Showing posts with label Self Help. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Self Help. Show all posts

Friday, February 19, 2010

The 3 Word Journal, Randal A. Wright (4/5)


Many people find it difficult to keep a journal, and on top of that they find it difficult to make the journal meaningful.   Randal A. Wright brings to light a simple approach to recording the events and experiences of your life that takes only minutes a day.  It also provide a method for remembering those things that maybe you have not recorded in the past, and maybe even forgotten.

It is a very simple read, with clear instructions on how the system works, examples of how it can be done and lots of ideas to help you get started and continue.

The ideas in this book will teach you to look at your life's experiences differently, to look for the lessons learned from them and record them to for personal improvement, teaching opportunities and discover your personal mission in life.

Stars: 4 out of 5
Format: Hardbound

Saturday, February 13, 2010

All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience, Neal A. Maxwell (5/5)

A deep but comforting book on why bad things can happen to good people and what is required for true discipleship.   While presenting some hard doctrine, even harder if applied to oneself and your own inadequacies, it is presented with all the doctrine, evidence and supporting documentation that you would expect from the author.

Life is hard, it is a test, there are many challenges that we must face, but as the book is titled, "All these things shall give thee experience, and be for they good. ...fear not what man can do, for God shall be with thee forever and ever." (D&C 122:7-9)

I was especially inspired by the chapter on service, which I will go back to many time to remind myself of the important of service, being the cornerstone of charity the pure love of Christ.

In relation to the Heroic Books and Eternal Books, this shall fall into my list of Eternal Books.

Stars 5 out of 5
Format: Paperback

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

"...we are spiritual beings, having a human experience." (The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, Sharma) (4/5)

Robin Sharma presents an story wrapped in simplicity, mystic and wisdom on how to lead an enlightened life, or more simply put how to focus on what will bring true happiness in your life, leading to a happier and healthy you.

Wrapped in a fable of a lawyer that has everything he could want in regards to worldly possessions, he has a heart attack which leads him on a trip to India and the Himalayas where he discovers a step-by-step approach to improving the quality of your life. 


While a simple story/fable, it contains many thoughts, practices and ideas that, will be simple common sense to many, that are based on universal truths.   It makes me think about how many of the plain and precious "truths" have been lost, but still exist in different cultures, teachers, and persona, in fragments or in this case almost the entire life truths in one book under a different cover.

I borrowed a copy read, but now will make it a priority to get my own copy so that I may highlight and underline those parts that touched the soul, and I would like to implement within my life.


Stars: 4 out of 5
Format: Paperback(borrowed).

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

"...we have forgotten what life is all about." (Who Will Cry When You Die?, Sharma) (5)

"Who Will Cry When You Die?" is a simple fantastic book.  So many times self-help books are just a restatement of the obvious or the previously heard, and this is just that.  But it is done in a way that makes you want to be improve your life, it makes you want to better while giving you these 101 short tips to do so.


Knowledge has a half-life, what we receive will be forgotten and this book reminds us of those things we may have forgotten while it reinforces that which we know to be true that we have heard before.  I plan on reading this yearly now, each December as I prepare to set resolutions and remember what I have forgotten.

Topics include:
  • Get Up Early
  • Keep a Journal
  • Practice Tough Love
  • Plant a Tree
  • Take More Pictures
  • Don't Finish Every Book You Start

This book will be at the top of my list of gifts for this year, it just makes you want to share.  It also makes me want to read Robin Sharma's other books and I shall start with the "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari".


Stars: 5 out of 5
Format: Small Paperback