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Category: Recommended Reading

Linda-Ann reviews books she recommends to readers. These are ones that have impacted her or that have helped her clients.

Book Review: How To Meditate: A Guide To Self-Discovery

Book Review: How To Meditate: A Guide To Self-Discovery

How To Meditate: A Guide To Self-Discovery
by Lawrence LeShan

The author is a psychotherapist and approaches meditation from both an eastern and western direction. Although the title of this book indicates that it’s a “How To,” it goes way beyond that. It delves into the different ways to meditate, their philosophies and gives directions for each of them.

Many people who begin to meditate get frustrated when they can’t immediately quiet their mind. And when they can’t, they get frustrated and give up.This book is a practical, deep examination of meditation, why they’re helpful, and how they work on deep inner levels of being. It goes into some of the temptations a practitioner can be drawn into and how to avoid them.

By blending the understanding of what meditation does and why it works from both the mystical and psychological angles, this book can give the reader a deep foundation in pursuing the type of meditation that fits them. I’ve cited this book over and over again in my articles and recommend it highly to any person new to meditation or experienced in its practice.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review-Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy

Book Review-Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy

Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy
by David Burns, MD

Here’s a book that gives specific instructions on how to change the way you think about your life. It was created to help people erase depression, anxiety, procrastination, guilt, pessimism, as well as perfectionism, anger, stress and low self-esteem. And it works. In a study of people with clinical depression, 70-75% of them were “cured” three months after reading this book and following the exercises.

By becoming aware of what you think, and then either addressing it or disputing the reasons, you begin to change the mental processes that have sabotaged you. Many people resist writing down their thoughts, for various reasons, but doing so allows you to view them more dispassionately. No longer are you controlled by your moods or negative thinking, you are empowered to confront it and change it.

Awareness and claiming your authority are key. When you take the time and effort to pay attention to what you’re thinking and write it down, you’re taking control. Then, by responding to it rationally, more positively, you’re accepting your authority over your own thoughts. This will begin to change your life.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review: Bex Beltran’s Journals

Book Review: Bex Beltran’s Journals

Bex Beltran’s Journals

I love journals that you write in. Research has shown that writing by hand is more effective than typewriting or using a keyboard. Using a pen or pencil engages the mind more, allows more inner communication, processes information better and remembers the material better.

Bex Beltran has created a line of journals to cover all sorts of issues, from intuition to lists, manifestation to a crystal journal. Some are for business and business development, like the networking followup, client record, or social media content creator. And others are for personal use, like one for goal setting, reviewing accomplishments, or self-care for a highly sensitive person.

I especially love that some have questions to inspire you, for insight or help you overcome blocks. In a way, some could also be called workbooks. At this writing, there are almost ninety of them, and she continues to add more. I’m sure there’s one that you’ll find valuable. I’ve linked to the page that lists them, so you can browse through these amazing, inexpensive journals.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review-Tongue Fu!

Book Review-Tongue Fu!

Tongue Fu! How to Deflect, Disarm, and Defuse Any Verbal Conflict
by Sam Horn

This is a wonderful book about conflict resolution and how to deal with the average person in a confrontational situation. I love the way Sam Horn writes. She breaks it down into readily understood bites, with lots of examples and more than a bit of humor.

Our society has become so fast paced and stressed, that cordiality and politeness has gotten lost. And, as the old saying goes, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” By being patient, empathetic, and compassionate, we can get more done with more cooperation and goodwill.

The instructions in this book are basics for civil human communication.  Many of the suggestions are beneficial for those who are interested in being more gentle and spiritual in their everyday life. Some of her ideas are very simple, but very powerful to smooth over some of the bumps of human contact. It’s a very empowering book, teaching how the reader how to stand up for their rights while not tromping on the rights of others.

As I said before, this is for conflicts with the average person. In some situations, the ideas in this book fall short and may actually inflame the attacker. When that may be the case, I highly recommend her other book Take The Bully By The Horns.

Whether used in the business or personal life, “Tongue Fu!” is a necessary resource to learn how to be more responsive and get more accomplished with grace.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review-Activate Your Brain

Book Review-Activate Your Brain

Activate Your Brain by Scott G. Halford

You already have the best tool within you to achieve your goals. It’s your brain. It’s wired to help you succeed, but you have to know how to use it. When you learn how to activate it properly, not only will you be more successful, but you’ll feel less stressed and more in control.

By understanding the neurochemistry of your brain, you’ll discover how to motivate yourself and stay focused. This book is fill with exercises to lead you step-by-step to get started on a new pathway to getting the life you want. In addition, you’ll learn how to adjust your moods and become more positive.

This book is a delightful, easy to read manual to help you take small, steady steps to change your behavior and improve your results. The author’s mantra throughout the book is “start small, start now.” All those tiny steps will propel you to wonderful shifts in your life. Although the book is directed towards businesspeople, it can help anyone who wants to maximize their potential.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review-Success Is Easy: Shameless No-nonsense Strategies to Win in Business by Debbie Allen

Book Review-Success Is Easy: Shameless No-nonsense Strategies to Win in Business by Debbie Allen

Success Is Easy: Shameless, No-nonsense Strategies to Win in Business
by Debbie Allen

Some people have a hard time succeeding and feel that it’s just a knack that others have. But success is due to your habits and mindset more than anything else. Successful people carefully choose what they let into their minds. Skills can be learned, but mindset comes first. This book empowers you to remember that your success is actually in your hands.

In a step-by-step fashion, the author leads you through the different aspects of what it takes to build a success mindset. It identifies specific areas of inquiry to identify mental blocks and what will motivate you to succeed. You’re encouraged to discover the right way for you to develop the traits for success. From becoming clear on what success means to you to new perspectives about sales and marketing, this book covers it all.

At the end of each chapter is an affirmation and actions steps to support you in your success. The book provides an overview of what it takes to build the mindset and strategies to create the success you want. Although this book title says to “win in business,” what you get from the book could help you to win in life.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review-Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway

Book Review-Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway

Feel the Fear . . . and Do It Anyway (r)
by Susan Jeffers, Ph.D.

Fear can be a paralyzing emotion. It prevents us from being all that we can be, locks us away from our truest self, and wastes energy that could move us forward. Much of the fear is outdated and false ideas that we’ve been acting on.

Fear is also a normal response to change, but it depends on how we perceive the fear. When we believe the message of it is to avoid something new, then it limits us. But when we process the fear as excitement, it propels us forward.

The author of this book experienced it for herself and developed a strategy to get beyond it. This book is based on what she learned. Dr. Jeffers believes that fear is mainly an educational problem. That we’ve been programmed to be afraid, and that through examining and changing our beliefs, we can overcome our blocks.

The step by step instructions in this book lead us to acknowledge the fear, but move through it and beyond it.

This book teaches the reader how to become a positive thinker, raise self-worth, become more assertive, connect with a higher power, and make rational decisions. Anyone who has dealt with fear holding them back should use the exercises in this book to help them grow.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review: Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain

Book Review: Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain

Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life
by Shakti Gawain

I got my copy of this book over thirty years ago. Since then, it’s become a classic of how to manifest the life you want. It touches on all the basics of how to use your mind to its highest potential, along with clear instructions on how to practice each one.

Starting with the basics of creative visualization, she explains the steps and what to do at each step of the way. She addresses how to write and use affirmations.

From this practical beginning, she moves deeper into more advanced areas, still giving easily understood directions on how to experience it for yourself. Subjects such as healing, prosperity, relationships, self-esteem, among others are covered.

Many people who already have a grounding in these ideas may think they have little use for this book. Although it can be considered an introduction to the power of your mind, since it covers so much ground, it also condenses the information so that it’s a wonderful reference text.

Filled with affirmations, techniques, meditations, and exercises, this book is an essential addition to the library of anyone who uses these ideas.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review-The Science of Successful Living

Book Review-The Science of Successful Living

The Science of Successful Living: The Spiritual Formula for a Joyous Life
by Raymond Charles Barker

The subtitle on my copy of this book reads, “Written by a successful man for people who want success.” The author was a well-known author and minister for a Religious Science church in New York City. He also co-authored a book (now out of print) with Maxwell Maltz (who wrote “Psychocybernetics”).

This book gives straight, practical, down to earth information on how to experience greater success in all areas of your life. The author takes the reader into the depths of how the Universal and creative minds work, and translates abstract concepts into concrete explanations. As you read the information in this book, your consciousness will change to increase your acceptance of abundance, health, joy and peace of mind.

My copy is old and falling apart, with many passages either underlined or highlighted. But I wouldn’t trade it for any other, more recent, book. I value it too highly.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review-How to Be Your Own Best Friend

Book Review-How to Be Your Own Best Friend

How to Be Your Own Best Friend
by Mildred Newman and Bernard Berkowitz

This book was originally published over forty-five years ago. Although it has been around a long time, the information and advice in it is as fresh and helpful as it was back then. Written in a question-and-answer format, the two psychoanalysts (who are married to each other) explain what is necessary for us to love and accept ourselves.

I read this book in my early twenties, and it improved the way I thought about myself and my world. We tend to be a friend to everyone but ourselves. Instead, we treat ourselves as we might an enemy. The authors explain the ideas we need to entertain to be happier and healthier human beings. For when we treat ourselves with the same appreciation, empathy and compassion that we give to our friends, our lives transform.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart