I am thrilled to be part of the WOW! Women of Writing Blog Tour for An End to Arguing by Linda and Charlie Bloom. I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and here it is:

Some books arrive right when you need them for reasons you might not expect. This is one of those books. An End to Arguing by Linda and Charlie Bloom is a book that every person needs to read, not just those who find themselves struggling with communication or prone to arguing with others.

In it, they share 101 lessons from their private practice working with couples and their own fifty-year marriage. Some of those lessons include:

  • From breakdown to breakthrough
  • Are you conflict avoidant?
  • The real deal about deal-breakers
  • The power of vulnerability
  • The hidden cost of people pleasing
  • It’s never too late to have a happy childhood

While this book does not need to be read cover to cover, I did just that and was honestly surprised at how much I learned. I hoped to gain some communication strategies to help me during a difficult time, but what I got was much, much more than that.

I gained permission to feel, to find my voice and feel seen.

I gained permission to set boundaries, to stand up for myself and to demand respect.

I gained a stronger sense of self.

I also gained a great deal of insight into the way I work: the grudges I hold onto, the shadows that are lurking and my need to finally take responsibility for how I hold onto the past at the expense of the present.

Don’t let the title fool you.

This book is for everyone who wants to create a healthy relationship within herself to then create healthier relationships with others.