BREAKING POINT

For anyone carrying exhaustion that rest does not touch.

Breaking Point: From Collapse to Courage shares Sandra Valks’ story of the moment she finally faced a truth she could no longer ignore, and how she found her way back to herself.

If you’ve been holding it together for everyone else, this is for you.

You get to drop the mask.

You get to live the life you choose.

You can look successful and still be falling apart.

Read it for the truth. Keep it for the tools.

Straight-talk on the stuff that cracks people open: grief, divorce, burnout, money stress, and the slow loss of self.
Honest, real-life stories that show what “collapse to courage” looks like in everyday moments.

Reflection prompts and journal questions that help you tell the truth to yourself and get unstuck.

Practical tools for real life, including simple check-ins for boundaries and decision-making.

“You are allowed to rebuild your life from the inside out.”

Sandra Valks is a global citizen, financial coach, Distinguished Toastmaster, and long-time volunteer who refuses to fit inside tidy boxes. Known as the Compassionate Queen of Straight Talk, she brings the same energy to boardrooms, classrooms, funeral homes, and prison discussion rooms: clarity, humour, and humanity.

For over twenty years, she has volunteered in prisons through Toastmasters and the Alternatives to Violence Project, helping incarcerated men discover their voices and dignity. She also coaches executives on presence, guides anxious clients through financial confusion, and mentors global leaders across time zones. To her, leadership means presence, service, and the courage to be yourself.

Often called “the pink-haired powerhouse,” Sandra blends compassion with wit and lives what she teaches: congruence. Her book, Breaking Point: From Collapse to Courage – Live the Life You Choose, invites anyone carrying invisible weight to find courage in their own story and believe that transformation is possible at any age.

Sure, she’s in her seventh decade, but she ain’t done yet.

Born in Belleville, Ontario, Sandra continues her prison work, Toastmasters leadership, life coaching, and Financial Straight Talk mentoring.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this book for?

For people who look fine on the outside but feel worn down on the inside (especially those who’ve been pushing through life on autopilot for a long time).

Is this mainly a memoir, or will it help me apply it to my own life?

While the book is story-driven, it includes reflection prompts and practical exercises that you can use, revisit, and speak aloud as needed.

Do I need a dramatic “crash” for this book to apply to me?

No. Breaking Point explores the quieter moments when something inside says, “This can’t continue,” and the courage it takes to listen.

What format is it available in?

It is available in paperback and ebook formats.

A Note From the Foreword

“This book is a gift because its author has chosen to live as a gift. Breaking Point is not the end of a life; it is the beginning of a truer one. Walk through this door with both hands open. A larger version of you is already waiting on the other side, and you will not be walking alone.”

–Kellan Fluckiger

You’ve carried enough for long enough…

That kind of weight doesn’t disappear with a weekend off. It shows up in your body, your mood, and the way you move through your days.

Breaking Point: From Collapse to Courage moves you from surviving to choosing. As you work through the reflections, you’ll feel the fog lift – clearer thoughts, steadier emotions, and a stronger sense of what’s yours to carry and what isn’t.

It’s a support you can return to whenever you start to feel lost in your own life.