Journal for Women

Book: “Daily Self-Worth Journal for Women: A 60-Day Guide to Self-Improvement, Kris Jobson, Books Go Social, 2022

Book Review by Mary Mikawoz

I think it is important to start off with who Kris Jobson is. On LinkedIn, he is described as, “Creator, Artistic Director, Director, Choreographer, Producer, Writer, Dancer, Model, Actor, and Speaker.” He is definitely a creative whom I can relate to. I understand creatives because we tend to go inwards to find our source of inspiration. It is important to figure out who you are in order to expose yourself to the outside world in creativity.

I think it is important to note, as he does, that this is not to be used as medical treatment. There are people qualified to help you with trauma and many other issues or problem areas of concern.

I am reviewing both journal books for men and women because other than the cover, the orientation for both books are the same.

I feel as if much of this work is based on Kris’s internal dialogue based on counselling sessions. This is purely conjecture but his knowledge seems to have come from somewhere or perhaps years of studying and researching.

The areas he covers from self-love, self-confidence, to letting go and balance are all important key areas of life. I found the book repetitive because you were doing similar exercises for the different areas from writing out certain phrases, to breathing exercises, repeating affirmations and going inwards. I felt as if these would be assignments that a counsellor would give you after each session.

For a journal, there are some good areas to address individually and in a quiet place and space. I think you have to work the program like AA, NA, or OA to get to the root of the problems.

Having reviewed the book, I give the books both 3.5 out of 5.0 for his concern in wanting to help people and providing a framework for reflection. If I were the publisher, I would have reoriented the journal to cover more areas of concern and with an index or appendix that people could go to for the repetitive sections like the personal declaration sections and other continuing sections.

You may also follow Kris Jobson on YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. He has his own website under his name.

For more book reviews, check out my wordpress website under Mary Mikawoz.https://mikawoz.wordpress.com/category/book-review/

Tags: Mary Mikawoz, Kris Jobson, Books Go Social, introspection, psychology, self-help, journal, book, creative, self-love, self-acceptance, self-confidence, affirmations, breathing, exercises, framework, reflection, personal, declaration, 

@MaryMikawoz @Mikawoz @KrisJobson

#MaryMikawoz #KrisJobson #BooksGoSocial #introspection #psychology #self-help #journal #book #creative #self-love #self-acceptance #self-confidence #affirmations #breathing #exercises #framework #reflection #personal #declaration

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Book Review: Electromagnetism

Book: “Electric Body, Electric Health: Using the Electromagnetism Within (And Around) You to Rewire, Recharge, and Raise Your Voltage,” Eileen Day McKusick, St. Martin’s Essential, 2020

Book Review by Mary Mikawoz

Book available: January 26, 2021

I found this book literally in a way that others have spoken about when a book falls out of the shelf in a book store. It just kind of jumps out at you and you feel compelled to look at it and read it. This happened to me but in an electronic and digital kind of way. I was perusing books to review next from the selected options and this one just popped up on my website page. It literally was not there a moment ago and then it was there. It was as if Divine intervention had helped me along my path.

It is interesting that its sub-title is saying the same kind of thing – that using the electromagnetism within and around you can and does affect you and your life.

I was absolutely mesmerized by the first half the book. I found incredible insights and meanings. For example, I always assumed there was only three states of matter being solid, liquid and gas but Eileen explains there is a fourth state called plasma and that it is an electrically charged gas taking up 99.99 percent of space which connects stars, planets and galaxies in webs of light. That is phenomenally important news. She reviews recent science information to support her work.

Most importantly, Eileen Day McKusick, has mapped out the body with varying levels of information stored in it. She uses tuning forks to smooth out and change blocked passages of information found in the energetic fields around our body.

I think one of the healthiest and most important pieces of advice she gives is the point that “This is the single greatest trick to being high voltage to not judge or suppress any of your emotions but rather to seek to mange them appropriately.” This means, we have to deal with problems as they will not magically go away on their own. To flow through it and get to the other side, you need to deal with emotions, problems and issues.

Eileen has taught many other people how to work on people’s energetic fields with tuning forks. People like Dr. John Gray who is author of “Men are From Mars and Women are From Venus,” along with Marci Shimoff who is author of “Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul” both have taken courses from her and support her work.

She has previously published “Tuning the Human Biofield: Healing with Vibrational Sound Therapy” in September 2014. She has an informative website with her name – https://www.eileenmckusick.com. Further, she has a store that sells her specifically designed tuning forks at her website – https://biofieldtuningstore.com.

The only issue I had with the book was the second half was when she was going into the various chakras. Honestly, my reaction was “Oh Great! Another chakra book.” Having said that, Eileen was able to show she has been working and mapping the energetic body field well because there was quite a few insights into the various respective chakra areas that made a lot of logical sense in the problems and issues people were dealing with.

I give this book a 4.25 out of 5 for a rating. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in self-healing or wanting to “increase their voltage” so that they can be a more positive force in their life and that of the world around them.

Tags: Eileen Day McKusick, Mary Mikawoz, Spiritual, spirituality, science, quantum physics, energy, electromagnetism, rewire, recharge, raise, voltage, book, book review, jump out, meant to be, electronic, God, Divine, intervention, states, matter, solid, gas, liquid, plasma, stars, planets, galaxies, energetic fields, chakras, Dr. John Gray, Marci Shimoff, Men, Mars, Women, Venus, Chicken Soup, Woman, Soul, courses, tuning forks, body, healing, voltage, positive, forces, life, world, impact, biomedicine, potential, health, problems, issued, emotions, physical, mental, aspects, Self Help, Self Improvement, Self Development,

#EileenDayMcKusick #MaryMikawoz #Spiritual #spirituality #science #quantum physics #energy #electromagnetism #rewire #recharge #raise #voltage #book #bookreview #jump out #meant to be #electronic #God #Divine #intervention #states #matter #solid #gas #liquid #plasma #stars #planets #galaxies #energetic fields #chakras #DrJohnGray #MarciShimoff #Men #Mars #Women #Venus #ChickenSoup #Woman #Soul #courses #tuning forks #body #healing #voltage #positive #forces #life #world #impact #biomedicine #potential #health #problems #issued #emotions #physical #mental #aspects #selfhelp #selfimprovement #selfdevelopment

The Iceman Speaks

The Wim Hof Method: Activate Your Full Human Potential”

Book: “The Wim Hof Method: Activate Your Full Human Potential,” Wim Hof, Sounds True, 2020

Book Review by Mary Mikawoz

Book available: October 20, 2020

This is quite an interesting book starting with the point of view of Wim Hof’s life beginning as a forgotten twin in the uterus of his mother. It is extraordinarily special that she knew something was different and that there was another being inside of her still. It is amazing that she spoke and pleaded, “Oh God, let this child live! I will make him a missionary!” He has, in essence, become a missionary in real life.

Wim Hof has turned out to be an incredible person who has set numerous Guinness World Records by defying medical doctors and scientists with his personal feats. He has been able to override his autonomic nervous system and control his body which was thought to be not achievable. He has done amazing things such as run a full marathon in the Namib Dessert without water and then to the other extreme, he ran a half marathon about the Arctic Circle in his bare feet and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts.

Wim Hof has had many other accomplishments despite his personal tragedies. He credits his Wim Hof Method with the ability to do many great things that he says anyone else can be taught to do. They are basically three main concepts and training of Breathing, Cold Exposure and your Mind Set.

This book gives you examples and leads you through the processes with exercises and examples. He has actually taken many people who were not functioning at their personal peak to climb a number of mountains despite their physical conditioning after proper training with the Wim Hof Method.

Personally, I have implemented the cold showers at the end of a warm one. I have also swam or dove into Lake Winnipeg which has turned cold already as it is north of the 91.5 degree parallel latitudinally. In the winter time, it ices over completely although it is huge and was once an ancient inland ocean such that there are winter roads across the ice where not only cars and trucks but semi-trucks cross the ice highway. 

Also, Winnipeg has been colder than Mars on December 31, 2013 when temperatures including windchill factors dipped down to -53 degrees Celsius which is -63.4 Fahrenheit for my American friends. I think living in Winnipeg is a good way to implement Wim Hof’s method of colder temperatures for the body.

I have been doing the breathing method with Wim Hof’s app that I downloaded off of his website and have been improving daily. Finally, I have been working on improving my mind set for over 40 years + as I journey along a spiritual pathway.

I highly recommend this book as it is reflective of a man who is determined to make a difference in the world and teaches us how to do it. 

“The Iceman” will not disappoint you. “We are limited only by the depth of our imagination and the strength of our conviction.” I give this book a 4.25 out of 5 as a rating.

He has a website online that you can access for more information which I highly recommend. You can pre-order the book at major book distributors.

As a side note, I have been practicing many of the things that Wim Hof has been teaching and as a consequence of more time and hindsight, I would like to change my rating from 4.25 to 5 out of 5 as the impact of his breathing technique alone is absolutely incredible. Thank you Wim Hof for all your hard work and self-discoveries.

Tags: Wim Hof, Method, Mary Mikawoz, Book, Book Review, Mother, Birth, Uterus, Twins, Marathon, Arctic Circle, Namib Dessert, Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Everest, shorts, barefoot, ice, snow, cold, breath, personal, tragedy, life, circumstances, connection, autonomic nervous system, Mind, mindset, experiments, study, Physical, condition, The Iceman, Science, Medical, Doctors, Amazing, Imagination, Sounds True

Be Amazing

Book: “Be Amazing: Discover Your Purpose, Conquer Your Fears, and Fulfill Your Potential,” Paul S. Boynton, Skyhorse Publishing, 2020

Book Review by Mary Mikawoz

Book available: January 7, 2020

“Be Amazing” was an inspirational concept and experience that Paul S. Boynton received after visiting and receiving outstanding service at a restaurant. From there, he goes on to explain that giving your all is necessary in your endeavours. He writes, “It starts with a desire to be the best we can be in a specific area, followed by a decision to actually make it happen.” That is the essence of the book as Paul outlines a number of other people and situations that were outstanding in his opinion.

He outlines six points for Amazing Qualities. One of the quotes that he writes that I like is when you are doing that one special thing, you don’t have to be the best and as a Zen saying goes, “Flowers don’t compare themselves to other flowers, they just bloom.” That is a very encouraging thought and causes some self-reflection.

Mr. Boynton goes on to say that people know when people are being authentic and when they are with the “real deal.” People can recognize a disingenuous smile and reaction.

He gives out some steps on being amazing. They are as follows:

1. Find your “Spirit Blueprint”
2. Making a decision
3. Discover what amazing will look like
4. Making it happen

He writes his book from a question and answer process. This is how he engages the reader. I understand why Paul does this although I am not sure I like this process. I would prefer he just wrote the book in a straight-forward manner with the assumption that the reader has had those questions and he would answer them without indicating each time what the question was or is.

I like how the end finishes with a quote such as: “Remember, every book began with a single sentence. And every garden started with just a few seeds.”

This book was rather short. I would have preferred a longer version with more stories and examples of excellence.

For an inspirational short read, I give this book a 3.75 out of 5.

Tags: Paul S. Boynton, Skyhorse Publishing, Amazing, Purpose, Fears, Potential, Self-development, Self-help, Spirit, Spiritual, Power of Yes, Begin with Yes, Spirit Blueprint, Decisions, Action, Motivation, Inspiration, Mary Mikawoz, Mikawoz, Book Review

Choose to Win

 

Book: “Choose to Win: Transform Your Life, One Simple Choice at a Time” Tom Ziglar, Harper Collins, 2019

Book Review by Mary Mikawoz

Book available: March 5, 2019

Tom Ziglar is the son of Zig Ziglar, an influential speaker over 40 years time. Tom has essentially followed in his father’s footsteps. He has written a book called “Choose to Win.” In it, he recounts the Wheel of Life which Zig Ziglar has used but not exclusively to him. I heard of the psychological concept about 20 to 30 years ago and many people have used it to balance life’s priorities and seven areas of life from the mental, the spiritual, the physical, the family, the financial, the personal and the career. The seven spokes are evaluated based on how well you are doing in each area. If you are well balanced in all areas, your spokes and tire pressure will be the same and all inflated to a good height level.

He reviews the areas in quite a bit of detail with individual chapters. He, however, repeats the same thing at the end of each chapter and so it is repetitive. He essentially says to replace a bad habit with a good habit. The premise of the book is basically this which to me is not a novel concept and is only common sense. I do not know how this is a new and exciting concept. Of course, you change a bad habit with a good habit and of course, you do it in incremental baby steps. Tom says you should do something for 66 days, but I have heard of 28 days, one month and so forth as other optimal times to make a habit habitual. James Clear agrees with Tom Ziglar but according to the Phillipa Lally’s study, it can take anywhere from 18 days to 254 days to form a habit depending upon a number of factors.

The other predominant concept in the book is to leave a legacy behind because you are already are either intentionally or not. This reminds me of another book I reviewed which deals in entirely with leaving a legacy by Terrie Davoll Hudson called “Leave a Legacy that Counts: Create One at Any Age.” It is quite a bit shorter but the messages between these two authors are similar.

Finally, the steps necessary to fulfilling a goal are as follows:

“Step 1 – Identify your goals

Step 2 – My benefits to reaching this goal

Step 3 – Major obstacles and mountains to climb to reach this goal

Step 4 – Skills and knowledge required to to reach this goal

Step 5 – Individuals, groups, companies and organizations to work with to reach this goal

Step 6 – Plan of action to reach this goal

Step 7 – Completion Date”

Overall, this book has some good information in it. I found it heart-warming to hear of the last few days of Zig Ziglar’s life from the family perspective. As well, Tom Ziglar asks some very good questions throughout the book to help the reader along and has some good tips added in.

His trust and belief in God and Jesus Christ is paramount and not so different than the spiritual books I normally review.

I give the book a 3.5 out of 5 stars. I have changed my mind since and now give the book a 3.75 based on the very good questions he asks.

Tags: Business, Self-improvement, Self-development.Individual, Goals, mental, spiritual, physical, family, financial, personal, career, legacy, Tom Ziglar, Zig Ziglar, Attitude, Effort, Skill, Transformation, Religious, God, Jesus Christ, Bible, Mary Mikawoz, Mikawoz, Book Review

Believe in Yourself

Book: “Believe in Yourself and Do What You Want to Do,” Kate James, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2019

Book Review by Mary Mikawoz

Book available: September 24, 2019

Quite literally, “It is far better to be the best version of yourself than a second-rate version of someone else.” It is better to figure out your values and interests and follow through on what makes you a special “You.”

It is most important to pay attention to your dreams and listen to your intuition. With having said that, simply give yourself a deadline and just choose an activity to pursue. In choosing that activity, do not choose that which you think will impress others that you went to school with or your family members, do it for yourself.

Other good points include mind mapping which is a free flow of ideas based on free thinking without limitations. I, personally, have used this strategy for many years and love its results. Also, start out small with baby steps and try not to climb Mount Everest at the first attempt at mountain climbing.

In all, Kate James, comes up with 50 ideas or strategies on how to do what you want to do. They are good snippets of information and inspiration.

This is a good book to read from cover to cover or by simply picking a page at random and reading that section.

It is a good inspirational book with good practical advice.

I give the book 4 out of 5 stars.

Tags:Kate James, version, personality, self-help, self-development, self-improvement, time, baby steps, Mount Everest, imagination, focus, tasks, reasons, Dreams, Mary Mikawoz, Mikawoz, Book Review

Leaving a Legacy

Book: “Leave a Legacy that Counts: Create One at Any Age,” Terrie Davoll Hudson, BookLogix, 2019.

Book Review by Mary Mikawoz

Book available July 26, 2019

Terrie Davoll Hudson has written a short, interesting book about leaving a legacy behind not at some future date when you are facing death but now. It is important to measure what you achieve and the impact you have on your family, community and the world.

The thing is that you leave a legacy behind anyway based on your impact on other people, your environment, your world and the way you live, the way you speak and the actions you take. The question, then is, do you want to leave a legacy behind by default or by design?

“Elements of a legacy that count include reputation, actions repeated over time, and character. A good legacy is fuelled by your aspirations, attitude, truthfulness and authenticity.”

Your character is your essential nature that is formed over time or as Terrie says “your virtual business card” which you carry with you every day of your life.

It is most important to be intentional as you pursue your goals and pursuit of your legacy. “You are the author and illustrator of your life.” Your legacy counts so work on it today.

I recommend this book as an inspirational reading. I also recommend you check out her website – https://terriehudson.com.

I give the book a 4 out of 5 stars.

Tags: Terrie Davoll Hudson, BookLogix, Legacy, Actions, default, design, speak, conduct, time, character, aspirations, attitude, truthfulness, authenticity, self-help, self-improvement, spiritual, Mary Mikawoz, Mikawoz, Book Review

Living Forever Young

 

Book: “Living Forever Young: The 10 Secrets to Optimal Strength, Energy and Vitality” by Skip Archimedes, Watkins Publishing, 256 pages.

Book Review by Mary Mikawoz

Right away when you learn about the author Skip, you have to be amazed. He was a gymnast but had an accident and broke his back. He was told by doctors and specialists that he would never walk again. Within 18 months, he was back on his feet and winning a championship, the English Sports Acrobatics Championship. He has helped change many people including his mother who walks her dog and swims a 100 lengths every day. What is also very important to note is that the forward was written by David “Avocado” Wolfe who is well known in the natural health industry.

The ten main chapters of the book are:Breathe, Move, Nourish, Rest, Love, Shine, Believe, Learn, Commit and Live. This book is not an exercise or nutrition book but more of a life-enhancement book. It is important to have an alkaline body – not one based on acid.

With the first element breathing, it is important to breathe deeply with the exhale longer than the inhale. Interestingly, breathing deals with 70% of toxins. Breathing during exercise or while outdoors is important. Try to exercise for 30 to 45 minutes of good breathing. The second element, movement is important to your body and Skip offers up his Mom as an example. At 69, she had physical troubles, then she went on one of Skip’s retreat and lost 28 pounds and soon afterwards took up swimming and walking her new dog. At 74, she is in great shape and is active. Try aerobic, anaerobic exercise and yoga. The important thing to do is to find an activity that you enjoy.

Did you know that jogging, skipping, circuit training and rebounding can stimulate bone growth and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, especially in women?

With nourishment, the third element, it is important to drink 2 litres of water a day. Skip is a vegan but indicates this is an individual choice. He does suggest a plant-based diet is best. Skip suggest juicing and making smoothies from scratch so that you know what goes in them. He has a number of Morning Green Juices to start his day before breakfast. Superfoods such as wheatgrass, barley, chlorella, spirulina, hemp protein, chia, and cacao add to your smoothies and boosts your nutritional intake. Eating a raw salad helps too. Fruits and vegetables are alkaline foods which are good for dealing with you pH levels. If you are going vegetarian, there should be enough protein in a diet filled with fruit, vegetables, nuts, beans, pulses, seeds and grains.

The fourth element is rest or regularly scheduled sleep which is important to the body. A change is as good as a rest such as a change in routine or small vacation. A meditation or guided visualization is a good option for changing a mood.

Love is the fifth element. As Lucille Ball said “Love yourself first and everything falls in place.” It is important to love yourself first and foremost before loving others. Esther Hicks says that what you give out is what comes back to you whether it is negative or positive energy. Consider also how love will imprint your DNA to affect future generations in your family.

The sixth element is sunshine both in terms of vitamin D requirements and also a metaphor for your internal sunshine – of light emanating from inside of you out. There is, after all, no life without sunlight. You should be exposing 40% of your skin 20 minutes daily. Rats had more serotonin when exposed to more natural sunlight which deals with depression.

The seventh element is believe so that you can live an authentic, valuable and rewarding life. It is important to find your purpose and passion and combine the two if possible. For this to happen, you need self-belief and a lack of doubt. As Confucius said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

The eighth element is to learn that stimulating your mind is also nourishing your body. Likewise in a similar fashion, Plato emphasized exercises as being important for the mind.

The ninth element is commitment and being able to visualize the end goal that you desire. It is your beliefs, passions and purpose that define who you are. It is important to have thankfulness and a positive attitude in reaching one’s goals.

The final and tenth element is to live. You have your inner world of body and mind and now you need to deal with the outer environment that you physically live in. Your spirit is vitally important. For internally, you should do a detoxification, such as a 3 day juice fast of fruits and vegetables (5 pints or 2.5 litres). Failures are only lessons so continue on your way with trying everything from A to Z.

These in a nut shell are the ten elements to a successful life. This was a good read and I recommend it to be people would like to be encouraged.

Tags: Breathe, Move, Nourish, Rest, Love, Shine, Believe, Learn, Commit and Live, Self-help improvement book, broken back, mother, gymnastics, champion, fast, detoxification

Positive Psychology

Book: “Positive Psychology for Overcoming Depression– Self-Help Strategies to Build Strength, Resilience and Sustainable Happiness” by Miriam Akhtar

Book Review by Mary Mikawoz

This books is relatively short for a self-help book. It is 254 pages on a digital copy. It is full of good information some of which is common sense but others that are the result of research studies. Miriam Akhtar suffered being “visited by the black dog” but no more based on practices she has implemented in her life.

Miriam spends a good portion of the beginning book explaining what “depression” is and is not. It is rather exhaustive and I wonder when you truly deal with depression, do you need such a lengthy explanation. Depression is a lengthy and continuous feeling of being hopeless, helpless and worthless. It is much more than a passing fancy. It is intense. There are psychological, physical and social symptoms to depression but too many to list here. It is the black hole that you simply can not get out of. There are various spirals you can take down with you from psychological, social to physical and pessimistic spirals.

She starts off the book about the ‘Tale of the Two Wolves.’ The grandfather is explaining to his grandson that there is a struggle going inside each person. A wolf that is evil and mean and a wolf that is good and positive. The grandson asks, which wolf wins to which the old man responds “Which ever one you feed?” It is very important then to feed the positive part of yourself and with determination, deny the negative of any feeding to the evil or bad one.

Miriam suggest doing positive things each day even if it is small and for example involves simply walking in the mall. Many approaches involves using your mental capacity to make changes and as this is the case, it will take time and constant repetition to do so.

Some of the arsenal in the positive kit are: Gratitude, Savouring, Acts of Kindness, Connecting with Loved Ones, Using your Strengths, Mindfulness Meditation, Loving-Kindness Meditation, Physical Activities, and Visualizing Your Best Possible Self (seeing your future positively).

Miriam Akhtar highlights many books that offer further insights into the positive parts of the kit. She references these book as places to get more information to deal with depression.

With gratitude, it is dependent upon the senses you relate to most as to what you are most thankful for. With visual, it might be seeing beautiful art and with touch, it might be a massage or hot bath. With smell, it might be smelling flowers and with auditory, it might be listening to good music or a listening to a choir.

French author, Albert Camus, speaks of “In the midst of winter, I found there was inside me an invincible summer.” We all need to see the beauty and positives in the negative and the cold.

With Loving-Kindness meditation, there are three aspects available – a Visualization of imagining a person smiling at you, of Reflection – reflecting upon positive aspects of a person or yourself and Sound – repeating a sound or mantra such as “Loving Kindness.”

Some tactics for dealing on worrying are: distract yourself, write down your fears, avoid the triggers that set you off and taking one small step towards solving the problem in a s positive way.

These are some of the methods that Miriam has used in dealing with her depression and it can help you too. I recommend this book to people who deal with depression. There is more in the latter part of the book.

Tags: Positive Psychology, Depression, Self-help, Strength, Resilience, Happiness, Visited by the Black Dog, Anxiety, Gratitude, Savouring, Acts of Kindness, Connecting with Loved Ones, Using your Strengths, Mindfulness Meditation, Loving-Kindness Meditation, Physical Activities, and Visualizing Your Best Possible Self

Suffering?

Book: “You Were Not Born to Suffer: Love Yourself Back to Inner Peace, Health, Happiness & Fulfillment” by Blake D. Bauer

Book Review by Mary Mikawoz

This book is extensive. I took the maximum time to read this book before it left my computer due to time restrictions. The practical questions are worth their weight in gold. They are very in depth and inquisitive. They make you really wonder about your past and how it has affected your current status in life. I particularly liked the letters written from your current age to your 5 year old, 10 year old, 15 year old and 20 year old stage and so forth. It continues to your current stage of development. In exchange, you also write from a younger age to the current age a letter. It is very informative what comes out of your mind.

The beginning is good but is indicated as an introduction. It should not be that as it is already an intimate part of the book. It should have been chapter 1 and continued onward.

Blake write about the butterfly scenario. I love this story because it says so much. A butterfly was trying to get out of its cocoon and a person thinking they would be kind in helping it out cut it out of its cocoon. Not realizing that blood runs to its wings and that the butterfly comes out exactly when it is strong enough and ready enough to come out. The person did not help the butterfly but hindered the life path of the butterfly. The butterfly was bloated and could not fly. That is with us people. We need to deal with the difficulties to deal with the good things afterwards. It builds strength.

Blake indicates that we become depressed or unwell because we have not learned to express our emotions. We need to remain healthy and happy throughout our lives but for this to happen, we need to be aware of how we are feeling and able to bring out the good and the bad. We need to be authentic to ourselves.

In fact, no one is a bad person for wanting an authentic life. It is simply a desire that each human being has and should have. If we are not reaching our potential it is because we don’t know how to meet our needs. We don’t even know how to ask for what we want or need.

Our egos are not wrong. If we do make our egos wrong, we effect our psyches in a negative way.

According to Buddha, it is not to live in the past or the future but it in the present moment that counts and makes all the difference. There are many good quotes from many good sources throughout the book. I also liked the affirmations that are included after the chapters.

We do need to realize that negative experiences from the past were there to teach us a lesson for leading towards our true purpose. “Everything is exactly as it is supposed to be.”

With that, I will close my review and recommend this book for anyone who is suffering. Read the book and enjoy the insights. Take the time to do the questions as they bring much insight that you would otherwise would get from a counsellor but this way you can do it on your own. Best of luck.

Tags: younger age, younger self, past, butterfly, cocoon, Buddha, ego, suffering, psychology, insights, counsellor, potential, extensive.