Most women have a nonstop chorus of criticism in their heads — voices not unlike those of the mean girls lurking in the hallways and locker rooms of junior high schools everywhere. The grown-up versions of those teenage taunts — such as “But taking care of myself is selfish” and “The world is against me” — zap motivation, sabotage happiness, and keep women in a stressed, “never enough” mind-set. Here, like a best buddy and street-wise big sister, coach Amy Ahlers helps women talk back. Her witty, wise, and cut-to-the-chase format arms women with the “Take that!” insights they wish they had handy when someone puts them down — even if that someone is the person in the mirror. Ahlers doesn’t offer long-winded self-therapy or simplistic happy talk; she serves up straight talk that helps women know, feel, and tell themselves the truths that can transform their deepest inner thoughts — and their lives.