Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired: A Guide to Finding Inspiration and Well-Being in a Wonder-Filled World by Dr. Pam Stephens Lehenbauer

Genre: Self-help

Feeling wired, tired, and stretched too thin? You’re not alone—and you’re not broken.

In Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired, Dr. Pam Stephens Lehenbauer, a respected researcher, epidemiologist, clinician, and thought leader on joy, wonder, and well-being, offers a compassionate and eye-opening look at why so many people feel chronically stressed, fatigued, and disconnected. She also reveals why the traditional wellness model, first conceived decades ago, is no longer serving us.

Part science-backed reflection, part celebration of the world’s awe-inspiring details, this book blends thought-provoking commentary with bite-sized facts and trivia designed to reignite our sense of childlike wonder. From the mysteries of the cosmos to the miracles of the human body and so much in between, each chapter encourages readers to pause, reflect, and reconnect—with nature, with curiosity, and with what truly matters.

This isn’t a how-to guide or conventional self-help manual. Instead, it’s a gentle, joyful invitation to look up, look around, and rediscover the extraordinary in the ordinary. Through powerful insights and warm encouragement, Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired helps readers step off the “happiness = wellness” hamster wheel, take a big step back, and breathe deeply. It creates space to experience the tears, the chills, and the thrills of a world filled with wonder.
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Perfect for anyone seeking a mental reset or a moment of inspiration, Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired is both a balm for the soul and a spark for the spirit.

About Author

Dr. Pam Stephens Lehenbauer, Ph.D., MBA, MSN, PMHNP-BC is an epidemiologist, nurse practitioner, researcher, educator, and an adjunct professor at Northern Kentucky University where she teaches in the faculty of graduate studies and investigates well-being. Pam is a popular international speaker and thought leader on wellness and well-being, how wonder, joy, and interacting with nature impact health and wholehearted living, and why we need to shift the paradigm from wellness to well-being. She is also the creator and author of the popular blog, Mother Nature’s Apprentice, and her first book, Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired: A Guide to Finding Inspiration and Well-Being in a Wonder-Filled World will be published by Bear Paw Press in September 2025.

Pam has over forty years of combined experience in clinical practice, health administration, and teaching. She has served on the editorial and administrative boards for several provincial, state, and national nursing organizations and is a member of the American Nurses Association, the Kentucky Coalition of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives, Sigma Theta Tau International, and is a clinician member of the Planetary Health Alliance.

In addition to her extensive professional and academic work, Pam is also an avid gardener, a Certified Home Horticulturalist, and a conservationist who has created award winning gardens and sustainable wildlife habitats.

Pam lives on a small acreage in beautiful Northern Kentucky with her husband, Marty. They are the parents of several adult humans and countless non-humans who walk, fly, flutter, swim, crawl, and burrow. She loves to read, write, play piano, and explore the world’s beauty and wonders with her husband, family, and friends.

Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired: A Guide to Finding Inspiration and Well-Being in a Wonder-Filled World by Dr. Pam Stephens. This book was not what I expected when I think of self-help. To think that actually experiencing the world around you would help you is kind of a new way to think about what self-help really entails.

This book has a gazzillion facts in it stemming from wonders of our planet to the human body and everything in between. It was quite interesting to find out very cool facts, such as that plants communicate. What the heck? Who would have thought that? I was very interested in the plant/nature facts, as I am an avid gardener & huge nature lover. The chapter on the human body has mind-boggling information about these amazing bodies we can sometimes take for granted till they start to fail us or give us a reason to treat them better. It was a very fascinating book; if you like to learn interesting tidbits of information to enrich your mind, this is a must-read. Click here to get your own copy.

Links to Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired

• Goodreads
• Amazon

Giveaway!!

Author-signed copy of Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired Here