by Faust Riggiero, MS
Reviewed by Eileen Quinn Knight, Ph.D. Profiles in Catholicism
The Fix Yourself Handbook presents the Process Way of Life as a journey that begins as you decide that your life is not as happy and productive as you would like it to be. Everything starts when you decide to become an active player in your life; when you are willing to begin your journey to transform the anger into love, and your sadness to joy, so that you may create your own happy and productive life. Each chapter title in the book introduces the information that will be covered in the chapter. A short slogan follows the title, highlighting the chapter’s message. Beneath the slogan, you’ll find the “Processes to employ” Which lists the specific processes you will be using to address the problem being explored in that chapter. You can refer back to the definition of the processes In the introduction to refresh yourself when you need to. The body of each chapter provides all the information to help you understand the problem being presented. You will see helpful steps throughout the chapters in the text being presented in groups of seven.
The author in starting the chapter, will present the problem. The discussion that follows will help you understand it, and at the end of each chapter, you will find the section “Time To Take Action,” which provides the action steps you can take to help you fix that problem. The author will be using an approach called the Present/Understand/Fix formula throughout the book. This will be discussed in more detail in chapter 2. Each chapter closes with a “declaration” to help move forward with the theme of that chapter. Every chapter in the book follows this format, making it easier for you to navigate through, and apply the information.
Throughout the book, you will see that in many of the chapters, the author is suggesting that you either talk about a problem with someone you trust, or with a professional counselor. No one navigates through life’s roadblocks alone all the time. From time to time you might need a little help. Though you may feel that you don’t need anyone else’s assistance, be willing to obtain that help as a support to the advice you are receiving from the author, if necessary. Life is about options, and having others to support you through the tough times is, at times, one of those options. There are 52 processes the author will be covering in this book, four of these processes are the cornerstones of the Process Way of Life program. These four processes set the stage for the work you will be doing, and little will change in your life if you don’t use them properly. They are: fact-finding, brutal honesty, intellect over emotion and slowing down life’s pace. Near the end of the book, you will find the second set of process bookends. They are: gratitude, in-service, and faith.
The Process Way of Life is your guide on an exciting and enlightening life journey that will touch every part of you. Let the processes take you there. The Process Way of Life creates one of life’s most exciting and wondrous life journeys, and it will begin as you read this text in order to transform your life..