5 comments about Why Is It Always About You? : The Seven Deadly Sins of Narcissism.

1. Very informational and written so the lay person can understand it. Helpful in identifying the different characteristics of a narcissistic personality. In my case, it took the blame off me and put it where it belongs....on the narcissist.



2. If you run from the narcissist in your life, you'll always be running, because there's always another one waiting around the corner. I am not speaking about physical abuse or horrifying marriages. I'm talking about the self-absorbed monsters that we frequently have to deal with at work, socially, or (God forbid) our own families.
   
   It's better to be fully prepared to deal with those who somehow manage to suck all the oxgyn out of the room as soon as they enter than beat yourself up wondering why you have such a problem in your life. They are the problem, and they are probably the problem in every relationship they have ever been in.
   
   If the realationship you are having with a narcissist is not of the "disposable" variety -- if it will not cost you unduly to walk away -- then this excellent book will teach you ways to take control as best you can with as little cost to you as possible.
   
   However, I must add that if your exposure to one of these monsters has involved physical abuse to yourself or a child (or severe emotional trauma) get away by any means possible. There's no negotiating safety issues!



3. "Why is it Always About You?" starts off being quite helpful but then falls into the "why did I start this" catagory. The book becomes very technical after the first couple of chapters and the jargon becomes disruptive to the non-professional reader's apprection of the subject.
   I didn't finish it and am now looking for something in a more "reader friendly" format. Big dissappointment.



4. After breaking-up with my boyfriend of several years, I started searching for answers to explain his unreasonable behaviors. I started looking into personality disorders and came across this book. For anyone who has experienced a narcissist, this is a must read! By the time you get done with the book...even before you're done, actually...you will understand so much more than you did. Your questions will finally be answered, and you will learn that you're not crazy afterall!



5. This book provided exactly what I needed to understand the underlying issues of a person with narcissism. It was in-depth, but in laymen's terms so the understanding came quite easily. I am better able to deal with the narcissist that I am in love with and the one that I work for. But most importantly, I'm better able to detect these traits in others that I meet and underdstand the part I play in engaging them in narcissistic behavior. My relationships are much better particularly because of the strategies to know myself, embrace reality and set boundaries. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand why a person is narcisssistic and how it affects us in relationships.

5 comments about Happier Than God: Turn Ordinary Life into an Extraordinary Experience.

1. I must admit I would like to think it is possible to be "Happier Than God". I am certainly not there, but I understand I'm my own worst enemy. I enjoyed it so much I read it twice. I would highly recommend it to those looking to enrich their lives.



2. I found this as with all NDW's books just what I needed and wanted.
   Thank you so much.



3. Book arrived Good Condition,
   Took a Week For Delivery, bit longer than Amazon Delivery Takes!
   Diane Cogswell, Mill Valley CA



4. I am often referred to at my church as the irreverent reverend. I say things that shock people. Things like "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is he who just comes..." Most people laugh. Maybe it's out of nervousness, I don't know, but I really, really, really think that God has just an incredible sense of humor and I really, really, really think that anyone who does "God's Work" must also have a sense of humor. Kinduv like that old joke:
   
   Why do angels have wings?
   
   Because they take themselves lightly.
   
   I've always enjoyed Neale Donald Walsch's books. He's very presumptious about a lot of things. He basically says that all who are reading this book (Happier Than God) caused it to happen.
   
   What?
   
   You caused it to happen. You. You had an impulse and you acted on that impulse. And not only did you cause this book to appear in your life, but you have caused everything that is in your life at this very moment to appear in your life...including me. And guess what? I caused you to appear in my life, as well.
   
   Of course, this is a book by a man who "claimed" to have had more than a few Conversations with God....
   
   Blasphemer!
   Heretic!
   Liar!
   
   Brave is what I would call him.
   
   He is challenging which is exactly why one should read him. Like I said, I've read his books since the very beginning and no matter how many times I read his stuff I get new insights. Not because Neale is giving them to me, but because, once again, I caused it to happen. I was ready for it.
   
   What's that great line from Henry the V?
   
   All things be ready if the mind be so.
   
   Some people aren't ready for this kind of stuff. It doesn't mean that one is stupid or ignorant or foolish, they're just not ready for it. A lot of people weren't ready for what Jesus had to say, either. I'm not comparing Neale Donald Walsch to Jesus by any means, but just like the quote he uses from George Bernard Shaw:
   
   All great truths start as blasphemies.
   
   We'd like to say that if we were in Jesus' time or Buddha's time or Socrates time, we follow them anywhere to learn from them. But would we? We like to cling to our old beliefs, our ideas, our opinions.That's why our lives don't seem to change very much --- because we don't change!
   
   He says "We do not need God for anything." Now before you get your knickers in a bunch, he states in the next page (if you stll have the book in your hands), "Not needing God is not the same as not having any use for God..."
   
   And then he quotes scripture, which I agree with some of the reviewers in that he should've cited the passage, "I am with you always, even until the end of time..." (Matthew 28:20)
   
   Do we believe this? No, we don't...but people, that's a promise straight from Scripture. We aren't alone in this. In Truth we are all-one in this.
   Being happy, feeling fulfilled, experiencing joy doesn't come from everyone believing exactly the same thing. That would be so dull. Real Joy...being really happy comes from letting people be who they need to be.
   
   There are a lot of people who walk around as if their underwear were on backwards. Come on, people...lighten up. Like that really old joke,
   
   Why do dogs lick themselves?
   Because they can...
   
   You can be happy because God created you that way already.
   
   Peace & Blessings,
   john, 'the Light Coach'



5. Both a timely and timeless read, Happier Than God is another book by Neale Donald Walsh I would highly recommend. Its seemingly simple dialogue has a captivating and very real impact. I found it both intriguing and desirable to incorporate the ideas into my life as I have with the other Conversations With God series. And being the ever evolving soul that i am, i am most grateful for more gentle reminders of the truths we could be living right here right now if we choose.

5 comments about Healing the Shame that Binds You: Recovery Classics Edition (Recovery Classics).

1. I read this book twenty something years ago. I have family problems. Don't we all? My parents let me down in many ways, and so did my siblings.
   
   But this book left me feeling that my problems were someone else's fault. I no longer had to feel responsible for my own thoughts, decisions and actions. Fact is, shame is there for a reason. It makes me aware that I am guilty. I can't do anything about my guilt. Only God can. And he did. He sent his son Jesus to die in my place and take away my guilt. I am forgiven. I am loved by a perfect Father.
   
   I was raised in a Christian home. I knew about God's love in my head. But as a college student I read Bradshaw's book. It was at a time when I was suffering from my parents' bitter divorce. Because I got so caught up into focusing on their sins and blaming them, and rejecting any shame I felt from my own misconduct, I couldn't grow.
   
   So stay away from this book. Or at least if you read it, you will need a good dose of truth to help you deal with the lies in Bradshaw's book. I think he meant well. But he's way off base. The truth will set you free. This stuff will bind you for a long, long, time!



2. This book shamelessly regurgitates the ideas of others without documenting the sources with footnotes. Moreover, Bradshaw fundamentally misunderstands and misrepresents seminal ideas drawn from psychoanalytic theory, Gestalt therapy, Transactional analysis, and other schools of thought. The result is confusing and will lead many people down a false path in their attempts to address mental health problems.



3. Bradshaw, J. 1988. Healing the Shame that Binds You. Health Communications, Deerfield Beach, Florida
   
   John Bradshaw's book is full of references to various philosphies and methods of treating psychological problems. He expalins how many of our difficulties relate to how we were made to feel unworthy of love.
   
   I especially enjoyed how he described the work of Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck. Thinking that we should be perfect or that we know what someone is thinking can lead us into depression.
   
   John Bradshaw goes from quoting famous people to mentioning the simple praises that are heard in 12-step meetings. So people who attend 12-step meetings are likely to get a lot from this book.



4. It's clear from the beginning how much Bradshaw cares about this topic an how profoundly positive his exploration into this area was a great gift to him. It was refreshing to begin reading Bradshaw's take on shame. I began to see familiars in his descriptions right away and was deeply moved by them. They helped my feel not so isolated, among many other emotions and feelings, in my own challenges with shame. I was disappointed though in the sensationalism in some of his claims and his self-promotion for his other material. I also question intensely his claims about the 12 step programs. He states that no one questions the efficacy of these programs, but many do. The blind support of these programs has no basis in research and in many cases there is support to the idea that while the primary behavior may change, i.e. alcohol abuse, the program continues to foster deep internal shame and feelings of inadequacy in facing the deep underpinnings of addiction in many people. In general I think this book can be a useful tool, but must be buttressed by additional reading by essential voices in this field, i.e. Frances Broucek, et. al. So yes, check this book out, but read it with questions while feeling bathed in recognition and validation. Use the tools that are useful for you and let go of what isn't.



5. I highly recommend this book anyone who has experienced - depression, guilt, grief, abandonment, abuse or addiction. Healing the Shame - points to the build up of - Undeserved Shame as Children - as the main reason for the emotional pain we're haunted by through out our lives - pain we are destined to relive if not faced. While Part One of this book expresses and pin points the Problem, Part Two is devoted to Solutions.
   
   I am not rating this book on miniscule literary flaws, its far to important of a message to care. Bradshaw's collection of different ideas and methods by other authors and thinkers on the issue shows his passionate search to understanding Shame as well as that he takes a realistic stance that there is no pill formed method for how we face and resolve our past. One of my favorite things about the book is that there's an abundance of solutions and methods to facing unresolved shame in Part Two.
   
   I've been searching for over a decade for something like this book - and nothing come as close - this is probably one of the most important books I'll ever read.

5 comments about Warrior of the Light: A Manual.

1. This book seems to encompass ideas from most Judeo-Christian religions. It was very inspirational and really makes you take a look at your life.



2. This one does not feel like a book (since it's a companion to The Alchemist), as there is no story, but rather a set of thoughts. It reads fast if you know the original sources so i'm not sure it's worth compared to things like Tao the Ching, The Art of War, and other classics. It may help when reading the Alchemist, at least to indicate at which level the Alchemist should be read, but alone it is simply a compilation of other works. Might be useful to read again the Alchemist after reading this one...



3. The message is great, the writing is fine, but the book in general left something to be desired. Cheap paper, bad printing, and large type make it look and feel like a cheap paperback dressed up in it's big sister's clothes. Making money while he's still famous? I think his message is worth more than this cheap paperback with a hard cover.



4. Powerful collection of advice and insight that doesn't follow any single line of religious dogma, but instead borrows from all of them to create a universal code of higher wisdom. This is one of those books (like Napoleon Hill's Positive Action Plan: 365 Meditations For Making Each Day a Success) that I will never finish reading -- I'll read it for the rest of my life.



5. I thought this was going to be like Coelho's other books but it's not. Instead it's something like a book of proverbs. Very much worth it's wieght...

5 comments about How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.

1. I highly recommend this book. I read it many years ago for the first time and it helped me a lot. Now I am reading it again!



2. Even if you think that you have made progress in overcoming worry as your life has progressed, this book will still help clear out some of the remaining pockets of worry in your life.
   
   My grandfather used this book in a Dale Carnegie course he took in the Fifties, and he gave it to me about 20 years ago. I read it at the time, and then looked at it only rarely after that.
   
   However, this is not a book that should be read once and then put on the shelf and forgotten. If you spend a few minutes daily reviewing concepts in the book, over time you will begin to apply the principles in the book at the outset of worry situations, and combat worry situations much more quickly and effectively than you did before. After a while, it almost seems as though you are learning how to play a type of chess against your worries...and winning more frequently.
   
   The book was written in the 1940s, but its examples and stories remain as relevant today as they were when the book was new.



3. In order to turn your life around and enjoy it you must stop stressing out. My parents had this book years ago in their book collection. I believe I read it years ago. With stress being the culprit that makes most of us unhappy these days I decided to get a copy of this book again. It's an excellent book on how to stop worrying and start enjoying your life again. The advise still stands today. It's a great book.
   It arrived in the time promised and was in fine condition.



4. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living focuses on the importance of ones attitude. It is as applicable today as when it was written. A good attitude is crucial in helping a person improve his or her life and relationships with others. Although we all know these principles, this book is a great reminder that by appreciating life we enjoy life.
   
   The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking



5. I'm not sure what influenced me to buy this book but I sure am glad I did. The author, Dale Carnegie, has been dead for over 50 years but the principles in this book are timeless.
   
   You dont have to sit and read the book from cover to cover either. To be blatently honest, its a great bathroom reader. Each chapter is independent enough so that you do not have to really read them in any order. Or if someone just happened to pick it up, they could read the first chapter and walk away with something and not have to read the rest.
   
   The principles that he covers in this book are ones that we knew were right in our minds already. The problem is, we dont incorporate them into our lives even though we know better. What this book really does is enables you to trust yourself on what you already know. I know this sounds odd, but no matter how well you know yourself and trust your own judgement, the things said in the book will still help you. Plus there are plenty of examples of how people have incorporated the doctrines into their lives and it made all the difference in the world to them.
   
   Final Note: The way things have been going for myself and pretty much every one that I know in life, times have gotten fairly tough. Everybody hates their job or doesnt have enough money to make ends meet. Its really easy to find yourself in a gloomy state of being. Anyone that comes to me and says their having problems dealing with this or that, i recommend they pick this book up. So far nobody has complained that it didnt help them.

No comments about Freakin' Fabulous: How to Dress, Behave, Speak, Eat, Drink, Entertain, Decorate, and Generally Be Better than Everyone Else.

5 comments about Surviving a Borderline Parent: How to Heal Your Childhood Wounds & Build Trust, Boundaries, and Self-Esteem.

1. I carry this book around with me in my purse because it feels like a good friend I've been searching for, for 50 years who finally understands. Very helpful, I am finally hopeful about living the rest of my life with joy in it.



2. I actually HAVE Borderline Personality Disorder and ran across this book in searching for others to help me learn more about the disorder. I have 2 young boys and am determined not to let my problems become a part of who they are and damage them but I couldn't find a book that dealt with how to be a good mother in spite of BPD so I read this book to see what children who were raised with a borderline parent had to go through so that I could avoid those pitfalls. Thankfully I was able to correct some behaviors I didn't even know I was doing, before I harmed my babies emotionally. Maybe the authors of this book would consider writing a book for those of us trying to do better while being a parent, maybe "How to Parent, when you have BPD" or something like that? Anyway also I wanted to add that my mother who has a mother with Bipolar also found this book VERY helpful.



3. For those who have suffered for years and not found help because not much was known and the illness had no name until the last 25-30 years, this is a very practical handbook.



4. At last, a voice and a reasoning to make sense of the chaos, drama, physical, emotional violence of my parents and my own inner dialogue as an adult from this toxic environment. If you are willing to do the work and wish not to repeat the family dynamics, this is the book to guide you.
   One of the best resources written on this subject; gets to the heart of the issues from all aspects and provides a mental and emotional reprieve from the pain.



5. I read this book, and kept notes beside me as I touched on how some of the content was relevant to my mother... and discarded what didn't really relate. (kinda like going to a Chinese Buffet).
   
   Obvious at times, the book talks about the pattern of our parent's life and our life as their child... the pattern that has always been there, ebbing beneath the surface. The clinical names for episodes in our lives, the specific scenarios, and suggested lines of thought... all stretched your mind toward a better SELF AWARENESS and UNDERSTANDING of a loved one in your life who is ill.
   
   ------------------------------------------
   I especially liked the boundaries portion.
   ------------------------------------------
   
   Pontificating and understanding is a good personal step... but don't cuddle up with the pain and emotions here in this book. This shouldn't define who you are...
   
   After a couple of months... I re-read the book... thinking of my siblings, and what traits and flaws each of us developed as cooping mechanisms to survive such a self involved parent.
   
   After another couple of months, then I re-read the book... thinking of myself... and my own child (currently pregnant).
   
   What do you do with the knowledge depends upon your strength of character and personality... knowledge for the sake of knowledge or righteousness or even indignation would only exacerbate the family situation. A quiet knowing and goal to always improve yourself is all that you can expect of a self help novel.
   
   I recommend the Tao of Pooh. I recommend looking at the patterns within your own life and taking responsibility for them. And if you are a person who draws strength from your church community... I recommend that time and energy as well.
   
   GOOD building block book... but don't fall down the rabbit hole.

5 comments about This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women.

1. A book that is worth the words that they are written on. Personal beliefs are unique due to individual lifestyles which are reflected by the inspirational essays making up this book. Spend your money and you will be very glad you did.



2. Short stories that share the reality and persistence of the common American. Some really hit home. Others are lighthearted and yet profound.
   Recommended.



3. Great collection from ordinary to famous people - from the series titled "This I Believe" on Public Radio. Bought as a gift to inspire a young writer.



4. I have to agree with another reviewer...this is banal and boring. Most of the essays are highly repetitive (i.e. be good to others, have faith in God, be a good role model, make peace not war...blah,blah,blah). Sure, people have a right to their beliefs and I do not presume to argue against those; nonetheless, the beliefs are uninspired and typical, revealing little more than "Wow, we all want the world to be a better place, and it can only come about if you believe what I believe."
   
   This ties into my final point: virtually all of the essays had a didactic tone. Growing up in the midwest, I have no desire to be taught what I should believe.



5. I bought this for my dad for his birthday a few months ago because I consider him to be a remarkable person as well. He thoroughly loved it and is having my mom now read it. If my dad says it's good than it is so.

5 comments about Manifest Your Desires: 365 Ways to Make Your Dreams a Reality.

1. This is a momentous day in history....well, my personal history. This is my 316nth review for amazon. So? So, you say? Well, let's put it together, shall we...my name is John and I was born on March 16...still saying, "so what?" Have you ever heard of John 3:16...
   
   "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
   
   Who is the one and only son? Is it Jesus or is it you...is it me...is it everyone of us? I believe that there is only one of us and we are all reflections of that Divine Source and the only reason why we are here is to remember that we are co-creators with the Divine and this little gem of a book can help you in that remembering process.
   
   Sometimes when we look at life from a year's perspective, we can be blown away by the sheer enormity of it all. But when we take that year apart and realize that it comes one day at a time, we can take small, gradual steps and those "tiny steps" can reap some huge rewards in every aspect of our lives.
   
   "Abraham" asserts that we are here to feel good. I believe that we are. If you asked me that a mere fifteen years ago, I would've thought you were crazy. The sad thing is that most of us - if not all of us - constantly delay our happiness. We say to ourselves, "When I finish college, I'll be happy...when I get married, I'll be happy...when I make more money, I'll be happy...when I write 316 reviews I'll be happy...when I go into the 'next life' I'll be happy..."
   
   We've been so conditioned to think that happiness is outside of ourselves, but this little book of precious and beautiful reminders insists that we can feel good and be happy now and those good feelings and that happiness is "setting us up" for even more good to flow into our lives.
   
   We have dreams and desires because at some level those dreams and our desires are ALREADY ours...all we have to do is claim them as so. C'mon, you know that it's true. You know on some level that you really have had a hand in creating your own experience...who else could've done it? And today is the day that your life is going to get even greater.
   
   I have a real feeling about you.
   
   
   WE've been conditioned to believe that God only had "one Son" and He did...YOU...You are that "only Son" of God and the only way that life is going to change is when you resurrect your True Self and roll back the stone and come out of yourself and be your-SELF. We are here to enjoy this life and the nxt one and the next one after that, but whatever life we're in, we can only live it moment by moment.
   
   This book will help bring you into the moment and after a year has gone by you can look back and say, "Whoa...I did all of that?" Of course you did...when you align with Joy, all things are possible because you, my child, are Possibility Itself!
   
   Peace & Blessings, everyone...
   john, 'the Light Coach'



2. I've been a student of the Abraham-Hicks work for about a year and have read many of the books, listened to CD's, subscribe to the newsletter - I even receive the daily emailed quotes - but this little book is really something special. It has an energy that is charming, engaging, helpful and insightful - all of which it lovingly imparts to the reader. I love this little book!



3. I bought this book knowing nothing about it. And then wondered if I really needed it when I have all the other Hicks/Abraham Books. But this one has turned out to be my favourite, and it is already well worn, travels with me everywhere, and is dipped into often.
   
   Heard about The Secret,and The Law of Attraction: The Basics of the Teachings of Abraham, but having trouble applying these Universal Laws and making positive changes in your life?
   
   Maybe you aren't a great reader, or don't have a lot of time each day to read. Perhaps you know somoneone who needs some simple, easy to follow advice about manifestation and changing their world from what they don't want to more of what they'd like.
   
   This wonderful little handbook, Manifest Your Desires: 365 Ways to Make Your Dreams a Reality is a delightful package of day by day teachings that are thought provoking, wise, funny, and filled with practical ideas and suggestions that help you create more of what you Desire. It makes the teachings of Abraham, channelled through Esther Hicks, available in their most simple and clear format, supported by simple and enjoyable practical exercises you can immediately apply in your own life. The rich background images on each page add to the reading enjoyment, further facilitating a feel good, positive state of mind.
   
   You could read this little book through in a few days, and then start back at the beginning again as I've done, enjoy the lift of a simple passage each day in your life, or even ask for Guidance and open the book randomly to provide you with new insights.
   
   It's a great pocket tool, a thoughtful gift, and a helpful friend!
   I highly recommend it!
   Nicole Cody
   [...]



4. This a beautiful, little book...pleasing to the eye and to the mind!
   This book is a useful tool to encourage positive thinking. A better feeling is only one thought away!



5. This is a compilation of what the Hicks teach in a small 'gift' type format. Each page features colorful art surrounding a little circle in its center with a few sentences within it. I returned it as it was not described as such. But it would make a nice gift as a 'daily contemplation' book.

5 comments about Living a Life of Inner Peace.

1. I bought this CD set after reading "A New Earth" and just before starting "The Power of Now." I love these CDs because Mr. Tolle is so enjoyable to listen to. Also, the CDs are a good way for me to review the basic concepts behind Tolle's most recent works, and Tolle also helps you understand how to live in the present. My only word of advice is that I would definitely not purchase these CDs unless you have already read "The Power of Now" or "A New Earth," as some of what Tolle discusses would be difficult (at least for me) to understand without such background. Again, I have listened to these CDs over and over and wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone who is a Tolle fan.



2. The cd itself is good, good information if you are on this path, but Tolle's laughing in the background is a little off putting. It is more of a snort than a laugh, so at first I wasn't sure what he was doing. If you can get past that though it is good.



3. We really believe that people are born very special no matter what is their background; the pollution of life, ego, Maya, we our selves changed our natural of being in peace. We can feel peace every where " in the sky, birds, children, " but not in our selves because our ego just want to shut it down , once again in a moment of silence we remember that we are alive, no matter what are the circumstances . we are here, no matter how much we think we are suffering.. this CD taught me how to let go ? yes , and accept my self the way I am , also I have to thank God that I really have everything, I don't need more I just want peace.. In some how you feel this is not easy.. if so,this CD will make it so easy with the real examples that touch every human life, we are not suffering from life , life is great, our ego what made our diamond become less in shine and now is the time to polish this natural Diamond. Buy it you will love it.
   
   Zoooz



4. Been going through all his works, text and audio cds, and he's a breath of fresh air, smart, wise, funny and very relaxing. Highly recommend it.



5. Its hard to pick which of Eckhart Tolle's books or CDs I like better but this one says everything in a short 2cd format. I have several of his works but this one is the one I keep with me if I travel or I'm driving--it keeps me on track. Thank you.