What are we doing with our lives? Are we satisfied with it?
Most of the people will certainly answer a sound "no". So often we can’t decide where we really want to go, we get confused about ourselves and our objectives and just let life just carry us along.
Everyone, at some stage, needs a spot of "life-coaching"; a friend, someone telling you what to do, when and how.
"Wake up and smell the reality" by Brian Fox is created exactly to achieve this.
We constantly wonder what we are doing, not even knowing where we are going and what we wanted originally. Sometimes we lose the plot and feel lost. And when this happens we don’t want "an expert" to advise us what we must do. We just want a friend, someone who sees the whole picture clearly and can tell us straight what our possibilities are and who leads us to "wake up and smell the reality".
That’s what Brian Fox is: he speaks very easily, talks about himself, his struggles and his fears and brings his own life as an example of how everyone can get what they want. He’s an average man talking to the normal average person, he is not promising over-night success but giving ideas and thoughts that will strengthen the readers to stand up for themselves and help themselves.

Brian has managed in ‘Wake Up And Smell The Reality’ to give some real common sense and good old fashion advice written in a style that will appeal to a wide range of people. This book will help a lot of people who may be stuck in their lives to reach a fresh perspective on their situation. Rarely will you read such a grounded book.

All of the things in this book just make sense. They are not complicated and in most cases you find yourself thinking that it is simple stuff that you already know, but you never thought about it until Brian talks about in an open and honest way.

OTHER REVIEWS

"I have read many self-help books over the years but the thing that sets this one apart is that it is not filled with unreal promises and does not provide a load of false hope.

I found it very easy to read and very helpful in that it makes you question things and it also makes you think.

Brian does not tell you or instruct you how to live your life but uses his own life as examples of how things go and what you can do to change things.

All of the things in this book just make sense. They are not complicated and in most cases you find yourself thinking that it is simple stuff that you already know, but you never thought about it until Brian talks about in an open and honest way.

I loved the section on Creating Adults, Not Raising Children which Brian has also taken further into another book which I am also enjoying and getting a lot from.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in changing their life."

-Review by Vicki Wilson.

"It is refreshing in this day of political correctness gone mad to read a book that is to the point and written in plain English! Brian has managed in ‘Wake Up And Smell The Reality’ to give some really common sense good old fashion advice written in a style that will appeal to a wide range of people.

I really enjoyed this book. I feel it will help a lot of people who may be stuck in their lives to reach a fresh perspective on their situation. Brian is not afraid to say it how it is. Well done!"

-Review by Karen England, Pet Behaviour Counsellor

"Rarely have I read such a grounded book. I love clichés and Brian is not afraid to use them! Clichés are short and to the point. Brian elaborates each point in his individual style and hits you with the cliché. The point is hammered home.

There is no pomposity in the words and it is written for all to understand. Anyone who reads the book can relate to it and interpret its contents as they wish. The readers are given permission to think for themselves.

I enjoyed this book and it made me reflect on many aspects of my life. I made the time to reflect and I have not done that for a long time. What we tolerate we validate and I am going to walk instead of run so I can smell the reality."

-Review by Dianne Schofield, Senior School Teacher

"This is a book about choices, common sense, courage and taking the time to reflect on our lives. This is not an easy thing to do in the modern world, but Brian Fox takes us on his journey and shares his insights in this deceptively easy-to-read book. It’s deceptive because the author struggles with the same big ideas that preoccupied the Ancients, who inscribed above their temples the exhortation to "Know Thyself", but he never departs from his unpretentious plain-English conversational style.

The book charts the author’s profound transformational journey from a stuck-in-a-rut existence to an independent critical thinker. Fox is honest as he shares his insights and he often puts his own personal feelings and foibles on display - not so much to be self-deprecating, but rather to show the reader that its okay for them to have these feelings and foibles too. After all - it’s only human.

But this book is not a self-indulgent exercise in navel gazing. The author’s story is also about tolerance, respect and love for others. It’s about children, families and friends. It’s about how we relate to others and how the choices we make can impact on their lives.

This book is many things: it’s part autobiography, part self-help motivational therapy and in part a critique of popular thought. But most of all, Wake up and Smell the Reality is about making the world we share a better place for all of us to live in - not by changing others, but by changing ourselves."

-Review by Michael Walton, Solicitor, Sydney Australia