Falling to Grace: The Art and Science of Redemption

by Howard Rankin

Have you ever screwed up really badly? To the point where you feel ashamed, humiliated, disgraced, and guilt-ridden?It’s a state that can engender suicidal thoughts and can negatively affect the rest of your life. Or it could be the prelude to your greatest journey, one that helps you find your real self, authenticity, and meaning.Redemption is a central part of Christianity and has a place in almost all religions. Does that mean you have to become “religious” or at least spiritual to find redemption?I was a fairly well-known psychologist with a very good reputation and I had appeared on ‘The View’ and was featured on 20/20 as well as in many other media outlets. Then I crossed a line. I had gone from paragon to Pariah.My journey taught me a lot about how to escape from rock bottom. It began when acknowledged that I had to reinvent myself. I needed to face reality and thrive by making the best of the situation that I was in – humiliated, broke, directionless. If Viktor Frankl can find meaning in the horror of a concentration camp, I surely could find it.My story is the background to providing insight and tools needed to rediscover dignity and self-respect. I explain how to face forward with self-compassion (not self-esteem), how to deal with the haters and others who mock and shame you and how to re-evaluate your thinking. The God’s Secret Shoppers workbooks will help you develop emotional mastery and the right mindset of resilience as well as guide friends and family members on the best methods of support. The journey can be tough, but it is the greatest journey you’ll ever take. It’s like Ranger Training for your soul.That defining moment for me was more than 9 years ago and since then I have found meaning, authenticity and purpose. I have written many books, started a successful podcast, and helped many others rise from the ashes of their own fires.In some ways we all need to go through the process of being shamed and humiliated to learn how to adapt. To go from humiliation to humility to humanity. This book isn't just for miscreant professionals, criminals and those who have been exposed in public. It is for anyone who has ever felt shame or who harbors a guilty secret. Hiding from our indiscretions only leads us further away from the truth, reality and ultimately peace. Our whole process of perception is based on a need to survive and feel in control.For a variety of reasons, which include technology, activism, political correctness and educational practice, the ability to see the limitations of our thinking is getting worse. In the era of the selfie, objectivity -- and humility -- are getting a downgrade. In this cultural context, how do you cope when you violate society's norms and standards? How do you recover from your inevitable mistakes, and errors of judgment? How do you deal with disgrace, shame, guilt, and humiliation?This is more than a shame book for adults. It will show the way from rock bottom to amazing heights you could not believe, until you experience them for yourself.A backstory is about my experience with licensing boards and why they need to be completely overhauled not only to give health professionals the respect they deserve (and not be presumed guilty until found innocent) but also to reduce the costs and increase the functioning of the healthcare system in general.

253 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2022

Reviews

[Beth Dimino · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is full of lies and half truths. You can’t seek redemption if you aren’t willing to be completely honest.

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