations of stress and how to handle it. If you want to know what you can start doing today, read this book. The entire list might seem overwhelming, but you don’t need to do it all at once. Choose your own pace and get started.

Review by Joseph G. Langen, PhD, author of Release Your Stress and Reclaim Your Life.

[AMR CAMI · Rating 5 out of 5]

very usefull!

Last year, I was going through a very tough situation, every time I thought that I was overcoming this really hard and suppressing feelings, they weren’t leaving me. With the passing of months and with a great amount of therapy sessions I got really better, and found out that reading helps me overcome these situations. That’s when I found out about this book, that helped me overcome my obstacles and finally achieve my goals in life.

Practical, transformative, very well developed, and useful are some of the many words that I would use to describe this amazing book. The author did an exceptional job when writing this book that approaches managing your stress and helps you by giving you tips to live a healthier life. The key strength of this book is its close approach to self care, and prioritizing our own well being. On another hand, the author's approach to motivation and refreshing makes this book really accessible and enjoyable for anyone to read. Overall, I really loved this book, from its content to its writing style, it helped me a lot, and it may help you to.

[Sara Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has me feeling better already! I won it in a Goodreads giveaway but was blown away when I realized that not only did I receive a signed copy of the book (always makes me super happy) but it also came with a handwritten note from the author, Karin Kiser. It is so rare that people actually still write anything, and I don't know a person alive who doesn't appreciate receiving a personal note.

On to the book. I've been feeling completely overwhelmed lately so it came at a perfect time. I picked it up and immediately started trying some of the suggestions. My issues have not gone away however I am able to deal with them and life in a more positive light and have faith that things will get better, soon. These surprisingly simple ways to lighten your load are truly that, surprisingly simple. So often we think that things have to be difficult to work but usually it's the simplest of ideas that bring the greatest rewards. While I am not ready to bring all 35 actions into play in my life, I know that the 90% that I am now using are already making a positive difference.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess I shouldn't feel underwhelmed because the title does identify that these are simple ways to reduce stress, toxins, and clutter. The author doesn't expect the reader to use all 35 but advocates using the ones that best fit. Most of these methods do offer benefits and are harmless. Some I already do and agree to their usefulness. Others such as filtering water, advocating eating as much raw food as possible and such I find dubious. (For what it's worth, it's cooking food which aids digestion which helped our ancestors develop our large brains which led to well...basically everything. Perhaps nutrients are lost but we gain so much more when the food is easier to digest.) The de-cluttering recommendations are solid and so are the mental activities covered. For those interested in this topic, this book breaks no new ground but can be a useful introduction for others wanting a quick read to jump start some stress reduction practices that are easy to use.

[Steven Finkelstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many individuals these days who report feelings of stress or anxiety in their day-to-day lives. These feelings might come from their job, their home life, or from existential dread that’s difficult to quantify. If you feel this way, you would do well to read this book.

Lighten Your Load starts by talking about some of the reasons why people feel pressure and discontentment. It goes on to explain in detail several techniques that can help you to shed the feelings of angst that might be controlling you or threatening to do so.

There are many easy-to-learn methods this book mentions that you might try to implement as part of your routine. It might surprise you how much stress you’re dealing with that you may not necessarily take the time to acknowledge. What may shock you even more, though, is how good you can feel when you learn how to lighten your emotional burdens, breathe easier, and to take pleasure in some of life’s simplest yet most profound joys.

[Maria Paula Castellanos Monroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is perfect to quit the stress

“Lighten Your Load” By Karin Kiser is a book to start on the path of tranquility.

This text sets out simple, practical and accessible methods for everyone, with the aim of addressing the main stress triggers and introducing a lighter way of life. When you have an adult life, worries, responsibilities and life per se can cause high levels of stress that are unlikely to allow you to get on with your life in a smooth way. This book is a solution to stop feeling overwhelmed and take life more calmly without stopping living it.

The book is quite complete as it has tips and recommendations from the author who allows you to have a normal life without forgetting to take care of yourself, it is a book that feels like advice from a friend who talks to you calmly without judging you. It is really an excellent book that takes you on the road to wellness.

[Gianfranco · Rating 5 out of 5]

It came at the perfect time

Just in a week when I was feeling overwhelmed, this book has come along to show me a different path to my problems. With this work of art, you will learn to manage your time efficiently, simplify tasks but also learn to let go of things that are not necessary in your mind and that represent obstacles to your daily life.
With this book, I found a thousand ways to solve problems that made everything much more complex without realizing it. The stress that was my biggest daily complexity has almost completely disappeared, because I have learned to focus it in other ways so that my body feels free and not overloaded.
I think this book is for everyone, as we live in a busy world, full of responsibilities and pressures. Give yourself the chance to free yourself and grow without so many problems in your head.

[Marina Lujan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coping with stress and anxiety has become a typical aspect of daily life. Personally, "Lighten Your Load" has been an essential source of support for me, particularly when work-related stress has led to feelings of anxiety. This book provides a priceless toolkit to confront those moments of confusion, sadness, or existential emptiness that we all encounter at some stage in our lives.

What most leads me to recommend this book is that after reading it, I experience a feeling of control and calm that previously seemed unattainable to me. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to find emotional and mental balance in the midst of modern chaos. The author has achieved a truly valuable work that will surely leave a positive mark on all who read it.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is totally transformative, life-changing, and mind-opening; it is very difficult to explain in words how grateful I am to have found it because everything I read will resonate with me every time I need a breath of air in my life.
We live in a world of immediacy where chaos, anguish, stress and anxiety are part of everyday life. We rarely take the time to think about the detrimental effects that such emotions have on our health, and even if we could know it, we cannot break away from the routine maelstrom and its limited time to meditate about that.
“Lighten Your Load” offers easy-to-follow, simple and clear strategies to address and understand the situations that cause us stress and to be able to turn them around.

[CarlitasFox · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gem to de-stress life
Unfortunately, stress has become part of our lives. Though we strive to keep it away, It's there. In “Lighten Your Road”, Karin Kiser teaches readers ways of coping with stress in life.
Here, you’ll read about the external factors that affect your daily life. The author delves into the external factors that play a role in your stressful and sometimes overwhelming life. She also gives pieces of advice on how to detox your mind, body and build healthy relationships.
It's a complete, well-developed and very helpful book. I learned a lot after reading it; I could apply some of the techniques to control some stressful situations and to make some changes in my life. Without a doubt I recommend it.

[Yolanda Gomez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that nowadays the biggest problem in society is stress and, in this book,, I found a refreshing and effective approach to stress management. Far from traditional methods that often focus on superficial or external factors. I loved this book because I felt encouraged to address the root causes of stress by considering environmental, psychological, emotional, and physical factors. For me, all the 35 practical strategies presented were simple and actionable, helping me to detoxify various aspects of my life, from digital spaces to personal care routines. This approach is designed for sustainable improvement rather than temporary relief, which for me was the best part because I wanted something lasting.

[Mayra · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Lighten Your Load" is a great book for anyone who wants to reduce stress, get rid of toxins, and clear out mess. The book explains how stress harms different parts of our lives and gives easy-to-follow methods to fight it. Kiser focuses on solving the root problems and making small changes to help readers find peace and calm in their everyday lives. I like the fact that it offers a series of helpful tips and advice to help us take control and live a happier, more balanced life. Kiser’s natural approach to detoxing both the body and mind is both useful and inspiring. I see this book as a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their life by tackling stress, toxins, and clutter. I highly recommend it.

[Almiria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you feel like you are unable to cope with the simplest tasks in your life or that you get down over seemingly nothing? You are probably suffering from too much stress in your life, and this book will help you take simple steps to relieve stress and improve your quality of life dramatically. While some of the advice is fairly common sense, we often need to be reminded of these simple improvements to our life. One thing I was missing in this book is information on the positive side of stress (eustress). Sometimes the very mindset that all stress is bad can get us down unnecessarily. Nevertheless, there is plenty of valuable advice in this book.

[Agustina Sureda · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a woman in charge of a household, my load can really take off at times so when I got this book, I was curious to see if it can provide any assistance to help me delegate activities. Lighten Your Load has helped me understand how to put boundaries within my house so I can start leaving stress behind. This book provides great examples and a simple guide that can be followed by anyone at the house. I was also able to learn quick ways to improve my energy and detox my body so I can feel more energic every day! This book changed my household activities, and I can surely say it has helped us to maintain a healthier balance.   

[Ivan M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living a stress-free life is not as easy as it looks, especially considering the dynamics and the fast-paced life most people have in this century. Karin Kiser shares her methods to eradicate stress by attacking the root of the problems rather than the symptoms.

Lighten Your Load acts as a guide for people experiencing signs of stress and have no idea how to manage them. In my personal experience, it was the physical activity that brought me back to my zen place, but it's a different road for everyone, and I consider the author to be capable of delivering answers to the average Joe.

Recommended for the reader who's into personal growth and introspection.

[Margarita Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good tips

''Lighten Your Load'' is a must-read book if you are looking to learn how to reduce your stress. In just 35 steps, you will discover how to come out of the light and have a lot of life. I found this book very useful, with very simple steps to follow, with activities that we can easily incorporate into our daily lives. Sometimes, we don't pay attention to small actions that at the end of the day will brighten our day and make it easier. Small activities such as taking time to breathe, opening the windows, or enjoying a shower can be decisive in changing our day and living without stress. You will find this book useful. Just enjoy the process.

[Saya Jacaranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

the kind of happiness that lasts

This is the kind of book we all should read. It is full of amazing tips and helpful insights into becoming a happier and more fulfilled person on the long run. It’s not about instant fun and enjoyment but about the kind of happiness that lasts. I think that it is crucial to get to know more about how to control stress in today's society because otherwise, it can damage your life quality in huge ways. I changed quite a few things about my habits and my daily life, but also about my inner state of mind and my body. Being healthy in our times is definitely not easy but it is possible and life will feel so much more fulfilling and worthy.

[Dani Savante · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Lighten Your Load” is a book with very valuable content. It develops 35 surprisingly simple strategies to free yourself from stress, toxins and clutter.
From the first pages I have been immersed in a deep reflection on how stress can infiltrate my life without me being able to notice it. It has been of great help to me and has been a starting point to understand my emotional state.
Personally, I have been impressed by the variety of simple and practical strategies presented in these pages. From home detox tips to ways to boost energy levels naturally. This book has offered me a diverse range of tools that I have been able to easily implement into my daily routines. I recommend it.

[S Tyty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karin Kiser's book enlightens and inspires. The book is written in the form of a guide or workbook, loaded with actionable steps to follow so that start looking at our daily lives from another perspective.
All the 35 strategies presented here are easy to follow since the author first gave us a test for us to assess our levels of stress, toxins, and clutters.
The way the book has been written is clear and all the information is easy to grasp and understand. I love the author’s way with words. Lighten Your Load has changed my mind forever, and it allowed me to start enjoying my days as if they were the last ones. Loved it!

[Aneley Sánchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A necessary read.

This book opens many lines of thought but one of the things that resonated with me was that over 75% of Americans experience at least one symptom of stress per month. It made me think about the importance and need to talk about stress and mental health.
Lighten Your Load offers a lot of information about stressors and how to work on them. It has different tips, advice and techniques to free us from stress, toxins, and clutter.
Although I think there are some points that the book oversimplifies, I still consider it a recommended read that can be useful for people to approach these topics. Without a doubt, all readers will find some useful tools for our lives.

[Daniel Moreno · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Lighten Your Load" by Karin Kiser is a changer book for anyone feeling weighed down by stress, toxins, and clutter in their life. Kiser's insightful approach cuts through the noise of mainstream stress management advice, offering practical and effective strategies to address the root causes of stress. This book is a breath of fresh air, providing 35 simple yet powerful ways to boost energy, detoxify mind and body, and reclaim time and vitality. If you're ready to break free from the cycle of stress and live a lighter, more fulfilling life, this book will be very helpful for you and your future plans, definitely this book is a must-read for you.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book!

Wonderful book! The author does a great job giving the reader a quick and digestible run down on ways we can improve and lighten our lives and help the planet in easy, manageable, and realistic ways. I loved the non judgmental and conversational tone of the writing, and how all the tips and advice is given in short bites that are not overwhelming. I particularly loved the part about happiness being attainable with some mental exercises, and the gentle and not scary chapter about eating more plants (it seems that nothing riles people up more than any suggestion to reduce animal consumption). Highly recommend this book for anyone looking to do better.

[Caro Rey · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful read

“Lighten your load” teaches exactly that; how to slow down and let go or lighten your everyday loads.
I personally feel very identified with this book because I myself tend to fill my cup a little too much sometimes and then I don’t know how to let it go, so this book was a wonderful help for me and I’m sure it’ll be very helpful to anyone who reads it.
What I really liked about this book is that it doesn’t just cover one specific area of life but it touched every aspect of life and everyday things. The author's writing style is conversational and fresh, easy to understand and clear. Highly recommend!

[Juliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book

This book came into my hands when I was going through a bad time in my life, and without knowing it, it changed the way I live and enjoy my days. This wonderful reading helped me to identify and eliminate my sources of stress, toxins and clutter, helping me to lead a healthier and more balanced lifestyle. I can guarantee that if you apply the tips shown in each chapter, you will feel different, renewed and incredible.
What I liked most about the book is that it is very practical and realistic, so you can apply them in your daily life. It is a very good book, fantastic.

[Chico's Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to read to help you find inner peace by eliminating stress, toxins, and other unhealthy things. The book reminds me of a class I just recently had. Stress is the root of all evil, and just like any weeds in your garden, you can uproot it; it may grow back, but you have the power to manage it. The book is engaging, and the author's writing style and information delivery are straightforward. It is not new, but it is good to be reminded of what you can do to improve your life. This is easy to follow and implement in your life. Local Live and Light is my new mantra in searching for food ingredients or finding a place to eat, which is easy because I live in Florida.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

With everyday demands, we can feel tired, exhausted or even overwhelmed, but author Kiser helps us confront these feelings so we can address the root causes of stress and ultimately begin to live a lighter life.
This book was a great help to me. With two jobs and the demands of life, I felt tired most of the time, but thanks to this reading, I was able to start making changes in my life to live it more fully.
One of the things I liked the most is that the book has a self-test to know what scenario we are facing. In the following chapters, the author shares more than 35 surprisingly simple ways to have a happier and more fulfilling life.

[Melissa Hernandez-Alvarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very quick guide to lighten your load! Karin outlines 35 ways and splits it into chapters with some in depth knowledge attached to it. Some of the ways are pretty reasonable I think - decluttering physical items and what not. And some ways are a bit harder but doable. And further harder when we talk about food and water. But that's my opinion. I will definitely take up some of the methods - breathing exercises, taking breaks, but most importantly, being thankful and happy to be in this world. You can take something out of this for sure.

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this reading, the author focuses on environmental, psychological, emotional, and physical health to tackle stress at its roots. The book offers 35 easy-to-implement ways that helped me to detox my life from stress, toxins, and clutter, the best part for me are its unique tips like reevaluating my bathroom's contribution to stress and quick daily detoxes for my mind and body. It's a practical handbook for anyone seeking to reclaim their vitality, freedom, and happiness by making simple yet profound changes to their daily routines. I recommend reading it.

[Candice Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do we calm our bodies down? How do we relax in a healthy way? I found this book to be helpful in a lot of different ways. From the start the reader will give you a lot of different ways to cleanse the body. Many people will think that getting your body cleansed with juice will be good for them. There are other ways that may be good too. For instance, running is a good way too. You may become overwhelmed by all the tips in this book. However, you don’t need to do all of them. Perhaps one will help you. I know Karin Kiser took time to write Lighten your Load.