Self Help

Carson, Ben, M.D. Take The Risk Learning to Identify, Choose and Live with Acceptable Risk. Zondervan, 2008.

I had never read Dr. Carson's books. So reading his narrative about the highly risky and complex surgeries to separate conjoined twins was awe inspiring. In this book he uses these experiences to illustrate how to identify risks in life and decide if they are acceptable or not and how to deal with them. He also tells about his life from the time he was a small boy. The risks he experienced then maybe more familiar to most people than performing brain surgery. One thing he dealt with during his formative years was a volatile temper, an uncontrollable anger. He would get into fights very easily, and then regret what had happened. Then came the day that he stabbed his friend and he had to decide if hurting or killing a friend was a risk he was willing to live with or could he learn to overcome his temper? When a young boy he set a high goal for himself: to become a doctor. A big obstacle to achieving his goal was bad grades. He had to weigh the ease of his poor study habits and the importance of reaching his goal. Eventually Dr. Carson arrived at a risk analysis method which has worked for him and he shares with his readers. He also talks about the risks of having faith in God in your personal and professional lives, the difficulties and risks to consider in parenting and even some of the risks we face as a nation and the world. Now I want to read his other books. - Beth Hutcheson, Homewood Public Library

Domar, Alice D and Alice Lesch Kelly. Be Happy Without Being Perfect: How To Break Free From the Perfection Deception. Crown Publishers, 2008.

Have you ever experienced that moment when reading any sort of what-you-shouldn't-do list and cringe with embarrassment because you recognize too much of yourself there? I did that through most of this book. But take heart, the authors don't just leave you in the lurch, cringing all the while! There are interviews, suggestions, and techniques for combating the most unhealthy and ingrained of bad perfectionist habits. I'll be buying a copy for my bedside table. – Holley Wesley, Mt. Brook Public Library

Felder, Leonard PH.D. When Difficult Relatives Happen to Good People: Surviving Your Family and Keeping Your Sanity. Rodale, 2003.

Felder, a psychologist and author of Making Peace with Your Parents, notes that people can learn to live with their annoying and difficult relatives, but not by trying to change them. Instead, by figuring out what triggers certain behavior patterns, people can be more accepting and also devise compromises. Using situations from his life as well as examples from his patients, Felder walks readers through the kinds of analysis and solutions they should seek. Felder's tips are practical as he offers specific suggestions on what to say, but what makes his approach so helpful is his assumption that there is no perfect resolution; instead, readers should aim for a middle ground. This book will be a huge help for everyone, and especially for the sensitive people found in all extended families. They are the ones most aware of the value of closeness, most diligent in their efforts to bring harmony, and most miserable around their family's not-so-sensitive, intrusive members. Felder helps us see how to have that cherished dream of family togetherness and our personal boundaries, too. - Leslie West, Vestavia Hills Public Library

JJohnson, Dani. Spirit Driven Success.

Dani Johnson is a successful life coach and a self-made multi-millionaire. In the book Spirit Driven Success Johnson gives her personal testimony of how she went from a single pregnant teenager who was abandoned by her church to the strong Christian woman of faith that she is today. Focused toward entrepreneurs and business owners, this book offers excellent time-tested Biblical principals that are sure to help or maintain a certain level of financial prosperity. Johnson covers the major myths of money that are so common today; one being that money is the root of all evil when the reality is that the love of money is the root of all evil. Johnson discusses the sure-fire do’s and don’ts of financial security, which are listed below: Do: Pay your tithes and offerings; Have a spirit of giving; Recognize your own spiritual gifts and use them; Have a plan and implement it; Speak blessings in your life; the tongue is a powerful weapon; Face your spiritual giants and don’t be afraid to fail; Have a spirit of excellence in whatever task that you do; God will promote. Don’t ; Neglect to pay tithes and offerings; Have be stingy or greedy ; Be lazy or covetous; Speak cursing in your life with your own tongue; Be afraid to fail. Filled with many scripture references from the Bible, this book is a winner. - Andrei T. Jones, Five Points West Library

Mathews, Andrea. Restoring My Soul: Finding and Living the Authentic Self. iUniverse, 2007.

Dr. Phil WATCH OUT!!!!! I've read many, many self-help books, gone to therapy and worked hard on all my issues. I wish I had had a copy of this thought provoking yet easy to read book to guide me through my own process of self-discovery. Simply the best, most practical self-help book I've ever read written by debuting writer Andrea Mathews. Mathews, a practicing psychotherapist here in Birmingham, uses the method of finding the Authentic Self in her practice. This involves reaching beyond the roles we developed for ourselves as children to keep us safe and help us fit in to our families and society at large. These roles may have kept us attached to our caregivers or to survive less than perfect childhoods, but as we become adults these roles begin to stifle us. Like ill-fitting, outgrown clothing this façade we've created now hampers our growth and creates a plethora of problems we imagine are the result of outside forces. But actually most of the problems we experience today come as a result of the mask and script we have created, and the roles we play. The solution is in finding the Authentic Self. Mathews has written a simple to use text, full of self-tests, and detailed analysis of the most common roles people take on to survive their childhoods. Not only can this book help you discover the roles you've been playing, it helps you recognize the things that are authentic to you. Working the pages of this book offers a practical yet deeply spiritual guide to finding and living the Authentic Self. Forget about therapy... buy this book and start living AUTHENTICALLY! - Leslie West, Vestavia Hills Public Library

Nani, Christel. Sacred Choices: Thinking Outside the Tribe to Heal Your Spirit. Harmony, 2006.

When you are making a decision, do you feel torn between what you are supposed to do and what you would like to do? Are you troubled that some of the things you do conflict with your intuition or inner knowing? If so, you may be experiencing a conflict between your evolving spirit and your tribal beliefs. Tribal beliefs are a set of unwritten rules that are passed down to us from our families and other cultural, religious, or social organizations about the way life works, what defines a good person, and how we should live our lives. Unfortunately, some tribal beliefs can limit our intuitive choices causing dissatisfaction, anxiety, fatigue, depression, and eventually physical illness. In this warm, engaging, and inspirational work of personal renewal, Cristal Nani guides you to listen to your inner “knowing,” the always wise and honest voice of your spirit that will illuminate the specific tribal beliefs that are standing in the way of your success, happiness, and healing. Based on a program that has helped thousands of people transform their lives, Nani shows you how to creatively identify tribal beliefs you might not even realize you have and rewrite your tribal beliefs in areas such as work, marriage, health, and success in a way that harmonizes with your own spirit, talents, secret wishes, and individuality. Best of all, you will be astonished at how easy it is to accomplish such a personal transformation and how quickly you will be healed and liberated from a sense of burden and guilt that you probably believed would be with you for a lifetime. The decision to break free of your limiting beliefs and live the life you were meant to live is truly a sacred choice. A truly joyous and enlightening book! - Leslie West, Vestavia Hills Public Library

Orman, Suze. The Road to Wealth: A Comprehensive Guide to Your Money. Riverhead Books, 2008.

This is a wonderful tool for answering relevant financial questions. Suze has taken questions from her readers and TV viewers and tried to come up with a comprehensive guide for personal finance questions. Want to know how to manage debt or pay for college? It’s all in here. I would recommend that larger libraries purchase one for circulating and reference. -Maya Jones, BPL, West End Branch

Osteen, Joel. Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day. Free Press, 2007.

Osteen gives a chapter to each of the seven points or keys he wants the reader to understand. Near the end of each chapter he has the main points of that topic condensed with suggestions for implementing the ideas. I think you can read these condensed notes for a quick understanding of each point. When you find one or more that speak to what you want to deal with currently, read those chapters for a deeper understanding of the message. The seven key points include motivational thoughts such as reaching toward your goals, developing a better self concept, working on relationships, paying attention to your soul and others. None of these ideas are new. Dr. Peale gives attention to many of the same points in his book and I'm sure others have, too. The "action points" for each section of this book may help you where you need it. Certainly improving your life is worth the effort required to read the book and consider some of the suggestions. – Beth Hutcheson, Homewood Public Library

Peale, Dr. Norman Vincent. The Power of Positive Thinking. Prentice-Hall, 1952.

Dr. Peale teaches us about the connection of the mind, heart and our actions. From his many years of counseling people he relates anecdotes about problems with coworkers, bosses or just coping with the pressures of work. He tells how relationships are stretched and frayed. For each type of problem he suggests exercises to help alleviate the pain or turmoil felt within. Much of his belief is that belief in God and His power and the words found in the Bible can bring healing and peace to a troubled mind and broken relationships. Spending time in solitude, spending time reading the Bible, praying and meditating are all suggested techniques and hopefully habits to develop. While listening to this audio I am conscious of the help in talking with a friend or counselor. Dr. Peale gives practical suggestions for problems we face in our daily lives. - Beth Hutcheson, Homewood Public Library

Petersen, Melody. Our Daily Meds: How the Pharmaceutical Companies Transformed Themselves Into Slick Marketing Machines and Hooked the Nation on Prescription Drugs. Farrar, Straus and Giroux., 2008.

IIf the title of this book catches your interest then you will surely appreciate the contents. The author, Melody Petersen, wrote about the pharmaceutical industry for four years as a reporter for The New York Times. In 1997, her investigative reporting won a Gerald Loeb Award, one of the highest honors in business journalism. From the book’s introduction: “This is a book about a great transformation in the prescription drug industry over the last twenty-five years. Once the most successful pharmaceutical companies were those with the brightest scientists searching for cures. Now the most profitable and powerful drug makers are those with the most creative and aggressive marketers. The drug companies have become marketing machines, selling anti-depressants like Paxil, pain pills like Celebrex, and heart medications like Lipitor with the same methods that Coca-cola uses to sell Sprite and Proctor and Gamble uses to sell Tide. Selling prescription drugs – rather than “discovering” them – has become the pharmaceutical industry’s obsession.” This book is exceedingly interesting and informative and more than a little scary.--- Mondretta Williams, Leeds Public Library

Richo, David. Everyday Commitments: Choosing a Life of Love, Realism, and Acceptance. Shambhala, 2008.

This slim little book is intended to be read and the personal affirmations used over the course of 52 weeks in order for the reader to grow as a person and lead a more loving and fulfilling life. It loses impact with a quick reading as these little gems of wisdom DO NOT work as a quick fix. There were many of the "promises" that I would like to implement in my life but it would definitely take a lot of work and some serious mental reconstruction. Take a look for yourself! - Holley Wesley, Mt. Brook Pubic Library

Ruiz, Miguel. The Four Agreements.

Don Miguel Ruiz is known as a nagual, or shaman, of the Toltec tradition. The Toltecs were an ancient group of scientists and artists that was formed to explore and preserve the practices and spiritual knowledge of the ancient ones. It is not a religion, but a way of life that embraces spirit and honors all the spiritual masters who have taught on the earth. The Four Agreements are very simple, but very profound. To embrace and live each of the Four Agreements is to find yourself experiencing personal freedom--possibly as never before. The Four Agreements are: (1) Be Impeccable With Your Word: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love. (2) Don't Take Anything Personally: Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering. (3) Don't Make Assumptions: Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life. (4) Always Do Your Best: Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret. This book a must-have for anyone wanting to become more conscious and wanting freedom from personal stories and agreements that cause suffering. - Dianne Clark, Bessemer Public Library

Walsh, Peter. It's All Too Much. Free Press, 2007.

Walsh, from the TV show "Clean Sweep," gives ideas for cleaning your home of all the unnecessary stuff that seems to accumulate. He suggests that you decide on your vision for any room in your house. Then think about what actually needs to be in that room for that to happen. Some rooms have multiple purposes; for example, a family room may have an area for television viewing, an area for computer use, and an area for children's play. In those rooms, assign zones and, again, decide what belongs in that zone. Any extraneous "stuff" is given away or thrown in the garbage. The author gives concrete ideas for accomplishing the "de-cluttering" of your house. He maintains that if you live with other people, everyone should agree on your goals. And, he emphasizes that you don't need to organize your stuff, you need to get rid of quite a lot of it. Although he also seems to understand that many times there is an emotional tie, he gives ideas for really thinking about the things you possess. Unfortunately, keeping the clutter out is an ongoing process since we all keep bringing things it. Bring something in -- move something out. Lots of good ideas -- but, sadly, for me, easier said (or read) than done. - Marilyn Sessions, Springville Road Library