5 comments about The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World.

1. Just recently, someone I greatly respect was denigrated by a third party, simply for being "an introvert." Never mind that this man's career path practically demands the ability to "think deep thoughts" alone, to study for hours on end, and to project a public image of quiet reflection. It was his natural reticence that drew the criticism - the aversion to noisy crowds, in which it is difficult to follow the thread of a conversation. The demands of a shallow public. In spite of his many talents and abilities, this man was practically labeled "antisocial" because he's not a natural at glad-handing.
   
   Introverts get a lot of this. Ask ten people to explain what introversion is, and you'll get ten completely different explanations. On one end of the spectrum, you'll get people like my mother, who saw introversion as something close to godliness. As a daughter, I was a dream come true for Mom, who was quite shy. "You don't need lots of people around," she'd say. "You're independent - not like those other kids who always need crowds and noise." Well, yes, those qualities can certainly give a teenager clear advantages, not the least of which is a resistance to peer pressure. But plenty of teenage introverts isolate themselves from healthy relationships, allowing neuroses to incubate. They grow up to be Ted Kaczynskis or Jeffrey Dahmers.
   
   On the other end of the scale are those who see every introvert as an antisocial psychotic. Our tendency not to self-disclose readily attracts suspicion, distrust, even fear in some who grew up differently.
   
   The truth behind introversion is a combination of upbringing and brain chemistry. As a child (with no siblings to boot), I already knew that our family was a trio of individuals who were easily overwhelmed by crowds and noise. But that didn't explain why I felt a periodic need to run back into the house and sit alone in my room when a half-dozen friends and I had congregated for an ordinary afternoon at the local playground. There were no words to explain that feeling of being overwhelmed by sensory input - of needing a quiet respite to sort it all out before going back for more. My mother's praise of my "independence" didn't extend to being "rude."
   
   It was only a couple of decades later that a friend made reference to the "battery" analogy - extroverts begin to feel depleted when alone for too long, and need the company of others to recharge, while introverts feel their equilibrium draining away with too much social and verbal interaction. That was the first time I'd discerned any understanding of this "eccentric" side of myself, and it spurred me to learn more about it. Marti Olsen Laney's book goes a long way toward explaining these factors.
   
   Laney often writes from a personal perspective, and for some readers, this may detract from the overall effectiveness of her message. I found the biggest weakness in the book to be some of her advice to parents of introverts. In some instances, one gets the impression that introverts are not just a statistical minority, but a rather fragile and precious subgroup who need to be handled with kid gloves. Surely I'm not the only introvert who's tired of being approached with caution.
   
   Beyond this one shortcoming, I would recommend The Introvert Advantage to any reader who still views introverts in one dimension.



2. I really learned a lot about myself. This book breaks it down in plain simple to understand terms. It describes how and why you do the things you do. It shows how to relate to extraverts and how you look to them. It also shows you have to deal with introverted children and extroverted lovers. It gives you clear, and easy to do advice on how to deal with social siturations. This is the best book for introverts or those who know and love introverts.



3. This is a pretty good book, especially the parts that talk about what goes on the brain. The rest is pretty lite reading but interesting.



4. I got so much out of reading this book. I picked it up on a whim, wondering what the advantage of an introvert might be, suspecting that I was one. Goodness me, I had no idea I was so introverted, or how much of my life it really impacted. Now, all these little nonsensical things about myself throughout my life suddenly have an explanation, and more importantly I feel validated for being me! I got 26 out of 30 on the book's questionaire, so I can proudly call myself an introvert. Marti helped me understand also that, being left-brained, I'm quite happy living an introverted life, whereas my sister, a right-brained introvert, struggles with the limitations. It was also surprising to find that my husband is fairly extroverted and the relationships section has been really helpful for me to understand where he's coming from and how we can get along better.
   
   If you even slightly suspect that you are an introvert I highly recommend reading this book. You will feel much better about yourself, even if you didn't feel badly to begin with!



5. I checked this out of the library, because I suspected I was an introvert. The problem with being one is that you get a bad rap, like you're unsociable, awkward, etc. Marti Olsen Laney made me realize it's okay to be one, and that I was putting on a different personality than my "real" one in order to fit in. She also offers ways to cope with an extroverted world. That's why I bought this book. Introverts, unite!!

5 comments about Secrets of the Sexually Satisfied Woman: Ten Keys to Unlocking Ultimate Pleasure.

1. I was reluctant to believe I could learn anything new from this dynamic duo. AFter the first best-selling book and the media craze they've enjoyed in the last two years, I thought I had seen and heard enough. Well, NOT the case. While Secrets does contain some obvious details about women's sexuality, it did contain some relevant and exciting new data. I am a researcher and was thrilled to learn that the Berman's invested in doing a National Survey on this subject. Hopefully this will spur the FDA as well as other goverment funding agenceys to fund research in this much needed area. I commend the Berman's for their dedication to the field and their ability to communicate to the public. I recomend this book to women as well as their partners. I'm looking forward to the Secrets for Men.



2. I thought the book was great. I like having one comprehensive "go-to" for questions that come up in the confusing area of pleasure when kids, jobs, husband all seem to be at odds with it! I really enjoyed the chapters that focused on the emotional and relationship health side of things. The information about sexual empowerment was also a must for anyone who feels as though breast-feeding and exhaustion have brought this side of your life to an end. An excellent resource.



3. I appreciate the way the authors put the book together and it is filled with good information. It even covers diseases and disabilities and how these things affect sexuality.



4. This book is more of a self help book than one that unlocks the ten keys to pleasure. Despite the title it doesn't give you 10 secrets to anything profound. Of course communication matters and it helps to feel good about yourself and the relationship. You also should probably address your past issues and have enough lubrication but this is sex ed 101 for most women. One fun quote, "whether you have had one, ten, or twenty sexual parnters, you feel okay about it".
   
   It isn't a "bad" book just mistitled. The bulk of the book is in chapters (relationship health, emotional well being, addressing your past, etc)are typical of a self help book although they cover some hormonal treatments (viagra for women). Neither author is a GYN and the MD Jennifer is actually urologist so just be aware of your sources. They are great on TV and media mavens but they need a better editor and real content.
   
   Their profound conclusion? That orgasm isn't the end all to women's sexual pleasure and the context matters.



5. Just picked this book up at my neighbor's yard sale. She read it, loved it, and sold it to me. I read the Berman Sisters first book and found it really informative. It actually changed my life because I went, with book in hand, to my doctor and got help. I was in menopause at age 38 and didn't know it. The Secrets book again makes me realize I'm not alone, and the word "normal" is relative to ME... not Samatha on Sex and The City. I commend the Bermans on their efforts and their dedication to helping women such as myself. If I could afford it, I'd fly to their clinic at UCLA to get a tune up every week.

5 comments about Children of the Self-Absorbed: A Grown-up's Guide to Getting over Narcissistic Parents.

1. This book was suggested to me by a friend who is a psychologist as I was talking about issues within my family, primarily relating to my parents.I was very impressed that this book takes you through the steps of self-healing.It helps you realise that you have been mislead into believing you are an inadequate person who would not have amounted to anything worthwhile without the support & guidance of your parents.The books lists various catagories that one or both of your self-absorbed parents fall into and at the end of each chapter little exercises to help you overcome the power these people have had over you. You will regain your self-worth and feel that you can become the person that you and other members of the family, colleagues and friends know that you are - a normal well-adjusted functioning human being.



2. This book is forthright about the nature of co-dependent relationships. Taking care of the parents. How to identify the problem if it exists or existed in your life, and how to cope with it skillfully in the future.



3. Children of the Self-Absorbed: A Grown-up's Guide to Getting over Narcissistic Parents
   
   "Children of the Self-Absorbed" by Dr. Nina Brown, practical guide to eliminating bad emotional habits and illusions that interfere with recovery from a childhood with Narcissistic parents. Beginning with an explanation of the term, "Self-Absorbed", Dr.Brown describes some of the lingering emotional and cognitive damage caused, and moves on to techniques of unravelling the emotional tangles and fantasies that prevent the patient from recovering and moving on. Most of the book is devoted to identifying erroneous emotional and thinking patterns and exercises for clearing them away, replacing them with patterns that strengthen and heal. The author is clear, honest and respectful of the reader: she uses everyday language; she remains realistic, avoiding self-help hucksterism, false sympathy, intellectualizing, and flattery; she demonstrates a basic belief that the reader can improve.
   
   On a personal note - a recent death in my family caused such emotional disarray that I searched the Net for answers and explanations of what could be going on. In the process, and through studying this book, many things about the way my family behaves (and how I react), that had been hidden from and confusing to me over my lifetime, were revealed and clarified. I found this book and the exercises in it most liberating. My family drove me to seek psychiatric care many times over the course of my life - I wish those doctors had known what Dr.Brown knows. An enormous weight has finally been lifted from my heart.
   
   This little book packs a lot of healing power.



4. Tells you exactly how to handle situations; what to do, what to say, how to avoid confrontations with the NPD person. Other books give you the WHY (theory) but this book gives you the HOW with tools to heal yourself and your relationship with the NPD person.



5. Thank you for writing this book! I felt as though the author knew me better than my friends or my spouse. I feel that the tools suggested will change my life forever. I recommend this book for everyone. It can be used to help manage anyone that is difficult in your life, whether a co-worker or family member.

5 comments about When Panic Attacks: The New, Drug-Free Anxiety Therapy That Can Change Your Life.

1. Very practical method to cope with panic attack. I want to incorporate this method in my current work as crisis worker.



2. Self-help books are usually very hard to read, I can't seem to get through them. This book is a very easy read. I find myself not wanting to put it down. It has practical examples and easy to interpret instructions that are helping me get control of my thoughts. I would recommend it to anyone with anxiety or panic problems.



3. Of all the books and therapy that I tried for my growing anxiaty attacks this was the best help: I definetely recommend this book for anybody with this kind of issues; it will give you a truly way to cure your panic drug free!



4. I found the book to be very helpful. It provided useful tools and skills that one could apply to reducing anxiety. It also gave good history and information about the positives of drug free anxiety therapy. I strongly recommend.



5. The information and techniques presented in this book changed my life in a profound way. Not only have I become a FAR less anxious individual in general, but I have the tools to combat every type of mood swing imaginable. My self esteem is at heights I could have never imagined. Whether you panic left and right, have mild anxiety, or are simply a human being, I GUARANTEE this book is worth your time. This is the real stuff: researched based and tested over and over again.
   
   Also, while I agree that a lot of this information is the same that has appeared in Burns' older classics "Feeling Good" and the "Feeling Good Handbook" I do find that it is presented in a more organized, easy to digest format that is focused on anxiety instead of depression. Despite containing the same underlying theories, it has expansions, re-organizations, and specifics that I feel easily make it a worthwhile addition to the Burns catalog.
   
   I, obviously, wholeheartedly and passionately recommend this book for ANYONE.

5 comments about The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success.

1. The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal SuccessThis will remind you of the things most of us know but really need to remember every year, month, day. Easy to read and great to pick up again and again. Must have for your library.



2. After running across his "7 Decisions" DVD, I was impressed enough to pick up the book. No surprise here, it's a great read with practical applications in life.



3. This is a business parable, but really more of a life parable. The book provides seven lessons about taking responsibility and control of your life. Rather than letting your circumstances provide you with reasons for reacting to life and letting difficulties turning into personal failure, Andy Andrews preaches what some call an internal locus of control. No matter what happens to you, it is up to you to take charge and do something about it. Book is about David Ponder. He is a middle-aged guy with a great wife and a daughter. Like so many people who have been in a comfortable job for decades and then lost it, he finds his life spinning out of control. Unable to get a job anywhere close to the one he had before, without health insurance, and getting fired for merely using the phone to talk with his wife about his sick daughter, he wonders if his family wouldn't be better off with his life insurance than him. Driving recklessly fast, he spins out on some ice and wakes up talking to Harry Truman, then Solomon, and so on until he wakes up with his wife and daughter worrying over him in a hospital.
   
   The seven lessons are very good affirmations to meditate on every day of your life:
   1) The buck stops here. I am responsible for my past and my future.
   2) I will seek wisdom. I will be a servant to others.
   3) I am a person of action. I seize this moment. I choose now.
   4) I have a decided heart. My destiny is assured.
   5) Today I will choose to be happy. I am the possessor of a grateful spirit.
   6) I will greet this day with a forgiving spirit. I will forgive myself.
   7) I will persist without exception. I am a person of great faith.
   
   After each of his encounters in history, David reads a short essay on each of these lessons and, of course, we read it, too.
   
   My own take is that this is a superb book for teenagers just deciding who they want to be in life, young adults who want to sharpen their path, and adults who want to get on a different and better path to getting control of their life.
   
   No, this is not profound art. However, the lessons can have a profound affect on your life and help you enjoy more, achieve more, and bless the lives of others more.
   
   Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI



4. I'm always amazed when mediocrity somehow finds mass appeal. A song heard on the radio has a stock melody and banal, cliched lyrics and still becomes a hit. Obviously, after reading the overwhelming majority of positive reviews, I'll have to admit that Andy Andrews' "The Traveler's Gift" has resonated with a lot of people. It hasn't with me. I found the writing to be over-simplistic, juvenile, cliched, contrived and predictable. But beyond the literary merits or lack thereof, what about the moral message. It seems that the 7 rules for enhancing life are mostly concerned with financial success and that this is nothing more than a quick-fix-it manual for attaining personal wealth in the guise of a Christian leap of faith. I would find it difficult to pattern my life after Christopher Columbus who, according to many historical sources, tortured and murdered native Americans.
   Moreover, why select historical figures involved in acts of war (Truman, Lincoln, and Chamberlain)? Why not people like Ghandi, Mother Theresa, and Martin Luther King?
   Philosophically, I have problems with "The buck stops here" being a life-affirming bromide. The notion that we take responsibility for everything that happens to us in life is absurd. Surely a person who dies from a mugging attack or a serious disease does not bear sole responsibility for being victimized. Yes, the person who was mugged may have chosen to walk alone at night through a bad neighborhood and the person suffering from the disease may have eaten the wrong foods but there were certainly other factors involved.
   In the hands of a talented writer, this could have been avery moving story with powerful messages delivered. In my opinion, it was anything but.



5. All I need say is if you are ready to change your life and make a difference in the world, read this book. Andy is one amazing human being and The Traveler's Gift is a book you'll never forget.

5 comments about Will I Ever Be Good Enough?: Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers.

1. I was only on page 8 and I had said, "This is my mom and what she would say and do," over and over again. I can not put this book down. It's really helping me out.



2. I haven't finished it yet, however I knew just from reading the foreword that this had potential to be life changing for me. Things were identified "on paper" that I had never seen written anywhere, or had validated in my 46 years of trying to understand my relationship (or lack there-of) with my mom. It were as if I had written the book and was re-reading it. It is very hard to vocalize what you went through as a child, especially as the author explains, it seems so taboo when speaking negatively regarding your mother. Even when knowing it has been the experience of your life, and how it has affected your ability to form relationships, the way you feel about yourself---it is still almost impossible to stand firm in your experience, assert your truth--yet have others tell you "Ah, c'mon! She couldn't have been that bad!" These very kind of statements, unbeknownst to others, help keep us feel more insane.
   I am a substance abuse counselor, but I am now disabled. I too had worked with many women who had some variance of this kind of un-bonding with their mother. It is one hellish way to grow up, because you do not really know who you are. As Ms. McBride has so brilliantly written, in a nutshell, we weren't given the same tools nor loving nourishment as most children. Children mirror themselves as they grow, looking for cues--guidance, acceptance, limits, wonder---fear--everything from their main caregiver. As Ms. McBride references, we had criticism, either being exhibited like a quippy doll, which I can relate to, or being ignored...because you're just "something to tolerate". None of which invoke feelings of warmth or belonging. This author really knows it, and hits it home. She lived it too and you relate to her from the very first page.
   
   Now, along with identifying with how it affected us---Equally IF NOT Most important : we can learn how to nurture ourselves. We learn how our Moms end up like this. If we don't do this work, we will quite possibly repeat it, even as much as it hurt us. This book IS NOT about blaming, it's about healing, accepting that no, we didn't have our best friends mom. The reality of it is, we will never have the relationship we keep killing ourselves trying to have with OUR moms. It's Okay. So far, this is a great book, I especially like the use of other women's stories. I'm grateful I read the article about this book, I know I was meant to. I don't believe much in coincidences. I love that life gives us opportunities to keep growing if we choose. That our minds have the capacity for more and more information-- and that getting old also means gaining wisdom through life's experiences! Always something to look forward to. Mistakes are okay, we get do-overs!



3. This book encouraged the reader to stand up for herself and tries to be kind but I found it lacking in specific insights or perhaps examples that I could relate to. Seems like the author was too close to her subject and despite self work not distanced enough to write a detached view of the dynamics of a relationship with a narcissistic family member.



4. This book is well-written, extremely insightful, and well structured. It is written in a tone as if the therapist is talking directly to you.
   
   If you have lived with a narcissistic mother, you may not even realize it, or how it has affected you. You may realize that something is wrong, but not know what or how to fix it. If so, this book is for you.



5. Reading this book was an incredibly validating experience. I have never written a book review in my life but I believe that this work is essential for daughters of narcissistic mothers. I am 45 years old and have been in counseling for 4 years with a great counselor to address my mom's Narcissistic Personality Disorder. I have had difficulties in the denial and acceptance department; it seems that cognitively I know that my mother doesn't have the capacity to ever be warm, loving, or empathetic. However,I have had many instances where I just thought well maybe I am just the nutty girl and go back into denial. My counselor has spent hours upon hours discussing the harm that comes from being raised by a narcissistic mother. And, yes, I have read many books on narcissism. The difference with this book is that it is written from a first hand experience and includes very specific exchanged between the narcissistic mother and the "still" seeking daughter. In reading this book I must have said oh my God hundreds of times. I made margin notes where I wrote "yep" next to so many scenarios, feelings, yearnings, lowered self esteem, being self critical, the workaholism (I am a practicing trial attorney), and the issues with respect to brothers being treated differently. I am the only daughter and I have 3 brothers who had vastly different experiences with my mother. They are all perfect princes and I am the one that is constantly criticized and judged. For many years I have grappled with my brothers' experience versus mine and it was crazy-making. This book explains that daughters of narcissistic mothers may be subject to projection, jealousy, and envy because you are viewed as her extension (or shadow). It finally made sense. IF YOU ARE A DAUGHTER OF A NARCISSIST MOTHER THIS IS THE MOST HONEST AND FORTHRIGHT BOOK THAT I HAVE COME ACROSS AND IT IS ONE THAT I WILL USE AS A REFERENCE GUIDE FOR GROUNDING AND VALIDATION ON A REGULAR BASIS.
   

2 comments about The Essential Family Guide to Borderline Personality Disorder: New Tools and Techniques to Stop Walking on Eggshells.

1. Now in 2008, Randi Kreger has another blockbuster book to add to her wonderful treasure trove of resources.
   
   *The Essential Family Guide to Borderline Personality Disorder: New Tools and Techniques to Stop Walking on Eggshells* is stimulating, challenging, educating and thought-provoking. It is an essential book for both the practioner, family member, students of mental health, psychology and Borderline Personality Disorder.
   
   Everyone interested in mental health with some personal experiences of BPD will love this book.
   
   This book is absolutely superb. It has a stimulating collection of essays that taken together really open up the subject of Borderline Personality Disorder.
   
   *The Essential Family Guide to Borderline Personality Disorder* is full of information on how to find a therapist, insurance concerns,and different types of treatments and therapies.
   
   The second part of the book is about the Power Tools for the non BP to get a grasp on how to set limits, boundaries, take care of themselves and to be heard by the borderline by using great communication skills and reinforcing the right behaviors.
   
   Most 'family guides' focus on a broad spectrum or general overview and very little of the personality disorders. *The Essential Family Guide to Borderline Personality Disorder* is a family guide that specifically focuses on Borderline Personality Disorder for the non and what to do about the disorder and what steps to take.
   
   This is an excellent book. It deserves more than five stars. It is well worth reading by those seriously interested in Borderline Personality Disorder. It's a scholarly academic text that is well supported by recent research and literature in the field, but remains easy to read and understand, given the complexity of the material it covers.
   
   *The Essential Family Guide to Borderline Personality Disorder* is very well-researched with contact information, references, resources, up-to-date brain research, genetics, biological approaches and the role of the pharmaceutical industry, together with well-represented and refreshing analysis of psychological and social approaches.
   
   Rita Closson, M.A. Social Psychologist
   Kansas City, Missouri



2. Very few books can actually change your life. Randi Kreger has written two. "Stop Walking on Eggshells" (SWOE) changed my life and the lives of many others. "The Essential Family Guide" now offers the tools to family members and professionals to help deal with BPD with great efficiency and effectiveness.
   
   "The Essential Family Guide" hits the nail directly on the head and drives it home. Where SWOE left off, the Family Guide picks up. It is critical reading for everyone - including counselors, psychologists, and legal professionals - living with or dealing with someone with Borderline Personality Disorder (a "BPD").
   
   After reading through the first few chapters, I realized that "The Essential Family Guide" is the next step in my own recovery in dealing with my BPD ex-spouse and in caring for my children exposed to this disorder. If you are coping with a BPD - personally or professionally - you must read the Essential Family Guide.
   
   I think of and hear from others out there dealing with the craziness of a BPD in their lives and searching for understanding. If I can convince one person to read The Family Guide and get the benefit that I have received from Randi's books, then I will have done a good thing.

5 comments about Career Match: Connecting Who You Are with What You'll Love to Do.

1. This was an interesting book, my color matched me pretty well. The only disappointment I had with the book, is that I expected just a little more out of it as far as the job recommendations went. The quiz was easy and fast to take. Then again I am a red/blue so this response was to be expected, or maybe just lucky I left one at all.. lol :)



2. This book has been very helpful to me in 3 ways...
   1) understanding some of my own personality traits
   2) understanding the traits of those around me, and therefore learning to navigate accordingly.
   3) learning positive ways to express some traits (that could be perceived as faults) on my resume or when interviewing.



3. As a Career Consultant for the past 14 years, I deal with assessment instruments all the time. Shoya Zichy's "Career Match" is simply the best one I've found: it's the easiest to administer and score (the questions take 10 minutes to answer), the results are unerringly correct, and all the information provided based upon the results is comprehensive and totally useful. Plus, it doesn't resort to psycho-babble, and it doesn't need "professional" interpretation, so anyone can pick it up and immediately benefit from it. Cheers to Shoya Zichy and her co-author for putting together a completely enjoyable and marvelously helpful book!



4. The book allows you to reflect on your personality type while also focussing on secondary tendancies, which provide a well-rounded perspective. The job match information is helpful.



5. Great guide that can quickly give you insightful information about yourself. It is nice because you do not have to read the entire book, just
   the parts that apply to you. Easy to use.

5 comments about The Source: Unleash Your Natural Energy, Power Up Your Health, and Feel 10 Years Younger.

1. I learned a lot reading The Source. I was able to understand complex chemical processes,such as how does the body create energy or how does the liver detox the body, because it's written in an entertaining style. I also liked the fact that it provides suggestions on how to improve your health using both Western as well as alternative medicine principles (so one can chose). As we learn about them, these suggestions are based on extensive research as well as Dr. Merrell's experience with his patients.



2. We all have a lot of to cope with these days and these simple and easy to implement strategies are foundational to good health in "interesting" times. Dr. Merrell offers practical ways to restore and maintain energy-- this book is invaluable.



3. As I began my chemotherapy treatment, I found book on CD's very relaxing, and grounding. 'The Source' will guide you to find your core strength, faith and begin the healing process. What a wonderful tool.



4. This book is very well written and has some wonderful ideas. After just one week I feel great and really do have much more energy. I also managed to lose three pounds without trying. Would recommend it to anyone that is feeling tired and run down.



5. Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (11/08)
   
   
   If you feel like you are always tired and lacking energy then "The Source" is a book that you should most definitely read. I am the mother of two preschool age children who are able to run non-stop all day and fully expect me to keep up with them. I thought that this feeling of exhaustion that I often experience just came with the territory. Apparently loss of energy has made the list as being one of the top five complaints to physicians. The numbers would be even higher but it is estimated that "66 percent of people who visit their doctors while experiencing debilitating exhaustion never even mention the problem!" (p. 5)
   
   The purpose of "The Source" is to "offer a fresh, unique perspective on the possibility of energy creation that unifies Western medical science with Eastern mind-body and energy practices." The book is written by Woodson Merrell, M.D., "a doctor of internal medicine with a busy private practice, as well as an educator and researcher at both Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and Albert Einstein College of Medicine." (p.6)
   
   In the first part of the book, Dr. Merrell offers a convincing explanation as to the link between our thought patterns, stress and the amount of energy that we produce. We are provided with information on how the food we eat produces energy and which foods are the best choices for us to reach our optimum potential. Also addressed are detox, exercise, rest, and spiritual cultivation. There were many interesting ideas touched on in the first section of "The Source." One of my favorites that I have already implemented in my life is the "Power Up! Breath Break" which is a certain way of breathing that I found to be instantly calming. In fact, Dr. Merrell states "If you only do one thing to increase your energy, this breath break would be my choice." (p.39)
   
   Part Two of "The Source" outlines the "21-Day Plan for Increasing Your Energy and Feeling 10 Years Younger," a day by day agenda filled with useful tips and ideas such as drinking 8-12 oz of water every couple of hours and establishing a calming bedtime routine. I think that there is something for everyone in this section and even if you don't follow the plan in it's entirety you are sure to benefit from pulling tips for here and there throughout the plan.
   
   The last part of the book contains the menus and recipes that go along with the 21-Day plan. This is the area that I would have difficulty in following the plan. "This plan is designed to help everyone transition toward a plant-based diet" (p. 276) and the menus contain such dishes as "Scrambled Tofu with Vegetables" and a "Vegetable Goat Cheese Egg-White Omelet."
   
   "The Source" is a very well written and informative book. If you ever feel like you have no energy, I believe that by following the tips recommended in this book you will experience an increase in your energy levels. While I have not yet followed the whole plan, I have noticed a difference just by integrating a few of the concepts into my life. Dr. Merrell's plan really does make a difference and I highly recommend this book!

No comments about No Limits: The Will to Succeed.