Enlightening and worth reading in any phase of life.
Blurb: “Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and soul-stirring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried near the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles in his path. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.” I am sure that many people have heard or read this book. At first glance, it seems like something easy to read. I loved the simplicity and yet the depth of the messages it contains. It’s the kind of book that works on many levels. Jakob goes on an adventure. He meets different people that are an essential part of his journey, especially the Alchemist. The more he gets to know himself better, the more he understands the world around him. Jakob is searching for his treasure, and his pilgrimage is his Personal Legend. Did he find it? Yes. Was it at the end of his journey? No. Why? Because his true treasure was in himself all along, but he was yet to realize this. Looking deeper, this is much more than a great read. Filled with a positive essence that goes deep into spirituality, it reveals something that many of us may have forgotten: we must live our life on our terms to be happy. It is an individual journey. No matter what anyone says, we know what makes us happy and that the power for a fulfilled life comes from within us. I found it to be one of the most influential books I have read, and for me, it holds the same place as “The Little Prince.” I would most definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for answers and explanations throughout their life journey. Quotes: “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting, he thought, as he looked again at the position of the sun, and hurried his pace.” “People learn, early in their lives, what is their reason for being,” said the old man, with a certain bitterness. “Maybe that’s why they give up on it so early, too. But that's the way it is.” “In alchemy, it’s called the Soul of the World. When you want something with all your heart, that’s when you are closest to the Soul of the World. It’s always a positive force.” “Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.” My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon
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Full title: Who Are You? What Are You Doing Here? Where Are You Going: Discover Your Life Purpose, Fuel Your Inner Fire, and Light Up Your Life
A Must Read! I perceived this book as motivational, informative and useful. Motivation comes from the author’s life experience privately or professional. Informative regarding the numerology system that she uses. Useful as this book can help the reader to find out the answer to the main question that one asks in life. This is a book you wish to have and not only check if your life purpose is in harmony with the way you live it but also as a guide to see if what should be eventually changed. I did all the calculations and read carefully what the numbers were saying. I find it easy to understand, and I was amazed by the accuracy of the details that described me. I shall certainly pick up this book every once in a while to make sure I stay on the path. If you are at a crossroads or just curious finding out more about yourself this is a must-have book. I encourage you to pick up this book and let the author’s words guide you through the process of self-discovery, with powerful thoughts, messages, and advice. Type of reader: This book could interest anyone trying to find his life purpose and how to achieve it with the help of the author’s system based on Chaldean numerology. My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon It is now official. 'How to be You!' is the third book I've read by the author and I can say with certainty that he is now among my favorites. While the first two books I’ve read were novels (‘Angelika’ and ‘Eustacia’s Secret’), this one was different. ‘A winner’s guide’ it says in the title. Be prepared to experience something totally different. Through dialogue and comments, the author is talking to you, the reader, in a smart, witty, interesting eye-breaker kind of way. You aren't even realizing when the author's message is implanting slowly into your mind. Why? Not only he did his researches but he really used the same way of thinking that empowered him. Believe me, he knows what he is talking about. And what is the end result? You become YOU. Maybe not over night but if you were listening carefully the change will take place and your life will be where you want it to be.
Though it is a short reading I confess I read it slowly as I was enjoying it too much. I want to underline that in my opinion this guide should be read by many. The world would be a much better place and the individuals happier and content. Consistency is the key. I invite you to discover on your own what do I mean by that. Type of reader: Readers interested in personal growth, and self-empowering, but practically I think everyone could read it from the age of 16+. My favorite quotes from this book: “You take care of yourself first so you're strong, positive, satisfied, and happy, and then you are not only in a better position to take care of those who depend on you, but you also present to them an image of strength and genuineness that will allow them to feel like they want to grow up to be strong, confident, and happy adults, just like you.” “You are a dynamically perfect, deserving, and empowered child of a bountiful, benevolent, and provident Universe, and as long as you can keep your own ego from reacting to those in whose interest it is to deny you that God-given status, you can use the powerful connection between your subconscious mind and the Universal Subconscious to actualize any desire you may have that is both respectful of others and consistent with Universal Harmony.” My rating: 5/5 Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon I have read this book so many times already and the more I read it the more I love it. Each time it surprises me with its never-losing charm. It tells the story of a little boy who leaves the safety of his own tiny planet where he has a fragile rose to take care of. He travels the universe and finds, learns and sees things of adult behavior through a series of interesting encounters. No matter of age, it makes the reader reflect upon many things. It is also sweet seeing the point of view of a little boy with such a pure heart.
I love the simplicity and yet the complexity that it creates in one's mind. I believe we would all be a bit happier if we would remember, at least from time to time. We should never forget how was it when we were kids before our opinions were inevitably influenced by the norms of the society. Type of reader: I think this novella is suitable for everyone, children, teenagers, adults. I recommend it to be read many times in life. My favorite quotes from this book: “All grown-ups were once children... but only few of them remember it.” “It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.” “Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.” My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon I have mixed emotions about this book. I was totally into reading it not because of the title but because of its selling success. It seemed great at first, down to earth with a message of looking at ourselves from a different perspective, but truthfully, for me, the best chapters were the last three. It does offer an interesting view of how to conduct your life based on what is really important to you, what you really care about. I did notice, of course, all the F-words, but I managed to get some good advice too and I enjoyed a lot all the little stories from author’s life or other people’s, famous or not. Lots of things mentioned in the book are logical and make immense sense, and then others are either intriguing or in total disagreement with me. The mixed feelings that I have are most probably due to certain different beliefs and also from different life experiences. As the author said when we look back at some things that we said or believed in the past we can see now that we were wrong, that our perception has changed, the same as he admits that he may think in the future about some things he wrote in this book. I do encourage freedom of speech, so I do admire him for being so straightforward and I am sure he doesn't expect everyone to agree with him. I bet he is actually having fun looking at the “boom” he created with his book.
Reader type: Readers of self-help books with a taste for a different approach. It is definitely not the classical type. It may work for you very well, first if you want to change and second if you don't get offended easily. Due to the language, I would suggest for 18+ readers. Some of the quotes that intrigued me: "The desire for more positive experience is itself a negative experience. And, paradoxically, the acceptance of one's negative experience is itself a positive experience." "Not giving a f*ck does not mean being indifferent; it means being comfortable with being different." My rating: 3/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon We live in a fast world full of obligations and not enough time for ourselves. Either having some trauma from the past or new situations that we face, at one moment we may end up suffering from depression that may lead to anxiety. If we don’t become aware that we need to do something about it, the situation will only get worse. What I liked most about this self-help guide is its simplicity. First, we are presented with the possible symptoms and then with simple steps that could help cure ourselves or make us more qualified to offer our help to someone dear to us. There are many messages in the book that I liked and I agree with, therefore I congratulate the author for being able to create a concise guide that hopefully will help many people.
Type of reader: If you suffer from depression and/or anxiety or have a family member or a friend that suffers and you wish to help, I recommend you give this self-help guide a try. It’s short but concise, and if applied it can make the changes you are looking for. My favorite quotes from this book: “... if you do not take timely action to overcome anxiety and depression, your symptoms could exacerbate to a point where they take complete control of your life.” “It is a great way to rewire your mind to think positively, align your focus on a goal, and create positive thoughts that attract positive experiences your way. ” “You are now aware that the answer to all your problems are within you. ” My rating: 4/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon This is a motivational self-help book, but the first one I read for anyone creative. As with any self-help books, some advice is given directly, some are written between the lines. As with any other book, the way I've got it doesn't have to be the same with yours. And that is perfectly fine. It is called Big Magic and it really can be if you are in the mood in seeing things as simple as they can be. Presented in a very realistic way, I believe this describes perfectly what creative life means and how we should or not be afraid, quit or continue, have passion or just curiosity, but what I think it’s the most important of all: Do what we love without any expectations. This will keep us safe and we will be able to continue creating. Every artist is unique. Every form of art is magnificent. If you found yours and you enjoy it do it with perseverance, fearless and discipline. Sometimes luck plays a big role. The moment you let your work out of your hands don’t hold it to your heart too much if some people won’t like it, don't bother if financially it will not bring what you would expect. A real artist should know how to go above all that. I know it is hard, but it can be possible. Enjoy your creativity and have no expectations.
Reader type: Anyone that deals or plan to actively practice any form of creativity. Especially if you are a writer or plan to become one, this book will definitely be helpful. Being an author myself, a big part of this book felt as it was written for me :-) My favorite quotes from this book: “You can measure your worth by your dedication to your path, not by your successes or failures.” “But to yell at your creativity, saying, “You must earn money for me!” is sort of like yelling at a cat; it has no idea what you’re talking about, and all you’re doing is scaring it away, because you’re making really loud noises and your face looks weird when you do that.” “Nobody needs debt less than an artist. So try not to fall into that trap. And if you have already fallen into that trap, try to claw your way out of it by any means necessary, as soon as you can. Free yourself so that you can live and create more freely, as you were designed by nature to do.” My rating: 4/5. Find it on Goodreads. |
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Message to you:In order to be a good writer, one has to read a lot. And I do and I love it....and I chose to share my readings with you. Feel free to share with me any of the books you have read or wrote, if I find them interesting I will add them to my list. I'll post my reviews on Goodreads, Amazon and all my social accounts. |