Women are extraordinarily hard on themselves. They scrutinize their flaws, asking “Am I a good lover? A good mother? Successful in my career?” They get preoccupied with ways they do not measure up, twisting themselves into knots to fix problems no one else can see. The latest book from award-winning and best-selling psychologist Susan Nolen- Hoeksema shows women how to break this cycle—by discovering and utilizing their unique psychological strengths.

Drawing on original research and the instructive stories of real people, Nolen-Hoeksema identifies the skill sets that women, based on their biology and social roles, bring to challenges: mental strengths, such as the instinct to manage scarce resources; identity strengths, which maintain strong values under pressure; emotional strengths, such as anticipating the effects of decisions; relational strengths, with an emphasis on win-win solutions. Combined, these strengths give women a powerful ability to lead during transformational times. She then provides hands-on assessments for pinpointing strengths with the most relevance to a problem, exercises for building strengths, and inspiring examples of women’s inventiveness, resilience, and sheer determination.

This revolutionary book of self-improvement gives women the tools to hone their skills as entrepreneurs and managers, mothers and wives, mentors and community leaders—and as individuals pursuing their talents and dreams.