Move Forward Stronger

A Dynamic Framework to Process Change, Loss, and Grief

Non-Fiction - Motivational
240 Pages
Reviewed on 05/02/2023
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Author Biography

Julia A. Nicholson is a former CEO, executive leadership expert, business consultant, and adjunct professor of business who has excelled for decades as an industry-leading visionary on governance, strategic planning, team building, and executive performance. But she has also faced an inordinate amount of adversity in her life. In the span of 15 years, she went from a near-fatal head-on collision and a challenging role as single mother of two young children after leaving an abusive marriage, to being the CEO of a $450 million company. She now brings her expertise and passion to organizations and conferences across the country. The transformations that led to her successes are central to her upcoming book Move Forward Stronger. Julia has been featured in Forbes.com and her TEDx Talk “The Way We Think About Loss and Grief is Dead Wrong” was featured on the TEDx Talks YouTube Channel with 36 million subscribers.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Grace Ruhara for Readers' Favorite

Crises are unpredictable and happen when least expected. As a victim, you'll experience anger, denial, and confusion, while at other times you'll feel stuck, unable to progress to the next facet of grief, and that's okay. Move Forward Stronger: A Dynamic Framework to Process Change, Loss, and Grief by Julia A. Nicholson gives you reasons to push forward through examples of her lived experiences. At eighteen, Julia was involved in a head-on accident that left her emotionally and physically disturbed, unable to come to terms with what had happened. Later, she marries Mark, an abusive husband who constantly torments her psychologically and physically, picking on her insecurities. Finally, her second husband, Keith, whom she loved and adored, commits suicide. Devastated, Julia also thinks of taking her own life until she discovers the meaning of grief and the five facets of the Diamond Framework that helped her process change and loss and pursue a purposeful and happy life.

Julia A. Nicholson shares suggestions in Move Forward Stronger on how family and friends should care for an individual going through a crisis. These suggestions help family members and friends know how to manage and handle loved ones. They can understand them better and help them feel loved, even when they shut themselves in and isolate themselves. The personal experiences Julia shares help individuals going through the same turmoil fight and overcome it, letting them feel they are not alone as people in similar situations become stronger. The five facets of the Diamond Framework help individuals going through a crisis evaluate themselves to know where they are stuck and work on moving to the next level. I recommend it to those going through a problem since it will equip them with tools, techniques, and habits to help them achieve a fulfilling and happy life.

Kayleigh Perumal

Move Forward Stronger: A Dynamic Framework to Process Change, Loss, and Grief by Julia A. Nicholson is an autobiographical self-help book. It provides unique tools and techniques that can positively and productively assist anyone who has experienced trauma. Nicholson explores various challenges she has experienced in her life, which she refers to as 'its.' These are defined as any unwanted changes or losses that you may face. For Nicholson, these were a nearly fatal car accident when she was a teenager, her abusive first husband, Mark, getting a divorce, raising her two daughters as a single parent, and the premature death of her second husband. Nicholson finds Kübler-Ross’s 1969 research on the five stages of grief inadequate to deal with her 'its.' As such, she develops the five facets of the Diamond Framework, which ask you to relive, reflect, reframe, reconnect, and release your 'its.'

Not only is Julia A. Nicholson’s story inspiring, but it also shares her thought processes on how she developed the Diamond Framework. It is easy to follow her writing and learn how to apply the framework to your own 'its.’ Nicholson’s observations, particularly about loss and grief, resonated with me. I found her both relatable and logical. I also loved the part where she dealt with the narratives we tell ourselves and being qualified in MSU, short for 'making shit up.' The Diamond diagram was also very useful, visually representing Nicholson’s theories. Move Forward Stronger is a valuable and insightful read for anyone looking for guidance on coping with life’s challenges.

Christine Nguyen

Move Forward Stronger: A Dynamic Framework to Process Change, Loss, and Grief is a creative approach to processing any unwanted trauma in our everyday lives. Julia A. Nicholson has the benefit of her faith plus her own real-life experiences in this book. She experienced a near-fatal automobile crash during her freshman year in college that left her devoid of self-esteem, which led to an abusive first marriage and the suicide of her second beloved husband. Nicholson found that the mainstream information available to help her deal with change, loss, and grief was oftentimes misleading. She developed a framework called The Diamond Framework that includes 5 facets: Relive, Reflect, Reframe, Reconnect, and Release.

Julia A. Nicholson hopes that her new and innovative way of dealing with loss can help others going through the same process. She emphasizes that her framework is not linear and that each individual is unique and will process things differently and in their own time. People can be in more than one stage at the same time, and go back and forth between them as often as they like to move forward with hope and positivity. Nicholson’s technique was an easy-to-follow guide that may help anyone dealing with an emotional crisis. Setbacks will be experienced repeatedly during a person’s lifetime and are unavoidable, but there is always hope. Move Forward Stronger is a must-read for anyone going through change, loss, and grief.