I read this book by Susan Jeffers for a book club. It is not the kind of book I would normally go for but I thought I would give it a go. As with any book, there were parts I liked and parts I did not.
Chapter 1- WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF AND WHY?
This chapter explained the levels of fears, ultimately showing that every fear comes from a fear that you can't handle what comes your way in life. By believing a bit more in yourself, you will find yourself less fearful.
Chapter 2- CAN'T YOU MAKE IT GO AWAY
The main thing I took from this is 'THE FEAR WILL NEVER GO AWAY AS LONG AS I CONTINUE TO GROW' and that everyone feels the same. This makes fear seem not like a barrier, but as a sign that you are moving in the right direction and that you are growing as a person. This thought can make fear easier to handle.
Chapter 3- FROM PAIN TO POWER
This chapter explains how fear is not the problem, it is how we handle fear. After all, 'EVERYBODY FEELS FEAR WHEN APPROACHING SOMETHING TOTALLY NEW IN LIFE YET SO MANY ARE DOING IT'. If you hold fear in a place of pain, you will create a state of paralysis for yourself, and will not be able to move on in life. However, if you hold fear in a position of power, it is irrelevant and is only a sign that you are moving forward.
Chapter 4- WHETHER YOU WANT IT OR NOT...ITS YOURS
The point of this chapter is to tell the reader to take responsibility for their own lives. This means not blaming anyone else for anything that YOU feel or do, not blaming yourself (don't treat yourself like a victim of either yourself or others) and taking responsibility handling the Chatterbox. I liked the concept of the Chatterbox, the voice inside that is critical and negative with everything. I know I certainly let mine rule the roost a good amount of the time, which is not good! You can learn to control it but by trying to replace it with a loving voice.
Chapter 5- POLLYANNA RIDES AGAIN
This chapter is about how positive thinking can drastically change situations. An experiment was described, where if you tell yourself you are weak, you physically become weak, and the same for if you tell yourself you are strong. Your subconscious mind does not know the truth, and it does not judge, it just believes what it hears. That is why it is important to try to be positive about ourselves and 'STOP FEEDING YOURSELF NEGATIVE THOUGHTS'. Many people think positive thinking is unrealistic, it's not. You still accept bad things will happen, its just how you deal with those bad things.
Chapter 6- WHEN "THEY" DON'T WANT YOU TO GROW
I didn't really like this chapter, there was only one comment that appealed to me. That was 'IT IS AMAZINGLY EMPOWERING TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF A STRONG, MOTIVATED AND INSPIRATIONAL GROUP OF PEOPLE'
Chapter 7- HOW TO MAKE A NO-LOSE DECISION
The one thing that stuck with me from this chapter is 'YOU'RE NOT A FAILURE IF YOU DON'T MAKE IT; YOU'RE A SUCCESS BECAUSE YOU TRY'. I think I have mentioned before that I am afraid of failing, so seeing this struck a nerve. I hope someday I can stop seeing myself as a failure if I don't do as well as I thought I would.
Chapter 8- HOW WHOLE IS YOUR "WHOLE LIFE"?
The idea of using a grid to organise your life, so you have many aspects, not just the one, is interesting. Many people focus all their energy on their relationship or their job, but when they lose that, they have nothing. However, with a grid, you have lots of things which individually make up a small part of your life. If you lose any one of these things, yes you will be sad, but your whole life will not be destroyed.
Chapter 9- JUST NOD YOUR HEAD-AY "YES!"
This chapter talks about how saying yes to the universe can diminish fear. If you say yes to anything that comes your way, you will be able to handle it better. Basically you should 'go with the flow'. This does not mean that you should ignore pain. You should accept the pain and know that you can deal with the painful situation.
Chapter 10- CHOOSING LOVE AND TRUST
The point of this chapter is to point out that if you give while expecting something back, you are not truly giving and that can breed fear. If you can genuinely give someone something without expecting anything in return, you may find you get more back for it and that you feel much better. Many people would think they are being used if they do not get a return for something they have done, hence they are not truly giving.
Chapter 11- FILLING THE INNER VOID
I didn't really like this chapter. It is about connecting with your 'Higher self' and allowing your Subconscious Mind to take over finding the solution for whatever is worrying you.
I would recommend this book on to someone else.
Will hopefully be more prepared with the February Book- Sane New Mind by Ruby Wax.
Chapter 1- WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF AND WHY?
This chapter explained the levels of fears, ultimately showing that every fear comes from a fear that you can't handle what comes your way in life. By believing a bit more in yourself, you will find yourself less fearful.
Chapter 2- CAN'T YOU MAKE IT GO AWAY
The main thing I took from this is 'THE FEAR WILL NEVER GO AWAY AS LONG AS I CONTINUE TO GROW' and that everyone feels the same. This makes fear seem not like a barrier, but as a sign that you are moving in the right direction and that you are growing as a person. This thought can make fear easier to handle.
Chapter 3- FROM PAIN TO POWER
This chapter explains how fear is not the problem, it is how we handle fear. After all, 'EVERYBODY FEELS FEAR WHEN APPROACHING SOMETHING TOTALLY NEW IN LIFE YET SO MANY ARE DOING IT'. If you hold fear in a place of pain, you will create a state of paralysis for yourself, and will not be able to move on in life. However, if you hold fear in a position of power, it is irrelevant and is only a sign that you are moving forward.
Chapter 4- WHETHER YOU WANT IT OR NOT...ITS YOURS
The point of this chapter is to tell the reader to take responsibility for their own lives. This means not blaming anyone else for anything that YOU feel or do, not blaming yourself (don't treat yourself like a victim of either yourself or others) and taking responsibility handling the Chatterbox. I liked the concept of the Chatterbox, the voice inside that is critical and negative with everything. I know I certainly let mine rule the roost a good amount of the time, which is not good! You can learn to control it but by trying to replace it with a loving voice.
Chapter 5- POLLYANNA RIDES AGAIN
This chapter is about how positive thinking can drastically change situations. An experiment was described, where if you tell yourself you are weak, you physically become weak, and the same for if you tell yourself you are strong. Your subconscious mind does not know the truth, and it does not judge, it just believes what it hears. That is why it is important to try to be positive about ourselves and 'STOP FEEDING YOURSELF NEGATIVE THOUGHTS'. Many people think positive thinking is unrealistic, it's not. You still accept bad things will happen, its just how you deal with those bad things.
Chapter 6- WHEN "THEY" DON'T WANT YOU TO GROW
I didn't really like this chapter, there was only one comment that appealed to me. That was 'IT IS AMAZINGLY EMPOWERING TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF A STRONG, MOTIVATED AND INSPIRATIONAL GROUP OF PEOPLE'
Chapter 7- HOW TO MAKE A NO-LOSE DECISION
The one thing that stuck with me from this chapter is 'YOU'RE NOT A FAILURE IF YOU DON'T MAKE IT; YOU'RE A SUCCESS BECAUSE YOU TRY'. I think I have mentioned before that I am afraid of failing, so seeing this struck a nerve. I hope someday I can stop seeing myself as a failure if I don't do as well as I thought I would.
Chapter 8- HOW WHOLE IS YOUR "WHOLE LIFE"?
The idea of using a grid to organise your life, so you have many aspects, not just the one, is interesting. Many people focus all their energy on their relationship or their job, but when they lose that, they have nothing. However, with a grid, you have lots of things which individually make up a small part of your life. If you lose any one of these things, yes you will be sad, but your whole life will not be destroyed.
Chapter 9- JUST NOD YOUR HEAD-AY "YES!"
This chapter talks about how saying yes to the universe can diminish fear. If you say yes to anything that comes your way, you will be able to handle it better. Basically you should 'go with the flow'. This does not mean that you should ignore pain. You should accept the pain and know that you can deal with the painful situation.
Chapter 10- CHOOSING LOVE AND TRUST
The point of this chapter is to point out that if you give while expecting something back, you are not truly giving and that can breed fear. If you can genuinely give someone something without expecting anything in return, you may find you get more back for it and that you feel much better. Many people would think they are being used if they do not get a return for something they have done, hence they are not truly giving.
Chapter 11- FILLING THE INNER VOID
I didn't really like this chapter. It is about connecting with your 'Higher self' and allowing your Subconscious Mind to take over finding the solution for whatever is worrying you.
I would recommend this book on to someone else.
Will hopefully be more prepared with the February Book- Sane New Mind by Ruby Wax.