Everything is Broken and Completely Fine

Miriam tried for most of her life to hide her mental illness. She hoped that if she pretended it didn't exist, nobody else would notice it either. Spoiler: that plan backfired spectacularly.

Unexplainable rage attacks, persistent intrusive thoughts and a recurring overwhelming despair are difficult to hide. Working as an x-ray technologist through Covid-19 contributed to her declining mental health. 

In a desperate attempt to numb the pain and cheer herself up she reached for what society endorses as the ultimate relaxant: wine. It was supposed to transform her from a chronic worrier with low self-esteem into a carefree, confident person.
That didn't happen.

Alcohol made her mental health significantly worse, increasing her anxiety and causing severe self-loathing. Instead of solving her low mood, it contributed to it.

Everything is Broken and Completely Fine takes you into the flawed brain of someone who's living with anxiety, depression, and PMDD. 

Set in the unprecedented times of a pandemic, natural disasters and life's unavoidable ups and downs, this book explores what happens when denial turns into acceptance, grey area drinking transforms into sobriety, and one woman finds herself where she's never been before – at peace.

"I have seldom felt so “schooled” on mental illness, in general, and depression in particular. You have shed so much light on such an often hidden and complex issue."

"The understanding of mental illness and  its impact on the person and their surrounding relationships as well as their journey of acceptance, endurance and advancement is palpable."

"I just finished devouring Miriam’s new book, and found myself furiously highlighting passages and reading them aloud to my husband. I recognize so much of myself through Miriam’s experiences, and I’m so appreciative that she chooses to share them with the world. It made me realize that there are others like me out there, and that I’m not alone in the way I think, and in the experiences I’ve had (and my own dysfunctional relationship with alcohol). This book has made a definite impact on my life and has started my journey into more “sober lit.” I look forward to reading more of Miriam’s future books."

"I read a lot of mental health books, and very few memoirs have been as captivating as this. As a therapist-in-training, this book somehow manages to capture the nuance of a number of crucial issues - therapy being beneficial but therapist fit being crucial, the importance (but limits) of antidepressants and neurotransmitter deficiency hypotheses, gray areas of mental illness and alcohol intake wherein one does not meet full criteria for a diagnosis but is still suffering, and job burnout."

"I normally dislike reading about the pandemic, disasters, etc, having just lived through them myself, but this was one of the best accounts, in part because of the focus on mental health and burnout. Relatable, raw, and realistic, but with important lessons, this book struck just the right balance."

"Very well written, couldn't put it down!"

"Such a great read! I have been reading Miriam’s blog for years so this was like talking with an old friend. It is a very honest and heart-felt and hopeful discussion of mental illness and what it has been like to work in a pandemic healthcare setting. Great memoir!"

"Miriam's writing never ceases to be something I can really relate to. She is helping people by speaking openly about hard topics. It certainly makes me feel less alone."

"Every page is engaging. I will be looking for opportunities to get this book in the hands of my grey area drinking friends. "

"Absolutely worth reading for those affected as well as for interested readers who want to better understand people with depression. Wonderful, entertaining writing style!"

Never has the hustle been more glorified than it is today. We have been told for decades that we have to do it all: have kids, a great relationship, a career, a Pinterest-worthy house and a perfect body and face. 

With the rise of the #bossbabes even that is not enough anymore: we should also strive to turn our hobby into a side hustle, follow the latest healthy eating trends and pretend that celery juice tastes better than coffee. But the tide is turning. We are fed up with the chase for perfection. 

This book explores what happens when we stop doing and start being – and let me tell you, it's magical.

"I loved every page! I hope I can transform my mindset to be more like this."

"Your book helped me through the worst part of the pandemic."

"I'm so appreciative of finding your book and plan on using this Quit the Hustle reframing in all areas of my life. I already feel calmer and more zen." 

"As a recovering 'hustler' my soul needed to hear every message in this book and I'm beyond grateful these words were written."

"I too have quit the hustle, unfortunately only after I retired. Loving it! Great insights in the book ... well done!"

"Another great book by Miriam. Loved it as much as her first book. It is inspirational and written very honestly from her own experiences which make it very down to earth. Each chapter has a very positive message and makes the reader realize that it is Ok to be the person that we are and not always striving, in this busy world, to be something we are not. Highly recommended!"

"I just finished reading this like 10 minutes ago and I loved every page. I love her perspective on life and I hope I can transform my mindset to be more like this. Thank you Miriam!"

"Miriam's themes of self love, self acceptance, and gratitude come straight from the heart. She is open, honest, and vulnerable on every page. 

I felt like she was speaking directly to me and it was a message I desperately needed to hear!"

Life after high school wasn't at all how Miriam imagined it. Instead of having big plans and excitement for the future, she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life and struggled to find her purpose. 

When the man she thought would save her from herself married her sister, she traveled to the Wild West of Canada on a journey of self-discovery and found much more than she bargained for: she fell head-over-heels in love with Richard, 25 years her senior and a father of four. 

When she introduced him to her shocked family, they tried to persuade her to leave him. Failing, they did the next best thing: they pretended it was normal. 

Let's Pretend This Is Normal is a testament to what can happen when you listen to your heart instead of the opinions of others. This tale of romance and self discovery is proof that even if you have no idea what the hell you're doing, with some patience and trust in yourself, you'll figure it out.

"I read it cover to cover in a day. Seriously - it was so good!!!"

“I carried this book around with me everywhere until I finished it. I loved it in a cringy way, she was so open and honest about her story and experiences. And I mean the cringing part in a good way, in it felt like at times she was writing about me. I recommended to several of my friends.” 

"I loved this book to the moon and back. I read it in a day and I never do that. It was fun and refreshing."

 "Oh my goodness!!!! I finally wedged out some time to start your book Let's Pretend This is Normal  after dinner tonight!! Best book ever I just finished it..... Fabulous sooo fabulous!!!!!! Definitely hilarious, relatable, wondrous and just all around fantastic!! The last book I couldn’t put down was the DaVinci Code....."  

"Every woman would gain strength from your words."

"What continually goes through my mind is that we all have stories to tell about not having life all figured out - but we don't share them - so we assume others have it figured out and we're the only ones struggling or questioning."

"Loved your book and hope it continues to sell well as the message it contains and conveys is one people need to hear."

 "I wholeheartedly recommend this book written by a true adventurer who is leading exactly THE kind of life all of us in Germany always wonder about as an alternative to our 9-5s. Read it. It’s good food for soul and thought."

“This is a beautiful love story with an extra helping of self-discovery. It reads just as honestly as the blog without feeling like a collection of previously published posts. Miriam is a friend I've yet to meet IRL-loved it!” 

 “This book is a book every woman should read! Thank you for exposing truths we all wish we could and allowing us all to feel safe in ourselves!"  

"I really love your book. It is astonishing how similar we feel sometimes and not even knowing about that."

"I finished your book, Let's Pretend This is Normal, last night and I absolutely loved it! I read it slowly because I was savoring every word and would often re-read paragraphs to really think about what you said and let it soak in. It was so honest, funny and a true delight to read. I could relate to many of the feelings you expressed - especially the part about letting go of friendships because you feel worse after spending time with that person. It's such a painful process but so necessary."