BOOK REVIEW - Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired: A Guide to Finding Inspiration and Well-Being in a Wonder-Filled World by Dr. Pam Stephens Lehenbauer
Book Title: Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired: A Guide to Finding Inspiration and Well-Being in a Wonder-Filled World by Dr. Pam Stephens Lehenbauer
Category: Adult Non-Fiction (18 +), 218 pages
Genre: self-help
Publisher: Bear Paw Press
Release date: August 2025
Content Rating: G: This book has no cursing, kissing, etc.
Feeling wired, tired, and stretched too thin? You’re not alone—and you’re not broken.
In Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired, Dr. Pam Stephens Lehenbauer, a respected researcher, epidemiologist, clinician, and thought leader on joy, wonder, and well-being, offers a compassionate and eye-opening look at why so many people feel chronically stressed, fatigued, and disconnected. She also reveals why the traditional wellness model, first conceived decades ago, is no longer serving us.
Part science-backed reflection, part celebration of the world’s awe-inspiring details, this book blends thought-provoking commentary with bite-sized facts and trivia designed to reignite our sense of childlike wonder. From the mysteries of the cosmos to the miracles of the human body and so much in between, each chapter encourages readers to pause, reflect, and reconnect—with nature, with curiosity, and with what truly matters.
This isn’t a how-to guide or conventional self-help manual. Instead, it’s a gentle, joyful invitation to look up, look around, and rediscover the extraordinary in the ordinary. Through powerful insights and warm encouragement, Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired helps readers step off the “happiness = wellness” hamster wheel, take a big step back, and breathe deeply. It creates space to experience the tears, the chills, and the thrills of a world filled with wonder.
Perfect for anyone seeking a mental reset or a moment of inspiration, Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired is both a balm for the soul and a spark for the spirit.
In an age where exhaustion feels like the default setting, Wonder
and Joy for the Wired and Tired: A Guide to Finding Inspiration and Well-Being
in a Wonder-Filled World by Dr. Pam Stephens Lehenbauer arrives as both a
balm and a beacon. Rather than offering another rigid self-help regimen or
checklist for “fixing” ourselves, this book reframes the conversation around
wellness with refreshing compassion and curiosity.
Dr. Lehenbauer, a seasoned researcher, epidemiologist, and
clinician, begins with a simple yet profound acknowledgment: if you feel
perpetually wired, tired, or stretched too thin, you are not broken. That
message alone feels like a deep breath. From there, she challenges the
limitations of the traditional wellness model (rooted in decades-old
assumptions) that equate wellness with linear progress toward happiness. Rather,
she invites readers to reclaim wonder as a core element of well-being.
What sets this book apart is its seamless blending of
science and awe. Each chapter offers a mix of reflection, storytelling, and
engaging trivia that makes you pause and see the world anew. One moment you’re
considering the vast mysteries of the cosmos; the next, marveling at the
intricacies of the human body. These bite-sized nuggets of knowledge function
as sparks; reminders of the extraordinary hidden in plain sight.
Unlike many wellness guides that lean heavily on
prescriptive advice, Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired takes a
gentler approach. It isn’t about productivity hacks or morning routines.
Instead, it asks readers to step away from the hamster wheel of “happiness =
wellness” and make room for genuine moments of awe. Dr. Lehenbauer’s writing is
both grounding and uplifting, encouraging readers to reconnect with what truly
matters: curiosity, presence, and a willingness to be surprised by life’s small
miracles.
The tone of the book is warm and approachable, reflecting
the author’s background as both a scientist and a thought leader in joy and
well-being. Her voice feels like that of a wise friend; knowledgeable but never
overbearing, empathetic without slipping into sentimentality. Readers looking
for a strict “how-to” manual may be surprised by the book’s open-endedness, but
that is precisely its strength. It resists the impulse to prescribe and instead
leaves space for individual reflection and discovery.
Ultimately, Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired
succeeds as both an antidote to modern burnout and a gentle guide toward deeper
connection with ourselves and the world around us. It reminds us that wonder is
not a luxury but a necessity, and joy is not something to chase but something
to notice. For anyone seeking a reset (mental, emotional, or spiritual) this
book is a timely invitation to pause, breathe, and look within.
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Dr. Pam Stephens Lehenbauer, Ph.D., MBA, MSN, PMHNP-BC is an epidemiologist, nurse practitioner, researcher, educator, and an adjunct professor at Northern Kentucky University where she teaches in the faculty of graduate studies and investigates well-being. Pam is a popular international speaker and thought leader on wellness and well-being, how wonder, joy, and interacting with nature impact health and wholehearted living, and why we need to shift the paradigm from wellness to well-being. She is also the creator and author of the popular blog, Mother Nature’s Apprentice, and her first book, Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired: A Guide to Finding Inspiration and Well-Being in a Wonder-Filled World will be published by Bear Paw Press in September 2025.
Pam has over forty years of combined experience in clinical practice, health administration, and teaching. She has served on the editorial and administrative boards for several provincial, state, and national nursing organizations and is a member of the American Nurses Association, the Kentucky Coalition of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives, Sigma Theta Tau International, and is a clinician member of the Planetary Health Alliance.
In addition to her extensive professional and academic work, Pam is also an avid gardener, a Certified Home Horticulturalist, and a conservationist who has created award winning gardens and sustainable wildlife habitats.
Pam lives on a small acreage in beautiful Northern Kentucky with her husband, Marty. They are the parents of several adult humans and countless non-humans who walk, fly, flutter, swim, crawl, and burrow. She loves to read, write, play piano, and explore the world’s beauty and wonders with her husband, family, and friends.
connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads
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