Third Time Lucky: A Creative Recovery
This is a story for every woman who genuinely seeks the truth in her life and yearns to live a more authentic existence.
It’s been a joy for me this week to help a very dear friend, Pasha Hogan, promote her latest book –Third Time Lucky: A Creative Recovery. It hasn’t been easy for Pasha to put this book out there so I am grateful she trusted me with her “baby”. Here’s what Pasha wrote on her blog about the experience:
Every mother wants the best for her baby, right? Well, since the birth of Third Time Lucky: A Creative Recovery a few months ago I have been asking the question, “What does this book need from me to make its way out into the world?” I am still asking that question.
It is hard to let go of something you have tended to, cared for, lost sleep over and loved fiercely into life for many years. It is scary to release a newborn into the world and hope it will be treated with kindness. Will people like it, hate it, get it? Who knows? Ultimately, that is none of my business. Now my job is to help deliver it to as many people as possible, so they can have their own relationship with it and be inspired to enter their own stories and be healed by them.
I just love Pasha’s honesty and willingness to share her vulnerability with the world. The world needs more of this. We do ourselves no favours by hiding the truth from each other.
Pasha’s book depicts how the devastating news of a third cancer diagnosis, at age thirty-one, catapults her into the unknown territory of learning to love herself genuinely and honestly. As she confronts the ravages of cancer, identity and career crises, and depression, she realizes that these challenges present the opportunity to leave behind “normal” life and embrace the longings of her heart and soul—to live a creative, full life as her true self. In Third Time Lucky, she invites readers to transform their own questions from, “Am I enough?” to “Am I enough of who I really am?”
Read what Suzzann Cummings of The Renewal Center – A Wellness Oasis for Cancer Survivors, one of our guest reviewers has to say about the book:
Like a breath of fresh air. That is how I best describe Pasha’s story. From her first cancer diagnosis at a young age, to her third diagnosis at 31, she keeps you mesmerized by her life choices and intimate feelings. From the photography of her breasts, she sheds her first layer of fear and insecurity-all with courage, dignity and class.
What happens to a young woman, her fast track corporate career and love life when she’s diagnosed with cancer again and again? She whole heartedly renews and recreates herself. “Third Time Lucky” tells the story of Pasha’s brave and strong soul. A soul she fought hard to find and once she did-she embraced and nurtured it by creating “A Creative Recovery.” Grab a cup of tea or coffee and sit back and get ready to be transported on a journey. You’ll smile and even cry, (I certainly did) but one thing is for sure, you will feel refreshed and renewed as you travel on a very special and spiritual journey with Pasha.
Suzzann finishes her review with a beautiful quote from Pasha’s second-grade teacher… “There is always and opening in the circle, we just have to be willing to enter, no matter how frightened or shy we are.”
What a beautiful image!
Irish writer, Martine Brennan writes that the book moved her ” in ways for which I have no words.It is a powerful statement of an Irishwoman’s absolute commitment to following her heart and telling her truth”; while American writer Beth Gainer described reading it as going on a “magnificent adventure”.
And I agree very much with Terri Wingham when she writes:
What I love the most about Pasha’s book is that even though it’s wrapped around her cancer story, it isn’t really about cancer at all. Instead, it’s about the journeys we travel when something happens in our lives that forces us to wake up and see the word differently. It’s about how to cope with the loneliness of being single, the challenges that come with loving someone who isn’t right for you, and the slow and twisty road we walk when we’re following a new path to happiness.
Have we sufficiently whetted your appetite to read this wonderful book?
Purchasing details are on Pasha’s website http://www.pashahogan.com
Win A Copy of Third Time Lucky: A Creative Recovery
To be in with a chance to win a copy of the book, simply leave a comment below which shares something of your own journey to find the truth and lead a more authentic life.
It has been my sincere pleasure to be part of Pasha’s book tour. In a world full of empty words, there is not a single one in Third Time Lucky. I hope that many more Irish women are inspired to break their silence on other painful subjects and bring the invisible into the light.
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What a wonderful endorsement Martine – thank you!
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I love reading the reviews by our blog friends! Thanks, Marie!
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This sounds like a book that I have to read and share with the WhereWeGoNow community. Thank you for sharing it.
Debbie
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Thank you all for your interest and kindness is helping get Third Time Lucky: A Creative Recovery – I feel blessed to be part of this community! px
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I listened to the interview of Pasha by Terri of A Fresh Chapter and also Beth’s review. My appetite is definitely whetted. As for my own journey, while I would never say that cancer is a gift, all hardships, cancer included, have been a catalyst for me to grow. Difficulties seem to bring cathartic moments that are borne of desperation. For me, being able to milk that out of hardship is what keeps me growing. Without that awareness, it’s all too easy to become hard and bitter. This is not to say I’ve been able to make sense out of my difficulties in and of themselves, but rather, I use them to make me a better, more evolved me.
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I just published a book that i believe a lot of your followers could benefit from its called Fitness for The Cure. You can download it from amazon. Here is the summary if anyone was interested. The story of one cancer patient’s survival against all odds. From stage III invasive breast cancer, with a 50% likelihood of a recurrence within two years—this after seven surgeries, aggressive chemo and radiation—a journey that explains a simple, unique alternative survival path built around the fundamentals of fitness that enabled her to blossom cancer free at the two year mark and maintain the success for eight years and counting.
here is the link to Fitness for The Cure
Also 25% goes to charity.
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Another nice post. I agree honesty is healthy for us and the people around is (well, in most cases; just not when you are going to badly hurt someone or tell them something they have given you plenty of reason to feel they can’t handle) Interestingly, I just posted something on FB John Lennon said about how if you are honest you may have less friends, but they will be good ones. I agree with Eileen too about cancer not necessarily being a gift, but a catalyst to grow.
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High praise for this book indeed and as Eileen writes my appetite is also well and truly whetted too! I am trying to live a more authentic life having lost my brother to suicide last year – I feel a need to live not just my own life but his too since his death.
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I am reminded of Jung’s quote when I read this review “The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” I am trying to allow myself that privilege at last after a lifetime of trying to please everyone but myself
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For me living an authentic life means living my life “on purpose” – I am working on a clear vision of what will bring more personal fulfillment not just to my own life but also to make a difference in the lives of others
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Living an authentic life means being open and honest with others and crucially with yourself about your feelings – it is about thinking for yourself about what really matters to you and not blindly following society’s dictates
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I believe that when you consciously create a life where the decisions you make and the actions you take are in harmony with what really matters to you then you are living an authentic life.”
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for a long time i lived to please my parents, then my husband and children and i ended up feeling anxious, depressed, unhappy with my life and above all trapped. When I truly decided to live authentically all those feelings went and my relationships actually improved with my family
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Living a more authentic life aligned is not always easy. sometimes it feels easier to stay in your comfort zone and not rock the boat. It takes courage to be who you really are
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The first step in living an authentic life is being honest with yourself.It takes a lot of awareness and time so be patient and gentle and don’t rush the process. There will be setbacks but know that nothing worth achieving in your life comes easy or quickly.
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great comments everyone – keep them coming!
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We will Marie. Your are a wonderful facilitator of good conversations.
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How inspiring! thanks for sharing this book with us and for all the great comments for your readers. i’ve found it very encouraging.
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Thank you for sharing the book and I love that you spoke about how Pasha talks about her truth with her journey, by letting us know about her “honesty and willingness to share her vulnerability with the world.” To readers when writers are able to do this it really brings such an important dimension to what is read. I am looking forward to reading Pasha’s book. As always you also stimulated lots of great conversations!
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I’ve enjoyed reading the reviews. It sounds like a wonderful book. My to-read list keeps growing! To live your authentic life to me means reaching for your dreams, striving to be honest with yourself and others, sharing/giving something back and putting one foot in front of the other every day trying to make a difference even in a small way because small ways matter too.
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Thanks to all of you who took the time to leave a comment here. The winner, picked by random generator is Iris. Iris please email me with your postal address so I can mail a copy of Pasha’s book out to you.
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Oh what a lovely surprise. thanks so much for this. i am really looking forward to reading pasha’s book.
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Oh i missed the giveaway 😉 but i love the sound of the book. have ordered it today. thanks for sharing
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I got so excited about the book that I ordered it immediately! I love the concept and living my authentic life is about my journey. I am always trying to live in the moment as much as I can so I am here for myself and others. I am so lucky to be surrounded by very special people. I am looking forward to reading the book but content knowing it’s on the way!
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I got so excited that I ordered the book right away and missed the giveaway. I think living my authentic life is about my journey. I try living in the moment, by being here for myself and helping others. I am so lucky to be surrounded by incredibly special people. I look forward to reading the book yet I am content knowing it is on the way.
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Sounds like a great resource. We can all use a refreshing new perspective on what cancer means. I’ve also been diagnosed a third time, and can totally relate. xo
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Thank you Marie so much! And deep gratitude to all the great reviewers Terri, Susan, Beth and Martine and to everyone who left a comment! You have all inspired me to keep writing, exploring and sharing….”If the road before you is clear you are probably on someones else’s.” – Joseph Campbell – every breath is a second chance……One Big Love, pashax
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