Book 10 in the Fennel's Journal series.

It’s important to maintain our smiles when life throws a curve ball. That’s what happened to me when I completed my ten-year plan to rebuild my life and make the Priory a tangible thing, only to discover that it wasn't what I hoped for and that I was still a long way from realising the dream.

The Lighter Side provides the humour, anecdotes and witticisms that are essential to my message of ‘Stop – Unplug – Escape – Enjoy’. After all, we can only ‘Enjoy’ if we know how to smile when we get there.

Chapters

• Introduction – Happiness is only a page turn away.
• From Darkness to Light – It doesn't always go to plan, but we get there in the end.
• Finding the Flow – Calm your thoughts and let the universe provide.
• Lifetime Guarantee – Emotional investment, adventures, and endurance.
• A Glimpse into the Future – How lifestyle can affect your health.
• Work Life? – A means to an end, or a beginning?
• Midnight Shift – How much will you give to meet your next deadline?
• ...And then it Rained – Pull over, to appreciate the balance of life.
• 7th Son – Fennel seeks spiritual counsel in the woods.
• From Nowhere in Particular – Fennel documents the transition from toil to hope.
• Priory Cottage – Fennel achieves his ten year goal, moving back into a country cottage.
• Life in the Slow Lane – How taking it easy helps us to recover, and appreciate things.
• Dead End Street – Taking control when life doesn't live up to expectations.
• The Focus of our Attention – Perspective, distractions, and interpretation.
• Growing Up – Doing things for the right reasons.
• Life Lines – Writing as narrative therapy.
• Waking on Purpose – Fennel remembers the advice of his mentor, Bernard Venables.
• Lessons in Living – Using both the good and bad times to inform future happiness.
• The Art of Conversation – The 'lost' skill of an older generation?
• An Unfortunate Case of Scottish Bum Warbles – Funnies from the front line of public speaking.
• Black Book, White Book – How to live with the ups and downs of a creative mind.
• The Man Cave – Build somewhere safe to live and grow.
• Firelight – A reflective time looking into the flames.
• The Corner of a Circle – Keep searching to realise your dreams.
  

Publication details

• Published by Fennel’s Priory Limited.
• Limited edition collectors' magazine published in 2014
• Hardback version pending publication

Book specification

• Dimensions: 216 x 140 x 16 mm (8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 in)
• Page count: 218 pages
• Language: English
• Copyright © Fennel Hudson 2014
• Hardback ISBN 978-1-909947-42-9

Favourite quote from The Lighter Side

"If self-actualisation is the pinnacle of one’s development, then it can’t be achieved if your mountain has two peaks...Being the ‘best version’ of yourself implies that you have other versions kept locked in a closet. Don’t have any ‘versions’. Just have one true, beautiful and pure form of you. So climb your mountain, open your arms to the Creator who greets you there, and sing loudly to the world that stretches out beneath you. Write your name permanently on the landscape of your mind. Remember: you are a child of Nature. And you are free."

Reader testimonials

“The Lighter Side was more than I expected. I’d thought it would just be a collection of funny stories. But the deeper meaning within it – and the devastating honesty it conveys – made me question exactly where I am in my own life and what I can do to improve it for my family and me in the time that remains. Thank you Fennel for opening my eyes and adjusting my course.”

“The opening chapter is the most startling, erudite, compassionate and open piece of writing I have ever read…thank you Fennel for sharing so much. It did and does mean a great deal.”

“Absolutely remarkable piece of literature. Humorous and thought provoking – not an easy combination to manage. Every time I read the stories I find something new and it really does put me back in touch with thinking about what is most important in life.”

“After reading this Journal, and being reduced to tears, I can only say THANK YOU for striving for a life that many of us could never attain. Keep going, no matter what the cost.”

“Nobody could ever claim that Fennel is living a fantasy. The sacrifices he’s made, and the cost to his health that he’s incurred in his quest to seek a better life, are a lesson to us all.”

“Hugely insightful, with a clue that’s in the title. If you’ve never made sacrifices, or compromised, or been ridiculed for being who you are, then this is not the Journal for you. But if you dream of the good life, or a balanced life, or seek a stronger sense of identity and purpose, then you’ll appreciate this Journal. I applaud Fennel for writing so directly, and for revealing things we might not have seen in his writing before.”

“I think perhaps there’s a ‘Fennel’ in all of us. It’s just discovering him, or her, and releasing them to the world. Fennel’s writing has a wonderful way of helping us to make this possible. He knows the road is bumpy, but he inspires us to travel it in search of our dreams."