5 comments about It Will Never Happen to Me: Growing Up With Addiction As Youngsters, Adolescents, Adults.

1. claudia black is a respected author in the field of addictions. she writes for adults and children for both alcoholics and their families. i have read many books in this area and she is one of my favorite authors. the book is short, accutate,compassionately written, and forever timely. worth reading!



2. This book was recommended by my therapist and after reading it I gave it to a friend who is also an adult child of an alcoholic. I haven't got the book back so I'm buying another copy for myself. I NEED to read it again and again. It opened my eyes and put a lot of the pieces of the puzzle together for me. Although it's hard to face some of the realities this book points out, I believe it to be one of the vital steps I am taking in trying to change my life for the better. It's never too late.



3. This is a great read for anyone who has grown up or is growing up in an alcoholic family. It helps the reader in very simple ways to understand the dynamics of alcoholic families and offers concrete ways of dealing with issues and problems. I recommend it to anyone currently dealing with alcoholism or dealing with the aftermath of an alcoholic upbringing, or even for someone just curious about the effects of alcoholism on families.



4. Still the best introduction to the impact of chemical dependency on the family. I must give about 5 copies of this away to my students every year.



5. This book was a requirement for my Drug and Alcohol Awareness Class. It was a VERY easy and QUICK read. Completely informative and so helpful. Very well written!!!

5 comments about How We Choose to Be Happy: The 9 Choices of Extremely Happy People--Their Secrets, Their Stories.

1. please read this book and do the exercies! it will help you and make our world a better place for everyone to live in. thank you.



2. HOW WE CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY dispels the myth that we have emotional set points and are stuck with whatever level of satisfaction we normally feel, in lives primarily influenced by luck of the draw.
   
   Authors Foster and Hicks traveled the world to interview the happiest people referred to them in each town they visited, discovering that the happiest people in the world have made nine life choices in common. Significantly, it became clear that when these nine principles are adopted, they radically improve peoples' happiness in life regardless of what is going on around them.
   
   The realizations in HOW WE CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY are so clearly stated with abundant examples of people who are merely cheerful, or in denial, rather than genuninely happy that their nine principles become more clearly outlined.
   
   The big idea here is that happiness is a choice, or more precisely a series of choices, and when we choose to move our lives toward happiness by making changes to ourselves from the inside out, we can experience tremendous improvements in feelings of increased inner joy, peace and health.
   
   Our health and wellbeing lies in our happiness... and when we realize that our happiness is a new way of life, this book becomes a much-needed guide to finding out just how good life can be. I give this book my highest recommendation.



3. I borrowed this, read it end-to-end, and had to buy it. There aren't many books I want to read again, or keep as a reference to use over and over. But this is one. I've read hundreds of non-fiction books and there are only about 20 books I can say have given me something that I will carry with me.
   
   On a superficial level, just reading this book makes me feel good. I know it wasn't meant to be like that... but I feel sunny just hearing the stories--they're Good People, these Happy people. And stranger still, I've been lazy, and just read it, not 'worked it', or 'studied it', but nonetheless, there's been a shift. I've absorbed something. It's got to me. Dammit! This book makes ... Sense. Why, Why, didn't I know this all along?
   
   It's under my skin and I'm better off than I was before I came across it. Do yourself a favour. Buy it, then buy one for your boss.



4. This book in essence touches on awareness. Being aware that we have the ability to choose our attitudes in life, and how having the right attitude can pay huge dividends. I liked the random quotes throughout this book and have written them down in journals so that I don't forget the insight that I gained.



5. Outstanding:
   Down to earth, logical, relatable day to day, easy and even entertaining to read.

5 comments about Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

1. For several months now I've been enjoying and at the same time agonizing over the book, MINDSET, The New Psychology of Success, by Carol S. Dweck, PH.D., a Professor of Psychology at Stanford University. The book presents the results of over 20 years of research into the question of why some experience more success than others.
   
   "For 20 years, my research has shown that the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life. It can determine whether you become the person you want to be and whether you accomplish the things you value."
   
   The views she is talking about are our old friends, nature versus nurture, genes versus environment, I.Q. versus effort. She doesn't really get into the the issue of whether some people are naturally more intelligent or talented than others, that's all besides the point. What her research shows is that people with a fixed mindset, i.e. they believe that their intelligence, creativity, abilities and talents are fixed and cannot be increased, cannot be grown, tend to be less successful than people with a growth mindset, who believe that their intelligence, creativity etc. can be developed. The interesting thing is that it doesn't matter if your fixed mindset is high or low, that is if you're a positive thinker or a negative thinker; either way a fixed mindset will impeded your success.
   
   The book is filled with examples of the two types from the world of sports and business and sketches of her tests of the theory with elementary school children and college students.
   
   After thinking about it for several months, here's my take on what Prof. Dweck has discovered. The definition of success for a person with a growth mindset is growth and improvement. Have I improved? Am I doing better today than yesterday? These are the questions a person with a growth mindset uses to evaluate performance. If I have improved then I am succeeding. If I have not improved then I need to change the way I'm studying, or practicing or preparing so I can be more successful.
   
   On the other hand a person with a fixed mindset asks, What is my I.Q.? Am I smarter than the others? Am I better than everyone else? Am I worse than everyone else? Am I talented or untalented? Do I have musical abiilty or not? Do I have the talent to be a writer or do I not? I think that being discovered is one definition of fixed mindset success. If the fixed mindset person's talent hasn't been discovered he concludes that it's because he is not talented, or people are against him or no one will help him.
   
   The growth mindset person sees the trophy, the medal, the promotion, as a mere byproduct of the growth that he has experienced. For the fixed mindset person the trophy, the medal, the promotion, is the point, they are the outward manifestations of his inward superiority.
   
   The irony is that the fixed mindset person ends up sabotaging himself because his fixed mindset world view also makes it difficult for him to take risks, or to develop his abilities, in other words, to grow. The fixed mindset person doesn't, after all, believe in growth. As a result fixed mindset people become quite frustrated.
   
   Prof. Dweck's studies give a scientific basis for something that Coach Wooden, of UCLA Basketball fame, discovered long ago: Focus on effort not winning. The factors which determine whether you will win or loose are not all within your control, but the effort you put in to developing and executing your game is.
   
   I don't believe that I can overstate the importance of this book. I've been reading self help, positive thinking, motivational books since at 10 years of age I picked up a Norman Vincent Peale book that my mom had checked out of the library. Those books, all good, are trying to deal with the problem by attacking the fruit of an individuals mindset. Prof. Dweck is attacking the problem at the root.
   
   This book was for me a very uncomfortable read and forced me to analyze my own mindset and much to the chagrin of this basically fixed mindset person I've discovered that I am in many areas a fixed mindset person. OUCH! But what's worse is realizing that many of the things which I have said and done, thinking I was encouraging others and building them up to achieve success, were in fact helping them to fail. OUCH! OUCH! Well the good news is that you can change your mindset.
   
   Greg Marquez
   goyomarquez@earthlink.net



2. The underlying principle of the book - that valuing hard work is ultimately a better motivator than valuing inherent ability - seems to be a sound one. As another reviewer said, the problem with this book is that the author gets that across in the first chapter. After that, it's example after example, anecdote after anecdote, hypothetical situation after hypothetical situation. The only tool the author offers that would help you to bring this principle to your life, is basically "just do it". Other than the repetition of "you should value this rather than that, because it works better," you get nothing but a conclusion. I didn't find it that useful, even though I liked the underlying principle.



3. I first read about Dweck and her research in a NYT article on child development. This is the dose of reality that we all need after years of "positive thinking" mantras. Without responsibility, action and growth-orientation, we block the positive path and fail to realize our potential. This book hammers the points home with detailed anecdotes from business, sports and general society.. plus the research that backs it up is solid.



4. I had read some parts of the book and decided to own a copy. The price is not cheap but when I received the copy, it looks like everything is shrunk. The paper is very low grade and dark.
   Go for the hardcover or CD if you want to own one!!!!



5. We've always used the phrases "open-minded" and "closed-minded," but after reading this book, you will use them more discriminantly...
   
   The author (Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D.) conducted extensive research which proves that the view we adoopt of ourselves profoundly affects the way that we lead our lives. It also reveals that your mindset can determine whether you become the person you want to be, and whether you accomplish what you are truly capable of.
   
   Her conclusion is that we all have a fixed (or closed) mindset, which is characterized by the belief that your qualities are carved in stone; or a growth (open) mindset, which is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things that you can cultivate through your efforts and influenced by our early development.
   
   After quickly establishing her premise, she uses the remainder of the book to illustrate how people with fixed mindsets view things that happen to them as a direct measure of their competence and worth, and those with a growth mindset don't take situations personally, but view them as a learning oppportunity to get better and grow as a result.
   
   She also includes stories which illsutrate how athletes such as Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, Jackie-Joyner Kersee, and Marshall Faulk, used a growth mindset to achieve their great athletic accomplishments, in addition to she delving deep into corporate culture to unveil the perils and pervasiveness of the fixed mindset which toppled companies such as Enron, IBM, and Chrysler.
   
   It then moves into relationships, parenting, and general changes in life. Mindset is that rare kind of book you that you can read for a short period of time and instantly extract lessons from to immediately apply to use in your every endeavor. It will change the way you look at things, how people look at you, and change your life (for the better) in the process.

5 comments about The Four Things That Matter Most: A Book About Living.

1. Excellent book being used in a 'Community Read' project, lead by our Church Pastor. Special meeting is planned for 'town people' to attend, to discuss the book and meet the author, Ira Byock.



2. Wow! It's all so simple yet it bears repeating . . the four things that matter most. As someone who works with hospice, I get so much from everything Mr. Byock shares from his experiences in the field. If you have difficult relationships, especially with family members, this is a great book to read and really take in. It's so much better to finish relationships well than to live with regret--and not only when someone is dying! Thanks again to Ira for sharing with all of us.



3. I'm studying to be a Geriatric Care Manager and purchased this book to help me understand the needs of the families of the dying. From this book I learned how transformative these four statements can be when facing the terminal illness of a loved one. They are tools for deep communication and for solving long standing problems in relationships- allowing true emotional healing to occur even under the most difficult circumstances. Dr. Byock's message is genius in its simplicity. I really appreciate his compassionate work and his profound message about living and dying.
   I recommend this book to anyone who is looking deeply into the meaning of his or her own life or who is going through a difficult time due to the terminal illness of a family member or friend.



4. 2 days ago I spent 2 hours with my mother who is sick and not expected to live to much longer.
   
   I haven't spent time with her like that for 17 years.
   
   Over the years there have been so many misunderstandings, cross words, mean letters, siblings fighting and talking about each other and I honestly thought it was hopeless. I thought I would never see my mother again. Ever. It was a MESS!
   
   But, it became obvious with lots of work and support over the years that what I wanted most was to tell my mom I love her and how much I appreciate all she has done for me. My severe depression was based on the thought that I literally thought that was impossible.
   
   A few weeks ago, I (well, we) decided it didn't matter the outcome; I had to tell her anyway. I was prepared for the worst. I wrote out the scenarios and read them to my husband and therapist. They helped me visualize and come to grips with how I would handle whatever the outcome would be. Of course part of me really wanted it to go well but no one thought it would.
   
   6 days ago, while preparing I found this book online. I immediately went to the library and got it (only because I couldn't buy it in time! We were leaving in 3 days!!)
   
   I read the entire book that night. OH my gosh. I cried and cried and cried. I prayed that I would have an experience that was good. But I knew I probably wouldn't. But something Dr. Byock said several times about how your loved ones will always live within you struck me. And I knew that is exactly what was driving me crazy.
   
   I KNEW I loved my mom. I KNEW she had done so much for me and THAT'S what I wanted in my heart. That's it. I don't want anymore sadness and hate. I don't want to be confused. I love my mom and that's what I want to feel in my heart and that's what I wanted her to feel in her heart.
   
   So, I had already written a letter to her, but I adapted it to incorporate the 4 things. I bought some beautiful paper and I decorated it. I printed some pictures of her grandchildren. I did it all with only love. All I thought about was I love my mom and even if she can't hear it I know it. I love her and I forgive her and I pray she forgives me. I don't care what anyone else in the family thinks. Maybe she won't want to see me. I'll leave her the letter. I'll put it on the doorstep. I'll pray that someone will give it to her. If she can't read it I'll pray that someone will read it to her. And if not, I made a copy for myself to remind me of how much I love my mom and appreciate all she did for me.
   
   I read the book again the next day (5 days ago). I was so scared to go see her but I knew my only option was to just show up. If I involved anyone else in the family it would become a big drama or I might be talked out of it.
   
   As we drove up even though I was filled sometimes with dread to face the worst, I kept the 4 things in mind always. That's it. That's what it comes down to. Nothing else matters. I told my friends about the 4 things (our best friends who we stopped to stay the night with before I went the rest of the trip.) I wasn't excited or happy about going to my parents house, but I knew I had too.
   
   I was able to visualize that there would be NO drama no matter what - because I would focus ONLY on the 4 things. If someone else in the family happened to be there and wanted to create drama I wouldn't engage because all I cared about was "I love you, Please forgive me, Thank you and I forgive you." And to be honest, I was afraid BEFORE I READ YOUR BOOK that I would want to create drama.
   
   Well, God was on our side.
   
   I drove up just as my dad was bringing my mom back from the doctor.
   
   One of my sisters was walking over to help her out of the car. She saw me and after a few seconds recognized me. I told her all I wanted to do was to tell mom I love her and to ask her to please forgive me for all the hurt feelings. I told her to ask mom if it was OK for me to come in. She said it was a miracle.......
   
   Then I spent 2 lovely hours with my mom, my dad and my sister. The biggest miracle and what I will FOREVER BE GRATEFUL FOR is I was most with my mom. I wanted my mom to know how much I loved her and how grateful I was for her and for what she did for me and my sons. I was able to share with HER my love and my appreciation for the life she gave me and the gifts she bestowed on me and my sons. And because I was clear in my intentions of the 4 things and not all clouded up with past judgments and hurts I could COMMUNICATE THAT 100%!!!!!!!!!!!!
   
   I think my mom will be around for while and I am going to arrange for my grown sons to visit her. I will remain committed to the 4 things with her and the rest of my family.
   
   No matter what happens in the future I have those 2 hours with my mom. I told her I loved her and she told me she loved me.
   
   I recommend this book to everyone.



5. Awesome book. A must read for everyone who wants to celebrate life and their relationships!

5 comments about A Short Guide to a Happy Life.

1. I really liked this little book. The pictures are really cool, and the comments on what it takes to be happy are good reminders, like:
   
   -- Being a good spouse, mother and friend
   -- Laughing, listening and just showing up
   -- Keeping still and being present
   -- Being generous
   -- Remembering to live instead of just exist...and many more
   
   This is a very quick read, so it's easy to pull it out again from time to time to remind us of what's really important. It would make a nice gift book, too.



2. Anna Quindlen's charming and engaging little book is a refreshing reminder that life is short, magical and that every moment matters. In a direct and elegant way, Quindlen shares the lessons she learned during and after her mother's death. These lessons focus on embracing your life and not taking it for granted whether you're in one moment enjoying spring flowers or being of service to another human being. I was really touched by the author's honest and humble sentiment throughout the book; Quindlen manages to bypass the drama and darkness of the experience of her mother's death and offer up the richness of what she experienced as a result. Reading it felt like receiving a sweet gift from a friend.
   
   Another book that shares profound life lessons with a similar sense of sincerity and sweetness is Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment, by Ariel & Shya Kane. Through incredible stories and examples from real life, the Kanes share what they have discovered on their 20+ year journey as a couple about how to have life be richer and more fulfilling than you ever imagined. If you want to feel inspired, refreshed and enlivened (rather than 'worked on' or preached to), pick up both of these books and treat yourself to a truly delightful experience.



3. I highly recommend this book as a graduation gift, wedding gift, and as a gift to new mothers! I love it! Every now & then I get it off the shelf and read it ALOUD to myself...it is much more powerful when read aloud. Anna Qundlen's words of wisdom put everything in perspective and get me back on track to being the mother, wife, and friend I want to be, but often lose sight of in my hectic life. It is a quick read and very inspirational.



4. Wow- Anna Quindlen's book "A Short Guide to a Happy Life" is a revelation. This small book may offer the appearance of brevity, but when it comes to wisdom and applicable life-altering perspectives, Ms. Quindlen offers an approach to life that is abundant with possibilities for hope and happiness. I have long been a fan of her fictional work, particularly her novels "Blessings", Black and Blue (Oprah's Book Club)" and "One True Thing: A Novel", in addition to her insightful articles in The New York Times. However, in this brief- yet abundantly wise reflection- she is able to document her quest for attaining a peaceful, enlightened existence.
   
   Quindlen's life abruptly shifted when her mom died during her freshman year of college. Subsequently, she spent many of her formative adult years looking for a deeper meaning to her life. She spends a good portion of the book examining popular misconceptions about how to achieve a fulfilling, happy life. She questions which of our life experiences we will prioritize when we are faced with our own mortality. When that last day, last hour, last minute beckons will you be able to reflect upon a life has been busy with meaningful, enriching experiences- or a life that has simply been `busy'? Quindlen derives a simple, yet very applicable philosophy that has helped her attain an enlightened life: "Show up. Listen. Try to laugh."
   
   Two of my favorite authors, Ariel and Shya Kane, also offer inspiring, magical examples of how to live a fulfilling, happy life in their book "Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment." The Kanes write about how the art of listening and showing up for your life by simply becoming engaged in the `current moment of now' can transform the qualitative experience your life- in an instant. In one of my favorite passages, Ariel and Shya are working with one of their clients in a weekly workshop that they facilitate in New York City on Monday Nights. (btw- if you find yourself in NY- check it out at www.ask-inc.com - these workshops are truly life altering!) Their client, Sarah, talks about how she always finds herself in a stage of "upset" in her life. The Kanes suggest that when you find yourself complaining about life, awash in a pity party for one- pretend that you are driving a car down a one way street, apply the brakes and back out of it! There is no need to indulge, justify or rehash your misery- just put your foot on the brake of unhappiness and drive down an alternative road! It sounds simple. It sounds easy. It is. It just takes brakes and the willingness to travel down an alternative pathway.
   
   After reading the inspirational ideas set forth by both Quindlen and the Kanes, I can see that living a magical, transformational life is both accessible and easy! All it takes is being open to the possibilities.



5. Anna Quindlen wrote this book as a commencement address to college graduates, and while she said she was not expert in economics, she is an expert in reminding us how human we all are. Together with her own words, this little book is filled with beautiful photography that captures lifes little moments.
   
   I enjoyed Quindlen's wisdom about living life, about how to enjoy the journey and not just the destination. How to enjoy the small things - hugs from your kids, birds flying against the blue sky, your hubby's smile...these are the really important parts of life.
   
   RECOMMENDED

5 comments about Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier.

1. This book does provide a path to change and defeat negative thinking. I have bought more than one copy and provided it to people & organizations, e.g., hospice, clergy, who work with people at not only their best but their worse times. Read it. Practice it. Get results.



2. It's a great idea and the author is very likeable. Much of the book is proving the principle with a lot of research to back it up. Only the last chapter is what you'd call "self-help." Really, a good magazine article would have been sufficient. It wasn't enough info for the money, in my opinion.



3. I have been reading up on the topic of gratitude since reading a newspaper account of Professor Emmon's research on the topic. I have now studied this recent book on the topic and taken extensive notes. While the issue has always struck me as very important, I didn't realise the empirical support for the topic. Work conducted by Professor Emmons and his colleagues has provided important evidence of how even simple interventions such as keeping a daily gratitude diary can have a significant impact on students as well as clinical populations. I would thoroughly recommend this book as it provides a comprehensive overview of the gratitude literature, as well as tips on how to bring more gratitude practices into your daily life. Unusually, it is not just a self-help book but a scientific guide, written by a genuine expert in the field, unlike so many books in this genre. I look forward to developing and extending my own work in this area. There can be few better introductions than this book.
   Dr Jerome Carson, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, London, England.



4. Thanks is a great primer in gratitude for those working in the coaching field. It gives a good mix of research, world experience, and individual stories. To that mix is added proven tools and techniques to enhance gratitude as a way of creating a happier life.



5. I bought 60 copies of this book to give as part of an "Adult Goody Bag" to my guests at a party I gave. Needless to say I think this book has lots to offer all the successful, anxious friends I have. And clearly many of them are heeding the books advice as they're sending me Thank You notes. A wise and true book.

5 comments about The Buddha in Your Mirror: Practical Buddhism and the Search for Self.

1. If you know next to nothing at all about Buddhism but want to learn how and why it might be useful to you, this is the book you should start with. It is NOT rocket science but it hits all the key points you need to know and is readily understandable by almost anyone. Above all, it makes it fundamentally clear that you are in the driver's seat when it comes to your own life. Stand up for yourself, take control of your destiny and read this book.



2. This book is an excellent primer for those who are curious about Buddhism
   It reminds us that we all have the ability to reach buddhahood. It also talks about the importance of the mantra "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo" which volumes have written about.I love this book and invite all beginners to buddhist thought to check it out. May I also encourage you to try -The Lotus Sutra- and -The Dhammapada- two major Buddhist works. Be happy.



3. The Buddha in Your Mirror is a beautifully written book outlying not only a philosophy, but a practical means to imporve your life. Buddhism is no longer for shaved headed monks who retreat into the mountains, but a practice which allows every single person to become happy while maintaining their normal daily life. Reading this book is a perfect start to changing one's life for the better.



4. This book should be required reading for everyone on the planet! What a nice world it wound be! Everyone every where taking responsibility for their own actions and feelings!



5. This book gives the basics of Buddhism, sort of a beginner's how-to guide. I unfortunately didn't quite get to finish it before I had to return it to the practicioner I borrowed it from, but I'm sure they last fifty pages or so didn't somehow negate the rest of the book. IF you are curious or interested in Buddhism, it's a great place to start (as is Asma's Buddha for Beginners).

5 comments about The Difference a Day Makes: 365 Ways to Change Your World in Just 24 Hours.

1. For some, compassionate feelings can overwhelm spare time and energy: readers with such a problem should consider The Difference a Day Makes : 365 Ways to Change Your World in Just 24 Hours a kind of recipe collection for doing good. Turn good intentions into powerful action with a guide which provides vast lists of good things which can be done in a few simple minutes or hours; from providing a resource list for a neighborhood to encouraging workplace and home use of the arts, and assisting an elder who has a pet.



2. What a refreshing read - both thought provoking and resourceful, In today's "information overload" society, it's nice to have a handy resource to help me accomplish many of my personal volunteer goals without it being so much work. In fact, I'm going to buy copies for all my nieces and nephews as they are all charged with doing community service projects and, in my opinion, need to experience that "giving back," among other things, makes you feel good about yourself!



3. This is a nice book. It shows how simple everyday deeds can have a positive impact upon the world. Too often people who genuinely want to do something good for society honestly don't know how to go about achieving anything. This book gives great suggestions and points would-be philanthropists in the right direction.



4. "The Difference a Day Makes" is a terrific book. Karen has done a great job in communicating the importance of giving back every day. There were several new ways to give that I learned through reading this book. It is easy to read, understand and implement in your daily life. I would recommend it to anyone that wants to make a difference (and that should be everyone).



5. This book contains a lot of information on ways you can make a difference. It is great for parents to consider if they are looking for family activities that teach their children about the world around them. As a single person, this has given me some great ideas of ways I can help others and feel like I am making more of an impact in the world.

5 comments about The Secret of Letting Go.

1. I have read hundreds if books in a similar vein over the past few decades, thought I'd heard it all...but Guy Finley has truly surprised this jaded New Yorker with his simple yet to-the-point ways of expressing these not-so-simple truths. Love his stories, his analogies, his metaphors, so much so that I have ordered all his other books for myself and friends. What a treat, just when you think there is nothing new under the sun on this topic, Voila, it appears...why didn't I find him sooner? I would have saved lots of money on other books to say nothing of my aging eyesight!



2. This is the most horrific self-help book I have ever ran across. The writing style is difficult to even read. Seemingly insiteful sentences and paragraphs are nothing but gibberish. It is like listening to a bhuddist monk that has had way too much to drink. There is no logic in the progression, interjections and points seem tangential. The stories he uses as analogy are pointless, far-fetched, and nonsensical. I kept returning to the book in the hopes that it would start making sense, or even become readable, and I made a concerted effort to 'stay with it', but eventually just tossed it into the Goodwill pile, saying 'enough is enough'.



3. This Book has been a Miracle for myself and so many of my loved ones.
   
   It provides the One Answer that will always change your inner (spiritual) conditions for the better. You can always Let Go, and let silence show you a new life without it.
   
   In a world of Hype, Pop-Psychology, and Spiritual Sensationalism, It is a breath of fresh air.
   
   If you are tired of Spiritual Entertainment, Promises and Crowd-Pleasing Hypnosis - This book teaches you how not waste your life, and also how to Work. Spiritually. Productively.
   
   I hope you are one of the lucky ones, that is starting to suspect that the real "secret" is to not NEED any form of control, to be at peace with your life.
   
   Everything else that can come, will come, naturally.
   
   I wish you good fortune on your true path. Get started today.



4. It is soooo true: when we change the way we see the world, our world changes. SO VERY IMPORTANT to let go of all the self-limiting thoughts that hold us back from all the joy waiting for us. This book andLiving The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook show you how! Thank you.



5. I bought this book on the recommendation of a friend and I have not read it yet.

5 comments about The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life.

1. This is a great book with Martha Beck's unique style. Very practical, funny, and applicable to your life.



2. I had the great good fortune to be trained by Martha Beck, known nationwide as "Oprah's Life Coach." Martha is funny, open and wise -- as is her wonderful book "The Joy Diet."
   
   OK, it's probably the only "diet" book that doesn't have one recipe in it! Maybe that's precisely why I like it so much! Martha leads the reader through 10 Daily Practices which will bring much more joy into your life. Take it from me, it really works! From finding stillness amid the cacophony of your day, to telling the truth and taking risks, if you follow Martha's "menu" you will leave the table feeling full, happy and... joyful.



3. Was veryy upset this item was on cassette tape. I was looking at CD's and this was brought up as something I might Like and I was interested and ordered. Unfortunately have not been able to listen to. Need to find cassette player. No a reflection of the item but a reflection of offering other items not in same listening category.



4. I am a Martha Beck fan, having enjoyed and learned from the wisdom and insightfulness of several of her earlier books. After the heavy lifting done in "Finding Your Own North Star" (read it BEFORE this book if you haven't already), I was unsure if she could produce a substantive follow up. This book did not disappoint.
   
   This book goes deeper into certain topics. It introduces ten daily practices to feed yourself and create more joy in your life. Beck recommends taking one step at a time and mastering it before moving on. I opted to read the book from cover to cover first and then reread it as I worked through each step. I spent more or less time on each menu item, depending on my level of mastery with each step (including being still/meditation, finding and telling your personal truth, identifying your desires, nourishing your creativity, taking risks, feeding your life with treats, playing, laughing, connecting to others, and daily feasting).
   
   This book has obvious applications for those working through food issues. But its life applications make it a must read for anyone who is ready to create more joy in their daily life.
   
   I once sat next to a dietician on an airplane who had arranged to have Martha Beck speak at their national conference - connecting the "Joy Diet" to the importance of their work. She found Beck so endearing that she commented, "she will always be `my Martha'". I think most female readers of Beck's books will feel this type of connection. Martha Beck "gets" her readers. She comes across as both intelligent and wise with a high level of common sense. She's tells you like it is while simultaneously inspiring you to do better and be more. She separates herself from many other self development authors by liberally sharing her quirky sense of humor to soften her straight talk. These are some of the reasons I use Beck's books in my life coaching practice and why I recommend that you add this book to your library today.
   
   Mollie Marti, Ph.D.
   Author, Selling: Powerful New Strategies for Sales Success



5. 
   Shipment error/delay was unsatisfactory,however the customer service response to resolve the issue was satisfactory.