Lifeshocks: And how to love them

by Sophie Sabbage

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED IF LIFE IS TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING? This is a book about all the unwanted and unexpected moments in our lives. They surprise us, they blindside us. They shock us. They command our attention. Some bounce off us, other strike deep into our being. These moments are collision points between how we see life and how life actually is. These are lifeshocks. In her new book Sophie explains how lifeshocks awaken us. She offers her own deeply personal story as well as other case studies as a vehicle for bringing the theory and teachings to life. She focuses on three kinds of lifeshocks we all limiting lifeshocks which challenge our arrogance and appetite for control; exposing lifeshocks which challenge our affectations and pretences; and evoking lifeshocks which challenge our closed-heartedness. This groundbreaking new book reveals how these lifeshocks can bring healing, transformation and peace.

Genres: Psychology

416 pages, Hardcover

Published June 14, 2018

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

Self indulgent twaddle with little substance. Sophie has a tendency to brag about her skills and intelligence, and then say she shrunk herself for many years. I wish she still did as this book is nothing but one big hollow ego trip.

Avoid

[Claire Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an extraordinary person, and such a powerful book to read. It lifts and slaps you all at once - it reminds us all of the privilege to be alive.

[Moana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mighty, meaty read! A book I am looking forward to re-reading until it is dog-eared and further tear-stained. Thank you for having the courage and the tenacity to complete it. I gave a copy to a dear friend and she sent me this text: "Wow. I started bookmarking thoughts I wanted to revisit... may as well put a bookmark on every page."

[CenReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very raw outlook on Sophie’s continued journey through cancer.
It is a reflective book- how life shocks have an effect on your life for the butter.

This book follows her first book ‘The Cancer Whisper’
With this book I found that I would curl up and read felt like I was catching up with an old friend.

Easy read the story flowed easily

[Mary Karpel-Jergic · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Sophie Sabbage' second book and as I had enjoyed her first I expected to like this as much or more, but I didn't. It is an honest, experiential account of her life and the 'lifeshocks' that have shaped her. Obviously cancer was one of them but there are many more. In charting her life following what is a psychological self-help model of discovery and recovery there are many insights to take away.

I found it overly full of unnecessary metaphors which are fine for personal insights but not so appropriate when applying a particular method of understanding that follows a set of steps. However, I suspect that being an English literature graduate is what fuels this usage.

Perhaps it was trying to be two books in one - one book is how Sophie has used the concepts of lifeshocks to understand her life - one book as to how we could all apply the method to our own experience.

[Fondantsurprise · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up with an open mind; the author and the organisation of which she’s part have received great reviews and done some amazing work, and so I started reading it in that vein but as the book went on I found lots with which I disagreed. I shan’t say much more as I don’t like to leave an unkind review but I will say if you’re any kind of abuse survivor, the chapter on resentment contains some things which personally I think could be out-and-out harmful. I do think there are maybe some important insights in here though, and I don’t want to discount the entire thing. (Perhaps I’m just not ready for enlightenment.)

[Sarah Jewell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly self helpy. But a really great read - a mix of stories from the author's life, and practical strategies to identify and work through moments (called "lifeshocks") in life that give us insight into ourselves.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an astonishingly great read. It is both intelligent and brave. Sophie Sabbage’s depth of knowledge and awareness, coupled with her elegant writing style drew me right into and through the learning tools, reminding me over and over how clear and noble it is to step into the truth.

[Colleen Mulrooney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartfelt and insightful.

[Bella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book difficult to read. I feel somehow it didn't resonate with me and that there was more to this book that I could appreciate

[Melissa Scheffey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific book to be read over and over as we confront each of life's shocks. Full of helpful advice for turning challenges into gratitude and grief into enlightenment.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading the book itself was a cascade of lifeshocks ... !
Very powerful testimony on Sophie’s life experiences, the existential questions and realities she faces. There are a lot of theoretical self development books but this one touched me deep due to the personal and intimate way life shocking events have been shared, analyzed and acknowledged.