Personal Development Books

This book had a great message: look for the humor in your life and most of all take care of yourself. I laughed out loud from the first page to the last (more than once I insisted on reading passages to my husband who laughed just as hard!). In the middle of those pages I was reminded that how I view a situation will be related to how I feel about a situation...and that is something I can control even if I couldn't control the situation I found myself in. Nan writes with a style that is easy to read, not preachy at all, but you learn a good message just the same. I highly suggest this book as a light, hysterical read that can help you improve your life as well.

Reviewed by Lynn Downs for Reader Views (2/07)

Have you ever had a day where nothing seems to go right? You get up late because the alarm didn't go off, your toast is burnt and the traffic congestion causes you to be late to work again - and that's just in the first two hours. We all have days like this and the stress associated with everyday living is such a common occurrence in our lives that we manifest it into physical and mental ailments.

I was having just one of those days when I picked up Nan Crockett's book "Breakaway Laughter." It was just the prescription I needed to help conquer the stress in my life.

Nan introduces us into her hectic, hilarious life which is so much like many of our own. She is the divorced, single mother of two boys, Gabe and Carter, who keep her on her toes. Through the stories of their antics, she teaches us some of her simple remedies for stress reduction. Nan shows us how to look at unforeseen events using the E.A.R.R. Acronym: E = the event, A = our assessment of the event, R = our reaction of the event and R = the results of our reaction. She emphasizes that the most important of these is our assessment. We can be pessimistic (This is just terrible!), optimistic (Oh well, things happen) or have fun with it (This is really funny! I can't wait to call my best friend and tell her about it!).

Laughing and taking things lightly are the key to Nan's approach at life. When I started this book, one of my children had been diagnosed with a mental health disorder. I was devastated and his behavior was causing me more stress than I had ever felt in my life. I sat down with "Breakaway Laughter" and chuckled through my tears. This book has taught me to "lighten up" and see the funny side of life.

"Breakaway Laughter" is a book that any one can relate to. We see ourselves and our family in Nan and her children. She is one of us and maybe she has found the answer to living a more fulfilled, stress-free life. We can harbor pain, anger, sorrow and grief, or we can let them go and live a life filled with laughter and love.

As work at home parents, we often have more "strange" happenings than the average Joe...things that can often cause us to wonder, "What were we thinking?!"

Breakaway Laughter is a book about life and how to lighten up despite the chaos that happens. Crockett teaches us to handle our stress-filled days in a healthy way while reminding us to lighten up and laugh because life really isn't worth the health problems of being uptight.

As I read Nan Crockett's book, Breakaway Laughter, I found myself chuckling at the hilarious family situations in which we find ourselves. The book made me laugh at myself, and at the same time feel thankful that my own dilemnas weren't so insurmountable after all. I think that Breakaway Laughter tries to help us to take life less seriously and to find positive solutions to our problems, or to at least have a more positive attitude. Remembering to laugh seems to be a key to avoiding depression. I have enjoyed this book immensely and have found myself rereading chapters when I need to laugh. It is wonderfully witty ,an easy read, and a must for anyone who is married, divorced or enjoying the ups and downs of parenthood.

"Each of us struggles with our own custom-tailored demons. Most of us feel a compulsion to control, to solve these issues on our own. Truth is, significant problems are rarely solved at the level on which they are created. This is the reason we take them to a higher power." ~Nan L. Crockett

Nan L. Crockett has endured her share of stressful situations and through a miraculous awakening born of experience and healthy self-talk, she learns to laugh instead of become bitter. There are many reasons she could not only give up, but decide that life is unfair and become a victim of circumstance.

Instead, she changes her perspective through conscious effort, decides to laugh at life's sticky situations and turns flying soup into a spiritual celebration of being human. Through an analysis of each stressful situation, she realizes that it can't be worse than dying and if no one is dying, then why is she so upset? After all, what is so terrible about soup flying out of a blender right before visitors arrive for dinner? As various disasters strike the "Bridget Jones of marriage" with alarming frequency, Nan L. Crockett goes one step further. She has her own little "conversation with God" about her Sacred Contract (Carolyn Myss fans will be loving this chapter).

Why does she keep letting her son's friends stay over on the weekend? Was buying a house with a hot tub on the third floor such a good idea? Is all the worry about eating in carpeted areas really worthwhile? What will you remember about your life when you are eighty?

Through her conversational chapters she shows great insight into the mysteries of life and decides that she was put on this earth to make people feel better about their lives because her life is really destined for disaster. But before the end of each chapter, where we almost conclude it can't get any worse, it almost seems to turn out for the better. With stunning clarity, Nan L. Crockett seems to be able to not only analyze her situation, she explains it in a way that makes you feel that it was a good thing challenges occur or we would all be left as lackluster souls needing a little dusting and not being polished to our destined perfection.

~The Rebecca Review

I read this and I really liked it. I think some of the humor was smart and helpful. I think a great companion to this is the BreakUp Workbook by the brokenheartedgirl website. Both really helped me get over my ex.

This book is amazingly simple...I could have thought of it myself...had I not just been dumped and thinking about little else. The exercises are simple, yet helpful. It allows you to vent your feelings without doing anything stupid, humilitating yourself and making the situation worse. I'd recommend it to anyone who's been dumped and suffering a blow to their self-esteem

I'm a therapist who was presented with a copy of The Breakup Diary by one of my patients. She told me she wanted to use it as a template for our discussions. I took it home, looked over the exercises, and was surprised that this book was written by a comedian. The exercises were actually very helpful. Coupled with therapy, this book really helped my patient get over her Ex. I have since purchased 25 copies to give to my patients who were going through similar problems. I really recommend this book. It's light and funny but a very helpful read. - Dr. MGB

My copy of The Breakup Diary just arrived yesterday and I LOVE IT! I stayed up until 2 o'clock in the morning doing the exercises and I couldn't wait to get back to them today. I swear, it's like I have a therapist sitting right on my table just waiting for me to "talk to." I'm buying two more copies to keep on hand for friends. I've kept journals after breakups, but always sort of wrote all over the place. Never pinpointing specific problems to help me find solutions. This nails the problems on the head and really helps you open your heart and let it all out. Great idea. Great book. Highly recommended. If I could give it 10 stars, I would!

What an outstanding guided journal. Breakups can be traumatic at times. However, if you read The Breakup Diary and follow Lisa's guidelines that she presented to you, chances it will help you overcome your breakup. Lisa did a wonderful job on preparing this book. Lisa has a great sense of humor and she displays her humor, instead of pain to overcome a bad relationship. This book is a must for anyone going through a Breakup. Lisa, I'm proud of you. You Go Girl!!! Good Luck, I wish you much success with The Breakup Diary...

Bullies and Victims gives an encyclopedia of information, written in a captivating style. You get the inside view of all the types and perspectives of bullying in eye-opening stories of both the bullies and their victims from age three on up. The authors have really done their homework - the research is factual and thorough. They take you inside the minds and souls of the bullies and the victims and show how bullying impacts children in the moment, and also how the effects reverberate through the victims' lives well into adulthood. This book doesn't just lay out the problems, but delineates pathways to solutions and how parents, schools, communities and cultures can help. It's a must-read for parents, educators, counselors and anyone who cares what happens to children on the playground, at achool and in their social groups. Joanne Stern,Ph.D. author of Parenting Is a Contact Sport

This is a pretty good book. I also recommend Helen Smith's "The Scarred Heart: Understanding and Identifying Kids Who Kill," which has a lot to say about the way bullying can lead to serious violence when schools don't take it seriously -- and some examples from schools that have dealt with bullying well, along with some that have dealt with it badly.

This is a must-read for today's parents and educators. Buy one for yourself, and one as a donation to your school's resource library--that's what I did. This book helps us empower our children, awaken ourselves to the ongoing crisis on the playground, and break the cycle of abuse. Many victims become bullies...and many more children are silent witnesses to a secret code of intimidation that can lead to horrific violence over time. This book is an excellent tool to break the cycle. We owe it to our children to give them skills with which to break out of the typical victim/bully/witness trap. They will be better for it, and safer. Buy two now.

Every parent, grandparent or just adults in general should read this wonderful book. After reading what todays children are going though please pass this on to a friend. I have purchased copies of these books and passed them on to our school district. They not only read them, but have had SuEllen Fried come and work with our children, teachers and parents. Please keep up the writing and your love for our children. Connie Cincinnati, Ohio

I am working on a seminary doctoral project on bully prevention. This book was an invaluable resource for the project. Parents need to understand the difficulties and hardships that today's children must endure.

This was without reserve the best Christmas music and movie review book I have ever read. The comments were both intelligent and funny. The whole book was both well researched and entertaining. The world is a better place because of this book.

CHRISTMAS'S MOST WANTED is a reference book about Christmas customs, traditions, songs, films, evergreen trees, music, cards, foods, and a lot more.

Do you associate a certain film with Christmas? Well, this book gives detailed information in the chapter called Holiday Movie Classics. Some of the old movies mentioned are: Holiday Inn (1942), Christmas in Connecticut (1945), It's A Wonderful Life (1946), The Bishop's Wife (1947), Miracle on 34th Street (1947) and White Christmas (1954). With each film, a brief summary of the storyline is given and all of the actors are named. I have to say that was my favorite chapter.

You can also learn about the tradition of mistletoe, sending cards, singing carols, how Santa's reindeer were named and questions you never even thought to ask!

The book answers a lot of questions and I thought it was well researched, but this is primarily a secular book so don't expect many religious topics. Most of the religious references are in the chapter called Nollaig Shona which is Merry Christmas in Irish. The two references that I found to the Magi (Wise Men or Three Kings) was in a paragraph about the song, "Twelve Days of Christmas." In the song, the Twelfth Day is the Epiphany, the day that the Three Kings brought gifts for the Baby Jesus. (That's the reason that many of us leave our Christmas trees up until, January 6, which is the twelfth day of Christmas). The other reference was about a piece that was done by Dave Brubeck.

The word Christmas comes from two words put together. They are Christ's Mass.

Once you get this book, you may not want to have another Christmas without it.

In more than 280 pages, the authors discuss all things Christmas as they pick their "Top 10" in categories ranging from mistletoe to carols, from rangifer tarandus (reindeer) to animated cartoons. The choices are necessarily subjective, and much of the text is funny, filled with references to pop culture, music, TV and film. Pick your idea of the 10 worst Christmas songs on the radio, and see if your list compares with theirs.

The authors include scads of trivia and the inside scoop on holiday history and traditions you may never have heard of.

As you enjoy the nostalgia you'll also find useless but fascinating stuff like this: Somebody figured out that Santa has to visit 91.8 million homes in 31 hours, which means he has to make 822.6 visits per second and travel at 650 miles per second. Whew!

This would be the perfect book to have on hand for guests at Christmas, and it would make a great conversation-starter. It's fully indexed, and the bibliography includes quite a few Web sites for follow-up.

This book will definitely put you in the Christmas spirit as you learn everything you wanted to know about Christmas but are afraid to ask! I highly recommend this as a read for yourself and a stocking stuffer for others.

This book is a real treat. It's a lot of fun to read about all the different kinds of trivia in here. I love holiday music, and it talks about all the great ones, and some new ones I haven't heard of before! And the movies and cartoons, brings back a lot of childhood memories.

Tons of short, fun, interesting snippets of holiday information. Just perfect to pick and read for a few minutes. This book is the perfect holiday "bathroom" book, and I don't mean that in a bad way. There's something in here for everyone, and tons of short, fun, and interesting trivia about Christmas. As the other review said, you can read a chapter or two then come back to it later.

Leave it out for guests to read, too. It makes Christmas more fun!

Pros:
Very professionally recorded
Mr. Harrold is clearly experienced in the process of hypnotherapy


Cons:
For me, it took a few sessions to allow my "unconscious mind" to get used to Mr. Harrold's accent.
You must feel assured that you will not be disturbed or interrupted when you listen to this CD. For me, this diminished the quality of the sessions (not really a con, I guess).

Verdict: Overall, I found this CD to be useful and genuinely effective at improving my self-confidence. I feel I have become more relaxed and at ease, though the changes are indeed very subtle. I recommend this product and also recommend that the user go into the sessions with an open mind and a willingness to allow the process a chance at succeeding.

I own five CDs by Glenn Harrold. Develop Your Self Confidence (Diviniti) (Diviniti) and Creating Inner Peace & Calm are my two favorites. What I especially like about Develop Your Self Confidence (Diviniti) (Diviniti) is that it is makes no attempt to be anything other than what it is. The music doesn't intrude. The speaker (Glenn Harrold) delivers the hypnotic words in a not-overly-dramatic tone which allows me to use the CD to relax every day, if I wish, without becoming bored with it. And I've been using this CD every week for about three years.

The messages on the CD are unquestionably uplifting and completely logical.

The second sequence (roughly 28 minutes long) is even more unintrusive than the first. It's somewhat similar to the first sequence on Glenn's CD Deep Sleep (Diviniti) (Diviniti) in that it conjurs up few images to stir your imagination and relies more on calming, very slightly confusing - i.e. mesmerizing - words. Since, once a CD has finished playing, my CD player shuts itself off, I use this second sequence by itself to help me relax as I drift off to sleep at night.

Develop Your Self Confidence (Diviniti) (Diviniti) is a subtle masterpiece, useful anytime of day or night when you just want to let go.

If you are plagued with a lack of self-confidence, try this CD. It is not a panacea, but I definitely experienced what can best be described as a mind switch. Mr. Harrold's soft, calm voice is so soothing, and his words are reassuring and comforting.

Am I brimming with cocky self-confidence yet? No, I hope I never will be, and I don't think that is the point of this exercise. But for the first time in years, I feel as if I am on my way to a new (and definitely more confident) way of approaching my life.

As a complement to this CD, I can also recommend "Self Healing with Guided Imagery" by Andrew Weil and Martin Rossman, and "Beverly Hills Hypnosis - Motivation to Move".

Good luck in your own personal quest to find the elusive life balance so many of us seek.

I was skeptical at first when I ordered this CD. I never used a hypnosis CD before and wasn't sure it would work. After using it for the first few days, I started to feel a change from within me, and my confidence in certain areas has improved. The voice of Glenn Harrold is relaxing and has the ring of a trusted friend or collegue. I would suggest Glenn Harrold's recordings to those of you who may question using hypnotic recordings. I've purchased his "Financial Abundance" and "Weight Loss" as well. Both are very good. As a certified health and fitness instructor, the Weight Loss recording is nice as well.

This CD is very relaxing and it has really helped improve my self confidence. It is also very relaxing. It is one of the best CD's for building self confidence that I have used. You will enjoy this CD.

A very good, nuts and bolts book that helps greatly with the caring of a patient with a fading mind. Thank You

I think this book is an excellent book in givig ideas as to the different problems that can occur when caring for one that has AD. It gives examples of the do's and don't's during various problems that can arise in caregiving

I had the opportunity to work with Ms. Bell at the Helping Hands center almost 10 years ago. It is an amazing program and she is the most amazing person I have ever met. This book teaches you the fundamentals of how the Day Care operates and how to communicate with those afflicted with Dementia. After all these years I still rely on this book and its teachings in my work as a therapist.

This book was very easy to read and understand and for someone just starting caregiving the book gives some good ideas. I do think though that for more indepth information there are better books out there.

As a professional in the Alzheimer's field, as well as a family caregiver, I have read dozens of books on caring for people with Alzheimer's disease. Though there are many excellent ones (Claudia J. Strauss's "Talking to Alzheimer's" and Bell & Troxel's "The Best Friends' Book of Alzheimer's Activities" are other favorites), this is the first book I most recommend to anyone on the challenging journey of caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease. It is simply superb.

An excellent resource for women and men to assist in understanding the ebb and flow of hormonal change during midlife. The effect of such changes on both the psychological and physical domains are discussed. The time during which these hormonal changes occur can become extremely trying and tumultuous for individuals and their partners.This book addresses ways to assess the changes that are occurring and approaches to managing them. Double Menopause speaks well to a complex phenomena and simplifies it. This is a unique resource for men and women whose lives are affected, directly or indirectly, by menopausal or andropausal changes.

Double Menopause really hits home !!! There is a wealth of useful information for both myself and my husband - very easy ( and fun) to read - it's helped our relationship tremendously. This makes a great anniversary gift for mid-life couples.

This is a great book, and would have saved our marriage if we had read it in time! I finally understand what happened between my wife and myself, and it wasn't either of our faults. Too bad we didn't know this until after the painful divorce.
Hormones affect men just as much as women, and we were both ignorant of how important it is to know what your spouse is going through at midlife. Give this book to anyone in their middle years, and they will be forever greatful. Heck, they should read it before they even get to that stage of life.
It should be required reading for everyone as they get to their 30's, and beyond

I thoroughly enjoyed reading DOUBLE MENOPAUSE by Dr. Nancy Cetel. It was comforting to know that there is solid information about the next phase of life for me. Being prepared for some of the possible effects of changing hormone levels will only make the transition easier.
The book was well written and interesting. I especially appreciated the chapter entitled THE TRUTH ABOUT ANTI-AGING. I agree with Dr. Cetel's philosophy about the aging process and found her advice for maximizing longevity very helpful.

This is not only a very informative book, but an enjoyable read. Dr. Cetel is a great communicator. I knew a lot about perimenopausal symptoms but knew relatively little until now of the hormone-related changes a middle-aged husband would also be experiencing. Dr. Cetel gives clear, practical advice on what women and men can say and do that will ease and support the other's experience. Her "tips" for reconnecting with your partner and achieving greater intimacy in mid-life ("hormonal harmony") are quite actionable and fun (I've tried several already with good results.) I also liked her advice for an overall healthy lifestyle. This may be the one book on menopause your husband will want to read. I highly recommend it if you're committed to your marital relationship lasting and growing.

I ordered this book because the title caught my eye; did I get an eyefull! Not only is it well written - come on, when was the last time you read a book and enriched your vocabulary at the same time?? - but it makes sense!
I was in the camp of 'oh no, not another book about childhood and psychology' when I started it, but a couple of chapters into it my reticence transformed into curiosity and 5 or so chapters into it I was hooked. What stayed with me well after finishing reading it are the character types, the emotional reactions in all sorts of settings and - yes, at the risk of sounding like an advertisement - how to experience the moment.
I recommed this book to anyone who is a seeker or anyone trying to make sense of the incomprehensible.

of a book by viscott (or any author) that elaborates on viscott's chapter "the skills for working through hurt"? I thought viscott's book was entirely worth while if only for that chapter and his 11 phrases that can be spoken to someone who has just said something hurtful in order to help diffuse the situation before it festers and turns into resentment and anger. These simple expressions have had a significant effect in my work life.

I used to listen to Viscott when he was on the radio and attended one of his seminars before his death. I think Viscott comes closer than anybody else out there in describing how emotions work.

Wow! I'm so glad I ordered this book. I'd originally found it by looking for a "how do I let go of my past issues" book for my boyfriend, as all the other books seemed to speak in dreamy metaphysical terms that turned him off. But here is a book that explains things in rational, reasonable terms without being preachy or flakey. I LOVE this book! I'm in the middle of it now, and already changes are happening, awareness is heightened and I'm feeling more confident about myself than I have in a long time. Aside from the fact that it's so straightforward, this book offers more than how to "help yourself." Emotionally Free becomes a helpful tool in unraveling the seemingly indiscernible motivations of others. Have you ever found yourself face to face with a friend or co-worker whose reaction over a negative issue was such a marked departure from how they normally might react, that you have been flushed with fear and anxiety? READ THIS BOOK! I can't say how many times I've turned a page, read a few lines, and been brought to a memory of an instance like that and was thrilled to finally gain some understanding of what had actually happened. Amazing! You will not only learn how to deal with your own emotions, but your understanding of others will help ease painful, irritating or downright infuriating confrontations with others. I cannot say enough good things about this book.

David Viscott was one of the most insightful practitioners and writers in this arena. I used to listen to him on the radio, and was always impressed by his ability to pinpoint issues. He understood emotions and how to resolve them.

An outstanding author who believing in her God powers, who writes with an unmistakeble spiritual uplifting 'flair'. Margaret is an inspiration to all who have come to know and touch her. A moment or two with her is a lifetime of lessons learned. I highly recommend "Everyday Miracles" to those who wish to receive peace within their hearts. Rhoda Galgiani

Everyday Miracles is a well-written collection of true short stories. Whether her story or someone else's, Margaret writes each story as if it were her own experience. Each chapter provides a simple truth about life and about how we should live. Everyday Miracles is a book one should read again and again and share with others.

I met Margaret on poetrysoup.com. A great person to be called friend.
I have just finished reading Margaret Okubo's Everyday Miracles. I could certainly identify with a few of these short stories. I found them very inspirational and uplifting to the heart. Some of them I even went back and read a second time. Great stories of love and courage to share with others. A must for every library. Great writing Margaret and continue to share.

If you are looking for cause to believe in a higher power, I strongly recommend Everyday Miracles. Truly inspirational, I found myself marveling at events in the author's life that touched my heart and soul deeply. Some stories surprising, some frightening, and some even amusing. Each one a different reason to be astounded. An intriguing book you will not be able to put down.

Margaret Okubo has come up with yet another inspirational book - a collection of short but powerful and moving stories that will indeed touch your heart. Each story is deeply rewarding and makes one appreciate and believe in the invisible and powerful hand of God.
The stories will cheer you, motivate you, baffle you and even make you cry. The book is touching and worth every cent you will spend on it.

I thouroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I also read and studied "The Mother Factor". Both of these books should be used in conjunction with each other for the best results.

This book will help you overcome the career problems instilled in you from the way your father raised you. The first step is to be aware of the things written in your father factor "rule book". The next step is to figure out a way to change these rules to ones that will help you in your career. If you go on denying that the problems encountered in your career have anything to do with the way your father raised you, then you will run into more problems changing the pattern then you would otherwise. The book points out that denial is a way of allowing your father factor rules to creep up on you and sabotage your career. Most of us try to solve our problems by cutting the "branches and stems" instead of the roots, hence allowing our problems to crop up all over the place. By studying this book and following the author's advice however, you will not likely be blind-sided by those unwritten father factor "rules".

This book is written by an extremely knowledgable professional. In general, I tend to be skeptical about self-help books but this one was worth every dime and more. I felt that I was receiving quality phychotherapy, which I could partake of at my own rate of comprehension. While it's true that a portion of its content is clinical--maybe a tad dry--the bulk of it is engaging and illuminating. The advice, checklists and exercises are extremely valuable. If you are open to this man's message, able to think critically about your behavior and its influences, and motivated enough to change by doing the difficult work herein, then this book will help you. For me, it was validation. It was the first, and most important, step toward healing and reform. It took me several months to read it because I re-read a lot of material, using it more as a textbook. Not only did I recognize myself in its pages but also many other types of my coworkers. This book increased my awareness and understanding of why people do the dysfunctional things they do, thus increasing my empathy and sympathy and, inevitably, my productivity and progress.

I am always leery of new ways to blame our parents for our struggles. Fortunately this book didn't fall into that trap. It does offer some interesting insights into how our leadership and management styles at work may be influenced by the styles and preferences of our dads.

It's not all bad news. I can attribute my creative approach to problem solving, the use of humor to put people at ease as well as my reluctance to play office politics to my dad.

In my work coaching executives, this book is helpful in shedding a light on previously misunderstood behaviors. Seeing the source of a lack of power, low self esteem of hesitance in decision-making has been very useful. This helps in my work with men who are dealing with a sense of disconnection with their professional success. Dr Poulter offers some interesting sources of blind spots - those unexplained reasons why we do what we do. This can really help with those "hot-buttons" we all have and a new way to work with them

I wrote an article about this book on my blog at my website about "The Disquiet in Men".

This is a very intense book requiring a lot of self honesty and much self reflection. However, I highly recommend it for any man or woman who experiences a lot of anger and frustration related to career and "father" issues that they just can't resolve.

The Father Factor: How Your Father's Legacy Impacts Your Career comes from a psychologist who maintains the influence of a father is key to understanding choices and roadblocks in a career. Both positive and negative impacts are surveyed, from a passive or absent father's influence to understanding how destructive messages translate into workforce action or inaction. The 'what you can do about it' section is critical for change and a successful career approach.