Hands Free Life
Nine Habits for Overcoming Distraction, Living Better, and Loving More
- Christian Living
- Publisher: Zondervan
- Published: 2015
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Publisher's Description
Living a fulfilling life may seem like an unachievable dream in today's distraction-ridden and pressuring society. We all yearn to look back to find we lived a life of significance—and that's still attainable. New York Times bestselling author, Rachel Macy Stafford, develops nine life-changing habits that will help you focus on investing in the most significant parts of your life. As your hands, heart, and eyes become open, you will experience a new sense of urgency—not an urgency to compete, but an urgency to live, love, dream, connect, create, forgive, and flourish despite the challenges of our culture. You'll be inspired to adopt mindful daily practices and new thought-processes that will help you: Make meaningful, lasting human connections despite the busyness of everyday life. Live in the now despite that inner nudge pushing you out of the moment toward perfection and productivity. Protect your most sacred relationships, as well as your values, beliefs, health, and happiness, despite the latent dangers of technology and social media. Pursue the passions of your heart without sacrificing your job or your daily responsibilities. Evaluate your daily choices to insure you are investing in a life that matters to you. With a Hands Free Life perspective, you'll have the power to look back and see that you didn't just manage life, you actually lived it—and lived it well.
Endorsements (21)
“Our society’s definition of success — in which success is defined just in terms of money and power — isn’t working. With a mix of powerful storytelling and practical tools, Hands Free Life offers the inspiration and the daily actions to live our lives with more grace, more joy, more gratitude, and more love.”
“Rachel does it again! As I read Hands Free Life, I felt my pulse slow, my lungs fill, and my anxiety lessen. Rachel’s writing is a Reset button. Her advice is practical, and her message is clear, gentle, and true: Less stress! Less distraction! MORE LOVE! Thanks, Rachel, for reminding us what matters: our people.”
“parents how to engage with their children as they truly deserve: with heart, presence, and grace. Hands Free Life will inspire you to grow with your children and reach depths of your being like never before. Its words will allow you to discover your highest potential as a parent and thereby bestow your children with an inestimable gift: your engaged being.”
Dr. Shefali Tsabary
“If you need a clear-minded and clear-hearted guide to a more fulfilling life, this is it. Again, author Rachel Macy Stafford provides us with actionable and meaningful ways to love well, live fully, and leave a legacy we can be proud of.”
“Rachel’s wise words inspired me to be a more connected, more present parent, and for that I’m so thankful. I’ll be handing this out left and right to the people in my life.”
“It took one day. I only could allow one day to read Hands Free Life. I was busy being a dad, a husband, and a cancer patient. I knew I was distracted, but there was a purpose. I was on a mission, and I acknowledged my limited time. As I settled in to read Rachel’s words, my heart stayed in my throat the entire journey. She gets it. She knows we’re distracted, and it’s not just the number of screens we have in our lives. It’s our incredibly complex, crazy, and somewhat out-of-control lives. Rachel Macy Stafford will help you reconnect and build strong relationships. Even if you make a moderate amount of effort, your family will thank you for strengthening your relationships! Once again, I owe Rachel a big thank-you for bringing relationships and family to the forefront of everyone’s mind.”
“Reading Hands Free Life spoke to me at a deep, heart level. It challenged me to stop hurrying through life, quit worrying about what other people think, and start savoring the ordinary, everyday moments. I smiled through some parts, cried through others, and came away with fresh resolve to make each day count — not in more efficient productivity, but in more meaningful relationships. Highly, highly recommended!”
“Rachel’s words beautifully remind us of the little things — and the big things that make a LIFE. A happier, healthier, more fulfilled life. In Hands Free Life, we are gently but firmly guided to unplug from our 24/7 world and to passionately pursue the connectivity that is so vital to our children, children, partners, families, friends — and ourselves. Pick it up today — and I promise: you won’t want to put it down.”
“Can I simply say: Read this beautiful book. It will feed your soul, free your spirit, and fill your heart. Hands Free Life is an irresistible wake-up call for all of us who wish to parent more thoughtfully, love more generously, and live more joyously.”
“With her unique blend of transparent storytelling and thoughtful insight, Rachel Macy Stafford reminds us again why hers is one of the most important voices of our generation.”
“Hands Free Life is the perfect combination of advice and anecdote. Stafford’s personal stories are engaging and enchanting, while her daily declarations serve as their punctuation; reminders that we need to pause and let go of the chaos, ensuring our hands are free to embrace the grace in parenting’s small moments.”
“Rachel has written a beautiful and profoundly wise book, one that heightens our own joy of life and enables our children to fully thrive. Marilyn Price-Mitchell, PhD, developmental psychologist Hands Free Life came to me right when I needed it most. Essentially a road map for intentional living, living, Rachel’s approach, stories, and message are making a difference in my life by teaching me to grasp hold of what really matters.”
“I was hooked from the first story. Rachel’s writing is like a bear hug from a loving parent — warm, reassuring, full of joy, and a strong reminder of love and security. This book will speak to every loving parent’s heart with wisdom and insight that is sure to strengthen every family.”
“I want to give this book to every parent I know. Rachel Macy Stafford’s gentle spirit and insightful wisdom leaves readers encouraged, inspired, and challenged to cultivate more intentional, present lives. I am a better mother because of Hands Free Life.”
“In the midst of countless daily reminders to hurry up and catch up, does it ever feel like all you do is mess up? The message of Hands Free Life reads like a gift and a second chance. If you long to linger in your own life but aren’t sure where to start, let Rachel Macy Stafford show you how. Her gentle words will cast a hopeful vision for your family, with practical tools to help you create the margin you long for and the relief your soul needs.”
“Just a couple of chapters into Hands Free Life, I learned not to sit down with the book unless I had a box of tissues at the ready. Rachel’s truthful style of storytelling brought me to grateful tears again and again, redirecting my gaze me back to the beauty found in my everyday, regular ordinary . . . and reminding me that perfectionism is not a prerequisite for a hands free journey. Such a freeing message!”
“At last — a book about changing habits that didn’t leave me overwhelmed and doubtful, but rather excited and hopeful! Rachel Macy Stafford’s gentle tone, personal reflections, and easy-to-embrace habits inspired and encouraged me, so much so that I found myself instantly — and naturally — incorporating her insights and ideas into my day. Hands Free Life is simply a must-read if you want to be lovingly guided toward filling your days with more meaningful and enjoyable moments.”
“In today’s distraction-filled culture, it’s tempting to fill our days with “busyness” to feel like we’re accomplishing something, while the reality is we’re just moving farther and farther from the kind of authentic life we want to create. Rachel Macy Stafford’s new book, Hands Free Life is the antidote to the hamster wheel! With compassion and empathy, this “been there, done that” mother teaches readers how to build an authentic and satisfying life that matters.”
“With a refreshing focus on less pressure, more love, Hands Free Life beckons us to a life that cherishes the individuality of each family member and the transformative power of presence. This book is about less pressure, more love; less comparison, more perspective; less distraction, and more life! Anna Whiston-Donaldson, New York Times bestselling author of Rare Bird Hands Free Life is such an important book! One of biggest challenges most of us face in today’s digitally connected, fast-paced world is how to disengage from technology and connect to the things and people that matter most. Rachel Macy Stafford’s powerful and down-to-earth advice helps us live with more presence, awareness, and perspective.”
“This book expresses what an amazing time we can have within the family dynamic when we learn to let go of the excessive demands we find ourselves in. It allows us to become aware of the way we self-talk about our parenting while promoting how to live life to its fullest in harmony. Rachel has so eloquently shared what it takes to “keep track of life” and how it impacts our relationships with those we love.”
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