Live Your Music — Margaux Joy DeNador

Book Review: Money A Love Story – Kate Northrup

This book has shifted how I feel about money, how I think about money, what I believe about money, how I pay attention to our money, and I am glad.

I have now joined Kate's online community and am getting emails from her. I want to keep shifting my beliefs and develop great habits with how I pay attention to my money – our money – and how we increase our money.

Reading Kate's book slowly was important for me because I had developed disempowering beliefs that I needed to shift into beliefs that empower me.

I love the way Kate uses humor and how she tells stories about how she go in – and then out of – credit card debt. Kate helps her readers learn from a combination of her own life lessons about money and the new ways she has of thinking about money now – after she began to change how she felt about money and creating new ways to think about it.

A love story with money – is it possible? In this book Kate Northrup takes us on a journey from where we are when we start reading.

(There is a money quiz in the first part of the book that helps you know where to start and what will help you change how you feel about money – by seeing your answers to the questions in the quiz.)

I love the titles of the chapters:

1. What's Love Got to Do with It?
2. It's Not About The Money
3. Woo-Woo Meets Cha-Ching
4. You've Got You Babe
5. What Can You Do to Pay Attention?
6. You Owe You
7. Feel-Good Financial Planning
8. True Financial Freedom

I love what Kate's mom, Dr. Christiane Northrup, says in the foreword to the book. I've included three quotes from her foreword to the book below:

"We all have a unique money legacy, of course. And talking openly and freely about money in families is not common. so it takes courage – and the willingness to look at, and change, your own consciousness about this subject." 

"Here's the whole truth. Our relationship with money profoundly affects our health, particularly the health of the second chakra… For years and years as an ob/gyn physician I have seen up close and personal how a woman's health is affected by issues of money, sex, and power – second chakra energies." 

"I love that my own daughter, was brought up knowing the link between beliefs and health, has looked her own money legacy straight in the eye – and then, with love and tenderness, changed the barren parts into an oasis of consciousness and practical wisdom. Through the eyes of my own child, I can see how very far I've come from financial terror to financial freedom."

The book is about our relationship with money – and the emotions that go with it and that is why Kate titled her book, "Money – A Love Story."

Kate says, "I'm sure some reading the title will be appalled that I had the nerve to use money and love in the same sentence. To even suggest that money is related to love has the power to offend. Yet I'm so sure that unraveling our money woes has everything to do with love (and very little to do with anything else) that I was willing to put it on the cover of this book."

"To wake up every morning and do whatever calls to you, whatever the heck you feel like doing, is connected to your ability to feel free from financial strain and be open to what your heart is telling you."

Doesn't that sound wonderful to you? It does to me!

Read this book with an open mind and heart. The way Kate talks about money combines the spiritual with the financial. I love that about her book.

Changing your reality with money requires listening to what Kate calls "the voices in your head." Why? Because as Kate says, "Our thoughts create our beliefs, which create our actions, which in turn create our reality." And as Kate says, those beliefs can, and do, come from anywhere.

"If we don't pay attention to the thoughts that are creating our beliefs, our actions, and ultimately our realities, we're not actually in charge of our lives. Instead we're letting some random reporter from the eleven o'clock news, or possibly even worse, our mothers or fathers run our lives."

In my work as a coach, I work with people on their beliefs. We all have beliefs we've picked up that help us and beliefs that hold us back or create problems we then must fix.

What do you believe about money? Do you believe it can be a love story for you?

Kate's mentor, Barbara Stanney, author of the book and course Overcoming Under Earning, says that our degree of resistance around money is proportional to the degree of power available to us on the other side of that resistance.

Kate's realizations on an airplane (in her journal) about self-love…"I've told so many people that the root of all problems is a lack of self-love, but it never occurred to me that my money challenges had anything to do with that and that taking care of myself in this way has nothing to do with deprivation or limitation but everything to do with self-love!"

Kate makes a great case for taking great care of your money as being a way of taking great care of yourself.

Valuing yourself is important and Kate suggests, in the book, to write three things you value about yourself each morning in your journal. I've been doing this since I read that part of Kate's book and I look forward to it each day. It feels good to look back through and read what I've written on previous day.

Each day I start with the words: "I have…" and then just write what I feel inspired to write that day. Kate says not to repeat yourself and I am surprised by how different the value lists are from day to day.

The thing they have in common is they help me feel good and remind me of things I have to value about myself.

Self-value + paying attention to your money + giving more value = receiving more value.

Paying Attention is something Kate insists we do. She's gotten me to set a reminder on my iPhone to so that at 11 AM daily I check all of our online bank accounts. Doing this every day keeps me aware of what we have, what we spend, what's come in, what we owe, and what's in our retirement accounts.

I am feeling more thankful than ever for the money we have and I feel great about paying more attention to the money we have and how we are choosing to use it.

Reading Kate's book has changed forever how I think about money in some powerful and empowering ways. I feel more love for the money we have, more thankful for what we have, and more appreciative of what are are able to do with our money.

I've created a green file folder, as per Kate's suggestion in her book, that says: "Invoices for Blessings Received"

I like this shift in thinking of the "bills" as invoices for blessings we receive.

Each time I put a "bill" in the green "Invoices for Blessings Received" folder it reminds me that it's for a blessing we've received or will during the next month for example our cell phones and the ability to make calls and send text messages; the lights, TV, heat, washer and dryer, stove, microwave we can enjoy using because PG&E provides electricity and gas for us to use each month.

Money – A Love Story. I love the idea of money being a love story. Learning from stories Kate tells about her own life, her mom's, and stories of other people she knows made it easy to remember the lessons.

I love to learn from OPE – Other People's Experiences. Money – A Love Story is just that – a way to learn from the experiences of other people.

Reading this book – cover to cover – took me a long time. But by reading it slowly I was able to gradually begin to shift my beliefs about money in some empowering ways.

Is money a love story for me now? I feel like it's starting to be.

I feel inspired to keep paying attention, make choices I feel proud of, and to keep becoming a better role model in regard to money for our son, my husband, and for all who are in my Circle of Influence as a life coach, author, speaker, and radio show host.

I am glad I chose to review this book and that I read all of it. I plan to read it again – slowly – and move closer to creating a love story with our money.

I would have like the cover to be more colorful or to look more like money – perhaps using gold for the word MONEY and the piggy bank and forest green for the subtitle text. Maybe the second printing could have a more attractive cover but what's in the book is what is most important.

I highly recommend this book!

To purchase a copy of Money – A Love Story, click on one of the following links:

 

 

 

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Book Review: The Radical Practice of Loving Everyone – by Michael J. Chase

Review by Margaux Joy DeNador

The first time I saw the cover of this book I knew I wanted to read it. Why? Because I enjoyed Michael's first book, am I being kind, and because I wanted to read about how the dog on the cover helped Michael learn about loving everyone. 

Who do I think would enjoy this book? My first thought was everyone. Why? Because of Michael's sense of humor, his stories about his dog Mollie, and the insights that came from spending time with his adorable furry friend.

Mollie's combination of "hilarious antics" and "maddening behavior" lead us to insights that can bring us closer to loving everyone.

In my opinion a lot of people will read this book, enjoy it, and be changed by it. I personally loved this book. I enjoyed the stories Michael tells about Mollie – and what he learns from her. The stories are well-told, inspiring, often funny, and memorable.

This is one of the most inspiring – and funny – books I've ever read.  

The idea to write this book came from Michael's grandfather telling him that "loving everyone" was his secret to getting along with so many people. Michael wondered how it would be possible to love everyone. He wondered how you could do it. It was by asking  a new question with the word "who" that he got his answer.

"Who do I know that exudes the qualities of a great spiritual master – a person who lives in the present moment, is detached from the material world, embraces simplicity, has the joyful heart of a child, and loves without condition?"

"I was in complete awe of how she possessed the traits of great spiritual masters. That being said, Mollie is no angel. Unconditionally loving, yes. Well behaved … not always."

While writing about life with Mollie, and the lessons she was teaching him, other "teachers" began to appear in Michael's life. As the book progresses there are stories about them along with stories that include Mollie. The book is about enlightenment. Much of it does come from Mollie but mixed in are Michael's own thoughts, insights, and revelations.

The book is divided into three parts.

Part I:
In the Beginning was the Word … And the Word was Dog

Part II:
When the Student is Ready, The Teacher Will Appear

Part III:
A New Leash on Life

The first part of the book is mostly about Mollie and Michael. The second part of the book brings in some other spiritual teachers along with more stories about Mollie. The third part of the book talks about everyday heroes, kindness, and love. The book has many funny parts and yet it does include some emotional parts.

As Michael says, we all have to deal with unkind people from time to time – family members, friends, and strangers and that is why the chapter titled "Dealing with Difficult Dogs" will be helpful to readers of this book.

Michael has this to say about love:
"The key is to stop thinking of love as only an interpersonal experience. By understanding the essence of love, which is divine and all encompassing, we begin to have options. It can be delivered in a variety of ways. Romantic, spiritual, parental, and act of kindness and even tough love are just a few ways we can offer it to those around us. Self-love is where it all begins though. We cannot authentically give away what we do not feel toward ourselves." 

In the chapter titled Everyday Heroes Michael told us that his Mom is one of his heroes. I could relate to that because my Mom was, and still is, a hero of mine. Michael says, "I'm very fortunate to have another hero in my life who has been with me since the beginning. Even though I've spent 43 years with her, it took me a while to recognize this person as my greatest teacher. She's inspiring, positive, kind, loving, hysterically funny… and everything that's right with the world. And as with my other spiritual super heroes, time and again it's been her unconditional love that rescues me from the darkness whenever I'm lost."

The story of taking his Mom – and Mollie – to visit Boothbay Harbor in Maine, was one of my personal favorites in the book. Why? Because of the humor and the fact that I fell in love with his Mom during the story. How Michael feels about his Mom is how I feel about my Mom and how I'd love my son to feel about me.

The book's title states it is The Radical Practice of Loving Everyone but as you read the book it begins to feel possible rather than being just a radical idea.

I believe this book will help readers look at love – and loving everyone – in some new and empowering ways.

The book is entertaining, encouraging, and enlightening. Reading it was enjoyable – in fact so much so I felt like I wanted it to keep going when I got to the end. It is a small book – a great size for talking with you to read on a plane or while on vacation. I love the cover photo and design which were done by Michael. Just seeing Mollie on the cover makes me laugh and reminds me that perhaps it's possible to love everyone.

I found myself laughing out loud and reading various parts to my husband. Michael is a great and inspiring storyteller.

I recommend this book to everyone however the people who will love it most are those who love animals. I also believe this book can help people who have never had a dog – or even loved an animal – to realize how much love, joy, and enlightenment animals can add to your life.

The book can be purchased from Hay House Publishing or from Amazon using the following links:

Hay House Publishing
Amazon.com

 

Mollie & Michael

Michael J. Chase is known as “The Kindness Guy” and he is on a mission to do what he can to help in creating more kindness in our world.

To find out more about Michael and his Kindness Center, you can click on the following links: 

https://www.facebook.com/thekindnesscenter

https://twitter.com/MichaelJChase

http://www.youtube.com/user/michaeljchase

*FTC Disclosure: I received this book from Hay House Publishing for this review. The opinions in this review reflect my honest opinions of the book.

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Book Review: The Magic of Saying Yes - Betsy Gutting

Review by Margaux Joy DeNador

 

 

I am saying YES to "The Magic of SAYING YES" by Betsy Gutting!!!

What an inspiring book!!!! I found myself looking forward, always, to what stories she would tell next all the way to the end.

As a life coach and author Betsy is authentic, lovable, fun, and unique. Betsy also has a weekly internet radio show on 12 Radio. The show "Just Say Yes" with Betsy Gutting airs live on Mondays from 12:00 - 1:00 pm Pacific Time.

Betsy wrote parts of the book while she was in Puerto Vallarta and it was fun to hear on Facebook that Betsy was back in Puerto Vallerta for a book talk the day I finished reading The Magic of Saying Yes.

 

 

Betsy Gutting - The Magic of Saying Yes! Book Talk in Puerto Vallerta

 

This book is a guide to help you break free from obstacles and embrace your heart's true path. Betsy is an intuitive, kind, and loving coach whose desire is to empower her readers to say YES to their heart's desires and dreams.

Betsy writes from her heart and I felt like she was sitting there with me telling me the stories. I am glad to have read her book and feel certain I will enjoy re-reading it as well.

While reading the book, and since then, I've found myself thinking about saying YES more often. For example, I am saying YES to being brave, focused, and present. It's also reminding me to do things I've been saying I'll do someday. What is your heart's true calling? What have you always wanted to do? For me it means I'll be doing more singing, more coaching, more writing, and more speaking. I'll also be starting my own internet radio show soon!

Do I recommend this book? YES.

I highly recommend buying and reading this book because it will help you discover the magic of SAYING YES.

 

The Magic of Saying Yes: Answering Your Heart's True Calling is on Amazon.com. To buy it on amazon, click here.

For more about Betsy Gutting, visit her website: www.betsygutting.com

 

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WISHES Fulfilled by Dr. Wayne Dyer

Review by Margaux Joy DeNador – July 2012

Dr. Wayne Dyer has done it again! What an interesting book!

To be honest, I've read and enjoyed every book by Dr. Wayne Dyer so I was excited to see it when it arrived, and I am pleased to be able to review it.

The title WISHES Fulfilled sounded interesting. I was curious to hear Wayne Dyer's new thoughts and new stories. 

I was also curious to read it because of an inspiring woman I met at the "Ignite I Can Do It!" in San Jose, California, March 17-18, 2012. Her name is Virginia Hummel and she was sitting next to me the first day of the conference.

   "Ignite I Can Do It!" San Jose, CA
             March 2012
Margaux Joy DeNador & Virginia Hummel

I was fascinated by Virginia's knowledge of orbs. She showed me the photo she had taken which was published in WISHES Fulfilled. During the conference Virginia took many more photos and showed me the orbs that were in them.

In WISHES Fulfilled Dr. Dyer tells some interesting stories about orbs and has photos in the book so you can see them. I love that one of the orb photos in the book was taken by Virginia!

If you would like to see some of the amazing and wonderful ORB photos taken by Virginia Hummel at the "Ignite I CAN DO IT!" in San Jose, click on this link or on the link below the photo of the banner for her website.

    Virginia Hummel - The Orb Whisperer - www.theorbwhisperer.com/

I enjoyed the new stories Wayne tells in this book. The stories are incredible, amazing, and inspiring.  I loved how reading this book made me feel.

Reading this book has also changed forever how I feel about the words I AM.

For years I'd heard it said that what we say after the words "I AM" was important and this book has helped me understand the power of those two words.

Now that I've read this book, I will always be careful what I say after those two powerful words – I AM.

What do YOU say after the words I AM?

Wayne Dyer suggests we say:

I AM STRONG
I AM WORTHY
I AM INFINITE
I AM LOVE
I AM GOD

Yes, Dr. Dyer says we are to say, "I AM GOD." WOW.

Depending on your beliefs this may be too far out of your comfort zone. But after years of reading Wayne Dyer's books, and hearing him speak live at "I Can Do It!" conferences it feels like the next logical step.

Wayne Dyer has said for years that we have God in us - now he is saying that when you say the words "I AM" you are saying the words that mean God. He says we need to be careful what we say after these two powerful words.

For example God – or Source – would never say anything "bad" or "negative" after the words I AM. 

Dr. Dyer says we can change our self concept to include the fact that we have God in us and that we can do amazing things if we believe we can do them.

The book is divided into two parts.

Part one is about "The Higher Aspects of Yourself"
Changing Your Concept of Yourself
Your Higher Self
Your Highest Self

Part two of the book is about "The Five Wishes Fulfilled Foundations"
Using Your Imagination
Live from the End
Feeling It
Your Attention Please
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

Seeing the five "Wishes Fulfilled Foundations" in this list helps me remember what I learned while reading the book.

Dr. Dyer emphasizes it is really important to spend the last five minutes before going to sleep imagining and feeling your wish as if it has already been fulfilled. This final "pep talk" to your subconscious mind is the last thing you do before going to sleep. During the next few hours your subconscious mind thinks about whatever you put into it just before sleep.

Dr. Wayne Dyer - www.drwaynedyer.com

Following are a few inspiring quotes from the book:

Quotes by Dr. Dyer:

"Let your imagination explore the invisible realm in a way that you will allow this new energy to permeate your life, move to a place within yourself where Wishes Fulfilled is a new way of being rather than just the title of a book."

"A new self-concept begins with you placing it in your imagination and living from this new perspective."

"By placing new I AMs into my imagination, my future dream is a present fact."

"Here, you are creating an ideal of what you want to be and assuming that you already are that person. This is what Neville calls the Law of Assumption and he states emphatically, 'If this assumption is persisted in until it becomes your dominant feeling, the attainment of your ideal is inevitable.'"

"Remind yourself that your imagination is yours to use as you decide, and that everything you wish to manifest into your physical world must first be placed firmly in your imagination in order to grow."

"This Divine force awaits your imaginative energy. It can quite easily send the right people at the right time."

Quotes by Neville that Dr. Dyer included in this book:

"A change of feeling is a change of destiny."

"The feeling which comes in response to the question, 'How would I feel were my wish realized?' is the feeling which should monopolize and immobilize your attention as you relax into sleep. You must be in the consciousness of being or having that which you want to be or have before you drop off to sleep."

I am happy to say that I am glad to have read Dr. Dyer's new book so I could review it for Hay House Publishing. I highly recommend buying this book.

Following are links to buy the book at Amazon, Barnes & Nobel, Hay House, and Chapters Indigo which is in Canada:

  

 

 

To read more of my reviews, click on my Hay House Book Nook badge below:

 

FTC Disclosure: I received this book free from Hay House Publishing for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own and are based on my personal experience of reading the book. The review reflects my honest opinions and feelings about the book.

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The Beauty Blueprint by Michelle Phillips

 

Review by Margaux Joy DeNador – May 2012

 
After hearing the audio recording of Michelle Phillips’ talk at the Tampa, Florida, “I Can Do It!” conference, I was curious to read her book. The title, "The Beauty Blueprint – 8 Steps to Building the Life and Look of Your Dreams” intrigued me. But when I saw her book's cover with its beautiful colors and artistic use of photography and fonts, I knew I just had to read it!

In the book, Michelle combines what she has learned as a makeup artist and beauty and life coach to help people create a "Beauty Blueprint" that expresses who they are inside. Michelle helps her clients, and the people who read her book, remember what matters most to them. She helps her readers understand the essence of their values in order to express themselves with the colors, clothes, hairstyles, hair color, makeup, and the accessories they choose.

One of my favorite chapters in the book is titled "Dream a Beautiful Future." It starts with a quote by Carl Jung that says, "The dream is the small hidden door in the deepest and most intimate sanctum of the soul." In this chapter, Michelle explains that she has found that many people have a hard time letting themselves dream freely. Perhaps this is because so many of us have been told what limitations we have or how hard it would be to do what we dreamed of doing, being, having, giving, and living. Some of these beliefs we pick up while we are young but as an adult there are plenty of people who are willing to tell us why we can't do something or that something can't be done.

Michelle has a wonderful exercise in this chapter called "Wave Your Magic Wand." This exercise involves using your imagination and waving a magic wand allowing you to imagine your options as unlimited. Michelle teaches us that if it's totally possible, it's not really a dream. It's just something practical for you to do or achieve.  As Michelle says, "It gives your heart permission to come out and play and whispers to us what is hidden deep inside." I loved how this exercise made me feel. It inspired me to dream with no boundaries or limits. It was fun and enlightening. 

Michelle gives an example of the "Beautiful Future" she wrote about in her journal. Her honesty about where she was when she began to allow herself to dream – and how her written dreams began to come true – inspired me.

Looking at someone like Michelle Phillips, it's easy to think her life has always been perfect, that she always had known what she most wanted, who she was inside, and that she had always just been "lucky."  But her honesty about her mistakes and challenges along with stories she shares about how she became who she is today are inspiring and encourage those reading her book to let themselves remember what matters most to them, and how they most want to live their lives.

I am including, here, an audio recording of my April 10, 2012, interview with Michelle Phillips so you can hear her passion. To listen, just click on the gray bar. If you need to pause it, just click the blue bar and click again when you want to re-start it. The interview was inspiring and fun. It's around 12 minutes in length, so listen when you have time.

Michelle Phillips Interview Recording - Margaux Joy DeNador 041012   

 

 
   You can visit Michelle Phillips' website at: www.michellephillips.com

Another favorite chapter of mine is titled, "Look in the Mirror." It begins with a quote that says, "The best mirror is an old friend." Because Michelle is a makeup artist, it would seem the chapter is about looking in a mirror at yourself. But "Look in the Mirror" is actually about the "mirror" of the people in your life.

Michelle says, "Through my work, I've learned that the people around you act as mirrors, reflecting your inner beliefs and emotions. Who have you placed around you, and what are they revealing about your state of mind?"

The people we choose to spend time with have a huge effect on how we feel. The exercise in this chapter, "Check Your Mirrors", is a great reminder to pay attention to who is in your “Circle of Influence”. I totally agree that it is important to surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you.

Years ago I studied fashion color analysis because I love color. But the way they taught us to choose colors for people was ALL based on what they looked like on the outside. Because I am a blonde, I was told that I was never to wear black and that I "should" wear navy blue, light blues, and pinks. But I hate wearing those colors! The colors they chose for me made me feel sick and as if I was wearing someone else's clothes. I wasted money on those clothes and since then have always chosen colors by how I feel when I wear them.

Michelle's book "The Beauty Blueprint" is about aligning your appearance with who you are inside. As Michelle says, clothing and makeup colors must express who we are inside. They must feel right to us for us to feel beautiful and to enjoy wearing them.

Just before the end of the book, Michelle has included the following: "How to Buy Designer Clothes for Much Less," How to Apply Your Makeup Like a Pro," and also answers "Frequently Asked Fashion Questions."

Reading this book reminded me of things I've learned over the years about what it takes to look and feel my best. It also got me to have fun dreaming during the "wave your magic wand" exercise.

Michelle writes in an authentic, likable, sometimes funny, and unique voice – her voice. You'll be able to hear the passion and enthusiasm in her voice if you listen to the recording I've included above.

Am I glad I read this book? YES!! If you would like to build the life and look of your dreams, you'll want to buy this book.

To purchase "The Beauty Blueprint" by Michelle Phillips, click on one of the following links:

 

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Review: Shift Happens! How to Live an Inspired Life… Starting Right Now! – Robert Holden, Ph.D.

 

 

My curiosity about "Shift Happens!" started while listening to Robert Holden's keynote speech at the 2011 Pasadena "I CAN DO IT!" conference.

My friend, Linda, bought his CDs for "Shift Happens!" We enjoyed listening to some of Robert's stories on our way home from the conference. What we found is that listening to Robert Holden reading "Shift Happens!" with a friend is fun. We liked being able to stop the CD and talk about what he said and what his stories caused us to remember from our own life experiences. CDs rock!

Because we only heard two of the CDs on our way back, I was curious to hear the rest of them. I also became curious to read the book. Because of my curiosity I asked Hay House if I could review both the book and the CDs. I am happy that they sent me both to review!

What I love about listening to the CDs of "Shift Happens!" is the combination of Robert Holden's gentle-sounding English voice and his creative way of making his points with plays on words and inspiring stories.

The text on the back of the book says: Shift Happens! is a book about "more" – more happiness, more success, more love, more peace, more prosperity, and more being the real you.

In this book Robert Holden shares ways to let go of fears, struggle, and trying to do it all by yourself. He also discusses other blocks to happiness. The book is powerful, creative, and can help transform the way you think about yourself and your life.

I like Robert Holden's sense of humor and his creative use of words.

I like his voice – he has a gentle sounding English voice. I found it enjoyable to listen to him tell his stories while driving my car.

I like both the book and the CDs.  

I like the CDs because I can listen to the stories while I am doing errands or driving to or from work. I also like hearing the way Robert Holden adds his feelings to the book by reading it. I've always loved to hear my favorite authors read their books. Listening to them speaking on the CDs makes it easy to re-listen during times when I want some entertainment. I like listening in my car and also while I walk or spend time on our elliptical machine exercising.

The book gave me a chance to read what I had heard in the car and allowed me to highlight key points that I most want to remember. I also like seeing the words written and to be able to read a sentence or paragraph over if I want to really get what he is saying.

Robert Holden says that he has the following, which is in the book, on his computer as a screensaver reminder to always put love first. I like it and want to remember to do it myself so I want to share it here with you.

FIRST LOVE

First love, then think.
First love, then speak.
First love, then look.
First love, then act.
First love, then choose.
First love, then give.
First love, then live.

There is a prayer that one of Robert Holden's clients wrote about saying "YES" to life. The full prayer can be found on page 180 of his book.

I say "YES" to love today.
I say "YES" to happiness today.
I say "YES" to balance today.
I say "YES" to me today.
I say "YES" to miracles today.
I say "YES" to life today.

One of the things I like about the CDs is that they have numbered each of the "chapters" to help you know where you are in the book. I wish there were "chapter numbers" in the book as well.

Following are a few of my favorite chapter titles in "Shift Happens!"

Happiness is an inner light with no off switch
There are no events, only perceptions
Keep smiling – unless you feel like crying
Be the goal!
Give up your fear of giving
Stop improving your life – and start living!
Fear is yesterday
The world has finished with your past… if you have
Forgiveness gives you wings
Commit to living "happily even after"
Shift happens – when you let go
When you take a step, a bridge appears
Exhaustion means there is a better way
If you are alive, you need help!
Some of the best gifts come badly wrapped
Stay open all hours for miracles
Your happiness is a gift

On the CDs and in the small book of 275 pages there are 55 chapters. The titles above remind me of the stories in each of the chapters. After having read the book and listened to the CDs, the titles are now reminders of the lessons and help me remember them.

The following is from the back cover of the book.

"Shift Happens! is about staying open all hours for miracles. Success, love, and happiness are only ever one thought away at most. One new perception, one fresh thought, one act of surrender, one change of heart, one leap of faith, can change your life forever."

The book is fresh, fun, and inspiring. It's a book I plan to keep handy to read again. I love the idea of reading one of the short essays each day. I am glad to have the CDs to hear while driving as well.

In conclusion, I am glad to have both the book and the CDs of "Shift Happens!" because it is great to listen to the CDs in the car and the book can be read one chapter per day to really savor the messages and put them into practice.

I highly recommend both the book and the CDs of "Shift Happens! How to Live an Inspired Life… Starting Right Now!" 

Review by Margaux Joy DeNador – November 23, 2011  

Following are four ways to order:

Book Review: Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson "You Can Create an Exceptional Life"

     

As soon as I heard that Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson were writing a book together, I knew I wanted to review it.

Both of these exceptional women have been my mentors and what I call treasured teachers in my life. They inspire me, encourage me, and remind me to pay attention to my thoughts, my words, and my choices. Each of them, in their own ways, has made a huge contribution to who I am today.

When this book showed up in the mail, on a Friday night, I did a "Happy Dance" and said, "Wahoo!!!" and then I sat down to start reading. I finished half the book the first night, and I finished the second half the next day. Now, I've read it twice all the way through. I enjoyed it both times.

Reading it was especially fun because I felt like I was there with Louise and Cheryl for each of their conversations and that was a joyful feeling. The conversations take place in cities including San Diego, Tampa, Orlando, and New York here in the USA, as well as in Toronto, Vancouver, and London. Some of the conversations even take place with Skype while they are both in their pajamas with no makeup!

I wanted to be part of the conversation. The way it's written I felt like I was there with them.

Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson have made a huge difference in the lives of people all over our planet – and I am one of them.

         YOU CAN CREATE AN EXCEPTIONAL LIFE
Cheryl Richardson and Louise Hay's new book - and me!
     An inspiring book by two exceptional women!!!

 I first discovered Cheryl in 1999 when I heard her talking about her first book, "Take Time for Your Life." Louise Hay came into my life in a BIG way in 2005 with her book "You Can Heal Your Life" and her "I Can Do It!" conference which I attended because of my Mom's health.

Cheryl said her first thought when considering Reid Tracy's suggestion for her to write a book with Louise Hay was, "That would be a unique opportunity to learn from a woman who has had such a vast impact on my life as well as the lives of millions of others."

The book consists of a series of heart-to-heart conversations about spiritual principles that have shaped their lives.

The book is from Cheryl's point of view, but it highlights the comments made by Louise during each of the conversations. I liked that Cheryl also told us what she was thinking, feeling, and gave examples of how the conversations with Louise Hay were changing how she looked at life and how she talked to herself about life.

Some of the stories were familiar to me from reading Louise and Cheryl's previous books, but there was so much more depth that now I know both of them in ways I never had before.

I love the titles of the chapters:
1. Answer the Phone and Open the Mail
2. Becoming the Creator of an Exceptional Life
3. How You Start Your Day is How You Live Your Day
4. How You Live Your Day is How You Live Your Life
5. Don't Break a Habit – Dissolve it!
6. The Beauty of Wisdom
7. The End of the Movie
 
Themes:
Simplicity – small, simple steps…
Optimism – attention and energy on solutions…
Patience – experiencing the journey…
Trust – opportunities for growth…
Growth – life as a classroom…
Service – encourage and assist…
Action – "show up" and walk through doors…
Faith – keep moving forward…
Magnetism – the ability to attract…

Louise says her question has always been: "How can I help people?"
 
Louise believes, "We are powerful, creative beings who determine our future with every thought we think and every word we speak."

Cheryl's thoughts about what Louise said above: "As I consider Louise's remark, I realize, at its core, this message is one of the most important: In our purest, most positive state of mind, we are powerful creators of our very best lives. When we think good thoughts, we feel good. When we feel good, we make good choices. When we feel good and make good choices, we draw more good experiences into our lives. It really is that simple… and elegant … and true."

 

Our sweet cat, Bender, with "You Can Create an Exceptional Life"

 

What do I love about Louise and Cheryl's new book? The size and the length. It left me wanting more, and yet feeling as if it was perfect just the length it is – to savor the first reading and to read it again and again over time for the reminders and enjoyment.

Why do I recommend it? I found it inspiring, and it was fun to read. I felt as if I was there with Louise and Cheryl in the various cities and countries. Cheryl did a great job of describing where they were and what it felt and looked like to her. I especially enjoyed her description of what it was like to be in Louise's home. She made me feel as if I was there with them. What fun!

I recommend it because whether you know Louise and Cheryl or not it is inspiring. For those who do know their work – and who love them – it is a wonderful feeling to be part of their conversations about love and how to love yourself and your life. I loved hearing their thoughts on how to get the most enjoyment possible from each day.

What would I suggest to make it better? To record it as CDs so we can hear Louise and Cheryl having the conversations!! I love both of their voices and would love to hear them reading it.
  
There are wonderful affirmations throughout the book and in lists at the end as well. One of my favorites, now, is: "Life loves me." I've started to say, "Life loves me. I love life, and I love me!" (over and over) when I am on my way to sleep, as I get up, and when I feel I need some love during the day.  

Cheryl asked Louise how she looks and feels so good at (almost) 85. Louise's answers were as follows:

"Well it comes down to loving yourself, loving your body, and making peace with the aging process. When you love yourself, you care about your body, and you care about what you put into it. You also care about the thoughts you choose to think."

"I have cultivated a mental outlook that allows me to see life from the most positive advantage. This positive, loving, grateful, joyous outlook attracts to me the greatest life – and that's why this is the best decade so far."

What a book!!!

What exceptional women!!!

I am thankful to have them both as mentors, teachers, role models, and I am happy that I am excited to see them both October 14-16, 2011 in Pasadena at the "I Can Do It!" conference (check it out).

Here are four ways to buy this exceptional and inspiring book:

Book Review: am I being kind … how asking one simple question can change your life … and your world – by Michael J. Chase

 

 

I decided to review this book because I had seen other people's comments about Michael Chase's talk at the Hay House "Movers & Shakers" in Boston on facebook. I became extremely curious to know more about him, his Kindness Center, and his book "am I being kind" which Hay House published because of his talk at the event.

Whether you've been to a "Movers & Shakers" event, are considering going to one, or have no idea what it is – I am convinced that you'll find his book and the stories he tells in it to be inspiring.

The book, am I being kind, arrived at my home on Friday, May 20, 2011 – which would have been my Mom's 80th Birthday. Because she was a great example of kindness and unconditional love, it felt perfect to have the book come that day. In fact in some ways it feels like it was a gift from my Mom!

When I asked Michael why the title is written with all lowercase letters all except for the "I" — and why there is no question mark — he told me, "The answer is in the book."  His answer made me even more curious to read the book. And yes the answer is in the book.

As Michael says in the book, while many people believe it's too late or impossible to alter their path and make a different decision it's not true.

The stories Michael tells in the book are very convincing and remind us all that it's never too late to change!

Michael suggests reading the book slowly to get the most benefit from it. I enjoyed it so much I read it in one weekend. Taking notes for writing this review gave me a chance to re-visit the stories and helped me remember main points he makes in the book.

The first two chapters tell stories about what Michael calls the "art of unkindness" and they help us see the contrast that caused him to have a burning desire to live a life of kindness. The fact that he grew up with a father who was unkind and a grandfather who was even more unkind shows us we can each decide to make the choice to be kind and to live a life of kindness.

 

        Michael J. Chase

One of the stories I loved is about how a turtle crossing the road changed how he felt about kindness and inspired him to live a life of kindness. Four months after the turtle epiphany Michael decided to create and open The Kindness Center.

Michael Chase's book is a delight to read because of his sense of humor. The title of chapter three is "From Toll House to Hay House." In it he tells the story of how he went from being paid with Toll House cookies to being asked to become a Hay House author.

I greatly enjoyed the chapter titled "Moving & Shaking in Boston." It was interesting to read the day-by-day descriptions of what it was like to be there and how he was feeling from Friday, April 23, 2010, through Sunday, April 25, 2010. I had attended the Movers and Shakers event in San Francisco the month before so I found it interesting to contrast how I was feeling with how he felt while there.

Michael was chosen as one of four people at the "Movers & Shakers" event who got to give a seven minute talk. The days right after the event he got emails from Cheryl Richardson and Reid Tracy. On Wayne Dyer's 70th Birthday, May 10, 2010, Michael received a contract from Hay House to publish his book!

Parts II & III of the book reveal how Michael shifted from a life of misery to now living a life of kindness and inspiration.

In the book Michael will ask you to make choices that can change your world, your relationships, and how you feel about yourself.

You'll want to read the book to find out how one simple question can change your life and also change the lives of those around you. One way is by creating a daily "To-Be List" before you create your "To-Do List" for the day.

What would I change about the book? The cover could be more colorful and have a graphic or photo but the contents of this book certainly make it worth buying.

Why do I recommend this book? Michael's stories are inspiring and told with a sense of humor. He comes across as authentic, likable and unique. Combining humor with this topic really helps make a lasting impression.

Does being kind help you feel happy? Does being kind help others feel happy? After reading this book, I am convinced the answer is YES for both questions. It is my belief that anyone who reads this book will be inspired to do what they can to help make the world a kinder and happier place. 

Here are links for two ways to buy this book:
Hay House
Amazon

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Book Review: The Power of Your Spirit: A Guide to Joyful Living — by Sonia Choquette

 

 


Sonia Choquette has been one of my favorite authors for many years. I've always enjoyed her books and the title of this one, The Power of Your Spirit, got me curious especially when combined with the subtitle, "A Guide to Joyful Living."

When the book arrived for me to review, I wondered if Sonia could have done it again? Would I enjoy reading her new book since I've read several books by her? The answers to these questions were "Yes!" and "Yes!"

Sonia is a great storyteller and she weaves in stories that teach us from the examples of what lessons she or the people in the story learn from what has happened in their lives.

She had me curious from the first two paragraphs of the introduction. In them she describes a movie (that I've seen) which is about a tour guide in Greece who has lost her kefi, which is a Greek word for "spirit."

Sonia says, "The film reminded me that the idea of losing your connection to spirit isn't all that unusual." She goes on to say that she encounters many lovely, generous, and caring people who feel lost, disillusioned, and powerless.

In this book, she guides readers through four stages she says we must pass through on the way to reconnecting with our own spirit.

The four stages are:
Awakening
Discovery
Surrender
Flow

For most of us the journey is gradual but she says it's also possible, though rare, to move through all four stages in one dramatic shift.

In "How to Use this Book" Sonia says, "Take time and enjoy the process. Ponder the questions and stories throughout." She also says to be sure to implement the daily practices for at least 40 days.

One thing she repeats through the book is that you must change what you do and not just read books expecting your life to change. She gives an example of a woman who kept reading more books but wasn't putting what she read into practice. It's with a daily practice that we change the frequency of our vibration.

 

             Sonia Choquette

Sonia reminds us that we are all students. Each of us faces challenges and the stories in this book can help us learn through OPE (other people's experience).

In this book, Sonia stresses the importance of how we breathe. Shallow breathing – and even holding our breath – can keep us from feeling connection with our spirit.

"The preamble to our awakening is marked by a growing sense of overwhelm, exhaustion, anxiety, restlessness, impatience, irritation, depression, and complete victimhood. In other words, it's a feeling that life is a struggle, and there's nothing we can do about it."

Throughout the book Sonia has questions for us to answer which are best written in a journal. She also says to invite your spirit — your most authentic self — to answer them.

After answering the questions she guides you to close your eyes and to calmly breathe through your nose in a deep way that feels relaxed and wonderful. In fact, as she says, it can help you feel calm, connected to Source, peaceful, and energized all at the same time. She calls this "connected breathing" and it is a technique she explains in the book. I love how it makes me feel! Sonia suggests you do it for 15 minutes. It is a way of breathing that connects the breaths and connects you with your spirit. I've heard that the word inspire means to breathe in — and it feels inspiring to breathe this way.

Reading about "connected breathing" helped me to realize it's what I do — and feel — when I do my 15 minute meditation each morning. As Sonia says, using a timer allows you to relax. What I realized while reading this part of the book was how good it feels to do this "connected breathing" at other times during the day — or night — any time I notice my breathing has gotten shallow or that I'm feeling tense and find I'm holding my breath.

Sonia says, "To surrender to the power of Spirit, you must listen to your heart and admit how you feel, first to yourself and then to others, even if your truth makes you or those around you uncomfortable, angry, or afraid." She goes on to say, "To live in alignment with your Spirit is to live your truth and build your life upon it."

"Live Your Love"
As Sonia points out in this part of the book, none of us knows how long we have on this planet. A powerful thing to do is to make a list of all the things you want to do or experience before you leave this life. I love her suggestion to put the list in a prominent place and plan to do one of them — or at least part of one of them — each day. As she points out we really don't have time to put off our dreams for someone else's demands. I suggest we all take her advice and begin to do the things on our list!

"Go with the Flow"
I found this part of the book a great reminder for me when I begin to want to control life: "Make a habit to relax. Let go. Take a breath and look around. Enjoy the view. Accept life as it unfolds rather than try to force it in a particular way."

"The Ebb"
"The greatest challenge to staying in the flow comes when you encounter 'the ebb,' which is any change, expected or unexpected, that leaves you feeling threatened and insecure because you aren't sure what's coming next." 

Ebbs are part of life and they come when our life shifts.  As Sonia points out, ebbs instigate growth — they invite us to become aware of what's holding us back and they help to move us forward in the direction we're meant to go. They lead us into our next experience of being in the flow.

There is an inspiring quote by Earl Nightingale that Sonia included in the section on the flow: "All you have to do is know where you're going. The answers will come to you of their own accord."

The book ends with an inspiring list of choices we can make as part of our daily practice. Sonia suggests we write the list in our own handwriting on a beautiful piece of paper and read the things on the list out loud daily.

Do I recommend this book? YES.

Here are four ways to purchase, The Power of Your Spirit by Sonia Choquette:

Sonia Choquette will be leading a 2-hour workshop on "The Power of Your Spirit" at the Pasadena, California, "I CAN DO IT!" conference. I've been to other workshops with Sonia and have enjoyed being with her for them. She is inspiring, playful, and FUN. If you would like to meet Sonia and attend one of her workshop, click on one of the links below for more information and to buy your ticket.

Book Review: The Angel Therapy Handbook – Doreen Virtue

 

 

I chose to review Doreen Virtue's new book because I was curious to learn more about Angels and to find out what it means to do "Angel Therapy."

Before I begin my review of the book, I would like to tell you a little about how I got interested in Doreen Virtue and the subject of Angels. 

In June 2008, I emailed my schedule for the Las Vegas "I Can Do It!" conference to a treasured friend of mine. He emailed back asking me about Doreen Virtue. It surprised me that he was asking about her — even though she was one of the speakers for the event.  It turned out that he had met a woman named Anna Taylor who had studied with Doreen. As I got to know Anna, I began to ask her questions about Angels. Talking with Anna inspired me to buy a small book by Doreen Virtue called "Angels 101" and reading that book got me curious to learn more about Angels. 

 

 

Before I began reading The Angel Therapy Handbook, I wondered if it would be right for me since I'd never studied with Doreen. But I found myself being fascinated by Doreen's story about how she began to combine her experience as a psychotherapist with what she had learned firsthand about angels. 

What is Angel Therapy?  Here's how Doreen describes it:  "Angel Therapy is a non-denominational spiritual healing method that involves working with a person's guardian angels and archangels, to heal and harmonize every aspect of life."

Angels are a link to Divine Guidance and are available to help when we ask them. The key thing to remember is that they love to help but can only help if we ASK. 

I have to admit that reading the book was fun for me. I enjoyed reading it and began to be more curious about the workshops Doreen teaches. During the past couple of years, I've met more and more people who have studied with her. What they have in common is that they are all kind and loving people that I am glad to have met.

Doreen Virtue has been teaching her Angel Therapy Practitioner Course since 1997 and has helped thousands of people learn skills for spiritual healing. In this book she shares with her readers tools, secrets, and exercises she teaches her students. For those who have studied with her, this is a wonderful reference book. For the rest of us, it is an interesting and entertaining look at her teaching.

 

 
Reading The Angel Therapy Handbook — with Bender

 

On the back cover of the book, Doreen Virtue says, "My life purpose isn't to give angel readings and spiritual healings to clients. It's to teach other people to do these things for themselves and their clients. I always encourage my spiritual-counseling students to teach others — to create an ever-spreading ripple effect that increases the awareness that we all have angels, that we all can communicate with them, and that we all have spiritual gifts we can use to help ourselves and the world." 

This book has great advice for anyone who feels called to speak, teach, or do healing work of any kind.

In the book Doreen talks about a little-known universal law that she says is always in operation: The Law of Action. She goes on to say, "This rule states that as you take any action in the direction of your goal — no matter how seemingly small — the universe will take an even greater step in your direction to meet and support your goal."

Especially during the current economic downturn people often have less work and find themselves with more free time. We can each choose to use that time for some — any — action. We can choose to help others, explore new paths, make new connections, and to stay active. Passivity leads to boredom and self-doubt. Action of any kind helps keep your mind sharp, active, helps you feel good, and moves you toward your desired outcomes. What are some small actions you can take today?

My husband, Dudley, and I enjoyed meeting Doreen when her band, Obsidian, played in San Francisco. Doreen looks like an angel onstage — whether she is speaking or playing guitar with her band. 

Yes, I am glad I decided to review this book. I am also glad that I've begun to learn about angels. What have I learned?

• Angels are non-denominational so they are available to everyone.  
• Angels are with us all of the time — we just need to believe it and tune into them.
• Angels love to help us — but we must ASK them to help.

Do I recommend this book? YES!

If you've studied with Doreen, you'll enjoy having this book as a reminder of what she's taught you. If you are new to her work, I suggest starting with her book Angels 101 so you know the basics of what she teaches. 

If you would like to learn more about angels and "Angel Therapy" get a copy of this book! I feel sure you'll enjoy reading it. 

Here are some ways to purchase a copy of The Angel Therapy Handbook:

The Kick-Ass Dancing Goddess Guide: A Must Read Manual to Stop Playing Small and Start Claiming Your Crown – Diana Dorell

 

Diana Dorell's new e-book, The Kick-Ass Dancing Goddess Guide: A Must-Read Manual to Stop Playing Small and Start Claiming Your Crown, is delightful, creative, and fun to read. I feel certain you'll love this empowering little e-book — and you can get a free copy of it by joining Diana's email newsletter list on her website. I'll give you the details at the end of this message.

I have to confess that I loved reading The Kick-Ass Dancing Goddess Guide. I've been showing it to friends and family members — and they love it too. Yesterday I showed it to a treasured friend who has a teenage daughter. Because of Diana's writing style, we believe teens are going to love her stories and examples, and especially her sense of humor. While I am sure teens will love it, I found it was empowering and inspiring for me. I wish I had read this when I was a teen!       

Kick Ass Dancing Goddess – age 3

Do you ever feel like a little girl who is afraid to tell people what you really think or really want? If we are honest with ourselves there are times when each of us feels like the little girl no matter what our age.

The stories, examples, and exercises in the e-book are sure to empower you – and bring out your own "Kick-Ass Dancing Goddess" self.

What is this empowering "self" like?

Diana says, "She has her hand on her hip. She carries a beautiful gold staff and wears a shiny gold tiara with rubies, emeralds, and peridots, along with a long, red velvet gown. She has fabulous hair. And she knows you better than anyone… She lives inside of you but for a number of reasons, she may feel like she's gone missing."

While reading the stories in this e-book you'll feel your inner Goddess beginning to take charge. You'll feel empowered, encouraged, and inspired. You'll be reminded that to get what you really want you must be clear on what it is you want — and you must be willing to ASK for what you want.

 

Diana – dolled up for dinner ala Betty Page

The story that goes with the picture, above, clearly illustrates the points and helps you remember them!

In this book you'll discover the six top actions that "separate the Girls from the Goddesses." What are they? You'll have to read the e-book to find out!

There is also a bonus section "Kick-Ass Dancing Goddess" affirmations.

I'll include two here to get you started.

"Let all fall away that keeps me from my Highest and Greatest Good!"

"Today, I follow my heart's true desire. I lead with my passion
and channel my emotions into creative pursuits!"

The message in this book is powerful. Love yourself, believe in yourself, and your life will be more fun for you and will inspire and empower the people you love. Life is meant to be fun. Allow yourself to be playful, have fun, and dance to the music of your heart's desires.

If you want to be entertained and empowered all in one e-book, I highly recommend getting your copy of it now. You can read it over and over to remind you of the empowering lessons and beliefs which will inspire you to take action toward your heart's desires, exiting outcomes, and cherished dreams.

 

 
Diana Dorell – The Dancing Goddess

To get your copy of Diana Dorell's fabulous, empowering, and fun e-book:
Go to Diana Dorell's Dancing Goddess website:  www.TheDancingGoddess.com
Sign up for her e-newsletter and you'll receive a FREE copy of the e-book!

To connect with Diana on Facebook and Twitter:
www.facebook.com/dianadorell
www.twitter.com/dancinggoddess

I am posting this message on Valentine's Day to remind you how to have the Valentine's Day — and life — of your dreams. ASK for what you really want and have a Happy, Joyful, and Fun Valentine's Day!

Creating Love for a Lifetime – Kathy D. Infeld

When I was asked to review Kathy D. Infeld's book, Creating Love For A Lifetime – The Five C's To A Successful Marriage, I said, "YES!" Why? Because I was curious to find out what Kathy has learned about creating a love that lasts. Kathy is a psychotherapist, mediator, coach, author, and a woman who has been married for over 37 years.

In my opinion this book can help people create and enjoy a happy marriage or improve their current love relationship. Whether you are single, engaged, just married, or have been married for many years – this book is for you. My husband and I have been married for 28 years. I believe that a large part of why we are still happy together is because we practice what Kathy calls "The Five Cs."

One of the things I love about this book is Kathy's honesty and her willingness to share stories from her own marriage to help illustrate her points. Right from the start she is honest about how two years into her marriage she thought it wasn't going to work. She goes on to tell the stories of how that changed through what she learned in her own marriage which is part of how she helps others with theirs.

Kathy D. Infeld

When I asked Kathy why she wrote this book, she said, "I wrote this book for couples who want to know how to have a successful, sensual, and loving marriage."

One thing I want to make clear is that although the book is about creating a marriage that lasts, the principles in the book can help you improve any kind of relationship. I also feel the book could help couples decide if they are ready for marriage and if they are right for each other. I see this book as being helpful to anyone who wants to have better relationships with the people they love.

The book has many inspiring quotes about love. Here are three of my favorites:

 "Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength.
While loving someone deeply gives you courage."
– Lao Tzu

"If speaking is silver, then listening is gold."
– Turkish Proverb

"Love doesn't make the world go round.
Love is what makes the ride worthwhile."
– Elizabeth Barrett Browning

The chapter on communication was one of my favorites. It is my belief that the quality of our lives greatly depends on the quality of our communications. As Kathy says, forgiveness, resolution, and negotiation all begin with communication. In order to have a great relationship, it's important that both people feel understood and that depends on our ability to communicate.

I would like to give you a brief overview of Kathy Infeld's Five C's: 

ONE: Commitment
The willingness and dedication to work on your relationship and create the kind of connection that will enhance life for both of you.

TWO: Communication
Improving your ability to understand, connect with each other, and create a bridge of love between the two of you.

THREE: Conflict 
Resolution
Negotiating differences of opinion, healing emotional wounds, and learning to fulfill each partner's needs.

FOUR: Cherishing
Learning to appreciate your partner and express that appreciation, gratitude, sensuality, and love in your relationship.

FIVE: Communion of Spirit
Expressing your growth, love, and purpose as a couple – your own unique way of giving through your life together.

Through the pages of her book, Creating Love for a Lifetime - The Five C’S to a Successful Marriage, Kathy describes these principles in detail. I enjoyed reading the examples of the various couples Kathy has helped with her Five C's. The stories, examples, and exercises in this book helped the couples revitalize, renew, and in some cases re-invent their love.

Following are three ways to buy Creating Love for a Lifetime:

Balboa Press 
Amazon
Barnes & Nobel 

If you would like to see inside of the book, click on the Amazon link above. To find out more about Kathy Infeld, her book, and to read her blog, visit her website at www.kathyinfeld.com.

Are you ready to create a love that lasts a lifetime? Would you like to improve all of your relationships? If you are, I recommend you buy and read this book. 

A Course in Weight Loss – Book & CDs – Marianne Williamson

 

When Hay House publishing sent me an email asking me to do a review of Marianne Williamson's new book, A Course in Weight Loss, my first thought was that I didn't want to do it. But then I began to wonder if the book and CDs might be helpful to the people who read my blog so I decided to write the review. 

I've heard Marianne speak at the Hay House conferences, and also at our local bookstore. I found her to be an inspiring speaker and person. I was honest with my contact at Hay House and told her I would prefer to listen to CDs of Marianne's book. The result was they sent me both — the book and the CDs of the book.

This "course" is aimed at an audience of "compulsive eaters" or "food addicts." It seems to me that those are two extremes of behavior and the lessons could also help people who just want to let go of some behaviors that cause them to overeat. It could also help them find ways to replace overeating with loving kindness and a greater feeling of connection with other people.

What I discovered while listening to the CDs was that her message is one that can help people with other issues besides shedding excess weight. I mentioned this to a friend, after I had listened to all of the CDs, and she decided she would like to listen to the CDs and see if they could help her become a nonsmoker. (My friend has no problem with her weight but has been a smoker for many years.) Following is what she told me this morning after listening to the first two CDs:

"I've never had anything hit such a nerve in me about quitting smoking as these CDs by Marianne Williamson. I would definitely recommend this book and the CDs for people trying to kick the nicotine or other compulsions or addictive behaviors. In fact, I woke up this morning and threw all my cigarettes away."

What made the difference for her, I believe, is that the CDs were about a problem that she could pretend was about smoking. She began to hear the message that overeating (or in her case smoking) were ways of being unloving to herself.

We both feel that the book and CDs can help people who have compulsive or addictive behaviors and want a new way to think about their behavior. Although the subtitle of the book is "21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever" these same spiritual lessons can help people with being more loving to themselves in a variety of ways.

Marianne Williamson has been teaching the principles of A Course in Miracles for many years. She found that the lessons she learned and was teaching had helped her change from someone who was a compulsive eater to someone who people thought had never had a problem with eating or her weight.

I had already changed how I looked at eating — what I eat and how much I eat — because of a desire to be a healthy person and to set a good example for my son. But the lessons in this book fit in beautifully with what has been working for me. The lessons also helped me feel compassion for "untidy me" so I can become more of a "tidy me." The lessons in this course help us be more loving to the "parts" of our behavior that make us feel bad — which just makes us want to do more of whatever that behavior consists of whether it's overeating, smoking, drinking, drugs, living in clutter, or a combination of compulsive behaviors.

The foreword for the book, written by Dr. Dean Ornish, inspired me. One of the things he said is that, "The real epidemic is not just obesity or heart disease or cancer; it's loneliness, depression, and isolation. If we address these deeper issues, then it becomes easier for people to make lasting changes in their behaviors." Dr. Ornish also states that he believes, "Fear is not a sustainable motivator." What works is for us to focus on love and the joy we can feel in living. As Dr. Ornish goes on to say, "Even more than being healthy and losing weight, most people want to feel free and in control."

Following are a few quotes from Marianne, from the book, that I would like to share with you here:

"…when you're eating wisely, you're expressing love for yourself… Love dissolves fear the way light dissolves darkness. Fat cells will dissolve permanently when they are dissolved through the power of love."

"For the overeater, food is an area where a spirit of fear has infected the nervous system… like a virus in a bio-computer."

"One of the ways you love yourself is by permitting yourself to want what you want."

"Overeating is an act of spiritual starvation, and one of the things the overeater often starves herself of is the natural right to dream. Invoking the real you begins with expanding your imagination, allowing yourself to want what you really want. You have as much right to your dreams as any other person."

Marianne Williamson has dedicated this book, and the CDs that go with it, to Oprah Winfrey. I would like to share the book's dedication here:

"This book began and ended as a communication between friends. Oprah Winfrey inspired the book, directed its course, and guided its vision. On a soul level definitely, and in many ways in a literary one, this book was a collaborative effort. Every page is a reflection of my affection for and gratitude to her; my hope is that it brings comfort to her as she has brought comfort to so many.

To any reader who may feel this book is a gift, please know it was a gift from her."

If it were up to me, I would change the title and re-design the cover of the book and CDs in order to achieve a wider audience appeal. I believe the book and CDs can help people make positive changes. All of us have our own reasons for resisting changes  — even when the changes can make us feel wonderful. If you're open to thinking of your behavior in some new and loving ways, you'll want to read this book and/or listen to the CDs.

To buy A Course in Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever, click on one of the following links:

Hay House
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Chapters Indigo (Canada)

To register for the 3-Day retreat in New York, click on the link below:

Getting into the Vortex — Guided Meditation CD & User Guide

 

 

I was very excited when Hay House Publishing sent me Getting Into The Vortex — Guided Meditations CD and User Guide to review on my blog! Why? Because I enjoy listening to CDs by Abraham-Hicks. To help you understand why I recommend this book and CD, I will tell you a little bit about how I discovered Abraham-Hicks.

I've been listening to CDs by Abraham-Hicks since April 2005 when I attended my first all-day workshop with Esther and Jerry Hicks at the Las Vegas "I Can Do It!" conference. The workshop was inspiring and uplifting. Being there all day was an awesome and fun experience. It was a combination of the workshop and the book Ask and It Is Given that inspired me to try doing 15 minutes of meditation each morning. They suggest you set a timer for 15 minutes, sit in a comfortable chair, in comfortable clothes, with your eyes closed and just focus on your breathing. I thought I would just try it one time because I like having my eyes open so I can see what's all around me but I found the 15 minutes of relaxed breathing with my eyes shut feels wonderful.

The reason I decided to go to the workshop was because I had read Ask and It Is Given, which was the first book Hay House published by Abraham-Hicks. The fact that Hay House had published the book and Wayne Dyer had written the introduction inspired me to read it. Ever since then I've kept Ask and It Is Given on the shelf next to where I write every morning.

 

To read more about Ask and It Is Given, click here

The words in Ask and It is Given always uplift me. If you haven't read it, I recommend that you do because it will help you understand how Law of Attraction works. The book also helps you get to know Esther and Jerry Hicks who have been leading the Abraham-Hicks workshops since 1985.

 

Esther and Jerry Hicks

Getting into the Vortex — Guided Meditations CD and User Guide is wonderful. I love listening to the CD. The book is a great reference guide to support the CD. As it says in the preface, by Jerry Hicks, it is tempting to just listen to the CD but he recommends reading the "General Well-Being" part of the User Guide before you begin to listen. For people who are new to the teachings of Abraham-Hicks, it would be a good idea to take his advice and begin reading first. But my guess is that you'll be curious and want to put the CD in your player and start. If you do decide to listen first, you'll want to go back and read the User Guide later to help you more clearly understand what they are teaching.

I have to be honest. It says NOT to listen to the CD in your car — because it is to be used for meditation. But I wanted to re-listen to the CD before writing my review and decided to listen to it (with my eyes open!!) while driving to visit a friend who lives about 45 minutes away. What I found is that it was enjoyable to listen to the soft music and Esther's soothing voice and words while I was driving. While it's not how it was meant to be used, I think it could help people feel more calm while they are behind the wheel. Plus, since we all spend so much time in our cars, it is a way to hear the CD more often. If you do decide to listen while in your car, please do it when you are fully awake because it is relaxing!

This wonderful new book and meditation CD are perfect for listening to at this time of year! In fact, the first printing of it sold out before I even got a chance to write this review! The good news is that Hay House expects to have more in stock around December 22, 2010. Also, you might want to check the various links, below, to see if they are currently available. If you have to wait, you'll still be glad you ordered them. Listening to the CD feels wonderful.

I feel certain listening to the CD will help you feel good and align you with your heart's desires. There are four 15 minute meditations on the CD. They focus on the following four topics:

General Well-Being
Financial Abundance
Physical Well-Being
Relationships

I would love to hear your feelings after you get a chance to experience it.

To buy Getting into the Vortex — Guided Meditations CD and User Guide,
click on one of the following links:

Hay House
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Chapters Indigo (Canada)

The Power of Intention – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

One of my all-time favorite books, The Power of Intention by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, has been re-released as a beautifully illustrated gift edition.

Imagine my excitement when Hay House Publishing sent me a copy of this beautiful book to review on my blog! The full-color illustrated gift edition of The Power of Intention is a joy to see. I love the cover as well as the illustrations throughout the book. Each page is unique and is created to highlight the text on it. 

 

 

I first read The Power of Intention in 2004. The hard cover book is a favorite of mine and has yellow highlights and notes in the margins. The illustrated version has the same text as the original book and yet because of the layout and colorful illustrations, the words seem new and feel different to me as I read them.

 

I have to be honest – I love both versions of this book! I still value the original book with my own yellow highlights and notes in it – and I also enjoy reading Wayne's words combined with the graphics and illustrations that add new dimensions to the message. 

It seems to me that anyone who enjoyed reading the original book will also enjoy having this beautiful new version of the book. My husband who is a graphic designer, my sister who is an artist, and I all love the colorful illustrations and layout of the book. I feel the gift edition will have a strong appeal to young people and artists because of the playful graphics. 

In this book Dr. Dyer explores intention as an energy that we are part of — a wonderful field of energy we can access for co-creating our lives as we most want them to be. In the first part of the book, Wayne offers true stories and examples that show how to make the connection with intention. In this part of the book Dr. Dyer describes what he calls "The Seven Faces of Intention."  Dr. Dyer says he believes that if we could see intention it would have the following seven attributes. 

The Seven Faces of Intention

1. Creativity

2. Kindness

3. Love

4. Beauty

5. Abundance

6. Expansion

7. Receptivity

As Dr. Dyer says, to work with the power of intention we need to emulate these attributes and he gives us wonderful examples of how we might go about doing it.

 

In part II of the book, Dr. Dyer offers us a guide with specific ways to apply the principles in our life on a daily basis. In this section the eight chapters show examples of using intention to create the results you want for your life. Two of the eight intentions he covers in this section are, "It is my intention to Respect Myself at All Times" and "It is my intention to Attract Ideal People and Divine Relationships."  Each of the eight intentions includes 10 suggestions for practicing it and each section ends with gratitude as #10 in the list.

In part III of the book you will find Dr. Dyer's description of a person connected to the universal mind of intention. Wayne calls these individuals "connectors." Being with a person who is a "connector" feels awesome because they emulate the "seven faces of intention" — these people are creative, loving, kind, appreciate beauty, believe we live in an abundant world, are expansive, and receptive. Being with them is inspiring and encourages us to believe in our ability to connect with the power of intention to create our world in our own way.  

Two of my favorite quotes from Wayne Dyer are in this book:

"Contemplate yourself as being surrounded by the conditions you want to produce." 

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."

As we begin the last month of 2010, let's all remember these two quotes. We can each choose to contemplate being surrounded by the conditions we most want to produce. And I've found it to be true that when I change the way I look at things, the things I look at change. In fact, it's also true that the more you change the way you look at things, the more the things you look at change.

This book, in its beautiful gift edition, is wonderful to give — or receive — as a gift this holiday season!

Four ways to order The Power of Intention – Gift Edition:

Hay House
Amazon
Barnes & Nobel
Chapters Indigo (Canada)

Whether you have been a fan of Dr. Dyer's work for years, or have yet to read any of his books, I highly recommend buying this beautiful new book!

 

Written by Margaux Joy DeNador – November 30, 2010

 

Book Review: Experience Your Good Now!

Louise Hay's newest book, "Experience Your Good Now!" arrived at my home April 23, 2010. I feel honored to have been asked to do a review of the book and I appreciate the complimentary copy sent by Hay House. 
 

As someone who has read (and re-read) Louise's books, I found her new book, Experience Your Good Now!, to be a very special addition to my collection of her work. I love the book and the CD that comes with it!

 

 

 

In this book Louise writes clearly and with great passion about what "doing affirmations" really means and what affirmations can do for you. 

 

After my first reading of her book I was already getting better results from "doing affirmations." 

 

The book includes a CD with Louise's warm, kind, and joyful voice giving us even more understanding of how to "do affirmations" and WHY they work as well as HOW to make them work for you. 

 

Hearing Louise's voice makes me feel good. I enjoyed listening to the CD —which isn't just her reading the book. The free CD has many additional insights to go with, and enhance, what's in the book. 

 

I am now on my second time through both the book and the CD and I love what I feel when I read what she's written AND when I hear her voice as I drive my car. I can also imagine walking and listening to Louise's CD — in fact as I write this I feel inspired to take a walk while I listen to the CD. 

 

Have you ever noticed that sometimes you need to hear something said in a slightly different way to REALLY get it? 

 

In her new book, "Experience Your Good Now!" Louise Hay says some new things that really helped me get the point that EVERYTHING I say is an "affirmation." Whether what I say is about what I want, what I love, what I enjoy, what I hate, what I fear, what I'm angry about, what I'm jealous about, or what I feel resentful about — EVERY thought we think — or say out loud — is an affirmation!!!

 

While reading "Experience Your Good Now!" I got it. Now I will always pay close attention to what I choose to say, what I choose to think, and HOW I say things to myself and others!!! 

 

As Louise Hay says on the back cover of the book: "It takes some time to go from a seed to a full-grown plant. And so it is with affirmations — it takes some time from the first declaration to the final demonstration. Be Patient!"

 

Have you read any of Louise Hay's books? Have you heard her warm, loving, and inspiring voice? Louise Hay is a treasured teacher in my life and in the lives of people all over our planet.The world is a happier, brighter, more creative, and fun place thanks to Louise Hay.  

 

Do you like to take books with you when you travel? The small size of this book makes it a perfect size to take with you wherever you go.  
 

 

Whether you are new to Louise Hay's work, or have been a fan for years, I highly recommend buying her new book! 

 

Book Review: The Shift by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

 

 

 

 
 

 

I am happy to announce that I have been asked to be a book reviewer for Hay House Publishing! 

 

The first book Hay House has asked me to review is Dr. Wayne Dyer's book The Shift: Taking Your Life From Ambition to Meaning. In this 112-page book, Dr. Dyer takes us behind the scenes and explores some of the ideas and stories shown in his movie The Shift. I enjoyed the movie which shows Wayne Dyer meeting people while at a beautiful resort on the coastline of California. During the movie several of the people make a shift in their thinking — from ambition and ego to meaning and spirituality — that causes them to feel happier and more fulfilled after talking with him. 

 

Because I liked the movie so much, I was curious to read the book. I found it so enjoyable that I finished it in one sitting. In the book Dr. Dyer suggests that at a certain point in life we begin to want to feel life has meaning. He calls this shift moving from the "morning" of life to the "afternoon" of life. The shift in our thinking also causes us to act with humility and feel a greater connection with other people and all of life. If you feel you're one with the Universe, you feel connected with everything instead of separate or apart as the ego sees it. This leads to humility, forgiveness, and meaning which creates a shift in our focus from what we can get — to what we can give. 

 

Here are seven things Dr. Dyer says we will experience as we shift from ambition into a life of meaning:

 

1. We shift to personal empowerment.

2. We see ourselves connected to everyone.

3. We are motivated by ethics, serenity, and quality of life. 

4. We shift to the possibility, even the expectation, of miracles being part of life. 

5. We pursue a meditation practice. 

6. We begin to recognize ourselves in nature's beauty and intricacy. 

7. We are less judgmental, and we easily understand and forgive. 

 

As Dr. Dyer writes, on page 71, of The Shift: Taking Your Life From Ambition to Meaning, "By taming the ego, we elicit the support and assistance of our own originating spirit, and we come to notice synchronicities happening in our life. The people we need appear, circumstances come together in a way that assists our Dharma path, financing becomes available that was never there before, and so on."

 

I love Patanjali's quote about inspiration, and in this book Dr. Dyer included the last part of it which says, "Dormant forces, faculties, and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be."  It is inspiration that causes us to come fully alive and use all of our talents. When we allow ourselves to be inspired life can feel like a magical and meaningful journey. 

 

 
 
 

If you are a fan of Dr. Dyer's work, I am sure you will enjoy this book. In my opinion, the book can stand alone or be read as a companion book to the movie. I like the fact that it is a small book and can be easily taken with me as a reminder to shift my thinking. As Dr. Dyer reminds us, shifting from ambition to a life of meaning and purpose allows us to enjoy life more and can also improve our relationships with the people we love. 

One thing I am wondering is how I would feel had I first been introduced to Dr. Dyer's work with this book as opposed to one of his earlier books. It seems to me that if you've never read any of his books, you might want to start with watching the movie or perhaps reading one of his earlier books first to better understand his philosophy. Here are a few of my favorites: Ten Secrets for Success and Inner Peace, The Power of Intention, There is a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem, and Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life. As I write this, I feel inspired to re-read some of Dr. Dyer's earlier books myself.

I found this book interesting and inspiring. I recommend buying a copy.  

Dr. Dyer's book, The Shift: Taking Your Life From Ambition to Meaning, will be available March 1, 2010. To find out more about the book, and to purchase a copy of it, please click on one of the three links below:

Hay House  
Amazon
Barnes & Nobel

I would love to hear your thoughts after you read The Shift: Taking Your Life From Ambition to Meaning. Please send me a message or post a comment on my blog or on my facebook wall. 

Love & Joy, 

Margaux