Category: self improvement

inspiration, self improvement

The Secret to Life Transformation

Bergers Book Reviews

lifetransformation
Author: Julie Chrystyn
Publisher: Dove Books
Genre: Self-help
ISBN: 978-1-59777-581-6
Pages: 252
Price: $25.95

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You may be living a good life, but feel that something is still missing. You’re not as successful as you believe you can be, and you need to make some changes.  But how? Who will guide you?

Julie Chrystyn is the hidden voice behind several famous autobiographies. As she listened to those people share their stories, she developed the desire to share some of the words of wisdom she picked up. In The Secret to Life Transformation she compiles these for us, along with thoughts from some other successful people.

This books alternates chapters between her own thoughts and those of twelve brilliant and talented people. These include Justice Clarence Thomas, David Foster, John Paul DeJoria, Robert Evans, Jacqueline Jakes, Dr. Patch Adams, Judge Sol Wachtler, Paula White, Jose Eber, Dr. Steven M. Hoefflin, Paul Anka, and Bernie Brillstein. Each presents their own story, sharing their own ideas on how they became successful.

Topics like independent thinking and using your thoughts wisely, love, forgiveness, wisdom, vision, and hope are interspersed between these mini-autobiographies.

If you’re looking for an inspiring read that will help set you on the path towards your own success, you’ll find that in The Secret to Life Transformation.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

health, self improvement

The Power of Soul

Bergers Book Reviews

soul
Author: Dr. Zhi Gang Sha
Publisher: Atria Books
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 1-4165-8910-4
Pages: 352
Price: $26.00

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In 2003, Dr. Zhi Gang Sha began offering Divine Soul Downloads to humanity through the direct instruction of the Divine. In The Power of Soul, he continues his Soul Power Series of books, and provides new insights into how we can use this soul power in our lives.

Dr. Sha has included eleven new Divine Soul Downloads in this book. If we read his words and follow the instructions as written, we will receive these new divine souls for ourselves. Knowing we might doubt his words, he answers, “If you want to know if the pear is sweet, taste it.” Only by experiencing it for ourselves will we know the truth.

Heal the soul first, and all else will heal. Sickness will be prevented, the mind and body will be rejuvenated, and relationships, finances and business will be transformed.

Dr. Sha’s message is a positive one. He encourages us to receive his Divine Soul Downloads, chant powerful words, and sing uplifting soul songs to promote transformation and healing in our lives. But skeptical folks who rely solely on conventional healing may find his teachings to be too “new age” for their tastes.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

health, self improvement

Truth Heals

Bergers Book Reviews

truth
Author: Deborah King
Publisher: Hay House
Genre: Self-help / Psychology
ISBN: 978-1-4019-2301-3
Pages: 216
Price: $22.95

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Most people don’t want to look very closely at their painful pasts. But they probably don’t realize those memories are still hurting them physically. In Truth Heals, author Deborah King explores how these experiences affect our energy centers and shows us how we can reverse their effects.

Focusing on each chakra (energy center), King shares some of her own childhood traumas and those of her clients. She explains how these might affect a person’s health and emotional state today. Then she provides some thoughts on letting go in order to heal.

The reader doesn’t need to be familiar with chakras in order to benefit from this book. King explains what they are, along with the kinds of illnesses that manifest in each. She encourages those being treated for a specific illness to continue to work with their medical practitioners, while also integrating some emotional work to help the body let go of disease.

Practical, helpful and uplifting, Truth Heals is a reminder that we are all that we put into our bodies – including our thoughts. Since we can change our thinking, we can also help reverse disease in our bodies. Anyone who wants to improve their health will find this book helpful in making positive changes.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

fitness, health, self improvement

Size 2 For Life

Bergers Book Reviews

size2
Author: Ashley Marriott & Marc L. Paulsen, MD
Publisher: Stance Publications
Genre: Diet/Fitness
ISBN: 978-0-9821047-4-3
Pages: 211
Price: $21.99

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As a culture that’s become obsessed with weight management, we continue to seek out new and improved methods of shedding unwanted pounds. Size 2 For Life offers a diet and exercise plan which is designed to bring women back to their “frame-adjusted size 2” figures.

At the introduction to this book, the authors address unhealthy weight loss methods and a dangerous increase in anorexic and bulimic behaviors. Yet this very title is one that leaves me feeling uncomfortable. Most women would probably be a very healthy size 6 or 8. Size 2 feels like an unattainable and dangerous goal to me.

The 21-day eating plan also disturbs me. It is made up of mostly steamed vegetables, egg whites, chicken and turkey. There is almost no fat and very few carbs. We may be a culture who eats too many of these foods, but healthy fats and carbs are a necessity in our diets. The program also assumes the reader can understand the authors’ lingo. One item on the plan is a “protein smoothie.” This item is not explained beforehand, so the reader would have no idea what would go into one.

The main focus of the exercise program is aerobic movement and muscle toning. Since there is considerable toning of the legs in dance or other aerobic activities, the authors recommend only upper body toning. Some exercises are provided, but they suggest following the circuit at your local gym. While this may be simple, it assumes that the circuit has been properly designed for a total upper body workout.

Once the size 2 figure has been achieved, a maintenance diet and exercise program is recommended. Several chain restaurant foods are analyzed for the best choices to make when dining out.

Overall, I was not impressed with this book. I felt the diet could have been explained in terms of allowable foods that one could pick and choose from, rather than a specific plan one had to follow each day. The diet is bland, and shows no imagination in creating tasty and healthy meals that won’t feel like deprivation eating. Weighing in twice every day as recommended would create unnecessary emotional stress when body fluctuations show weight shifts. The strongest feature of this book is the recommended exercise, which is a basic strength training and aerobic program.

If you’re looking for a sensible weight-loss and exercise program, I’d suggest Body For Life, which I feel is still probably the best book on the market.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

inspiration, self improvement

Tears of Fears Behind Closed Doors

Bergers Book Reviews

tears
Author: Lyn-Dee Eldridge
Publisher: MasterMind Publishing, LLC
Genre: Self-improvement
ISBN: 978-0-9720941-0-8
Pages: 128
Price: $14.95

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Many women exist in silent desperation in an abusive household. As a survivor of an abusive childhood and marriage, Lyn-Dee Eldridge (or Woobie, as she calls herself) wants to show other women that it’s not only possible to escape from the abuse, but also to go on to live a happy and joyous life.

In Tears of Fears Behind Closed Doors, Woobie tells her story, beginning in childhood when the abuse began. Focusing on the universal aspects of abuse, she doesn’t reveal every aspect of her own experience. Instead she shares the parts that many readers would identify with, including some of the things she did to handle her own situation.

Positive self-talk and personal development are key, according to Woobie. Only by learning to love and respect herself can a woman get up the courage to end the cycle of abuse.

Included along with her inspirational story and helpful advice are numerous resources for women who still find themselves in abusive situations. Legal help, daily exercises, hot-line numbers, and addresses for women’s advocates are provided in the appendix. And the author is available as a speaker to share her story with women’s groups.

Woobie’s message is written in a conversational style, which lends itself to the occasional typo and a bit of rambling. But overall, she shares positive information and a spirit of hope. Tears of Fears Behind Closed Doors would be a great inspiration for a woman who finds herself in an abusive situation.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

cats, inspiration, self improvement

Choosing to Be

Bergers Book Reviews

choosing-to-be
Author: Kat Tansey
Publisher: iUniverse Star
Genre: Visionary & Metaphysical
ISBN: 978-1-935278-13-9
Pages: 148
Price: $19.95

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I have lived with several Zen Masters — all of them cats. ~ Eckhart Tolle

During a rough spell in her life, author Kat Tansey picks up a copy of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Her cat, Poohbear, a Zen Master himself, offers to show her the way to her Buddha nature if she is willing to learn from him. But first she needs a kitten to observe, which leads to Catzenbear joining the family.

As the author works on her practice, Poohbear shares his wisdom with her. An expert at sitting, he offers his thoughts on why Tansey struggles at times. When she clings, he suggests she let go. And when she starts to feel successful, he reminds her that she still has a long way to go. Always gentle and loving, he pushes her to go farther along than she believes possible.

Choosing to Be was classified as fiction because of the author’s conversations with Poohbear. But this was simply the style she used to get her ideas across in a friendly and easily accessible manner.

If you’ve ever thought you’d like to get in touch with your own Buddha nature, this enjoyable and enlightening book will start you on your journey. And if you can, find a cat who’s willing to join you.

Update: Choosing to Be has been included in Wisdom Notes, featured picks by Colin Lewis. It joins such classics as The Prophet, The Science of Getting Rich, and Tuesdays With Morrie.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

self improvement

Simply Irresistible

Bergers Book Reviews

simply
Author: Ellen T. White
Publisher: Running Press
Genre: Nonfiction
ISBN: 978-0-7624-2673-7
Pages: 264
Price: $14.95

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I heard about a book written particularly for women entitled Simply Irresistible. After reading a short synopsis and the author’s take, I found the book to be, well, simply irresistible.

I’m of the male persuasion, but I read it even though the book was written specifically for women. But one that promised to help you “unleash your inner siren and mesmerize men?” Sure. I’m all for learning about “sirendom” especially “with help from the most famous and infamous women in history.” The opportunity to learn about female/male relationships by reading case histories of some of the most intriguing and seductive women of our time is alluring indeed. And the book does not disappoint.

Ellen T. White, writing in a lively and invigorating style, divided the book into two sections: Finding Your Inner Siren and Personalizing Your Appeal. In the first part, the reader discovers White’s explanation of what it truly takes to be a siren. She also reveals that women generally fall into five categories or archetypes she labels: the goddess, companion, sex kitten, competitor, and mother. Each category features a representing albeit appropriate study of a woman of well-known stature.

The second part features tips and suggestions on how to hone the skills necessary to develop the desired archetypical role. Here too the reader will find examples of such players as Mae West, Nicole Kidman, Jacqueline Kennedy, and even Queen Elizabeth I. Their lives offer a myriad of ideas and unique personal character traits to help cultivate and improve your siren ways.

I admit to knowing less than nothing about these female archetypes until now. But I hope women will believe me when I say this book may present the opportunity to become the siren they always aspired to be. If not, they will have received one heck of history lesson on some pretty interesting women, and perhaps a little insight into their own personalities as well.

Reviewer: Gene Berger

self improvement

The Power Model System

Bergers Book Reviews

pms
Author: Kay Bennett Ph.D
Publisher: Trafford Publishing
Genre: Self-improvement
ISBN: 142514825-5
Pages: 256
Price: $22.95

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Are there certain negative behaviors you do over and over again, but no matter how hard you try, you simply can’t seem to change them? If you’ve read and worked with other self-help books, but couldn’t make lasting improvements, Kay Bennett Ph.D believes her system can help you.

The Power Model System teaches that only you are the expert on you, and by delving into your past with the help of a personal Higher Power, you’ll be able to find your own response patterns. This system is a series of worksheets and deep questions that help guide you to the knowledge you seek in solving your problems.

You won’t be able to read through this book in one sitting. If you take the time to delve into these questions, it may take months to complete the program. The author has recorded many instances of people successfully working this system at her workshops, and this may be the approach you decide to take.

The exercises in this book build on each other, and when you finish, you’ll have a personal blueprint model of your life that will guide you in making positive future decisions.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

health, self improvement

From Fat to Fit

Bergers Book Reviews

fat2fit
Author: Carole Carson
Publisher: Hound Press
Genre: Health & Fitness
ISBN:978-0-9766030-9-2
Pages: 248
Price: $14.95

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Facing her 60th birthday only months away, Carole Carson made the decision that it was time to get fit. With the help of a personal trainer, she set a goal to lose 40 lbs in four months. In order to motivate herself and maybe a few other folks, she asked her local newspaper if she could write an article for the senior section. She had no idea the newspaper had other ideas for her story.

From Fat to Fit chronicles Carson’s 16-week journey through her own personal program of weight loss and nutrition. But the story doesn’t end there. Instead, she determined to take the message of health and fitness to her community in an effort to help as many people as she could.  This “meltdown,” as it became known, spread like wildfire, and information is provided on starting your own community group.

This book is written for everyone – not just the youthful and super-athletic. If you’ve made health and fitness a priority this year, you’ll find Carson’s message to be inspirational and motivational. Full of common-sense wisdom, From Fat to Fit will help you reach your own goals.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

self improvement

Saddle Up Your Own White Horse

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: Saundra Pelletier
Publisher: Tilis Publishers
Genre: Self-help
ISBN: 978-09797961-0-4
Pages: 186
Price: $21.95

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Do you have your sights on that corner office? Plan to start your own business soon? But you have doubts because you’re a woman, and you feel men have a better chance than you do? Saundra Pelletier believes in you, and she wants to show you how to succeed in Saddle Up Your Own White Horse.

This book presents five principles every woman needs to know. First, deliberate creators make their dreams happen. Don’t be a victim or a flatliner – learn how to create your own best outcomes. Second, women possess two unique gifts – multitasking and intuition. Learn how to use both to your own advantage. Third, women must lead in their relationships with men – but don’t ever tell them that! Fourth, no woman is an island. You’ll need to build your own cavalry of support. And fifth, women must master the three C’s – confidence, credit, and comfort with success.

Finally, once you’ve learned these five important principles, the author reminds us to never confuse motion with action. Sometimes being busy hides the fact we’re not really moving in the direction of our biggest goals.

While the author clearly got her message across to women who are determined to climb the corporate ladder, she left out one segment of the female population. Some women feel most successful in having a happy family life and raising children. It would have been nice to see some examples of successful moms using these principles, along with entrepreneurs and CEOs.

Saundra Pelletier was fortunate to have a mother who never let her settle for mediocrity, and always told her she could do what she set her heart on. If you have grand dreams and goals, but you haven’t quite figured out how to create them in your life, this book will be the pep talk you need to get you started. Well-written and inspiring, Saddle Up Your Own White Horse will motivate you to take charge of your own life.

Reviewer: Alice Berger