Bethenny Frankel's Journey to a 'Place of Yes'

March 22, 2011— -- Bestselling author and "Skinnygirl" Bethenny Frankel's new book "A Place of Yes: 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want Out of Life" is a revealing account of her road to success and obstacles she faced along the way.

"I've worked really hard and I had many 'no's' thrown at me throughout my career," Frankel said today on "Good Morning America." And, she said, "I really did always come from a place of yes."

To Frankel, "a place of yes" doesn't always mean being positive or agreeing with others.

"It means that you go for what you know you can have in your gut," she said. "I'm not a yes-man by any stretch of the imagination. Right now...I say 'no' to a lot more than I used to because that's saying yes to myself."

Now a successful businesswoman, Frankel, 40, is a mom to daughter Bryn and wife to husband Jason Hoppy.

"It took me a long time to get there," she said. "Another chapter in the book is 'All Roads Lead to Rome.' I took a circuitous path, but...if you stay on the road and you're always moving forward, you will get there. Even if it's later."

In the book, Frankel candidly discusses her family, her varied business endeavors and even her failed relationships. She says she developed a thick skin and, more important, ten rules, which are the basis of book.

Read an excerpt from "A Place of Yes" below, then check out some other books in the "GMA" library

CLICK HERE to listen to an excerpt from the audiobook.

Introduction

Who I Am, What This Book Is About, and What You Need to Know Before You Begin

My parents make me crazy. I'll be stuck in this job for the rest of my life. I can't stop spending money. I'll never find the perfect guy so I might as well just settle. I don't care if I end up single, I'd rather be alone. Why do I get so irritated at my husband? I can't stop eating. I'll never get in shape, so why bother? I don't spend enough time with my kids, am I a bad mother? Why can't I get organized? I can't sleep. I have no self-control. Did I sell out? My life is not what I once thought it could be. Maybe I should just accept that I can't have it all.

Does any of this sound familiar? If you have any of these thoughts, if you look at your life and you think, "Is this as good as it gets?" or even if you don't really want to look under your hood because you're afraid of letting thoughts like this come out, then this book is for you.

A Place of Yes is about how to stop saying no and start saying yes to your own life. It's about how to get unstuck and start moving forward with vision and a plan and the guts to tackle any obstacles that get in your way. It's about looking, really looking at your life, then rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty and making it into the life you really want.

It's easy to say no, to say "I can't," to expect the worst, and doubt yourself. Expecting the worst feels safer because when you fail, you won't be disappointed.

But your life can be better than "just good enough." It can be amazing. You can be more successful, more fulfilled, healthier, and happier than you are right now. I know what it's like to think some of these negative thoughts and worse. Believe me, it has been a long road to where I am today. I've cried, pounded the pavement, picked myself up and brushed myself off time and again.