An Everyday Housewife - who gave up the good life for what!

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven

An autobiography opening with a preface about resilience and major life transitions, focusing on emotional fears and the strategic decisions women face. The narrative frames the author’s life as “running in threes” through leaving marriages, escaping into work and travel, and confronting the consequences of turning points. It positions the book to motivate other women to reassess self-perception, weigh options, and act with faith in their own resourcefulness, ending with the author’s eventual divorce without bitterness.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages214

Reading Time5 h 30 min

AccessFree to download

Preface

Chapter 1 The Early Years

Chapter 2 Stubborn Streak

Chapter 3 The Newly-weds

Chapter 4 Tempting Providence

Chapter 5 Into The Black Hole

Chapter 6 The Ups and the Downs

Chapter 7 Selling My Soul

Chapter 8 Moving On

Chapter 9 Risk-Taking Practice

Chapter 10 Jumping Ship

Chapter 11 New Beginnings

Chapter 12 Lost In Transit

Chapter 13 Hedging My Bets

Chapter 14 Rest Of My Life

What I've Learnt

Last Words

EverydayHOuSCWilC.. Cilla Shiels 34143110010947 | Whilst writing my autobiography sadly I lost my youngest brother.He was
my best playmate.
I wish to dedicate my book to our Ronald.
2 | | --- | Copyright CPriscilla May Shiels 2017 Priscilla May Shiels has asserted her right to be identified as the author ofthis Work in accordance with the Copyright,Design and Patents Act 1988 # All Rights Reserved No part of this book shall be re-printed or circulated without the writtenconsent of the author An Everyday Housewife... 5Preface15Chapter 1 The Early Years36Chapter 2 Stubborn Strcak51Chapter 3 The Newly-weds67Chapter 4 Tempting Providence83Chapter 5 Into The Black Holc113Chapter 6 The Ups and the Downs133 (Chapter 7 Selling My Soul1397Chapter 8 Moving On148Chapter 9 Risk-Taking Practise155(Chapter 10 Jumping Ship166 Chapter 11 New Beginnings180 (Chapter 12 Lost In Transit183 (Chapter 13 Hedging My Bets189 (Chapter 14 Rest Of My Life204What I've learnt206 Last words | Preface
My life always seemed to run in threes.Three boys,three scary journeys
abroad alone,third time lucky before I finally left my first marriage
behind.After much resistance to change from my first husband and many
'heated discussions'we sold our business.I was successful in securing a
full time job and now I wanted a divorce.I was feared of making this life-
changing decision but decided to do something about it after a well-
meaning friend advised me to read “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway”by
Susan Jeffers(1991).I was struck by my own admission of how
desperately I wanted to escape and how feared I was of doing that.The
first time I left I moved into a bedsit,second time I went on a working
holiday to escape but the third time I had a reason to make me want to
leave forever.
Many decisions we are faced with in our lives such as leaving school,
starting work,changing jobs,marrying or deciding to live with someone,
or starting a family we can't know if it will work out.It's a question of
thinking through what those changes in your life will mean to you and
decide what you are happy to change,what you want to continue and what
you are prepared to lose.It's only once those changes are implemented and
the impact of those decisions felt that anyone could know for sure if it was
the right course of action.It's a question of weighing up the pros and cons
and having faith in your own resourcefulness to work through it.
This book is aimed at women who feel they haven't got the coping skills to
change part or all of their lives.They may feel trapped and want to run
away or make changes,perhaps seeking full time work after having
5 | | --- | | children or change how their relationship is working or end a troubled
partnership.They know what they want to do but are feared in taking the
necessary action.
My story starts with my early years growing up in a family of eight where
my character and life's coping skills were formed which have stood me in
good stead in adulthood.This book tells you about my journey throughout
childhood and into adulthood coping with difficult situations at strategic
points in my life and the sliding-door syndrome where my choices
influenced how I have led my life.My story is meant to motivate and
inspire other women to look at how they view themselves and help them to
seek the answers from within.
I was always known as the great motivator.
6 | | --- | An Everyday Housewife...who gave up the good life for what! My children loved singing this song to me.They knew I didn't likebeing referred to as 'the housewife'-and they sure had a way towind me up.We often hear men referring to 'the wife'as if it'ssome property they own whereas women always refer to 'myhusband'which is much more respectful. | Why was I so feared

FAQs

What is the central purpose of the book as described in the preface?

To motivate and inspire women to reflect on how they view themselves and to seek answers from within when facing life-changing decisions.

Why does the author emphasize “running in threes”?

It structures her life experience: three boys, three journeys abroad alone, and three attempts before ultimately leaving her first marriage.

How does the author explain the way decisions lead to certainty?

The author says people only know whether it was the right course after changes are implemented and the impact is felt, by weighing pros and cons and trusting personal resourcefulness.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven