Book Review - The Lily Series - The Beauty Book

About the Book 
In a society so focused on the idea that external beauty reigns supreme, it can be difficult for young girls to figure out what “true” beauty is all about. This unique and creative book for girls ages 7–11 answers the common questions girls ask during this often confusing and overwhelming stage in their lives in an inviting and conversational manner.

Filled with fun quizzes, imaginative activities, and cool illustrations, The Beauty Book offers cool, relevant information about everything from great hair styles to tattoos, from skin care to clothes, and much more. Above all, the message that God-confidence is beautiful is highlighted on each and every page.

About the Author
Nancy Rue is the author of 110 books, including 9 novels for adults, 17 for teens, and 60 for tween readers, as well as 2 parenting books, 32 non-fiction books for tweens and teens, and the features for the FaithGirlz Bible. Her Lily Series, published by Zondervan, has sold well over one million copies. Her ability to relate to a wide audience has made her a popular radio and television guest and an in-demand speaker and teacher for writer's conferences across the country. She has been a regular keynoter for The Young Writer's Institute and Virtuous Reality Ministries, and now anchors Zondervan's Beauty of Believing Tour for FaithGirlz, which draws thousands of tween girls and their moms. Nancy is also the founder of the "Writing for Children and Youth Conference" in Glen Eyrie, Colorado. Her latest titles include The Reluctant Prophet for adult readers (David C. Cook) Limos, Lattes, and My Life On the Fringe (Zondervan) for teens, and That Is SO Me (Zondervan), a year-long devotional for tweens. A student of the Academy for Spiritual Formation, sponsored by the Upper Room, Nancy continues her own spiritual journey even as she writes and speaks for mothers, daughters, and would-be writers about theirs. For more information, visit her website at www.nancyrue.com.

My Take on the Book 
This book talks directly about self-image and the importance of girls liking themselves for who they are. This message is so important, especially in a world that is becoming so jaded by what they see on television on what beauty is and what they need to do to achieve this. On top of this, the book incorporates prayer and the ability for a girl to be as unique as they want to be beautiful both inside and outside for themselves and for God! The book shares some great messages for the whole family!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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Book Review - On the Wings of Self-Esteem

About the Book

We begin life as curious, creative and hopeful creatures.  We see the world around us as a place filled with wonder and opportunity.  But many of us grew up with a troubled childhood set in a society that taught us to fear, hate and harm ourselves. After starting out as butterflies we were forced by life’s hardships to become caterpillars.  With this “reverse metamorphosis,” our positive, soaring souls became buried under layers of negativity. 

Dr. Louise Hart has written a powerful book to get metamorphosis going in the right direction again, and recover one’s self-esteem.

Self-esteem—or the lack thereof—dictates how we manage our lives.  It is essential for mental health, well-being, and healthy families.  This book will help you uncover your wonderful true nature that has been there all along. 

Improving one’s self-esteem is the single most important thing a person can do to develop the inner strength needed to resist pressures to use drugs or drink excessively.  It can give one the courage to make good lifestyle decisions, set boundaries, lose weight, stop smoking and even find a job.

“Recovering self-esteem is a process,” she says. “As we grow older, we develop so many layers of defenses that we end up wrapped in a cocoon.  The three stages that help us to turn back into a butterfly are:  Reaching In, Reaching Out, and then Reaching High.”

From the moment you begin to direct your own life, your days as a caterpillar are numbered. “First we learn to listen to ourselves, accept ourselves, set personal boundaries and formulate goals.  Once we emerge from our former cocoon, then we are ready to approach the world anew.”

Her book explains how recovering self-esteem is a journey in discovering the remnants of one’s self-worth and weaving them into wings. It is founded on finding compassion for oneself and affirming that you have always been okay—even when you felt like a lowly plodding caterpillar.  It involves understanding what happened to you, healing old wounds, and moving to a better place.

Loosening the grip of the past, you start spinning your cocoon and growing within it.  The topics, skills, and exercises serve as stepping stones to discovering and recovering self-esteem, and becoming a butterfly, finding new power, and preparing to return to one’s community to participate and build a new life. 

The final step of transformation involves emerging from your cocoon, spreading your wings, and living your life in a whole new way.

“Transformation introduces infinite possibilities for joy, adventure, love, and delight which bring lightness and continual renewal to the soul.  Life itself becomes its own reward.” 

About the Author

Dr. Louise Hart, 73, is the author of two highly regarded books, The Winning Family:  Increasing Self-Esteem in Your Children and Yourself and On the Wings of Self Esteem.  With an Ed.D. in the field of Community Psychology, she is a thought leader in positive parenting.  Dr. Hart has spoken at over 400 conferences, hospitals, schools, communities and army installations across America and abroad.   She is also publisher of two international bestselling children’s books written by Dr. Pat Palmer—Liking Myself, and The Mouse, the Monster and Me.  Her daughter, Kristen Caven, is co-author of On the Wings of Self-Esteem and works in the prevention-based field

My Take on the Book
Self-esteem is so fragile! We are dealing with issues surrounding this with our oldest daughter and she is only 6. With all of this in mind this book was a welcome addition to our home. The book itself was very practical and held some great ideas and tips on how to improve poor self-esteem and help people feel better about themselves.

Many of the things that were suggested made perfect sense and were things that made me think"of course" , and in saying this I was impressed with the amount of things that were so easy to integrate into practice! I enjoyed the simple exercises and though many were geared toward older people, I even augmented them to work with my eldest as well and I think they are working!


I think all of us at one time or another have dealt with issues regarding low self esteem, and this book puts it all into perspective. Thus, I would highly recommend this book to anyone!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

   

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Book Review - Three Good Things

About the Book

Three Good Things: Happiness Every Day, No Matter What! is about making each day a good day. The book reminds us that we have the power to have any kind of day or life that we choose. The author began telling the Three Good Things story in training sessions to illustrate the power of perspective and positive expectations. Three Good Things would consistently be written under, the most important thing I learned. This happened whether the topic was marketing, planning, decision making, or nonprofit management. The simple concept as portrayed in this book is astonishingly powerful.

About the Author
Erika K. Oliver is an author, consultant, and speaker. She assists individuals and groups in their professional environment in the areas of marketing, public relations and communication to help them set and reach attainable goals. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Nazareth College and Master of Public Administration from Western Michigan University. She is also a proud member of the National Speakers Association. 

My Take on the Book

This is a great self-help book that provides readers with a great way to replace your negative thoughts with positive ones and how replacing this allows us to lessen the stress within our life. 

The book itself was quite uplifting and allows the reader to be optimistic within our life. This optimistic view on life idea was one that amazed me and that by focusing on this, one is able to boost their confidence and productivity. The book also talks about the idea that spreading happiness is good for everyone and that if you do work to catch this happiness, your life and the lives of others around you will be unmistakeably changed for the better. 

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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Book Review - Happy Crap

About the Book

Did you know that of the 40-60,000 thoughts we have each day, 80% of those thoughts are negative? And, many of our thoughts are assumptions …crap we make up to fill in the blanks when all the facts are not available.
Have you ever thought …

• The boss is stupid
• Our coworker doesn’t pull their weight
• My kids never pay attention
• My spouse takes me for granted

By assuming the worst, we create a negative story for ourselves and we feel crappy. If you want to create a positive story for yourself, your family, your work team, or your organization …Happy Crap: The Power of Positive Assumptions is a must have with 8 tools to help choose positive assumptions no matter what the situation.
Happy Crap© is a positive approach philosophy that creates ….

• Positive relationships
• Productive days
• Peace inside and out
• Prosperity in all areas of life
• The best day, every day!

My Take on the Book 
Though I had never read any of Erika Oliver's writings in the past this book providers readers a great way to helps them identify, move through and replace damaging self-talk within themselves.

The book is a down-to-earth straight shooting book that allows the reader to have some great tools that assist with their overall self-improvement.

I found the book to be very practical and that each of the sections are set up to assist one with changing the way that they think and to set aside negative self-talk (which so many of us deal with on a daily basis). The author's idea was so simple and provides us with the opportunity to take positive steps toward toward changing our future for the better.

The overall book, though short, was an easy read and one that people could easily read over and over to gain even more information with each reading!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions. 

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Book Review - Never Be Lonely Again

About the Book 
In our fast-paced world of longer working hours and quick distractions, it's difficult to develop and maintain relationships that soothe the soul.  Even as relationship and behavioral experts, both Pat Love and Jon Carlson found themselves battling the plague of loneliness.  It was only after a momentous meeting with the Dalai Lama that Love and Carlson began to develop an effective approach that would recalibrate the way they understood relationships. Now with Never Be Lonely Again (HCI Books), readers will learn how to find the necessary time to maintain friendships, be truly present for a partner, and reach out to people when in need.  Pat Love and Jon Carlson tackle the problem of loneliness head on, showing how to develop healthier, more emotionally satisfying behaviors that will nurture the relationships they have, and make them more open to lasting personal connections.

Never Be Lonely Again explains why loneliness is such a common problem in our fast-paced world; combines social science, Buddhist spirituality, and common-sense advice in an accessible and universal approach; provides a clear, practical guide for connecting conversation; and highlights the importance of meaningful work and how it can alleviate loneliness.

Other than breathing, we spend more time taking in stimulation from technology than any other activity; few moments are spent in quiet reverie let alone contemplation.  There are five questions* however, which are well worth your time and attention to ponder, as they can literally change the course of your life.  Never Be Lonely Again teaches readers how to ask these questions of themselves and find meaning in the answers.

Five Questions* from Pat Love and Jon Carlson (2011) Never Be Lonely Again: The Way Out of Emptiness, Isolation, and a Life Unfulfilled

1.  Who am I?  
Your core values reflect who you are.  Think about how you want the people you love to remember you, and then live each day demonstrating these characteristics and your life will take on a new direction and energy.

2.  Am I connected?
You need three to five people in your close circle of contact—people who know you and pay close attention to you; in whom you can and do confide. If you improve the quality of your connections, comfort and contentment will greatly increase.
 
3.  Am I living in community?
Invest in people outside your close circle of friends/family and you feel a true sense of well-being and belonging.
 
4.  Are my talents being utilized in meaningful work?
Work doesn’t have to be the activity for which you get paid. Talents are something you enjoy doing—when you use them to benefit others you feel productive and useful, like you are earning your keep here on earth.
 
5.  Am I living out the purpose of my life?  
Chances are, if you concentrate on the other four questions you will answer yes to this question but it bears asking. Am I doing what I was put here on earth to do?  What could I do that would make the answer to this question yes? Do it and your life will improve in every possible way.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
 Dr. Pat Love is a distinguished professor, author, trainer, and long-standing licensed clinician.  For thirty years, she has contributed to counselor education and personal development through her books, articles, training programs, speaking and media appearances.  Her ever-popular books include Hot Monogamy and The Truth About Love.  Her latest book, How to Improve Your Relationship Without Talking About It, has been translated into 12 languages.  Dr. Love has appeared numerous times on Oprah, The Today Show, and CNN, and is a regular contributor to popular magazines, including Psychology Today.  Love has co-hosted three DVD training programs: Living Love, Parenting with the Experts, and Love: Everything You Need to Know—which is currently available on PBS.  Visit the author's website www.patlove.com.
 
Jon Carlson is distinguished professor of psychology and counseling at Governors State University and a psychologist at the Wellness Clinic in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  He has authored 50 books including Time for a Better Marriage, Adlerian Therapy, Inclusive Cultural Empathy, The Mummy at the Dining Room Table, Bad Therapy, The Client Who Changed Me, Their Finest Hour, Creative Breakthroughs in Therapy, and Moved by the Spirit.  He has created over 250 professional trade video and DVDs with leading professional therapists and educators.  In 2004 the American Counseling Association named him a "Living Legend."  In 2009 the Division of Psychotherapy of the American Psychological Association named him "Distinguished Psychologist" for his life contribution to psychotherapy.  Recently he syndicated an advice cartoon "On The Edge" with cartoonist Joe Martin.

My Take on the Book

This book is a must have resource for anyone that is or has gone through a time of loneliness in their life. Whether this is from leaving a relationship, losing a loved one or other reason this book does a great job at helping you understand what loneliness is and what you can do to move beyond it.

The book is very practical and easy to understand. It takes you first through the process of understanding what loneliness is and what it can do to a person and then leads you step-by-step on a path toward moving forward with your life into one that is much brighter and better than one filled with loneliness.

I see this book as a great resource and it is one that I would have no qualms with sharing with others that are going through tough times, as I do believe that it will help get someone back on their feet and moving forward with their life!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions. 

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Book Review & Giveaway - Achieve Anything In Just One Year

About The Book

This is a self improvement, motivational and personal development book that is designed to be read on a daily basis. One page a day for one year. Each page starts with an inspirational quote, followed by a discussion of that day's topic, and ends with a task or an assignment for the reader to follow. Achieve Anything in Just One Year equips readers with the tools to:

• Be truly committed. Don't just go through the motions - act like you're making a promise to your company, or to your best friend.
• Be specific. A resolution like "I want to lose weight" is easier to ignore than "I want to lose five pounds by March."
• Set a deadline. A timeframe equals commitment and helps quantify success.
• Avoid overwhelming yourself. You may want to lose weight, quit smoking, achieve moderation with martinis and cut up your credit cards all at once, but let's get real. Focus on a limited set of goals and plan on taking stock mid-year.
• Change one thing at a time. Recognize that change is hard. Wait to achieve one goal before starting on the next.
• Be realistic. Taking charge of a fitness regimen is a realistic goal, while exercising seven days a week may not be. Don't set yourself up for disappointment with lofty goals.

The idea is to take daily action that creates a ripple effect in your life.

By transforming your life with small steps, you can stay motivated, focused and balanced. Best of all, you will feel happier about pursuing your personal success.

The key to a happier life is contained in the dreams you already have. Your aspirations can create new opportunities, a fresh direction for your life's path. It is possible to unlock them. It's never too late. You have started today by looking at this book.

With his accessible, unique approach using tangible daily steps to reach achievable goals, Jason Harvey can help you succeed by taking small steps to a better you.

Comprehensive and inspiring, Achieve Anything In Just One Year will teach you how to:

• Set goals and stick with them
• Take daily action that creates a ripple effect
• Stay motivated, focused and balanced that
• Feel happier everyday!!!
• Define, pursue and celebrate personal success

Learn to equip yourself with the tools to become your own personal life coach, without relying on outside motivation. You have the power to do anything you desire. The possibilities are within you. It's time to nurture that spark and let it catch fire.

Jason Harvey is a Certified Life Coach and the founder of The Limitless Institute.

My Take on The Book

This book is set up as a book that you will read and work through over a year-long period with a notebook and pen close at hand.  That means that each day of the year you will read and do the activity listed on the page. The page itself not only has an inspirational quote but also a brief discussion of the day's topic and an assignment that must be completed. 

I did not read through all 365 pages of this book, but I did focus on the first month of the year. What I saw in this forst month was is that would definitely allow me to learn and grow over a year-long period.

I liked the fact that the book was straight forward and did not require a long period of focus. Instead, the book allowed the reader to know exactly what they needed to do. I have read a number of self-help books both personally and professionally and one thing that I liked about this book was that it did not  read like a self-help book. You instead feel like you are being encouraged daily. 

If this book sounds like something that you would be interesting to have as a part of your collection, find it over at Amazon!

Giveaway

How would you like to win a copy of this book? I will be giving away 2 copies to a lucky reader! All you need to do is let me know why you would have an interest in this book to be considered. The contest will run for one week and will end on February 20, 2010.

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All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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