The Life Brief: Permission to Take Notice of What You Really Want

Bonnie Wan’s book asks you to identify what you want to be different in your life and then to understand how you need to show up differently to make it a reality.

You won’t breeze through this book in a day or two. Each chapter ends with writing exercises that ask you to throw your first thoughts onto the page, and then to hone in on what truly excites you. You are encouraged to strip away anything that feels like a ‘should’ rather than a genuine want. Bonnie includes lots of examples from her own life and from people she has worked with, grounding the concepts in real stories rather than abstract theory.

I came to this book exhausted from a year of constant experimentation and new ideas and it has helped me to clarify what I want to do differently in 2026. My Life Brief now sits in my workspace as a daily reminder of my direction of travel.

This book is ideal for people who begin each year with an idealistic list of goals which quickly get pushed aside when work begins again. The Life Brief helps you focus on one area where change matters most to you right now. You pay attention to it, take small daily actions, and stay open to opportunities that match your Life Brief.

As Bonnie Wan says at the end of this book: “When you release yourself from self-doubt and limiting narratives, you make space to see opportunities you would otherwise have overlooked. Changing your story changes your life.”