SL_HealthDept_0219FINALregion2V2_Layout 1 2 / 13 / 19 3 : 57 PM Page 1 health Working ThroughIt Self - care , spirituality , and new challenges help one woman overcome life’s obstacles and enjoy a “ second act . ” indie Barnett had spent several years wrestling with the idea of penning a book . “ I just wasn’t sure what I would M write about , ” says Barnett , a former broadcast journalist who transitioned into career as a public relations specialist , with her own Philadelphia - area PR firm , MB & Associates . Rather than turning out a novel , though , she thought readers — not to mention a pub - lisher — might find some value in the story of her life . As it turns out , she was right . Barnett’s memoir , Intermission : How Fervor , Friendships and Faith Took Me to the Second Act , is due out later this month from Simon & Schuster . In it , she details the invig - orating highs and crushing lows that came from navigating a number of significant life changes . Intermission introduces a protagonist ( Barnett ) with a seemingly perfect life — a cool job and a nice house , with a 10 - year marriage that produced two chil - dren — but the reader quickly learns that things are not as rosy as they seem . The book begins with Barnett’s decision to separate from her husband . From there , she takes the reader through her successes , including her career tran - sition from journalism to publicity , and her struggles with personal obstacles such as infertility and hearing loss . because Barnett says she first considered writing a I feel like everybody goes self - help book because she has “ always been through these kinds of changes in some way , the friend that people go to for advice . ” While shape , or form , ” she says . “ Making any big Intermission does not offer a prescription for change requires a leap of faith , because you overcoming challenges , Barnett shares how never know what the other side will look like . her work and healthy doses of self - care , such Even if it’s just changing a job or going as embracing her spirituality , reconnecting with through some kind of midlife period of adjust - old friends , and finding new challenges , ment , it can be hard for people to say , ‘ I’m helped her get through a particularly tough going to change . I’m going to do this . ’ Hope - time . Example : Although “ never particularly fully this book can provide the motivation to athletic , ” Barnett says she started running get past some of those fears . ” during her separation and ultimately wound Barnett will be signing copies of Intermis - up competing in a half - marathon . sion at several upcoming events , including She also says a “ peaceful and humane ” Feb . 27 at Shakespeare & Co . in Philadelphia’s divorce benefited all parties involved — Rittenhouse neighborhood ; March 16 at the meaning not only her and the man who would Big Blue Marble Bookstore in Mt . Airy ; and become her ex - husband , but also their two March 27 at Autograph Brasserie in Wayne . young children , now ages 10 and 7 . Visit MindieBarnett.com for more details . “ There are a lot of lessons in there , — Bill Donahue