Beginning Well: 7 Spiritual Practices for the First Year of Almost Anything

by Joel Stepanek

Are you starting a new job, retiring, getting married, expanding your family, or making any significant change in your life? The first year of almost anything new can be both a blessing and a challenge. In Beginning Well , Joel Stepanek, vice president of parish services at Life Teen International, shows how being shaken out of your routine when you start something new can free you to become a better Christian. He offers seven spiritual practices to get you through transitions and help you lay a strong foundation for true happiness. Stepanek has worked in pastoral ministry and organizational development for more than fifteen years; he understands that life’s transitions are important to spiritual and emotional well-being and provide the chance to see Christ in places you may not have thought to look before. Stepanek will help you refine your thoughts and behavior to more closely align your life to the Gospel as you grow through your first year of almost anything. In Beginning Well , you will learn how to Stepanek draws on his experience, personal faith, biblical narrative, and Catholic tradition to show you how to grow and thrive as you begin your next big thing.

160 pages, Paperback

Published February 11, 2022

Reviews

[Carlee Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very useful book for anyone who is starting something new. It was a great first read of 2022. As someone who is about to graduate from college in the spring and move to an entirely new state after graduating, it was a helpful read. I appreciated the big topics of each chapter, like grieving what you have lost or are saying goodbye to. I also enjoyed the smaller subjects within each chapter such as having a gratitude journal in the chapter on embracing joy. I found the chapter on mentors to be enlightening because I haven't read on the indirect mentorship found through social media, books, and other sources. Overall, this was a great book and I would recommend it to anyone!


Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly a great read as new beginnings are always apart of life - this book is definitely more geared towards beginning a new job / career or moving to a new place, but it has very practical wisdom and wonderful reminders of how to remain faithful to Jesus in the new beginnings!!

[BJ Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is exactly as advertised. Joel Stepanek gives practical, biblical guidance on how to begin well. Whether it is a new move, a new job, a new marriage, a new addition to the family, or... whatever, there are some great universal principles he gives here to make sure that whatever it is you are beginning, you are doing it right. Those principles are:

Let go of what you have left - One of the biggest mistakes many people make is to constantly compare the new with the old that it replaced. They might have entered a new job or moved to a new location, but in their heart and mind, they are still back in the old place.

Use what you have learned - Although we don't want to live in the past, we do want to use it. The skills and experience we have gained can be invaluable if we know how to leverage them.

Find a mentor - Find someone who has done the job (or knows the city), and done it well for a long time. Learn from them. Be humble enough to be teachable.

Find an anchor - Create new rituals and favorite spots in your new situation. We need places and new habits that can both keep us grounded and be a refuge during difficult or frustrating moments.

Pause and Assess - It is very possible that in the newness of the moment, you might not have picked the best mentor or found the best spot. Once you have had a few months to get a better "lay of the land" be willing to switch it up if necessary.

Live joyfully - Often it is easy to be whole-hearted about our new situation in the first moments. But that won't last. Find ways to focus on the good and reflect with gratitude. "Don't lose your joy" is a conscious, consistent choice we must make.

Embrace the adventure - Lean into the new. Sometimes the beginning we are entering is a result of our own choice. Other times it is thrust on us. Either way, it is what it is, and our best option is to make the most of it.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was the first time I had read anything by Joel Stepanek, and I will definitely find another of his books to read. I really liked the way he wrote from his own experiences in an entertaining and engaging way. His 7 points were very clear, with a chapter of the book for each one, and he is great communicator. Each chapter included a short example from the Bible, and he explained these in a really effective way. I particularly appreciated his thoughts about how beginnings can be for a good reason or a bad reason (eg starting again after someone has died or you've lost your job). This book is full of accessible wisdom and is very easy to read - I finished it in two days.
Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Luana Cavalcanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book.
I was interested to read it because I finished college and I'm going to search a job. I was kind a lost. It's a new beginning for me.
And this book helped me. Well done, Joel!
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for free ARC in exchange of honest review. All thoughs are my own.
4.5/5
🇧🇷Eu gostei do livro. Fiquei interessada para ler pois eu terminei a universidade e vou procurar um emprego. Estava meio perdida. É um novo começo para mim. E esse livro me ajudou. Bom trabalho, Joel Stepanek.
Obrigada a Netgalley e a editora pela ARC para uma resenha. Todas as opiniões são minhas.

[Catholic Mom and Daughter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers a great: new beginnings and how to survive and thrive during life transitions.
I enjoyed the stories from the author's own life and felt like he had a lot of very helpful advice.
This would even make a great gift for new grads, friends who are moving, or anyone starting a new phase of life.