Fierce Joy: Choosing Brave over Perfect to Find My Inner Voice

by Susie Caldwell Rinehart

"Uplifting and loaded with practical wisdom on how to come out of a crisis with more, not less." ― Suleika Jaouad , The New York Times , "Life, Interrupted" columnist
#1 Best Seller in Diseases & Physical Ailments
Fierce Joy  is the incredible finding your self story of one woman who learned to shed perfection and find joy in every day.
Learn to find joy in every day.  Susie Rinehart seemed to have it all―two beautiful kids and a loving husband, a job where she was respected as a leader, and medals as an ultramarathon champion. Then she found out that a tumor on her brainstem threatened to take away her voice…and her life. With so much at stake, Susie had to rethink how she wanted to live. 
Brave is better than perfect.  So many of us grew up believing that achievements would lead to love and acceptance. Just ace that test, win that race, get that job, and happiness will follow. But it’s hard to arrive at happiness when we’re motivated by fear. When she faced losing everything, Susie learned to choose joy over fear, and brave over perfect.
Find strength in your voice.  This incredible story is about healing, rediscovering yourself, and becoming a warrior in a new way. For anyone who has lost their voice in the never-ending struggle to please others, Susie offers hope. In each section of the book she offers a series of takeaways―lessons she learned when life forced her to slow down and step back.
Readers of  Fierce Joy   Fierce Joy  is a memoir perfect for readers who loved  Big Magic , The Unwinding of the Miracle ,  Love Warrior ,  Untamed , or  Risking the Rapids .

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Audiobook

224 pages, Paperback

Published May 15, 2019

Reviews

[Sarah Byrden · Rating 5 out of 5]

There has never been a time in my life that I have passed up mountain biking with my best friend on my birthday, simply to stay home, turning pages on a book- just that I did with Fierce Joy. Susie Caldwell Rinehart's writing is like water- so effortless to read, that it barely feels like reading- I just felt like I was in the room with her for every step of her brave journey. Her joy and gratitude amidst her crisis were so inspiring to me- I couldn't put the book down because I kept feeling like "I need to hear these words! I, too, am caught in a trap of feeling like if I just did more, I'd be worthy of my life..how did she find her way out?!" I wanted to glean her wisdom and simply revel in her ease of spirit and vulnerable humanness in every word. Since reading Fierce Joy, I find myself referring to her story over and over as I give myself permission to cancel plans I don't really want to do, and to sit and enjoy the birdsong and sunlight, and to basically begin clearing my calendar and embarking on the kind of hero's journey she talks about- the kind of hero who does less!! A book for every woman to read, for every family suffering from an unexpected circumstance, for anyone who feels like they are on some hampster wheel of life, running fast and headed..where? Susie made me feel like I actually knew her!- deeply, intimately- which is a rare and brave gift of any writer. She gives us a glimpse into the most private of circumstances. I loved this book. (and mind you, its the only finished book in my stack of 16 books on my bedside table!)

[Erin Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susie Caldwell Reinhart's brutally honest memoir peels back the layers of perfectionism in her life and in society at large. The diagnosis of a rare tumour catapults Reinhart - an ultra marathon runner, teacher, writer, advocate and mother - into the biggest race of her life but this time against her own expectations. This book is for anyone who has raced their way through life only to realize the finish line is not the goal - and it never was. I can't encourage you enough to read Reinhart's beautiful account of her medical journey, spiritual transformation and how she learns to convert her competitive survival strategies into a courageous manifesto for these uncertain times.

[Danae Shanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure how I've accomplished reading this book between trying to see through tears of laughter and resonant sorrow...beautiful, beautiful, beautiful - epic writing.

I salute Susie and thank her for finding her voice and writing it forth for all of us. I feel that this is a must read for every woman, regardless of age.

This book is an inspiration to me. I know in my heart each and every person reading Fierce Joy will have their lives changed forever. I know mine has.

I now have the courage to step forward and place my voice in the world, from self-acceptance and self-worth instead of trying to prove I'm worthy of having a voice in the first place.

Cheers and standing ovations to the deep work and transformations that Susie went through, written in raw, humorous and deep-hearted honesty word by word.

May we all find this courage to BE.

[Heather Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will Smith was recently on the Ellen Show sharing that to celebrate his 50th birthday, he decided to do a series of scare-himself-to-death feats. "Why?" he explained was because on the other side fear is amazing JOY. Smith, of course, could choose and pay for the feats he wanted to tackle; he could seek out the experiences for the thrill he sought to feel more alive.

Susie Rinehart, in her memoir Fierce Joy, talks about just that – confronting a scare-herself-to-death-quite-literally journey facing an aggressive brain tumor diagnosis. A self-proclaimed overachieving, ever-striving, ultra-marathoner perfectionist and mother of two, Rinehart learned she must undergo a life-threatening brain surgery that could potentially leave her paralyzed, unable to speak, or dead. The alternative? Have 3 to 5 months to live.

Rinehart writes a raw and authentic account of her very human struggles and triumphs learning to LIVE with JOY in spite of her fear. Her “thrill-seeking” experience is to feel more alive by loving herself and others more fiercely on her life’s path.

I couldn’t put Fierce Joy down. It’s a “must read” and game-changer...no a life changer! EnJOY fiercely!

[Allison Dancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susie Rinehart’s memoir is for everyone who struggles with being enough. It’s a raw, sweet, sad and deeply human story about coming to terms with who we are and what really matters. Rinehart, an extraordinarily accomplished woman, takes us on a journey as she bravely dissects a lifelong struggle with needing to please and to strive for perfection. She holds no punches as she shares her innermost fears and self-criticism at various points of her life. Her brave and powerful memoir helps remind us – and guide us – to a simple answer: that we are already enough. We can't let fear get in the way. Her writing is deeply honest and wise. If you do nothing else, read the letters she writes to each of her children as she’s facing a dire medical diagnosis. They are breathtakingly beautiful and full of wisdom. Her writing helps make sense of our struggles and reminds us that life is beautiful and precious and that we can’t waste time being afraid. What a gift Rinehart has given us.

[Kit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It is hilarious, insightful, accessible, and uncommonly helpful. It will impact the way you approach the possibilities and challenges of each day. Susie Rinehart shares her incredible story in such a poignant and playful way. It is a beautifully-crafted memoir and more: Rinehart has clearly spent many hours reflecting on her experiences as a woman, mother, partner, writer, educator, leader, runner, and survivor, and she extrapolates lessons and wisdoms that are broadly applicable and easy to absorb. Rinehart uses her story to inspire us and to give us specific strategies for living more fulfilling, productive, and meaningful lives. Read this book today!

[Rona Renner · Rating 5 out of 5]

What does it mean to find your voice? Fierce Joy reminds me how easy it is to lose myself to the expectations of other people. Susie Rinehart is an excellent writer, willing to bring us into her world. What I love about this book is that it’s so personal and at the same time universal. She guides us on a trail to discover courage and face our fear and let go of shame. She is so generous with her story, reminding all of us that we will die some day, but for now we can decide how we want to live. Her wake up call can help us all wake up just a bit more to our purpose and joy.

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book and LOVED it so MUCH! It is a book you cannot wait to finish because it fills you up so beautifully, yet you don't want it to end because walking through life with Susie brings such joy and ultimately illuminates our own navigation of how to live this one precious life. Susie speaks such truth, and reflects through her breaking-open experience on creating joy not fear, finding one's voice, being brave not perfect, and creating peace, love and community. You won't want to put it down, but once you do, you will be changed, both fiercely and joyfully.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing, fast, light, witty and funny read. Yet as I read Fierce Joy, I find myself asking, Why does it take a harrowing experience for any of us to change our lives? The author’s hopes, ambitions, and trials all sound so familiar to my own, my sister’s, and my friends. But then an unbelievable medical diagnosis forces her to forces her to change her lifestyle, her mindset, and so much of what she’d thought was essential to leading the perfect life. Let her journey inspire you to make the changes in your own life. Without having to endure the traumatic experience.

[Marielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I live a busy life, but found it difficult to put this book down. This memoir is like a warm chat with an empathetic and wise friend. Susie presents her struggles and the knowledge she gained from them in a warm and authentic way. It's not a self-help book per se, but I walked away from it feeling helped. I will be a better spouse, friend and mother because of having read Fierce Joy.

[Sparklebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written inspirational and moving memoir by Susie Caldwell Rinehart that was hard to put down. A lesson on how to live with intention and purpose despite what life brings. -It's such a good book!

[Chloe Zelkha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This thing was impossible for me to put down. It felt like Susie was speaking directly to me. Reading "Fierce Joy" helped me remember how to choose brave over perfect, how to find my voice, and how to follow my joy...for real. Feels like coming back from vacation with new eyes, or having an engrossing conversation with a dear friend. Susie Caldwell Rinehart's story is gorgeous, real, wild, and wise-- and without the "woo woo" moralizing that I tend to be allergic to. I adore this book and it's changing the way I live.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent. It will keep you turning the pages from beginning to end. It made me laugh and made me cry. Susie Caldwell Rinehart is both vulnerable and courageous as she shares her story. Brene Brown would be proud. The most important part of the book, though, is the wisdom and advice about living an authentic life of love, gratitude and Fierce Joy. Must buy.

[Sage B. Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fierce Joy is refreshingly real and raw. I felt Susie's courageous vulnerability in the first few pages. She tells stories that pull you in and remind you of how hard and messy and beautiful it is to be alive. Rarely do you find a writer who is willing to truly tell all. And in doing so, Fierce Joy makes you feel so much freer to be who you really are as well... even when you've been taught to excel, perform, and perfect. Fierce Joy is a must read for any woman who has ever struggled to be more or do more to prove her value (which is every woman I've ever met).

[Jane K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured Fierce Joy in two days—it was so raw and so moving. It exposed so much vulnerability and yet so much resilience. Rinehart’s insightful, honest words and hard-won wisdom were a source of comfort and strength that felt like a salve on my soul in a time of darkness. I highly recommend this book to anyone experiencing a medical challenge, or indeed anyone wanting to find the strength to live more fully in the moment and with greater joy. It's difficult to articulate the appreciation I have for Fierce Joy. All I can say is that I invite you to hear Susie Rinehart’s voice for yourself.

[Anthony Moorhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susie Caldwell Rinehart speaks from the heart with such authenticity and vulnerability.

The journey that the author takes the reader on is so relatable and meaningful.

There is true wisdom within Fierce Joy, written in a clear and matter of fact style which makes it also, a real page-turner!

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fierce Joy was a phenomenal read. It is fast-paced and fun, but also dives deep into the questions so many of us face in life. What are our internal motivators and who is driving??? Susie’s health story is absolutely unreal, and her perspectives on perfection, vulnerability, hearing and learning to tone down our inner judging voice, and life in general are authentic and totally relatable. I highly recommend this book. I will go back to it again and again to remind myself of the wisdom she shares. The book is like having a really good friend who totally gets you come to visit.

[Becky Esca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, how I loved this book! Susie Caldwell Rinehart’s remarkable memoir, FIERCE JOY, takes you on an inspiring journey through her battle as she strives to please others then as she fights the most gut-wrenching struggle of her life and ultimately finds her own voice. I laughed out loud, I cried, I adjusted my own view on perfectionism I and could NOT put this book down until I finished it. Recommended for all humans.

[Christine Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This stunning memoir wakes us up to the kind of happiness that is possible when we are brave enough to go after it. At the heart of this big, brilliant story is this: You are already enough. This book is wise and revolutionary. It changed my life.

—Christine Carter, author of Raising Happiness and The Sweet Spot

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today I started this book before heading out to see Michael Franti perform in the park and I ended up skipping the show because I could not put it down. I was completely captivated, feeling like I was in the author’s head and I needed to see the story through to the end. Fierce Joy is an emotional journey of courage, strength, and vulnerability. Susie fearlessly shares her experiences giving us access to her unedited thoughts. I laughed out loud and I wept more than once while reading- feeling emotions I typically only have when reading books where the dog dies in the end.

Carpe Diem (seize the day) kept running through my thoughts as I read. Time is not to be squandered being afraid and trying to seek approval. Life is precious, and short, and beautiful, and messy, and it’s not perfect and that’s part of what makes what we choose to think and do in every moment so important.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading books about people who overcame adversity and/or did brave things. This author did both. I have lots of work ahead of me to copy quotes into my commonplace book. Very inspiring! I don't have words to sum up this book, but here are a couple teasers from the back cover:

". . . the story of one woman rising from rock bottom, but it is also the story of the transformation that is possible for us all when we stop chasing worthiness. We are born worthy."

"Uplifting and loaded with practical wisdom on how to come out of a crisis with more, not less."

Among many, many other things, there is a list of some of the things the author appreciated most while going through cancer treatment--things like "emails or texts with no questions." Thought-provoking.

A book I need to spend time digesting.

[Kristin Foster Martindale · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Susie Caldwell Rinehart's powerful memoir you will find yourself, again and again. Her life has played out on a huge scale, but the themes and struggles will meet you right where you are. The stifling strangle-hold of perfectionism and striving stamping out the opportunity for joy to rise. How can we be so successful, have so much of what we always wanted and yet still feel like we aren't enough? Susie walks us, with quick tempo, through her extreme journey with humor and deep wisdom. Her story will break your heart open and give you true hope and practical tools to make adjustments in your own life. You'll come away from Fierce Joy feeling like now is exactly the right time, and that you can and must begin.

[Maya Sohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written, easy to read, and inspiring story. Rinehart managed to very concisely and powerfully express how her experience with cancer changed her perspective on life. As she states in this account, we shouldn't have to go through a crisis to build a happier life. Reading this book is a great way to help to do just that. To anyone who struggles with perfectionism, anxiety, and/or depression rooted in the pressures you place on yourself to exceed expectations - I would highly recommend this read. To anyone who just wants to open their mind to new perspectives and challenge themselves to see life in a new light - I would also recommend this read.

[MarileeNH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susie Caldwell Rinehart has a voice that is clear, humble, funny, and wise. I loved the way this memoir describes so deftly the way beauty and courage nudge their way into the scary space of uncertainty. The author never strays into the territory of self-indulgence, nor does she court the illusion of easy answers; instead, she shares her story with endearing honesty, humor, and a wide-open heart. I will be recommending it to my friends and students.

[Marlena Fiol · Rating 5 out of 5]

On June 30th, 2016, champion ultra-runner Susie Rinehart was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive tumor on her brainstem. Her doctor told her, "Without surgery, you have less than five months to live." In Fierce Joy, Susie shares with us her incredible journey to find her voice and a new kind of bravery after facing the prospect of death. She invites us to embrace the fact that the universe has our back -- to work hard, get help from others, make mistakes, and then lie back and float.

[Yihemba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susie Caldwell Rinehart’s Fierce Joy is an inspiring, attention-grabbing memoir. Written with honesty and vulnerability, Susie’s story speaks volumes—about how we confront uncertainty, how we define our worth, perfectionism, and the freedom of self-expression, listening to ourselves, and choosing joy. This book is absolutely worth the read!

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fierce Joy engages and inspires on each and every page. Susie's personal story has the power to touch each of us in our most tender and vulnerable places, acknowledging and naming some of the things in life that can be hardest to face, and offering accessible means of moving through difficulty and living bravely and joyfully. Susie's story and this book are such a gift!

[Debbie Farquharson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only is this an incredible true story but it’s also filled with insights that apply to all of us no matter the shape or size of our obstacles to joy and peace. It’s a fast read with a powerful punch. It made me tremble and weep and also laugh out loud. Everyone will learn something new in reading it.

[Kristi Herold · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautifully written story with some incredibly impactful messages for all of us.

Progress not perfection
Choose joy over fear
Focus on what you can do not what you can’t.
We are not our thoughts

Couldn’t put it down. I am so inspired by Susie’s journey and her outlook on life.

The minute I finished the book I handed it to my daughter to read. A really powerful read for all!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt like I could relate to a lot of her self-talk and relationship troubles. It was a quick read and definitely affirming that we are not alone in the negative self-talk, or poor self-image we might think we have.