I enjoyed reading this book! This was my first finished book of the ones my parents gave me for my homeschool reading list.
It was written by Richard Carlson, an author, psychotherapist, and motivational speaker. In the book he gives 100 strategies to become a more peaceful, loving person and learn how to not sweat the small stuff and make life an emergency like we often do.
I enjoyed his writing style, he’s pretty easy to understand, he has a kind of casual way of writing and it’s like he’s talking right to you. You can tell he really works on his inner self and on this stuff himself.
I may have been looking at it too judgmentally or as I went along I would be expecting it not to be from a Christian view so I would have to find those faults and think about them the right way. Maybe I did that too much. I’m not sure if he’s Christian or Jewish or what- one of the chapters was “Remember that Everything Has God’s Fingerprints on It.” Although, it started out by talking about what a Rabbi had said. He did talk about spiritual ideas and practices at times and stuff.
I did think it was interesting and beneficial to see this idea of growing your inner self and becoming more a kind, peaceful, loving person without a super Christian view on it. It’s interesting to hear about the goal of this mindset. Maybe I went too far in thinking their way is wrong and I’m better, but I do believe Jesus is the correct way. I also may have been coming at it when I don’t understand or was not thinking enough about the Christian way and I may be hypocritical.
Anyway, I think a lot of the strategies have a lot of wisdom and truth in them and I could and should add a lot of them into my life, with maybe a little more faith incorporated.
I saw some areas where I have not been doing God’s Will like the “Mind Your Own Business” strategy which talks about not only avoiding the temptation to try and solve other people’s problems when they don’t ask, but it also applies to eavesdropping, gossiping, talking behind other people’s backs and analyzing or trying to figure out other people. I identified with the “Stop Blaming Others” and the line in there, “When in doubt, it must be someone else’s fault.” I also was struck by the chapter “Be Willing to Learn from Friends and Family”, because I realize I let my stubbornness and pride get in the way of letting those closest to me, who are actually the ones who know me the best, teach me and help me. I liked the “Resist the Urge to Criticize”, and more. They helped me be reminded of bad habits I have, now I just need to put the strategies into practice!
The book helped me see and be reminded that giving and love is it’s own reward. One of the first steps of filling your life with more love is giving love- which will make others more likely to give you the love you want but also because loving fills you with love!
A quote from the book that I liked:
“I guess it’s safe to say that practice makes perfect. It makes sense, then, to be careful what you practice.”
-Richard Carlson
I enjoyed the ones talking about service and random acts of kindness. Some talked about appreciating and showing appreciation to others. I liked the “Do One Thing at a Time”, “Smile at Strangers, Look into Their Eyes and Say Hello”, “Let Others Have the Glory” and I also learned some things through “Seek First to Understand”, “Don’t Interrupt Others or Finish Their Sentences”, “Become a Better Listener”, “See the Innocence”, ones talking about not judging and listening to other people’s views and more. I liked the “Become Aware of Your Moods and Don’t Allow Yourself to Be Fooled by the Low Ones”. It’s also interesting the ones like “Ask Yourself the Question, ‘Will This Matter a Year From Now?'” and “Remember, One Hundred Years from Now, All New People”, they help put things in perspective.
I think the “Keep Asking Yourself, ‘What’s Really Important?'” would be a good thing for me to do. The answer for me, has to do with following God and doing His Will and I need to be reminding myself that regularly.
What’s something you liked about it (and why)? I liked the quick chapters and how each one was it’s own strategy. It gave you enough to think about but not too much, and each one, for the most part, had its own idea.
What’s something you disliked about it (and why)? At times I think I was taking too long to read through the words, I would read it over again to understand it more or remind myself of it and stuff- it may not have been all very bad but some of it was probably not great and unnecessary. I think that at times while reading it I also had the thought of doing this post in my mind so some of the reading over again may have had to do with that and feeling like I had to come up with an opinion on the book as I was going. I wish I would not have done that as much. And maybe I did the Christian view too much. I had this vibe of it and I was making it fit into the vibe.
What was your biggest takeaway or lesson? Some of my biggest takeaways might be seeing all these little ways to help become more peaceful and learning more about how certain things you do or think make you feel certain ways. Also being exposed to this mindset of becoming a more peaceful, loving, accepting self, not from a Christian view point. Again, maybe I was coming at that wrongly or too strongly though.
What is something you’re curious to learn more about as a result of this experience? I don’t know if this counts but I’d like to try out some of the strategies and maybe learn how to add a more Christian/faith view on it!
Thank you for reading!
Lucy