This book is a unique, transformational, and inspirational guidebook using a woman's handbag as the guiding metaphor for the emotional baggage and inner world we carry around with us everyday that no one sees from the outside. This book is very practical and hands-on. The metaphorical handbag (outlined beautifully in the preface) provides an important tool for talking about difficult topics like domestic abuse, depression, and loss. The exercises are relevant and invite the reader to take things further and implement changes in his or her own life. The beginning of each chapter is formatted with an inspirational quote that reflects the theme of the upcoming chapter. The body of the chapter are memoir stories and personal experiences that pertain to the take home message for the reader. At the end of each chapter, there is a mantra followed by practical exercises and applications for the reader to use to transform and rebuild their lives from whatever obstacle they are facing. This book has a strong domestic abuse theme however, the practical applications and stories apply to anyone who has ever faced a struggle or difficult situation. The goal of this book is to impact the world in a positive way by putting a "silver lining" to the issue of domestic violence and abuse, depression, and loss. The author's motivation is to inspire others to break free from whatever is holding them back by implementing simple, yet powerful shifts in perspective and mindset to catapult their lives and change the course of their futures. EXCERPT FROM PURSEPECTIVE: "As your perspective changes from viewing yourself as a powerless victim of circumstances to seeing that you have the power to choose not only how your mindset but also how you react to circumstances that come your way, you open yourself up to new and different options. This is the first step in creating a life you love on your own terms. As a result of shifting your perspective, you can begin living a life that you design and imagine. You begin to shift from victim, to VICTOR!"