personal growth book summaries

Archive for Choice

Are the Holidays Over Yet? How to Keep a Positive Attitude During Stressful Times

By Nina East · Comments (0)
Sunday, December 19th, 2010

grumpygirl 150x150 Are the Holidays Over Yet? How to Keep a Positive Attitude During Stressful TimesThe holiday season is a time to relax, enjoy family and experience the blessings of our lives. Unfortunately, the holidays can also be incredibly stressful and upsetting. The difference is in choosing a peaceful perspective and working to make your holiday a time of joy and renewal.

Be honest with yourself when it comes to spending time with family and friends. If there are people in your group who are simply toxic, wouldn’t it be better to avoid them or limit how much time you spend with them?

What can you do to have more control over who you spend your time with? What choices can you make? What backup plans can you create?

Even the people you enjoy being around can cause you stress and anxiety at times. With that in mind, decide what’ll you’ll be doing before the holidays arrive – and stick to it. Choose to decide your schedule for yourself, rather than letting others dictate your holiday plans. Read More→

Comments (0)
Categories : Choice, Positive Thinking, Relationships, Stress
Tags :

Staying Positive When You Don’t Feel Like It

By Nina East · Comments (0)
Saturday, November 20th, 2010

Do you have days when you know it’s better to be upbeat and positive, but you just don’t feel like it? If you’re a human being, then your answer has to be yes. When you face challenges or feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities, it can be difficult to maintain a positive attitude.

The frustration, of course, is that staying positive is important for so many things in your life.

Here are a few techniques to improve your mood and experience the inner peace:

1.      Start your day with something positive. Decide each morning that you’ll start the day headed in the right direction. Instead of waking up on the wrong side of the bed and setting the stage for a grouchy day, resolve to experience something positive first thing in the morning.
Seriously – be deliberate about it!

  • Develop a morning routine that you can repeat daily to ease into your day’s responsibilities. Determine what activities help improve your mood and put you on the path to positive thinking. Find two or three things you can do each morning that will set the stage for a successful day. As these become habit, add to the routine little by little.
  • A routine will help your body and mind settle in and focus on what you need to accomplish. Instead of rushing around or forgetting important details, your plan will guide you through a peaceful set of steps that calm your mind and create unstoppable momentum.

2.      Set exciting goals. If you wake up each morning Read More→

Comments (0)
Categories : Choice, Goals, Happiness, Positive Thinking
Tags : ,

When did “Princess” become a bad word?

By Nina East · Comments (2)
Monday, August 9th, 2010

When women hear about self-help book summaries, they are typically very excited and can’t wait to sign up. When they hear the term “Personal Growth Princess”, which is, simply, self-help book summaries taken a little more lightheartedly, they have one of two responses – they either love it and embrace the joy and playfulness inherent it, or they are turned off.

I find that fascinating. Not because a particular name or brand doesn’t appeal to someone – that’s actually a sign of a great brand. It’s good that people recognize themselves in a brand or not.

grumpygirl 150x150 When did Princess become a bad word?What I’m fascinated with is the vehemence with which some women react to the word Princess – separate from any association with self-help book summaries. It’s as if it’s degrading.

I’ve got to wonder, when did the word Princess become such an insult?

I think it happened somewhere between childhood (when it was OK to think about princesses) and our first jobs – when we had to buckle down, get serious, and get others to take us seriously.There was no room for being playful and taking ourselves lightly. Believe it or not, I was once told by a colleague that no one would take me seriously because I smiled too much. (I was working in the field of education at the time.) Imagine how much you would start to hide your true nature if you thought that were true!

No wonder we learn to hide who we really are!

The term Princess is often used by judgmental people (both men and women) to tell a woman she’s asking for or expecting too much. That somehow she has stepped outside the boundaries of what she deserves and is getting picky or demanding. (I remember my sister being referred to as a princess when she bought a 5 year old Toyota Prism, that dared to have air conditioning, to replace her 10 year old, broken down robin’s  egg blue Opal.)

It’s this negative use of the word Princess that sticks with us and holds us back.

That is EXACTLY why a site dedicated to women being fully and authentically who they are, embracing the joys as well as the sorrows, relishing in the light and finding the value in darkness, is called Personal Growth PRINCESS. Read More→

Comments (2)
Categories : Being a Princess, Choice, Princess Stories
Tags : , , ,

Innie, Minnie, Miny, Moe — How Do You Know Which Self-Help Expert Is Right For You?

By Nina East · Comments (0)
Thursday, August 5th, 2010

Today’s post is written by guest author Jennifer Urezzio, founder of Know Soul’s Language.

JenniferUrezzio 198x300 Innie, Minnie, Miny, Moe How Do You Know Which Self Help Expert Is Right For You?

Jennifer Urezzio

Most of my clients are shocked when they find out that I have only read three or four self-help/spiritual books (that’s why I love Nina’s site).  We are living in an age, thank the heavens, of awareness.  It is the era of The Secret and The Law of Attraction.  This awareness movement is really in the infant stages and that means we are all getting our balance and determining how to walk our talk.

Whether you have been on your journey awhile or just starting out, I believe it is important to seek mentoring and guidance.  No one can do it all on their own.

The first step to selecting the correct individual for you is to be clear about what and who you want.  I suggest you sit down in a quiet location and connect to your heart. List what you would like a mentor’s or coach’s guidance to achieve for you.  I suggest also adding to the list the characteristics or qualities you would like this person to have (courage, grace, loving, etc).  This will help the Universe to start working its magic.

I’m honored to be a healer of healers, which means that leaders and healers seek me out to be their guide and mentor.  Some of them have shared their experience with securing the help and guidance of someone who just wasn’t right for them.  Some of these lessons were learned after spending thousands of dollars.  So, how do you select the right healer, coach, mentor, that is right for you?

A couple of indications that a mentor, coach, teacher, and/or spiritual leader and teacher, isn’t right for you are:

  • Fear Language – The individual’s materials are filled with fear-based language.  An example of this is: if you don’t do this program or read this book you will not achieve what you desire. If you want to run screaming from the room after reading their materials, well…
  • Pressure –  My business is healing and healing is my business.  So asking a possible client if they have made a decision about working with me is acceptable.  Creating a situation where I’m extending feelings of pressure is not.
  • Healer Knows Best – It is appropriate – with your permission – for your potential coach to share with you their feelings on what direction your journey together could take.  It is inappropriate for any healer to dismiss your feelings and insist that they know best. Read More→

Comments (0)
Categories : Choice, Self-Help Posts
Tags : , , ,

The Positivity Effect – how it impacts the Gulf Oil Crisis

By Nina East · Comments (0)
Saturday, June 19th, 2010

The Positivity Effect…so how’s that workin’ for you?bowl of smiley faces 300x211 The Positivity Effect how it impacts the Gulf Oil Crisis

In general, the Positivity Effect refers to the tendency people have to evaluate people they already like in a favorable light. That is to say, if you like someone, you tend to believe that the good things that happen in their lives are due to their inherent position. And anything negative that happens to them, you attribute to the situations surrounding them. Sort of a “they are good, the world is hard on them.”

The inverse of this is the Negativity Effect – which occurs when evaluating what causes the behavior of someone you dislike. (The person’s behavior is the cause of their downfall, and the world and situations around them are good, or at worst, neutral.)

What’s interesting is that both effects are attribution biases. There is a thought process involved (cognitive process) that helps us come to this conclusion. But usually it happens quickly for us, as if by habit. So to us it looks like a fact that so-and so did this and that’s why he got the result…when in fact he may have totally flubbed it up, but still received the result due to something else that happened.

The great news is that if we want our interactions with others to improve, taking a look at how Positivity Effect and Negativity Effect play a role could be pretty significant.

An example of how this may be playing out is right in front of us is with the oil spill tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico.goodeggbadegg 300x199 The Positivity Effect how it impacts the Gulf Oil Crisis
There are many players in this drama, with new ones added almost every day. And it’s fair to say that people are attributing blame, bad juju to some people, and others are not being judged that way. (Just so you know, I’ve heard all sides of this issue being referred to as “the bad guy”, so there’s quite a bit of specialized attribution going on.)

With the Gulf Oil Spill, who are the players you “like” or feel the most affinity with or have the most in common with? Are they trying hard to deal with a catastrophic situation but keep getting hampered by forces out of their control, or by people  out-to-build-a-name-for-themselves or out-of-touch other people you don’t like as much?

Notice – I did not name any names or interject an opinion, but you already knew who you liked (the good guys) and who you disliked (the bad guys).

If the good guys – for you – are the families and small businesses who are losing their livelihoods Read More→

Comments (0)
Categories : Choice, Positive Thinking
Tags : , , , , , ,

Self-Help Books – Why they give you the best advantage

By Nina East · Comments (0)
Monday, June 14th, 2010

Is buying self-help books a better personal growth strategy than attending seminars or working with a coach?

I was just reading an interesting post at clicknsave.com on this very topic. The author makes the bold statement that self-help books have a definite advantage over seminars, counselors, or coaches.

It really got me to wondering…are books better?bookstacksflying Self Help Books Why they give you the best advantage

Obviously I’m a fan of books, but given the tens of thousands of dollars I’ve spent at personal development seminars, I’m a fan of them, as well.

On the surface level, the answer to the question would have to be “it depends”. It depends on you and how you process information. If you aren’t a reader, then buying all the self-help books in the world isn’t going to help you, other than giving you a quick boost of optimism and inspiration.

You have to actually USE the book in order for it to serve you – and if you do, then there are some definite advantages you get.

And when I say USE, I don’t mean using it to pick up people at the local coffee shop by leaving it out where people can see it! And I definitely don’t mean using it to prop up all the other self-help books piled beside your bed.

The point of the article I was reading is that books provide the best advantage because they are the only form of personal growth that can really accompany you wherever you go – whether in paper form or on your Kindle, iPhone, or other electronic device.

I like the idea of portable self-help and the advantage that gives.

But there are a couple of problems:    Read More→

Comments (0)
Categories : Choice, General Musings, Recommended Resources
Tags : , , ,

You don’t need permission. You need to act.

By Nina East · Comments (0)
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

Hugh MacLeod, Gaping Void Gallery, is a “poke-you-till-it-hurt-but-then-find-relief-in-the-absurdity-of-life” cartoonist. He has become one of my favorites of all time. His language is colorful at times, and not appropriate for all audiences, but his ability to capture and say the things we never want to say, or rarely give ourselves permission to act on, makes him a master philosopher.

(If he’s reading this I’m sure he’s cringing at all the hyperbole. But, Hugh, I mean it. [superemotions file="icon_cool.gif" title="Cool"] )cubiclenationthumb You dont need permission. You need to act.

Hugh has graciously given me permission to share his cartoons before, and I do so with every intention that you will click through to his site, sign up for his newsletter, and maybe buy a lithograph or two. (I don’t receive any commission, just the fun of knowing I’m helping spread the word.)

This is a business card he created for Pam Slim, author of Escape From Cubicle Nation. (That’s her book on the right.)

It captures the essence of what holds many of us back from really making a difference in the world, and in our own lives – the thought that we need permission.

Permission to think we’re worthy. Permission to think we’re good enough. Permission to think our ideas will actually make a difference. Permission to risk being different. Permission to be successful – whatever that means to you individually.

Permission to be a Princess, even.

Thanks, Hugh. As always, you are a gem.

pamslim bizcard02 jpeg1 You dont need permission. You need to act.

Please visit Hugh’s site – Gaping Void Gallery.

Comments (0)
Categories : Choice, General Musings, Recommended Resources

What the Dynamic Opportunity Model has to do with the Science of Making Things Happen

By Nina East · Comments (0)
Monday, May 17th, 2010

Last week I posted an article about the Dynamic Opportunity Model (used with permission from CoachVille). dynamicthumb What the Dynamic Opportunity Model has to do with the Science of Making Things Happen
This is a powerful model for transforming a “problem” into an “opportunity”. It is simple, though not necessarily easy, but only because most of us are not very practiced at it.

Science What the Dynamic Opportunity Model has to do with the Science of Making Things HappenWhat’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, Read More→

Comments (0)
Categories : 5-Minute Book Reviews, Choice, Goals, Mindfulness
Tags : , , , , ,

Piano Stairs – how adding fun can make us better [video]

By Nina East · Comments (1)
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

We’ve all heard that if you make something fun you are more likely to do it. Especially important for those tasks of drudgery.pianothumb Piano Stairs how adding fun can make us better [video]

But, how do you know that’s true? Maybe you have some empirical evidence from your own life?
If so, you probably also have plenty of instances where that didn’t seem to work.

TheFunTheory.com is a site dedicated to showing that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behavior for the better. And isn’t that what personal growth is all about?

Here is a video demonstrating how to get people to take the stairs rather than the escalator – resulting in a 66% increase in people choosing the stairs.

If doing something fun like this can get people to change their physical behavior, in a way that enhances their health, where can you add fun in your life to get you to change your behavior, follow through more, keep in touch with people, work more efficiently, stay focused on your personal growth?

That’s what Personal Growth Princess is all about – giving you easy and fun access to the resources to help you do what’s in your best interests anyway. That’s why you see all the silly princess graphics and references…just keeping it fun to keep it working. [superemotions file="icon_biggrin.gif" title="Big Grin"]
p.s. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that TheFunTheory.com is a Volkswagon project.

What do you think?
Comment below and let us know where you add fun to help you do what you need to do.

Comments (1)
Categories : Choice
Tags : , , ,

Are you a Doer or a Dabbler?

By Nina East · Comments (0)
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

What’s the difference between doing and dabbling?

Seems a bit silly to ask that, doesn’t it? After all, everybody knows the difference, right?
Well, perhaps not so much…

Dabblers are people who “try” something out. They think about it, maybe take a teensy bit of action, but always have a reason they don’t fully commit. They don’t have time, they don’t have money, they aren’t sure, they aren’t sure if it will work…

Doers, on the other hand, well…Do. They make a decision and then take action. They may not get exactly what they want, but by DOING, they are at least moving in the direction they want, and can make course corrections along the way.

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of places where it makes sense to dabble to your heart’s content – hobbies, entertainment, maybe even gardening (depending on your penchant for beautiful flowers or healthy vegetables), etc. I’m sure you can think of many places in your life where it makes sense to dabble.

But the question is, are you dabbling where you ought to be doing?
If you don’t like the word “ought”, ask yourself if you are getting the results you want in a particular area. If not, are you dabbling there, or have you truly committed, past the “trying” stage? Are you taking consistent action toward what you want?

For me, the distinction between doer and dabbler was a mind-altering one. Read More→

Comments (0)
Categories : Choice, Goals
Tags : , ,
Next Page »

Get your free Gift Book Summary!

free self-help book summary for women
first name:
primary email:
Personal Growth Princess
Copyright © 2012 All Rights Reserved
iThemes Builder by iThemes
Powered by WordPress
Powered by WishList Member - Membership Software