December 2025 – Counselor and author Christy Ash invites readers to embrace their authenticity with her powerful new book, The High Cost of Shrinking: Breaking Free of Playing It Small, So You Make It Big.
Through heartfelt storytelling, spiritual insight, and emotional healing tools, Ash convinces and inspires readers to avoid shrinking to appease and cater to others—at all costs. By recounting the massive losses we experience as a result of being less than true to ourselves.
Ash says, “This book will hug your heart and leave you excited to embrace your truth, be 100% honest, establish healthy boundaries, and navigate conflict with confidence. It highlights the joy, purpose, and support of others which the universe delivers when we choose to be true to ourselves, even in the face of others’ anger.”
Ash’s writing radiates warmth, wisdom, and encouragement. Indeed, the book fans the flames of love causing readers to fall in love with their own life, prioritize themselves, and teaches them how to be their own Love of a Lifetime. By healing their heart, broken bits, hurt, and inner child, this book leaves the reader absolutely smitten — gaga, even — with their unfiltered, unafraid-to-be-themselves self. (Not to mention loving the book!)
Readers will discover practical authenticity tools that teach them how to protect their peace, stop fearing others’ anger, and clearly express what they want so they can actually get it — along with others’ trust, respect, loyalty, and support. Through these tools, they’ll learn how to respectfully assert themselves, fight fair, avoid automatically accommodating at their own expense, and finally give and take in equal measure.
The High Cost of Shrinking serves as both a guide and an inspiration, showing that living authentically allows us to sparkle, shine, and take center stage in our own lives—being seen, heard, appreciated, honored, admired, and respected in every area. Readers are invited to live life off the leash, beat their own drum, celebrate and elevate massive genuineness, live their “Most Me” life, co-create custom made magic shows, and manifest personal, specific, and spectacular miracles for their own Heaven on Earth.
Christy Ash grew up in Mineral Wells, West Virginia, and has a lifelong passion for cheerleading, healing, nurturing, supporting, and encouraging others. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Mount Vernon Nazarene University and a master’s degree in counselor education from Ohio University.
Currently residing in a charming English cottage in Youngstown, Ohio, she balances her work as a counselor with running three guest houses. Her brother Forrest illustrated the cover of The High Cost of Shrinking, adding a personal touch to this deeply intimate project.
The High Cost of Shrinking is ideal for anyone who feels overlooked, undervalued, abandoned, ignored, forgotten, neglected, or rejected, and who seeks equal give-and-take in relationships, recognition, appreciation, and acknowledgment of what they bring to the table. It guides readers toward joy, empowerment, embracing their true selves, and discovering their life’s mission. This book is perfect for self-help students and gurus, spiritual gangsters, mediums and psychics, as well as life coaches, counselors, and psychologists.
For more information or to connect with Christy Ash, visit her YouTube channel [Love of a Lifetime]
