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Janet Poole’s book took me on a
journey I wasn’t expecting. It was a journey that
enabled me to discover parts of myself I didn’t know
existed. Her book gave me the courage to make a decision
that has plagued me since 1985. And that is do I or
don’t I take the plunge and publish my own children’s
writing. Following her guidance in chapter five about
challenges and the powerful opportunities they open up
for you, I feel confident that I can achieve my goal of
publishing my own work.
The most important point that the author makes is that
loving yourself is essential, if you want to help
yourself and others. Until you can love yourself for
whom you are, then your mind and body are consumed by
negative thoughts. By loving yourself you open your mind
to new ways of looking at life in a positive light. This
love of oneself in turn flows outwardly to embrace those
around you with love and to help them in a positive way.
What Janet Poole has articulated in fine detail is that
by not letting go of demons that tell us that self love
is degrading and selfish, keeps the body in a sluggish
state. One that gives our body a false sense of
security, where it uses negative thoughts as a security
blanket. It’s like telling oneself, “If I sit here and
don’t move nothing can harm me.” But if a person allows
themselves to stay in an immobile mental state, they
will never expand their knowledge of life. To expand
knowledge you first must expand knowledge of yourself.
The summaries and exercises that are included at the end
of each chapter I found to be an excellent idea. They
reinforced the sometimes difficult ideas that the author
was attempting to get across. I found the book was set
out quite well and it made it easier to progress down
the self discovery path. Doing what you love is not
selfish; it is the key to becoming all knowing in the
quest for knowledge of oneself and all things in the
universe.
Another point the author makes quite well is that you
alone are responsible for your life, and you cannot
blame someone else for your life. Self-pity feels good
momentarily, but it means that we are avoiding
responsibility, and it shuts down our power. In today’s
world we should always avoid the herd mentality; you
should always choose what is good for you.
Readers who approach this book with an open mind will
discover a wealth of information that enables them to
see themselves in a new light. They shall see that they
themselves have control over how life treats them. The
real person who resides inside all of us can pave the
way to true enlightenment and self fulfillment, no
matter what our goals may be. This, as the book so
richly describes is not selfish, it leads the way to
helping others.
Janet Poole’s book is not one that can be read once and
put away. It is a reference for life that each
additional reading will enhance the understanding of
oneself and the world one exists in. Those readers
willing to take on new ways of thinking will find this
book, as I did a revelation as to what makes us human.
I found this book to be one of the best I have read on
the topic of self discovery, and highly recommend it to
those seeking out new knowledge.
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