Review: Way to Be!: 9 Rules For Living the Good Life

Way to Be!: 9 Rules For Living the Good Life by Gordon B. Hinckley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely loved the Way To Be!, just as much as I adore President Gordon B. Hinckley! It was wonderful to read this book again, to hear his voice and feel he pure love that exuberates from him. How I’ve missed this great man. I’ve read this book a few times and will read again. Always new applicable points and views! I highly recommend for anyone of any background, faith, religion, etc. Just basic and profound views and points, of being a good person – just because you should try to be a good person.

My uncle wrote on his coffin, “Do good because doing good is good to do. Not because of threats or promises of Heaven or Hell.” I love that. I think that this book helps mostly guide on simply BEing a good person!

President Hickley stated in the book, “Rise above mediocrity, above indifference. Become involved and speak with a strong voice of that which is right. ”

I originally took fantastic notes while making my journey through this book. But looking back. I feel like I highlighted the whole book! 😐

Nonetheless, the 9 Be’s we should all remember are as follows:

9 Be’s:
Be Grateful
Be Smart
Be Involved
Be Clean
Be True
Be Positive
Be Humble
Be Still
Be Prayerful

Finished the book 1 October 2013.
I highly recommend this book to all, over and over again! Enjoy and BE an amazing contribution!

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Review: Mom & Me, & Mom

Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love Maya Angelou and was very excited to learn more about her life, what it was like and what made her who she is.

That being said, it was interesting to really learn a lot more about her and things in her life I would have never guessed! I really learned much about this astounding woman. In addition I have added more levels of appreciation.

That being said, this was a hard book to read. It didn’t follower her normal writing styles and seemed to go on and on. It just goes to show the differences of what we all find interesting and important about our lives. It could have been that it was a hard read for me since it immediately followed me finishing “The Help“.  Out of the biographies I’ve read, I’d have to say, this isn’t my favorite. But still good to read.

Nonetheless, I found it an informative, interesting, and enlightening to one amazing and “Phenomenal Woman“!

(Actually Finished June 26th, 2013)

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Maya Angelou (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Review: Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WOW!!! I cannot say enough wonderful things about this book! Since I have finished it I bought myself two copies, one audio, and one print. To nearly every woman I come in contact with I have highly recommended!!! The book was engaging and entertaining. Mrs. Sandberg addressed so many things I have personally dealt with in the workplace and life, that never gets addressed. I appreciate so much what she is doing and how she is helping career women everywhere! One thing she mentioned that really stuck out to me was that we need to be uplifting the other women around us, often times we don’t support our own and that needs to change. I love that she addressed how so many of us are afraid or make career choices based on we want to be mothers and wives, so we shoot ourselves in the foot now and down the road for something we don’t yet have and might not ever have. That was her “Lean In” theme, lean into our careers, lean into our lives, give it everything we’ve got and when other blessings come along like husbands and children things will work themselves out, but don’t self-sabotage in the meantime. If we want to be a stay-at-home mom, we can, retire at that point, or whatever we want, make the adjustments when the time comes, but don’t limit our possibilities to make a difference and truly enjoy our lives. There is so much that I could elaborate on and frankly I wish I had been able to write this review immediately upon finishing. This might seem like a hard core feminist book, it’s not, (and she addresses that too!) but it’s a realistic view of what things are like, where we came from, how things have progressed, where things are headed and how we can be and make a difference! Phenomenal book! Well written best biography I have read in a very very long time!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

(Actually Finished July 12th 2013)

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Review: Ensign – June 2013

Ensign – June 2013 by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I honestly love the fact that we have The Ensign available to us!! It never ceases to amaze me how each month it’s filled with articles that I swear, were written just for me! In addition its material is not always applicable to me, but also put forth in such a manner that I am able to internalize the doctrine greater. Resulting in feeling closer to the Lord and the Gospel. 🙂

http://www.lds.org/ensign/2013?lang=eng

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Review: CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SINGLES SOUL

Chicken Soup for the Cold (Photo credit: texascooking)

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SINGLES SOUL by Jack Canfield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Honestly, I love the Chicken Soup For the Soul Books – Probably why I keep reading them…

Five years ago I had just gotten married, moved into a new home and was trying to enjoy the benefits I always heard about that come with being a ‘newlywed.’ Most of that ‘enjoying’ was me hanging on to a nice moment here and there, learning that all I had hoped for was far from reality. At that time I had put a Chicken Soup for the Soul book in our ‘bathroom reading materials.’ Little did I know at the time from that point I would find myself stowing away in the bathroom – reading these great short stories! What a blessing that had been to me then, to have 5 minutes of joy in a life and marriage that wasn’t what I’d always hoped and didn’t bring half the smiles this little book gave me. How grateful I was though, I honestly think that this book helped me survive, it was at least one of those sweet tender mercies from the Lord that helped me survive, others were my sweet little Jada (my niece – how I miss her!) and my amazing and simply wonderful neighbor Rhonda, who helped pick up the pieces of my broken heart. I wish I could find or at least remember which ‘Soup’ that this was… About the same week that I finished my ‘Soup’ my ex-husband also asked for a divorce.

I was given this particular “Soup” shortly after my divorce four years ago, I chuckled to myself and said well I guess there is a version for every stage! Secretly I’ve hoped that once I finished reading this one that my chapter of being ‘single again’ in my own life would also come to a close… While it hasn’t been the same week, I’m hopeful. I’m so grateful for this book, the progression through different stages of singleness and the healing and heartbreaking stories alike. I felt like I had a support group this past four years, which was absolutely needed as I found myself alone and isolated from what friends I thought I had, in a strange new place and navigating career suicide with my move. I found myself having to rebuild my life nearly from scratch, re-evaluate who I am, what I believe and what impact I currently have on the world around me and what I want to change to be the difference. I purposely slowed down at reading this book, only allowing myself to read one or two entries a week, and sometimes less. I felt that I needed the time to process others stories and my own mind and heart. I honestly think that this book helped me from truly assisted me in my will to not become bitter and vengeful, but more grateful that he let me go and had the courage to do so, allowing me to have a much better chance at happiness. From experiencing my bad marriage and my loneliness before hand to my life now and my attitude towards myself. I’m so grateful for the experience. I truly am happy with who I am, happy with how I give back to the world and make an impact, and know that frankly I was an amazing wife, and might someday again have that chance, but I love hanging out with myself and now really comfortable in my own skin. All of this is intricately entwined together as this has been a long and sometimes painful, and mostly joyful growing experience, and has been a nice little journey and chapter of my life. Thank you Jack Canfield for your guidance through this minefield. 🙂

Ps. If I decide to marry again one day, I look forward to it with joy. But in the meantime I’m loving each moment of being single!

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Review: Simple Steps: 10 Weeks to Getting Control of Your LIfe

Simple Steps: 10 Weeks to Getting Control of Your LIfe by Lisa Lelas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First off, I really enjoyed this! I listened to this on audio – it gave me the overwhelming burning desire to deep clean my house… lol Honestly, I really enjoyed it. I really liked the breakdown of each step, the chit-chat about each of them and the realness of it all. I highly recommend. I am going to buy the book for sure! I think that listening to it was great, but really to implement each step owning the book is necessary. Highly Recommend!

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