Whole, Not Perfect
Laura G. Patac
Authority Publishing (2025)
ISBN: 978-1965480304
Reviewed by Dawn Colclasure for Reader Views (11/2025)
There’s too much demand for perfectionism these days, and that demand can break a lot of people down. But the reality is we are not perfect, and readers will be reminded of this message with prompts, meditations, poetry, and reflections in the book Whole, Not Perfect: Empowering Stories as Tools for Anyone Ready to Reinvent and Reclaim Themselves by Laura G. Patac.
In the introduction, the author states that this book started out as a collection of poetry. I started to wonder if she included these poems in the book, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that she did. They are sprinkled throughout the passages. The poems included in the chapters are on the same theme as the chapter they are in. They add more context to the chapter’s text, giving this reader something to think about and ponder.
Another thing shared in the introduction was certain acrostic poems (DREAM, STORY, etc.). Upon first glance, I was not sure how a reader could put these to use. However, in reading the book, the author provides frameworks on how to use them for growth, self-healing, and reflection. This is useful information and made me realize the ease with which putting this into practice could be.
Gratitude is a large part of the first chapter of the book, “Gratitude in the Grit.” Gratitude is what allows us to step back from everything and take the time to reflect and learn. It also helps us to grow. As the author writes on page 24: “Grit is what carries you through the hard parts; gratitude is what turns those hard parts into wisdom.”
In the third chapter, “Becoming Bold,” what the author writes about purpose is immensely inspiring. It really hits home in how we must trust that call to action we feel we must make in our lives. Responding to that direction, we are pulled in and staying true to this stage. As the author writes on page 48, Purpose often arrives as a whisper. It nudges you toward choices that don’t always make sense to others but feel undeniably right to you. It’s in those moments, when you decide to trust that whisper – that boldness takes shape.” And on that same page, she also writes that “purpose is not found once and for all; it is chosen daily, in every step you take.”
The chapter on becoming also has good insights to ponder. I love how she uses tea as an analogy for the process of becoming who you are. This is a process that, like with tea, takes time to reach its fullness. As she writes on page 76, “Carry this forward: risk the unknown, ask boldly, and steep in the practices that sustain you.”
In Chapter 8, titled “The Voice That Matters,” the author discusses language, our voice, and especially the words we choose to say – both to others and to ourselves. The author writes on page 106, “The conversations we carry shape who we are becoming.” The way we choose to interact with others in conversation shows our personalities, our feelings, our beliefs, and our values. And as far as speaking to others goes, the reader is reminded how “people may not always remember what you said, but they will never forget how your words made them feel.” (page 108).
And as far as how we talk to ourselves, which is especially important, we are reminded to be kind to ourselves. So many people deal with intrusive thoughts and negative self-talk every day, both negative elements that can destroy a person’s self-esteem, hinder their growth, and prevent healing. While the author does not outline a strategy to defeat these barriers in this chapter, she does provide sound guidance in coping with them. She also reminds the reader of how “words—especially the ones we whisper to ourselves—can shift the story. Negative self-talk shuts doors. Positive language opens windows.” (page 110) Later in that same chapter, she adds that “reframing our inner dialogue can turn walls into windows and transform limitation into possibility.” (page 116)
The chapter “The Prince in My Living Room” explores our ability to be our own hero. It is a gentle reminder that we should not rely on others to rescue us from harm or distress; that the power to rescue ourselves is already within us, if we are willing to tap into it. This chapter is such an inspiration to read. While I already understood that we must rely on our inner power to be our own hero, the content in this chapter is extremely refreshing as well as empowering to read. It also explores how we can manage the chaos of life and weather the storms that tend to arise. By using our inner power, we can find a way to get through the chaos and come out stronger for it. The author writes that inner power “is not the absence of storms but the way we walk through them.” (page 140) And in that same chapter, in the section where she provides a framework for the reader to reflect on what the chapter covered, she offers this affirmation: “The hero I waited for was always me.”
The last part of the book shares why the author chose the title she did. It is in the very last line of the poem included there, in the Final Reflection, but that line is full of understanding and wisdom that has been gleaned from everything this book has covered. In reading that line, the reader can understand the meaning behind those words and carry that message forward with confidence and determination.
Whole, Not Perfect is unlike many other self-help books on the market in that it is not written by someone with a bunch of letters after their name or someone using client stories to support their premise. It is written by someone who lives the knowledge that we are our own hero, that our words shared with others can either hurt or heal, and that we are not meant to live life in just one mundane routine but to “shake it up” and create an impact. The author has likely done this in real life and has also achieved that impact with this book. In the event you are searching for a book to read that will offer guidance and practical wisdom towards growth and empowerment, it is strongly recommended that you pick up Laura G. Patac’s Whole, Not Perfect. It will not disappoint.
Thank you so much for this incredibly thoughtful review. Reading it felt like walking alongside you through the pages of Whole, Not Perfect and seeing the conversations, reflections, poems and frameworks through your eyes.
As an author, there is no greater gift than knowing a reader has not only read your words but truly engaged with them.
I’m especially grateful that you recognized the structure of the book and its blend of poetry with practical frameworks. When I wrote it, my intention was to create recognition and resonance, to help readers see themselves in their emotions, thoughts and experiences. It was never intended to be a book with answers, but rather an evergreen companion that asks meaningful questions, encourages reflection, and reminds us that growth begins by understanding the stories we tell ourselves.
Thank you, Dawn Colclasure, for reading with such care and generosity, and thank you to Reader Views for this wonderful recognition. Knowing these words may now find their way to more readers is a privilege I don’t take for granted.