Book Review - The First Thirty Seconds by Stephen M. Armstrong

When I saw the cover of this book, I was instantly drawn to it. I love trees and although it's not my favorite color, I love orange too. I will admit I let physical beauty influence me over content. When the book first arrived and I flipped through it, I was a little disappointed. It's very sparse. Not a lot of words in this one. You see I'm a meat and potatoes kind of reader. I like a lot of substance in my books. Give me a book with 500-600 pages in tiny print and I'm in heaven. So at first glance, this nook made me feel like I was being rationed, being put on a diet. Once again, I was letting the physical appearance sway my judgment. I was torn. Torn between that esoteric disappointment and being very busy, part of me was relieved - this book was so sparse I'd be able to read and review this in no time. Then I made an interesting discovery.......

That Stephen M Armstrong is a sly one. The First Thirty Seconds is a wonderful resource for personal reflection. Don't be fooled by its sparse interior. This book could almost be called a workbook. He combines pages of 'thought' with pages of 'reflection' that compliment the thoughts, often times giving you a question to ask yourself. People often comment on how positive I am and ask how I do it. Considering at one point in my life I was the queen of negativity, I always respond with making a conscious effort and lots of hard work. It's a shame this book wasn't published all those years ago when I began that journey. Not everyone wants to reflect, it's often not easy to look inside oneself. Although I don't have the background in Psychology and Therapy that Armstrong does, it is something I see in those around me every day. This book offers a great first step in that journey. I give it four out of five reflections.

There are so many great thoughts and reflections in this book it is hard to choose only a few to give you a taste of what a full course meal this book really is.

Thought (from page 9):

Wherever you may be

in the natural course of your day,

you can always pause to consider your attitude.

~

If it needs readjustment

to more positive or more loving or more sensitive,

the changes in your attitude can be made

within the next thirty seconds.

~

It is never too late or too futile.

The companion reflection (page 10):

What can I use as a trigger today

that will remind me to check my attitude?

Thought (from page 63):

Happiness is elusive:

the more it is directly sought

the harder it is to find.

~

Rather, it is most frequently

a by-product of positive thinking

and positive behavior.

The companion reflection (page 64):

Will I stubbornly refuse

to take responsibility

for my own happiness?

Thought (from page 179):

We all know

that hindsight is 20/20.

We also know

that a rearview mirror

is sometimes necessary.

The normal adult experience

includes occasional backward glances,

sometimes accompanied by regrets.

~

Regrets should not be viewed

as evidence of one's failure as a person.

Rather, they should be viewed

as lessons learned

and motivation to do better.

The companion reflection (page 180):

What have I framed as a "regret"

that could be framed as a "lesson learned"?

* This book was provide by the author.

Book Review - Overcoming Obstacles With Spunk! by L. Diane Wolfe

Overcoming Obstacles With Spunk! The keys to Leadership & Goal Setting is so much more than it's title states. While it is an ideal resource for those looking to take on the role of a leader in life, it is a great motivational tool for the average person looking to live a better life.

Having attended several of L. Diane Wolfe's seminars, I have a slight advantage over the average reader of this book in that I can hear the vibrancy behind the text and picture her speaking to an enraptured room. That being said, the tone of the book reflects her upbeat attitude even for those who have not had the pleasure of hearing her speak. Almost a year ago, I attended Diane's How to Publish Your Book Now Seminar. It was there that I learned she is not only a gifted and motivating speaker, but she gives of herself so freely and shares her abundance of knowledge in a way that you can't help but want to come back for more. Her book is the same way and one of the things I loved most about it is, that having met her in person, I know that she lives by the words in this book. I read many motivational and self-help books, some to help me be a better person and some just out of curiosity. Many come off as "yeah, yeah, I read this all before" or seem all about the author's self-promoting. Some come off as preachy, some as unrealistic, some as just plain boring. As an avid reader, I try to read everything I can get my hands on, but I have to say my favorite books are fiction and filled with action and suspense. So often times I have to make myself get through the non-fiction books because I feel learning and expanding my horizons is important. I will admit, I wanted to read Diane's book out of curiosity, because I had enjoyed her publishing seminars and I wanted to see what her motivational book would be like. Having read books like The Secret, The Laws of Attraction, The Management Skills Book, etc., I was impressed with her approach. While the other books were good, they didn't really accomplish what they set out to for me. They all seem to impart great words of wisdom, but didn't really make a difference in my life, because after a week or two, I would just revert back to my normal ways. In Overcoming Obstacles with Spunk, Diane addresses the fact that while certain changes are ideal, we are human, life will throw us curve balls every chance it can and there will be times when we slip back into old habits, whether we want to or not. Another great aspect of this book, not only does Diane tell you upfront what the focus and the five keys to your success are, but she brings you insight from other authors and sources as well. From the beginning you realize this book is not about her, it's all about you, the reader, the student. She thoroughly covers each of the five keys: developing a positive attitude, learning people skills, raising self-esteem, overcoming fear, and setting goals. She spaces them out and gives practical guidance on how to achieve and maintain these goals interspersed with colorful analogies. I love that at the end of each chapter she has "In a nutshell....", where with a few sparsely worded bullet points she summaries the points of that chapter. Although, I enjoyed the stories and analogies in the chapters enough to want to re-read them, it is nice to be able to flip to the end when I need a refresher on certain points. I was even motivated enough to go out and get a wire bound set of index cards to jot them down on, so that I can have them handy when I need them. (In fact, I would buy a set of motivational cards if she offered them, as I'm sure many others would also. If you read this Diane, Hint Hint.)

In a nutshell... this book does everything Diane has set out to accomplish with it. Although Diane says she is originally form Oregon, when you pick up this book it's like being ushered into a southern parlor and offered a cold glass of tea on a hot summer day. I think there must be some southern genes in her ancestry. Overcoming Obstacles with Spunk! is a must read and great tool for anyone wanting to enhance their life. As I commented on another post and to phrase it for the younger generations, it's Spunkylicious!!!