Momnificent. Isn’t that a great word? Lori Radun, author of The Momnificent Life: Healthy and Balanced Living for Busy Moms, defines it as “simply a concept that describes moms who value living positive, healthy and balanced lives.” And the goal of her new book “is to equip you with the tools you need to create a momnificent life as a mom.”

I have to say that I am always attracted to books that help me be a better parent, a better me. I didn’t quite know what to expect from this book, but let me tell you I was NOT disappointed. Radun’s advice is insightful and right-on, helping moms achieve a healthy and balanced living no matter what their situation: stay-at-home mom, workaholic or something-in-between. I’m the something-in-between.

Finding balance in one’s life is not easy. Sometimes I feel I’m doing great. But other times I’m so frazzled and overwhelmed I wonder what possessed me to think I could do all I set out to do. Reading The Momnificent Life was like a breath of fresh air, infusing me with positive energy so that I felt motivated and confident I could truly accomplish what I want to do.

I was surprised to see how complete this book is with information and valuable advice on practically every topic a mom faces today. Radun effortlessly tackles eight components to living a momnificent life: Personal Development, Spirituality, Fun and Enjoyment, Relationships, Health and Aging, Personal Finance, Career and Profession, and Home and Family.

Firstly, Radun shows you how to analyze your own life by helping you assess the current balance and satisfaction of these eight areas of your life. This is an important step and exercise because you get to see at a glance the overall picture of how you’re doing and helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses and what areas of your life you want to work on. In other words, this book enables you to create a unique life based on your individual goals, values and psychological needs. You get to decide what you need and want to change for a better quality of life. Remember the book Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern, where the organization in tailored to one’s personal lifestyle and needs? Well, this book is the same.

And I love reading it.

Let me further tell you why. Once I saw where I needed and wanted to make changes, I focused on those areas and turned to read those chapters and … got inspired! Yes, Radun’s voice is clear, positive and inspirational. I can see her experience as a life coach shining through the pages because I felt she was right alongside me, tugging my hand gently. At the end of each chapter, Radun leaves you with an assignment. They’re worth it.

But this is not a book you can read and put down. It’s a reference and workbook that will be useful at different times in one’s life. I think this book is a gem. It’s chock-full of practical information, easy-to-read, motivating, and inspirational. Best of all, it helps you be the best you. Highly recommended for ALL moms! ( )

The Momnificent Life; Healthy and Balanced Living for Busy Moms, is a guide for all moms no matter what activities you balance. Whether you juggle your home life with work, school, church, sports, or charities, every mom has a busy and hectic life that can easily be encouraged, advised, influenced and supported by this book. The author lays a careful plan and guideline to help moms in areas such as time, managemnt, financial intimacy, personal development, career and health among many others. The goal is to help moms discover themselves aside from, yet in tune with, their children and families. It’s a book of how to manage life and stress, showing how you can have it all. It is about balance and how to take a nurturing approach to motherhood.

The book starts off with an introduction that shares the eight components to having a “Momnificent” life. Each component is summarized and later expanded on throughout the book. I found this overview very useful to the rest of the book. There is a wealth of knowledge in The Momnificent Life. The first time you read it will not be your last. I found myself re-reading specific chapters that dealt with my own needs as a mom and going back to it as a guide and re-fresher. The author carefully explains life as a balance process. If it is tipped to much in one direction it can easily burn us out. No one activity is good all the time, they are better in a balance with other activities, just the same as our health and eating habits. She clearly states that a balanced life is different for everyone because balancing is personal and in regards to what is important to you. She gives charts and assignment suggestions throughout the book help the reader to better understand themselves.

I really enjoyed this book! It is by far a wonderfuly useful tool to me as a mother. I am constantly busy. I have my own two children, one in school and the other potty training and generally a very curious child, which means I cannot take my eyes off her. In addition I baby-sit my nephew full time and work a full time job. I rarely have time for myself and have known I am burning out quickly for a while. The book has helped me prioritize where I didn’t know how, examine areas I didn’t think to examine, and encouraged me in area I have already started changing and working on. It is not a book that is a one time read for me, but rather one I go to to help remind me, encourage me and give me advise. One of my favorite parts of this book was “zap the mommy guilt” something every mother deals with on multiple levels and many different areas. I also personally enjoyed the chapter on friendships and stress. These two are two problem areas for me, my friendships are not being tended to properly and the stress comes in large amounts that are not healthy. With great attention to detail and the aspects of a moms life, Lori Redun provides a wonderful guide on how to be Momnificent!

Reviewed for Review-the-book ( )

I became a stay-at-home mom in 1996; and ever since the term - "stay" - has bothered me.

Webster's Dictionary defines the word as "to stop or halt," "remain behind, " and "continue in a place, position, or situation."

As far as I'm concerned, none of those definitions apply. Rarely do I have time to stop; nor do I feel left behind or as though I'm staying in the same place. (The latter could only be defined, in relation to my life, as wishful thinking!)

I am a work-at-home mom. Not to be confused with the work-from-home mother.

I am a Manager; a manager of my household consisting of four children and a husband. My physical place of employment is at home.

Therefore, I am a work-at-home mom.

To define myself in a manner that brings me a sense of satisfaction - of accomplishment - was the very first of many important life-changing steps I learned from The Momnificent! Life by Lori Radun.

And then I was hooked!

For three days, I delved into learning how to grow and prosper in my job and my personal life; which, for me, happens to be in one the same.

Don't misunderstand. The Momnificent! Life isn't just for the full time mother. This book is for any mother looking to gain a sense of balance in her life.

Readers are encouraged to evaluate several aspects of their life, including:

Personal Development
Spirituality
Fun and Enjoyment
Relationships
Health and Aging
Personal Finance
Career and Profession
Home and Family

At the end of each segment, readers are invited to engage in assignments that help to exercise the principals learned.

I personally found that practicing such assignments immediately following a "lesson" helped me to more greatly absorb it and set it in motion now versus later - which procrastinators, such as myself, tend to [never] do.

As an avid reader, I've read numerous self-help books on a wide variety of subjects. However, I found The Momnificent! Life to be the first to offer a complete manual on all the issues important to me - as a mother, wife, and a woman.

The Momnificent! Life is a book that I will keep nearby as a handy reference tool; as a means to finding a balance in an all too frequently unbalanced lifestyle. ( )