Balance and Other B.S.

A warm and inspiring book about finding clarity in chaos and empowerment in the middle of our wonderfully messy lives.

'Feeling overwhelmed is just part of the deal, right? Breathes into a paper bag.' - Turia Pitt

'The woman still shoulders the lion's share of all the other unpaid work required. She pays a high price for this . . .' - Jane Caro

There's never been a better time to be a woman-we can have it all! That's what feminism promised, didn't it?

When Felicity Harley, founding editor of Women's Health magazine and whimn.com.au, felt really out of kilter, she started talking to other women about their overwhelm. The floodgates opened. Turns out her girlfriends, colleagues and other mums at the school gate had also been drowning in feminist guilt while trying to keep everything afloat, plagued by perfectionism, riddled with doubt, ruled by screens and hurtling towards burnout.

As we juggle the roles of partner, boss, friend, mother and employee (plus a side hustle), balance has never been more crucial. We're obsessed with 'wellness', yet women's mental health and wellbeing are in decline.

Using her own experiences, research and insights from leading Australian experts in health, sociology and feminism, and wisdom from smart women like Tanya Plibersek and Fifi Box, Felicity calls out the crap in cult wellness. In her warm and inspiring way, she shows how you can cut through the B.S. to find clarity in the chaos, offload some of your mental load, and feel truly empowered in the middle of your wonderfully messy life.