A Crisis Is a Terrible Thing to Waste
Kelly Sullivan Walden’s self-help book A Crisis Is a Terrible Thing to Waste models empathy and self-compassion through self-reflection.
Walden proposes approaching tumultuous moments by OGLEing them, or: contemplating what is Offending about them; discerning what is Good about them; peering into the Looking glass on them; and basking in how they can Elevate a person. Using personal stories as examples (an expensive theft abroad; hot flashes in menopause; a producer’s proposition of sex in exchange for a career-making television role; and helping friends during life-threatening crises), Walden shows how the OGLE method helped her to shift her mindset.
Some of the events covered are lighthearted; others are traumatic. Walden relates the devastation of the accidental orphanage death of an infant she was in the process of adopting, for example. But despite the G imperative, her goal is not to encourage putting a positive spin on trauma; it’s about finding meaning in hard events and fostering personal growth. For instance, when a friend who was unaware of Walden’s nightmarish experiences as a stripper in her early twenties invited her to a pole-dancing exercise class that dredged up bad memories, Walden used the class to bring her physical self into her healing beyond her cognitive therapy. In this way and others, her narrative is imbued with both confidence and self-awareness. Her tactful analyses of distressing events are ably balanced with self-deprecating humor and New Age ideas, so that each inspiring anecdote reveals how crises—no matter how minor or how life-altering—are opportunities for growth.
A Crisis Is a Terrible Thing to Waste is a heartfelt self-help book that puts an honest, humorous spin on looking at the bright side.
Reviewed by
Aimee Jodoin
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
