You betcha!

This book is one in a series of girl-empowerment books by Carmela LaVigna Coyle, designed to let little girls know that yes, indeedy, princesses can do whatever they please, and that being a princess has nothing to do with outside trappings, but with inside feelings.  Feelings of goodness and worthiness, mind you – not entitlement, beauty or putting on airs.

Cole says she was inspired to write this book after her daughter asked her the title question.  It is written for pre-school level, so be prepared for the cute, whimsical rhyming. The text consists of a mother’s rhymed answers to her daughter’s questions about princesses, such as, “When princesses laugh, do they sometimes snort?  They have manners of every sort.”

What’s great about these stories is that they expand the idea of what it means to be completely and fully all of who you are – that self-esteem is based on accepting and loving you exactly as you are – the same message inherent in everything here at PersonalGrowthPrincess.com. Considering how many messages girls (and women) get about not being good enough, not being worthy, and, of course, that being pretty is what counts, this book is a wonderful counter-message.

Here’s a snippet from Carmela LaVigna Coyle’s biography:

“Hmmmm. An uncommon princess!? What’s that all about… well it’s about YOU!! And who you are on the inside. I wrote my first “published” book for my daughter Annie after she asked me the title question. “Do princesses wear hiking boots?” We were getting ready to go on a hike in the Rocky’s when she plopped down next to me wearing denim coveralls, a pink sparkling tutu, an old t-shirt, mismatching socks and a crown askew on her head. Before I could answer her question, she fired a second one; “Do princesses have to brush their teeth?” and then a third. (Can you believe it? Hand-fed a storybook title by a four-year-old? Happens all the time, I am told.) Quickly I discovered that she was trying to learn if she, herself, could possibly qualify as a princess.

The princess in my princess series climb trees, ride bikes-fast, plays soccer, dresses up (on occasion,) does chores, and loves to be outside in nature. Sound familiar? A princess doesn’t have to be fluffy and frilly to be the real deal… unless, of course, you like that sort of thing. Anything goes, my dears. “…A princess is a place in your heart.” And the best part? You decide what that is! Or not!”

I’m always drawn to these books, in part because of all the anti-princess messages I heard growing up (along with the “not yet worthy” ones), but also because of how they can impact grown women as well. Some members of Personal Growth Princess tell me that initially they were not drawn to the name of the program, because of the word “princess”, but once they read more about it and understood they were reacting from the negative conditioning they received as young girls, they jump on board. There’s something liberating about being able to think “princess” without thinking “wimpy”.

There are other books in the series, which seems to have become a runaway hit: Do Princesses Really Kiss Frogs? and Do Princesses Scrape Their Knees? and other titles.  The rumors are the latest book in the series, Do Princesses Have Best Friends Forever?, will be out near the end of the year.

What messages did you receive about who you were as a child? And was it OK to be interested in princesses? Could you kick butt and be girly?

Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

Related posts:

1. The Princess School – the book series for empowered princesses

I admit it – I’m a list maker. I’ve even been known to add something to my list that I just completed, just for the pleasure I get from marking it off. That’s a perfect example of how lists can become distracting.

Of course, that’s not the kind of list Atul Gawande is talking about in The Checklist Manifesto – How To Get Things Right. A “checklist” is not the same thing as a “to do” list. A checklist is used for routine or repetitive tasks, where getting it right makes a difference.

The Checklist Manifesto is a scientific examination of how checklists can help. Gawande is a surgeon, so he was looking specifically at how using checklists for medical procedures or processes could make a difference in terms of accuracy and care. He shares some rather remarkable statistics – such as how implementing a checklist for one routine procedure in one hospital reduced infection rates from 11% to 0%, saving 8 lives and $2 million in costs.

OK, so it makes sense to use checklists in order to get things right when you’re talking about people’s lives, right? You can see how it would be helpful to use them in medicine, fire prevention, airline pre-flight checks, etc.

But what about for regular people living regular lives? Can using checklists actually make enough of a difference to matter? Are there really noticeable benefits to using checklists?

Think about how much you have to keep track of every day – from your personal life to work (or even running a business). “Know-how is often unmanageable,” Gawande says. We know so much, have so much information, that even if we have a great deal of practice with something, things can slip.

“The volume and complexity of what we know has exceeded our individual ability
to deliver its benefits correctly, safely or reliably.”

Gawande doesn’t state this outright in the book, but using checklists can reduce stress. If you don’t have to keep track of something in your mind, how much brain power or mental “bandwidth” does that free up for focusing on what really matters? In this world of more information, more overwhelm, it’s helpful to use tools that can let you breathe more easily.

Honestly, some things are too complex, or too important, to be left to the memory of one person. Sure, you may have done the “task” a hundred times yourself, but does that mean you always remember every step? What if someone had to step in and do it for you? Would they know how? Would they get it right the first time, or end up using extra time because they have to do it over?

I started using checklists when I was a university administrator. We used them for events, hiring speakers, hiring staff, running an entire Freshman Orientation program, etc. Using the checklist meant we didn’t have to worry about whether someone did what they were supposed to. Not only did using them save untold amounts of stress, having a high quality checklist for the Freshman Orientation program meant the entire program went off without a hitch even when the key staff member left right before hand. That saved time and stress, as well as many thousands of dollars.

We use checklists everyday at PersonalGrowthPrincess.com. We have checklists for steps to follow when contacting and following up with authors, preparing for interviews, crafting book summaries, welcoming new members, renewing members, etc.

For example, when a new annual member joins Personal Growth Princess, they receive a welcome basket. The basket consists of a number of delightful gifts, and is prepared in a very specific way. Why? Because I want members to know they matter to us, and I want to be able to focus on the delight and joy included in each gift, not stress over whether it is being sent out on time or if everything was included.

The welcome basket checklist helps us make sure the baskets go out on time with everything included. We even get as specific as indicating the length of ribbon that is used in wrapping the gifts. While that may sound a bit over the top, consider how much simpler it is to just cut 24 inches of ribbon each time and know it will come out perfectly, rather than guessing and estimating and ending up with either not enough ribbon to make it work, or wasting tons of extra ribbon. Both of those outcomes ultimately driving up the expenses, which frankly, is something I don’t even want to be thinking about when I’m sending something for the purpose of delighting you! If I don’t have to think about how long the ribbon should be, I can put my focus on other things that do matter – such as the personal note that is enclosed with each gift. By using the checklists, I have confidence it is getting done correctly, and I can focus on creating more meaning.

So how can checklists help you?

Think about the activities you do that are repetitive but that you have to think about. For example, washing the dishes probably doesn’t require a checklist – unless you are teaching your teenage kids how to do it, of course. In which case, a checklist would be super handy, and possibly a mother-child relationship saver!

Do you travel? If so, are there certain things you know you need to take every time? I used to travel every weekend to lead seminars for a college planning seminar. While I traveled every weekend, invariably I would end up forgetting something critical – such as the extra pair of pantyhose I forgot to replace after using the spare pair on the last trip. (When I was growing up my family went camping a lot. My parents had a camping checklist posted on the refrigerator – a strategy that was developed after numerous episodes of getting a couple of miles down the road only to realize we had forgotten some critical item.)

Are there places in your life where having a checklist would be a good strategy? Where having a checklist would allow you to catch errors, be more efficient, be more effective, help people feel more cared for because you remembered to connect with them?

Party planning? Volunteer work? Your own personal growth?

If you want the ultimate in checklists that help you show people you care, take a look at PersonalGrowthCards.com. This is a very cool service that allows you to send a heartfelt greeting card, written in your own handwriting – yet all handled online -  to someone anytime you get the prompting. You know what I mean…you’re driving down the road and someone pops in your mind and you think “I should get in touch with that person.” Or you hear someone was having a bad day and you want to do something sweet to brighten their day. It’s easy to send a gift or a card that can touch someone deeply, without requiring all the effort (and expense) of driving to the card store, picking out the card, buying the stamp, then writing it and getting it to the post office.

What’s the checklist part of it? The fact that you have an immediately accessible way to go from idea to card sent without having to drive anywhere…specific steps that are super easy to understand. The other checklist part of it? You can create triggers in the system to prompt you to send cards to certain people on certain dates. It’s a way of making sure you do what matters, even when your inclination is to forget about it.

So I’m curious. How do you use checklists in your life or your business? Where are they most effective? Have you ever changed a checklist? If so, how and why? Leave a comment below and share!

Related posts:

1. The Tipping Point – How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference [Book Review]
2. What the Dynamic Opportunity Model has to do with the Science of Making Things Happen
3. You Are A Spirit [Book Review]
4. Do More Great Work – Michael Bungay Stanier [video] [Book Review]

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference

by Malcolm Gladwell
Back Bay Books (2002)
304 pages

Related posts:

1. The Checklist Manifesto – how to get things right [book review]
2. It’s Not That I’m Bitter [Book Review]
3. You Are A Spirit [Book Review]
4. Lift – Becoming a Positive Force in Any Situation [Book Review]

This 5-Minute Book Review is provided by guest reviewer Gloria DeGaetano.

Lift: Becoming a Positive Force in Any Situation

By Ryan W. Quinn and Robert E. Quinn
Berrett-Koehler Publishers 2009
254 pages
Hardcover & Kindle versions

After reading Robert E. Quinn’s book, Change the World: How Ordinary People Can Achieve Extraordinary Results, I thought to myself, “This man wants us all to become saints!” Why? Because Change the World describes eight “seed principles” that if taken seriously and acted upon naturally leads to a course of compassionate action on behalf of others.

Robert Quinnn’s new book, Lift: Becoming a Positive Force in Any Situation, which he co-authored with his son Ryan Quinn, an assistant professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden’s School of Business, deepens that journey toward “sainthood.” Lift reports a way for us to become positive change agents immediately in any situation we encounter by asking ourselves four basic questions: 1) What result do I want to create? 2) What would my story be if I were living the values I expect of others? 3) How do others feel about this situation? 4) What are three (or four or five) strategies I could use to accomplish my purpose for this situation?

Robert Quinn, who holds the Margaret Tracy Collegiate Professorship at the University of Michigan and is professor of management and organization in the Ross School of Business, has authored sixteen books. Considered an innovative thinker and authority on positive change processes, he developed ACT-Advanced Change Theory-which the Parent Coaching Institute uses as integral to our successful parent coaching model. The four questions discussed and promoted in Lift, provide a foundational focus for applying ACT more thoroughly in daily activities when the business of life can often interfere with our good intentions to be kind, thoughtful, or proactive.

How do people change and how do they do it deeply and sustainably in order to catalyze transformative societal changes? is a question that captures our human longing to make a positive difference. Robert Quinn’s books can be counted on to address and effectively answer this question. Now in Lift, with his son Ryan, the two provide a practical framework for keeping that longing alive and fulfilled. Lift is defined as a “psychological state in which a person is purpose-centered, internally directed, other-focused, and externally open.” This dynamic internal state keeps us “lifted” thereby making us reliable lift-ers of others. And soon, as the authors demonstrate, our sphere of influence infuses with positivity and possibility-we natural become role models for others as we enthusiastically undertake the self-discipline necessary to monitor and adjust our psychological states. “As within, so without,” never seemed truer as I poured over the wisdom in this book.

The book begins with an informative overview of positive influence and the psychological state. As the Founder and CEO of The Parent Coaching Institute who has worked with parents for over 30 years, I was struck by one of the stories in the first chapter by Ryan in which he explains using the four questions with his 6 year old son Mason. When we’re dealing with a child who is having behavior issues such as Mason’s on-going, seemingly illogical tantrums it’s perfectly natural and normal for parents to be outside this graced psychological state of lift. In fact, it’s only human impulse to coerce, impose, and strive for control as the situation escalates out of control. Parent and child become more closed, demanding and often angry. It’s a mess. We’ve all been there as parents. Finding our way out can takes its toll on our relationship with our child because most often parenting advice is “to take” charge; or “speak firm and stand your ground,” shutting our kids down even more…What parenting advice would have us: “Walk a mile in your son’s shoes?”

The power of lift it is to center deeply on how the other is experiencing the situation as we stay centered in our purpose and integrity. As Ryan explains how he tried hard to really understand his son, he got a flash of intuitive insight that resulted in a blessed moment between father and son, deepening understanding and respect for both of them. Throughout his story about Mason, Ryan shares how using the four questions brought him more in touch with his intuition and personal agency. It’s a moving story and it really shows how lift can make a positive difference not only in the immediate but for the future, as well.

I won’t ruin the story for you by telling all. You have to read it. Beyond the sweetness lies the enormous power in surrendering and allowing for authentic connection to occur. At the PCI, we strive to help parents connect authentically and have found successful strategies embedded in Appreciative Inquiry and Living System principles. The authors add an important layer here. Yes, while tried and true prescriptive parenting formulas often can work to resolve the immediate problem, it is difficult to translate an allowance strategy (rather than a doing strategy) such as found in Lift into practical application for parents. Well, two business professors have done exactly that. Parent educators and parent coaches need to take note. With the backdrop of the book’s four central questions, a practical framework, questions, and strategies can be developed to bring out the best in others, in any situation-even cranky six year olds given to habitual tantrums.

Chapter Two introduces the science, history and metaphor of lift. It is here the reader finds an understandable graphic that illustrates a competing-values framework, often used for organizational effectiveness. It consists of understanding the interaction of collaboration, control, creativity and competitiveness. For instance, the value of collaborating often competes with control. Control is necessary at times in order to move forward, to make decisions, but collaboration is a powerful approach for productive teams. And while competitiveness in the marketplace is essential, it often constrains creativity of individuals within the organization to compete effectively. Bob and Ryan Quinn use this framework to move from deep change to the psychological state of lift, juxtaposing the four central questions with each of the four competing values. Control enables a person to be internally directed, examining his or her integrity. Collaboration keeps us other focused, to see others as people with legitimate needs, feelings and wants. Creativity enables us to remain externally open. And competitiveness enables us to keep our purpose, which is usually used to create extraordinary results. This chapter is extremely helpful for understanding the interaction between and among the four questions, demonstrating the dynamic energy inherent in their execution.

Chapter 3 provides an overview of ways to move from problem solving to what the authors call “purpose finding.” This is a very inspirational way to look at challenges, and fits beautifully with the concept that our challenges, although always there, don’t have to drag us into despair or alienation. The chapter sets the stage for the next eight chapters-the core of the book.

These chapters are paired around the four basic questions. For instance, Chapter 4 explains how to become more purpose centered, while Chapter 5 looks at ways that get us out of being purpose-centered. Combined, the two chapters provide a wealth of information for staying within our purpose and answering question 1): What results do I want to create?

The next two chapters focus on becoming more internally directed, and support our living by values we expect of others. Chapters 8 and 9 examine how we can truly understand how others feel about a situation we would like to have changed. An important component of becoming other-focused according to the Quinns is not being afraid of feedback from others. This is a common human obstacle to positive change and the authors normalize our fear of feedback, allowing us to use our fear for deep curiosity about ourselves and others rather than through anxious judgments which really have no deep change effects.

Chapters 10 and 11 help us think about becoming more externally open. Chapter 11 contains a table that summarizes the characteristics of lift. This table is an easy reference tool for the important components and qualities that will keep us purpose-centered, internally directed, other-focused and externally open. With a glance at the table, readers recognize effective strategies to stay in these states as opposed to the states of ” comfort-centered, externally directed, self-focused, and internally closed.” Those are the easy ones to revert to-especially when confronted with our children’s tantrums or too many bills to pay or other common everyday stresses.

Despite all the challenges, Robert and Ryan Quinn call us to be more-more fully present-more deeply engaged-more thought-full all around. They urge us to move from “comfort-seekers” to “creators of opportunity;” from spectators to fully-engaged participants. While this isn’t exactly sainthood, it’s still tough work, worth every laborious minute-not for our reward in Paradise, but for those daily rewards like when our children melt into our arms after a meltdown and show us they know who we are, that they know we love them beyond measure, and all is well. Pure Heaven! And Lift brings us many more such moments. Count on it!

*****
Would you like to see this book, or others by Robert Quinn, summarized as part of your membership in PersonalGrowthPrincess? Make a comment below and let us know why, or why not.
*****

Related posts:

1. It’s Not That I’m Bitter [Book Review]
2. The Jackrabbit Factor [book review]
3. Get Unstuck and Get Going…on the stuff that matters [book review]
4. The King’s Legacy: A Story of Wisdom for the Ages [book review]

NOTE: The book is being featured in a Best-Seller campaign on Wednesday, June 16th. When you purchase the book from Amazon.com during this campaign  you will receive thousands of dollars worth of free gifts from some of Michael’s closest associates.
To participate, purchase the book at Amazon, then go to The Trophy Effect, enter your purchase code and you’ll be given access to all the bonuses.
Until you know what the trophy effect is, you might think the title is referring to how people are striving for more and more achievements, at the expense of fulfillment. At least that’s what I thought it would be about before I read it.The Trophy Effect, by Michael Nitti, actually gets the the heart of the reason people focus on their shortcomings rather than on their strengths and accomplishments.

The trophy effect is subconscious and innate, meaning that it originates in the mind, and you generally aren’t even aware of it. That’s what makes it so hazardous. It is a way of thinking and reacting that leads us to give up on things, magnifying feelings of doubt rather than hope.

The real clincher is that we usually don’t realize it is going on, which means we don’t realize it’s something we have control over. That’s because it is tied to our survival instinct, and it takes some serious effort – or at least consistent action – to override an instinct that is designed to help us survive the dangers in the world, whether they be real dangers – such as a speeding car jumping the curb coming right at us – or more imagined dangers – the fear of embarrassment, of not being good enough.

The Trophy Effect walks you through a process that helps you understand that your mind is not your self, and how the effect has been playing out in your life.

Not only did I read the book, I also had the privilege of a one-on-one “trophy effect” session with Michael Nitti.

I’ve obviously been around the personal growth block a time or two, so it’s hard to impress me. Most books are a new perspective on something else we’ve tried before (that’s why the book selections at Personal Growth Princess are so powerful – they are new and unique). And, of course, when I saw the title of the book, I thought I knew what I was going to learn.

I was wrong.

In his book, Michael Nitti leads you through, in clear, colorful detail, what kind of trophies you are really collecting, and why they simply serve to increase your self-doubt. What you learn seems counter-intuitive at first, but he aptly helps you see the logic behind it, and then you get to see and feel firsthand what the effect has been.

Of course, for the book to be fully effective, you need to be honest with yourself and be willing to try on a new perspective. And you will want to do the exercises. It’s like getting a blueprint for destroying self-doubt, but you actually have to use the blueprint as you build – otherwise you’re back to the same catty-whompas state of letting your mind rule your life.

I have to admiit, the work I did from the book and with Michael was so intriguingely powerful that I selected The Trophy Effect as the July feature book for members of Personal Growth Princess.
(Not a member? Read more about the benefits of membership.) Not only did I feel different immediately, the difference has stayed with me and continued to expand over the last several weeks. It’s not without effort, but the reasoning behind the trophy effect is so sound that your mind will be convinced.

I strongly recommend reading this book – or joining Personal Growth Princess to receive the summary and a special in-depth interview with the author on July 1.

Remember, The Trophy Effect is being featured in a Best-Seller campaign on Wednesday, June 16th. When you purchase the book from Amazon.com during this campaign  you will receive thousands of dollars worth of free gifts from some of Michael’s closest associates.
To participate, purchase the book at Amazon, then go to The Trophy Effect, enter your purchase code and you’ll be given access to all the bonuses.

Related posts:

1. The Trophy Effect: You are not your mind – 55 minutes that will change your Life!
2. New Self-Help Book Summary & Content Added for July
3. You Are A Spirit [Book Review]
4. Get Unstuck and Get Going…on the stuff that matters [book review]

This is a simple, yet deep, guide to help you become more aware of who you really are – more than just a physical body existing here on earth. You are more than what you think you are – you are a spirit, and your body allows you to exist and experience in the physical realm. For those who are more “new age” minded, you will likely have the experience of thinking “Ah, yes, this makes perfect sense now.” For others, the stretch will be bigger. The beauty in the book is that it is not dogmatic, nor are you expected to believe anything the authors say. In fact, they encourage you not to take their word for it, but to check it out for yourself.

Each of the nine steps (such as “You are Perfect in the Present”, “You Are Not Your Body”, “You Can Choose Joy”) requires you to stretch and consider possibilities or ideas you may not have thought of before. Each step ends with a meditation. The simplicity of the meditations make them great for the beginner who is not familiar with meditation or may be a bit intimidated by it, but don’t let the apparent simplicity lull you into thinking they are “easy” or that nothing is happening.

In the first step, “You Are A Creator”, the authors state:

Here’s the secret to living as a spirit in a body: If you consider that you are the creator of your life – in other words, the cause, rather than the effect of your experiences – just by considering this idea, your life changes.

(This statement connects with how Kim Marcille Romaner talks about the role of the observer in scientific experiments – that the act of observing automatically affects the outcome. See the book summary for The Science of Making Things Happen in the members area for the full story, or read the post about The Science of Making Things Happen and the Dynamic Opportunity Model.)

There is a lot of hype out there about being in the “now”, yet rarely are we given any ways to experience this in a way that make sense to the average person. After all, if you haven’t been living in the “now”, how would you know how to do it? That is where I found this book to be most valuable.

The authors give examples of how to know you are not living in the present moment, such as when you are worrying (the future) or ruminating (the past). By projecting yourself into the past or future, you are disconnecting with the present moment, and disconnecting from your ability to create your reality.

The meditations accompanying each step not only show you how to bring your awareness into the present moment in ways you can relate, they are designed so that you actually experience it right then, in the moment. Of course, as with all meditation, the authors remind you that it is practice over time that will make it easier and more automatic.

The ultimate message of the book is to release judgment and trust yourself to be guided in your choices and actions – because after all, you, as a spirit, are the one doing the guiding. When you realize this, you realize you can experience heaven on earth because you will experience certainty and absolute faith, and because you never really left heaven in the first place.

Remember that Wednesday, May 19, 2010 is the official launch of the book. To accompany the launch are special bonus offerings, so be sure to grab yours. You can also view the video trailer, and sign up for a free teleseminar being offered today, May 18th.

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think of the book. And remember to grab your bonuses if/when you purchase You Are A Spirit.

Related posts:

1. The Checklist Manifesto – how to get things right [book review]
2. The Jackrabbit Factor [book review]
3. BURNING BRIGHT – Extraordinary Women of KwaZulu-Natal [Book Review]
4. It’s Not That I’m Bitter [Book Review]

What’s particularly intriguing is how this model ties in with the featured book summary for May, The Science of Making Things Happen by Kim Marcille Romaner.

One of the key elements in the Dynamic Opportunity Model is learning to be an observer. Sometimes we try to hard to figure something out, focusing on what’s not working and why it’s not working, that we neglect to see what is really there.

Likewise, the role of observer is key to the science of making things happen. Kim talks about how the act of observing directly affects what happens to the thing or person being observed, the actual activity of the observed. She talks about it in scientific terms, using experiments with berylium ions (subatomic particles), and then relates it to daily life at the human level. This is called the Zeno Effect. (Members, see pages 10-11 of your book summary for the full explanation).

What Romaner found is that when you measure the wrong benchmarks, you actually slow down the process of change. And the intervals at which you measure them has a direct effect on how slowly the process goes. This is called the Zeno effect. The good news is that when you start measure the right things, and measure them more frequently, it has the effect of speeding up the process of change – quite dramatically, even – which creates the Inverse Zeno Effect.

When you are measuring your progress, you don’t want to measure yourself in relation to the original condition (“Am I still in the same place financially?). Rather, you want to measure the progress you are making, the evidence you are moving toward the thing you want (“Look at all the things I’m doing to get out of debt!”)

The “right” things to measure are the times you do something well, the times you have a success, no matter how big or small. Measure yourself on what’s working, what’s “good”, and you will accelerate the process of making the shift toward more of that.

In the Dynamic Opportunity Model, if you keep looking at symptoms of the problem and focusing on your situation as it is, you will continue to get more of the same, in part because of the Zeno Effect – you are measuring the wrong things (The symptoms and what is wrong), and probably at the wrong intervals.

When you shift to identifying the underlying dynamic – and celebrate the fact that you have discovered it – you are able to reorient yourself. Your vision of the situation can change completely, releasing you to look for solutions and strategies. In effect, you are now measuring what is working, what is possible, and the shifts you are making, and the more frequently you do so, the faster you will experience change – transforming a problem into an opportunity.

Read the full post here. And to view the full book summary of The Science of Making Things Happen, log in to the members page.

Not a member? You can still join as a Founding Princess and lock in the basic membership rate for life!

Related posts:

1. How to turn a problem into an opportunity
2. The Checklist Manifesto – how to get things right [book review]
3. You Are A Spirit [Book Review]
4. The Tipping Point – How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference [Book Review]

His message is: Stop The Busywork!

Here’s a video he created to share a little about the new book.
(Secretly  I have video-envy when it comes to Michael’s videos. They are truly great!)

You can see this and the rest of Michael’s Possibility Virus resources on his website.

Let me know what you think of the video – and the books – in your comments below. I’m especially curious to know how you might use this in your own work.

Related posts:

1. Is your work great – or just ho-hum?
2. 11 Great Words for 2011
3. Get Unstuck and Get Going…on the stuff that matters [book review]
4. It’s Not That I’m Bitter [Book Review]

Related posts:

1. The Jackrabbit Factor [book review]
2. Get Unstuck and Get Going…on the stuff that matters [book review]
3. The King’s Legacy: A Story of Wisdom for the Ages [book review]
4. Beach Money by Jordan Adler [Book Review]

This 5-Minute Personal Growth Book Review was submitted by guest reviewer, Helgaard Botha.

This wonderful book is about celebrating the extraordinary women who hold societies together across the world, billions of strong and determined women constitute the glue that holds societies in crisis together and the rock on which values are built. Often, these are ordinary women who become extraordinary simply because they persevere day after day, doing the things that they believe need doing. Mostly, what drive them are the examples of their mothers and grandmothers and their desire to do the best for their children. A new book, BURNING BRIGHT: Extraordinary women of KwaZulu-Natal, celebrates 12 such women from KwaZulu-Natal, one of South Africa’s largest and most rural provinces.

KwaZulu-Natal, on the east coast of South Africa, is a province of a thousand hills and valleys that has been ravaged for decades by apartheid’s underdevelopment, poverty and HIV/AIDS. It is also the home of the proud Zulu nation and probably best known for fearsome Zulu warriors of the past and proud men of the present. Yet BURNING BRIGHT proves that KwaZulu-Natal is also home to courageous and compassionate women whose stories must be told.

The book combines the sensitively written stories of these women with rich imagery. Dramatic, full-page portraits of the women’s faces combine with photographs of their hands to capture the essence of what each woman is. In each chapter evocative landscapes, ‘local colour’ photographs and old personal snapshots open a window onto the diverse parts of KwaZulu-Natal where the women grew up. A map shows where the childhood homes are.

BURNING BRIGHT is an affirmation of the positive way of life that manifests itself in the stories of these women. All the stories show a pervasive sense of community; a rootedness in the soil of this province, the key role played by mothers, grandmothers and schools in instilling solid values; the impact of apartheid on women’s lives and their dreams for their country’s and children’s future.

The backgrounds of the women are diverse. Among them is Anna Cele, a feisty, big-hearted domestic worker; Devi Rajab, newspaper columnist and psychologist; Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, principled politician; Ntsiki Biyela, South Africa’s first black woman wine-maker and 2009′s Winemaker of the Year; Leona Theron, the country’s first black woman judge and Peggy-Sue Khumalo, former Miss South Africa and now investment banker. They also represent the different races that make up the province’s rich cultural ‘mixed masala’. Most of the women are Zulu, but mixed race ‘coloured’, Indian and white women are included. Together, their stories paint a picture of rich, diverse childhood experiences across KwaZulu-Natal.

Virtually all of these women have overcome enormous challenges to get to where they are today. What is extraordinary, and what makes them true role models, is their ability to persevere. Winemaker Ntsiki Biyela sums it up in her story: ‘I have walked and fallen, and the important thing is to stand up and start again. I believe that that is what a role model is. There is always a chance that I’ll fall again, but if I can get up afterwards that’s okay.’

One of the most fascinating aspects of the book is the strong common threads and shared values that connect the women’s stories. Each story also has three distinct sections, written in different voices, which provide complementary perspectives on who these women are and what moulded them. The stories open with the author’s perspective on the specific woman and what makes her extraordinary. Next each woman tells her own story in her own words, sharing her dreams and reflecting on the influences that made her what she is. Finally the story takes readers into diverse corners of KwaZulu-Natal to visit the places where each woman comes from.

For Wilna Botha as the author, these visits to the childhood homes of the twelve women, scattered across the entire KwaZulu-Natal, was the most rewarding part of writing this book. She explains: ‘I came to KwaZulu-Natal having lived on the starker plains of the North-West Province, the Free State and Gauteng. Maybe that is why I was continuously overwhelmed by KwaZulu-Natal’s dramatic landscapes as we drove across countless hillsides and dropped down into many valleys while searching for the childhood homes of the women in this book. This book is also a tribute to this extraordinary province of hills, valleys and rich Zulu culture.

THE AUTHOR – Wilna Botha is a former investigative journalist, communications specialist, researcher and college lecturer. In the 1980s and 1990s she won national awards as South Africa’s medical journalist of the year, as runner-up to education writer of the year and for health reporting. Since 1993 she has contributed to rural development across KwaZulu-Natal as director of MiET Africa and now Africa!Ignite. It is this experience that put her in touch with a number of extraordinary women who were the inspiration for this book.

THE PHOTOGRAPHER – Pippa Hetherington’s ability to tell a thousand-word story through a single photograph has achieved widespread recognition. Her work has been published in Fair Lady, Marie Claire, Real Simple and leadership. She has also undertaken projects for the Global Water Partnership, WWF- The Green Trust and 25:40. Pippa’s heart is in the visual image. Her work is deeply influenced by her travels through Africa and the environment and social development of South Africa. She intimately captures the soul of her subjects with empathy and lasting integrity.

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Helgaard Botha normally concentrates on property development matters but was touched by this moving book on the life’s of ordinary people in Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa. He now shares his time between Mauritius and South Africa. He has lived amongst the rolling hills of Kwa-Zulu Natal for the last 25 years and calls Durban his home. After years of endeavour he still hasn’t found a consistent and reliable golf swing. He has recently acquired the license to operate the renowned Fine & Country Estate Agency in Mauritius. Helgaard can be contacted at http://www.fineandcountry.mu

BURNING BRIGHT: Extraordinary Women of KwaZulu-Natal is available from leading South African bookstores and electronically through Kalahari.net at ZAR 228 (including VAT). For more information visit http://www.africaignite.co.za/

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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