The Messy Joys of Being Human

A joyously cathartic and deeply spiritual road trip for readers of Anne Lamott, Elizabeth Gilbert, Pema Chodron, and Brené Brown.

Feeling stuck? You’re not alone. Whether you’re in or out of a relationship, job hunting or retiring, making a life transition, or wrestling with Big Questions, a joyful life can feel elusive. After nearly two decades as a life coach, offering motivation, inspiration, support, and problem-solving in her Ask Your Jewish Fairy Godmother column, Helen Rosenau embraces the deeper, more complex struggles of fellow messy humans to help you get unstuck and find your joy.

This book is for anyone who wants to be happier. Amidst stories plucked from her life and thousands of advice columns, plus insights, writing prompts, coaching, and cheerleading, Rosenau walks the walk towards self-knowing with you. She’ll help you toss old crap that keeps you from making progress, get brave enough to risk change, and create greater authenticity and happiness in your life.

You deserve joy. The Messy Joys of Being Human offers you tools to discover it—because life will always be a glorious mess and you will always be beautifully human. Are you ready?

"A wide-ranging motivational guide urges readers to embrace change in order to grow... written in an enormously engaging voice, the author attempts to look deep into the souls of her readers, seeking to know their real selves... the book’s strongest running thread is its rich and warmhearted human empathy.... Readers feeling a lack of that self-trust will find a great burst of Yes in these pages.

A wise and uplifting manual of encouragement for readers seeking to take stock of their lives and shelve their bad habits."
- Kirkus Reviews

"Rosenau, a writer and visual artist, passionately advocates for readers to do the deep reflective work she feels is necessary to live joyful lives... Though she provides no easy answers, Rosenau’s set of practices, inspiring prose, and questions for contemplation will be of use to readers looking for guidance without demanding strictures."
- Publishers Weekly

This book reads like a conversation with a good friend. The writing prompts are evocative and meaningful; a reader could come back again and again as life evolves. The author’s experiences ring true, and the Jewish and metaphysical metaphors make the messaging come alive for me and taught me useful new ways of seeing.
– Myrna Hant, Ph.D., Research Scholar , UCLA Center for the Study of Women

This is a fabulous read! Helen is wise, insightful, funny, and smart. She has a way with words that grabs you and makes you feel safe tackling the tough issues that true healing requires. If you do the exercises in this book, or even just read it, you will be touched and changed. I recommend it highly to anyone who’s ready to change, or wants to be.
– Luke Adler, Author of Born to Heal

It is with great exuberance that I recommend The Messy Joys. If you need to be inspired, read this book! If you need help getting back on track spiritually, look no further. I have enjoyed every page, every sentence. Take your time, go slowly, and let the wisdom do its work.
– Sydney Ashland, Medical Intuitive and Integration Consultant

This book is a great guide to living in the now, once you clean out your old emotional baggage, which The Messy Joys exercises will help you do. Helen interprets teachings from authors like Brene Brown and Anne Lamott in a deeply spiritual way. She grounds herself and readers in Jewish mysticism and a Zen consciousness that offers a deeply satisfying and peaceful perspective for a happier life.
– Flaxen Conway, Professor, School of Public Policy, Oregon State University

Exquisitely crafted guidance. Every sentence brings insight and wisdom with humor and compassion. As a teacher and healer I admire its honesty and truth.
– Bette Phelan, Musician, Acoustic Ocean Music

I’ve helped many people understand how they may be stuck in old stories and patterns. The Messy Joys offers many ways to achieve change. It is refreshing to see these tools to help people clean out their wounds. It gives clear examples and directions to a path of progress that may have been previously unknown to readers. Hooray! Helen is a trustworthy, articulate, caring guide. She balances deep spirituality with practical manifestation and offers it in an accessible, smart, engaging book that both young and old can learn from. The Messy Joys of Being Human is a healing blessing.
– Johanna Mitchell, Astrologer

Author has been writing “Ask Your Jewish Fairy Godmother,” for the Miami Tribune Sun Sentinel Jewish Journal (America’s largest Jewish newspaper, circulation 150,000) weekly since March, 2002
• Online personality since 2000, providing motivation, inspiration, support, and problem solving through advice columns and life-coaching services
• Targeted marketing campaign to reach national and local reviewers of Mind/Body/Spirit, Jewish, Women’s, Self-Help, and lifestyle transition publications
• Contacting radio shows and podcasts in Mind/Body/Spirit, Jewish, Women’s, Self-Help, and lifestyle transition genres
• Multiple weekly social media posts on a variety of platforms
• Paid advertising campaigns on Facebook
• Instagram contests post-release and featured spots on book’s website for photos and responses
• Solicitation of reviews, online and print publicity, and will seek podcast, guest blog, and interview opportunities. Author has a unique voice, offering accessible wisdom in a friendly, interactive style
• Regular blog entries of relatable, sharable content on her pre-existing yourjewishfairygodmother.com and kabbalahglass.com websites, as well as themessyjoys.com
• Author will actively seek opportunities to publish articles in print media and online, grounded in The Messy Joys and Your Jewish Fairy Godmother brands
• Author has invited book clubs and discussion groups to interact with her via email and on website
• Creating an online community for interaction between readers around book’s self-exploratory questions and discussion/ reflection prompts
• The Messy Joys provides an excellent opportunity for brand expansion. Future collections would include focused topics such as The Messy Joys of Love, The Messy Joys of Work, The Messy Joys of Aging, The Messy Joys of Parenting, The Messy Joys of Travel.
Visit www.themessyjoys.com