Former Hollywood agent Christine Hassler’s book, Expectation Hangover, explores the best way to handle life’s disappointments. In a blurb on the book’s front cover, Arianna Huffington—editor in chief of the Huffington Post—says, “Christine Hassler reminds us that we all have within us the ability to meet life’s challenges and move from struggle to grace.” And that’s what this book is about, meeting challenges and understanding how to handle surprises and setbacks along the way.

As a life coach, Hassler encourages clients to reflect deeply and to find their way without feeling bound to a to-do list or checklist of tasks. No matter how carefully we have planned things, life will surprise us. There will be sudden shifts and curveballs, U-turns and storm clouds. There will be failures and moments of despair.

Hassler explains that disappointment doesn’t have to derail us. When our expectations aren’t met, when we feel frustrated and disillusioned, that’s the time when we must move forward and not allow ourselves to get stuck.

According to Hassler, you can’t plan your way out of the messiness of life, but you can move forward no matter what. The comfort zone you planned to live in won’t help you live your best life anyway, and your routine way of thinking won’t move you toward true happiness.  Avoiding suffering is not the equivalent of experiencing happiness. What does make a difference? Openness, acceptance and a willingness to see the possibilities even within those moments of shattered hope.

In this book, Christine Hassler offers tools to help us retrain our brains to see the fullness of life and not to be limited by our own expectations. She reminds us that some things that happen, the moments when we feel blown away by the power of positive change, can only happen when we release fear and control and allow the unexpected to enter our lives.

If you find yourself rigidly adhering to a life plan and feel disappointed by the outcome, read this book. Rewire your brain to uncover the opportunities hidden inside that may be masking itself as a simple disappointment.

To buy Expectation Hangover by Christine Hassler, click here.