Poised And Prepared

Poised and Prepared: Empowerment for Women in a Changing World

This book is your ultimate guide to staying safe, confident, and in control. Blending personal stories, folktales, and practical advice, Balaka Ghosal delivers a cross-cultural, timely, and empowering resource for women navigating today’s fast-paced, digital world.

What you’ll gain from this book:

• Practical tips to keep trouble at bay
• Tools to identify potential dangers in any setting
• Strategies to avoid, de-escalate, escape, or defend
• Ways to grow your situational and intuitive alertness
• Inspiration to create proactive, safety-focused communities

With a touch of humor and wisdom from her own experiences, Balaka offers thoughtful, anxiety-free advice that uplifts women as smart, capable, and quietly powerful. This meticulously researched handbook is packed with easy-to-implement tips to navigate everyday risks, especially for women living independently.

What Readers Are Saying:
“This book empowers women to feel safe wherever they are. Balaka’s wish for a safer world deserves great commendation.”
—Akua Sena Dansua, global health advocate, former ambassador, former minister, and former member of parliament, Ghana

“A must-read for women and allies. Balaka’s advice is practical, cross-cultural, and timely.”
—Giselle Goodwin, PhD, author of Can Women Really Have it All?, UK

“Balaka’s advice comes from strength, not fear. Every woman deserves to feel safe and strong in today’s world.”
—Arjun Sen, motivational speaker, and author of Unquit Forever, USA

“Practical, inspirational, and holistic—this book is a guide to creating safer communities.”
—Bob Nelson, PhD, multimillion-copy bestselling author of 1,001 Ways to Reward Employees, USA

“Prevention is better than cure. This book offers actionable steps for women’s safety. This book needs to be translated into several languages.”
—Dr. Mousumi De, public health specialist, prison doctor, USA

But it doesn’t stop there. Poised and Prepared inspires women to take on leadership roles, fostering respect, safety, and equity in their communities. It’s more than a book—it’s a movement toward a safer, more connected world.

A perfect gift for all the women you love—or for men who want to support their families and communities.
Order your copy today and start building a safer future!

Balaka has traveled globally and currently lives in Houston with her husband. Growing up in India, Balaka has hopped from one city to another due to her father's job transfers which allowed her to learn many languages and navigate a multitude of cultural norms and unsafe situations. She started out as a journalist with several articles on environmental and women's issues to her credit. Later she taught in a women's college in India and in elementary schools in the USA as a special education teacher. Balaka was blessed with the opportunity to volunteer for Mother Teresa in Kolkata. With two masters degrees and a pre-PhD M.Phil, Balaka has developed sound research skills for her creative work. Passionate about the environment and the zeal to help people, Balaka continues to write to protect the planet and its people. Follow Balaka's work on thegreenwriter.com and poisedandprepared.com to stay connected with her.