‘There are many, many books written by successful women who talk about how successful they are and float their theory about how you can get some of that success for yourself if you just Lean In, Say Yes, Live Your Best Life, Beat Your Fear or Sleep More.

Work Strife Balance is not one of those books. I want this book to be helpful to every woman. And I know from experience the best way to be helpful is to be honest. It’s easy to share your successes and your triumphs but the real stuff of life is far less transient: Eating disorders. Grief. Divorce. Losing a job. Losing a loved one. Losing your mind. Infertility. None of these things have rituals. In an age of social media brag-fests they mostly exist underground. But the way women connect is by sharing failures, disappointments and insecurities. Quietly. Privately. Over wine. Over text. Over fences. Female connections are forged through vulnerability not Facebook brags.

Work Strife Balance is split into those about my most valuable failures, my most significant setbacks and my most mortifying slip-ups in life, love and work. At Mamamia we call it FLEARNING - failing and learning. Learning through failing.  In my teens, 20s, 30s and 40s, I’ve done a lot of both.’

• Mia Freedman