The beauty of discomfort by Amanda Lang

 

Discomfort is something I occasionally face when I am thrown at a new environment. I think many people relate to that. This is why when I saw the title of this book, I thought it would be educational for me and a great method to further develop myself.

This book is a selection of non-fictional short stories that discuss people dealing with drastic change in their lives. Changes could be illness, chasing after dreams, or moving countries. They had to dive into discomfort to achieve their dreams. The different stories cover people from different backgrounds and demographics. This book gave me the chance to dive into other people’s discomfort and see how they cope with it. 

I learned that discomfort is not always a choice. Sometimes life forces us to be in uncomfortable situations and we either choose to stay in bed or run against the wind.

The message of this book is to make a life out of discomfort. To not let it get the best of you. Because there is a lesson learned with every new situation you put yourself in.

The examples set in this book are all Canadian which I found very relatable.

If discomfort is a topic that you need to explore, check this book out. Not all chapters will appeal to everyone (I shipped a chapter). But the take away from the book is tremendous. Also, it is okay to skip chapters because they are not interconnected.

The Big Life by Ann Shoket

This book read like a magazine.

I have been a fan of Ann since my adolescent years. I knew her from reading Seventeen magazine. I always borrowed the magazine from the library or skimmed through it while waiting for mom to finish shopping. It was a magazine that satisfied something in me. Oh, and I always entered their sweepstakes(never won anything).  Of course, years had gone by and I stopped reading the magazine. 

I got busy with school and work. And of course, I wasn’t 17 anymore. But I will always be taken to the past when I see the magazine on the shelves.

One thing I didn’t grow out of was following Ann Shoket. What is she up to, her adventures and her new accomplishments. She is a role model after all. I want to have the same aura she has. The successful woman who is inspiring many women. I wanted that.

When I saw her book in the library, it was as if light was coming out of it. I picked it up right away.

Reading this book felt like reading a magazine. The format was almost like how a magazine layout looks like. For example, the title of the chapters was in bold with a black background. There were interviews posted before the end of a chapter. There were take away notes that summarized important pieces (I wish all self-help books had that since I have a goldfish memory).

Reading this book really felt good. I am in a stage where I have nothing figured out. This book made me realize that I am not the only one feeling frustrated and lost.

This book showcased successful young ladies throughout the book. But those ladies didn’t have it all figured out from day one. They had to get a job, any job to start out because it was about the journey, not the destination. They had big dreams but they didn’t know from where to start.

I felt relatable to those girls. I realized that each one of us has a struggle and it is our role to overcome it.

I think this book is a great fit for those who are dreaming big. For teenagers, to know that it is fine to have nothing figured out. For young adults to know that they are not the only ones in this maze.

Book Review: Get-It-Done Guy's 9 Step to Work Less and Do More

Heyhihello

Today I shall be reviewing a book titled Get-It-Done Guy's 9 Step to Work Less and Do More by Stever Robbins.

Here is the description of the book:

Want to conquer your e-mail inbox once and for all? Need help getting organized and staying focused? Start reading! Millions of people already benefit from the innovative, time-saving tips that Stever Robbins dispenses each week in his #1 ranked Get-It-Done Guy podcast. Now he’s come up with a 9-step plan to transform even the most overwhelmed into an overachiever. You will learn to: Beat procrastination by speed dating your tasks: You’ll face anything if it’s just for three minutes; schedule small, finite periods of time for those tasks that seem too overwhelming to get started on. Give your technology a performance review: Our smart phones, PDAs, and computers often make less work in one area while making much more work in others. Review your technology to make sure it’s delivering on its promise. Cut out the small talk: Small talk builds superficial relationships, which is a grand waste of time. Ask better questions to make instant connections that’ll benefit you for years to come.   Written in the uniquely humorous style Stever is known for, Get-It-Done Guy’s 9 Steps to Work Less and Do More will help you break the bad habits slowing you down and holding you back. Work less and do more—your free time is waiting!

My review:

I was really excited when I got this book for a review. I always work more and gain less. I needed some techniques to alter this image. This book helped me to set some strategies in order to achieve my goals by working less. And no it doesn’t talk about being lazy and do nothing and you will gain more. No. There are actually 9 steps in order to achieve the "work less and do more" thing.

Personally, I felt the book was repetitive and wordy for the most of the time. It was full of information any mankind was familiar with it. I had to skip many pages because I knew already how to organize my time and stop wasting time, but it could be just me. It was good in a sense of just reminding me.

However, the book was full of great techniques. I actually bookmarked all those techniques so I don’t forget about them.

My favourite chapter was 4 or step 4. 

   

Know more about the book and the author by clicking here.

Here is a little video 

Book Review: The Skinny On Success

HeyHiHello

Today I shall review a book titled The Skinny On Success. It is a how to be successful kind of book. This book is suitable for all readers since every and each one of us would like to be successful one day. But how?

The description of The Skinny On Success from goodreads.com

In Jim Randels distinct and unique format of telling a story through skinny stick people, readers will see success in a new light as they learn the tools that will help them to become victorious or, if they want to flourish even more, how to take their dreams about achieving to the next level. The Skinny on Success will explain how to: Identify the three steps in the process that leads to success that triumphant people take.See the importance of passion, action, & persistence.Decide how big a role talent plays in becoming successful.

Be inspired by the examples of Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, John Grisham, and others, who went from rejection after rejection to huge triumphs. Benefit from the author's synthesis of the key findings from illuminating books on success, including Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers, Daniel Coyne's the Talent Code, and others.

If you haven’t guessed it yet, this book tells about the secrets steps behind people's  success. The book takes real life examples of successful people such as Stephen King and J.K. Rowling and reflects upon them. There are always similarities in successful people's life. You get to know these similarities by reading the book.

My Opinion:

The Skinny On Success was one of the most interesting book I had read in my entire life. It taught me to never give up on my goals. It taught me that throughout history successful people had a "failing period" at one point of their lives. The book taught me that it's not shamful to try again and again till you reach to your goal. Basically this book gives tips and advice to live with.

As you know from my pervious reviews for The Skinny On series, the books are made in an uncomplicated way. You can finish the book in one hour and have the information stick in your brain for a lifetime.

At the end of the book, it references many other books to expand our knowledge on how to be successful.  My goal is to finish this list they provided.

I reviewed 3 other books related to the skinny on series. Check them out:

The skinny on time management

The skinny on the art of persuasion

The skinny on networking

Here is a very interesting video I found:

Tata for now

Book Review: The Skinny On Time Management

HeyHiHello

I am always stressing out when it comes to time management but who isn’t?

I mean we have to check our emails, twitter, facebook,etc.

Then we need to finish the projects due, edit assignments and study for tests.

We also need to hang out with friends and time for recreational activities.

So if you are finding it very challenging to fit all these stuff in your schedule, you need to learn how to manage your time.

So today I shall introduce to you a new book called The Skinny On Time Management.

Poduct Description

The Skinny on Time Management summarizes for you the thinking of those who have spent years contemplating time and time management. This book will tell you exactly what you need to know to find the time to accomplish your goals. This book addresses not only techniques for creating additional time but also strategies for making more impactful and effective use of the time you have. Those people who master the techniques and strategies presented in this book are well on their way to the success they aspire to. -amazon.com

I obviously loved this book. It helped me in different ways. For example it taught me how to be efficient and never waste my time. It taught me that if I am having a long break between classes, then I should create a class on my own during the break and study. The book shows many strategies and techniques on how to manage your time efficiently.

Advice from the book that I memorized :

• You need to set goals for yourself for the near and far future
• Create a "To Do List"
• Organize your workplace or study place so you don’t end up wasting your time everyday looking for a pen

Basically this book is too thin for thick information. I bet you will finish it in 45 minutes and after reading it you will become a whole new person.  

The book also gives references to youtube videos and other books to read to get better with time management. Here is one of the videos that were mentioned in The Skinny On Time Management. Check it out.

Tata for now. 

Book Review: The Skinny On The Art of Persuasion

HeyHiHello

"The art of persuasion or in another words the art to move minds". 

How important is it to be able to convince people?And how to convince people?

Well, all the answers could be found at The Skinny On The Art of Persuasion.

Overview of the book:

"Persuasion: to convince... to cause to do. From the French suadere, to urge. Great persuaders - people who can get into your brain and massage your cerebrum - wow. I mean what is more powerful than that?
The Skinny On has studied great persuaders going back hundreds of years. And we have learned that persuasiveness is an acquired skill... that there are principles, techniques and strategies that you can develop to boost your persuasive powers.
The Skinny on the Art of Persuasion is about developing the skills to move minds. In this graphic, one-hour read you'll learn how to influence the thinking of others. You'll learn skills to increase your persuasiveness and eventually, your success at whatever endeavor you pursue."-amazon.com

This book is not like any other book that gives you too much theory till it bores you. But instead The Skinny On The Art of Persuasion shows you techniques and tricks on how to move minds. Talking about tricks, on page 82, there is a magic trick. It shows you bunch of deck cards and you have to pick one, then the narrator of the book points at the same exact card that you choose. So interactive.

The book is so much fun by putting us, the readers, into real life situation.  The book also contains many of the information on the human ego and how we react in certain events.

The book contains lots of quotes that have deep meaning. One of the special quotes I read in  "The Skinny On The Art of Persuasion" was

"Reason is the slave to passion"- David Hume, Scottish Philosopher.

I even tweet the quote the minute I read it.

I found the book very enjoyable and readable in an hour.

The book will be interesting to people who are interested in:

·         Public relations

·         Sales

·         Marketing

·         Being able to move minds

Tata for now J

Book Review: The Skinny On Networking

What is "Networking"?

You might tell me it's having lots and random friends on facebook or following whomever on twitter.

Well, not really.

Networking: is maximizing the power of numbers.

I learned this definition after reading a book called "The Skinny On Networking." The Skinny On are books series that I will be reviewing four of them in the near future. The first book I read was about networking but before the review, here is why The Skinny On books are different from any books in the same category.

Overview:

The Skinny on are books that sends the message in a clear and interactive way to the readers. It uses sticky people to illustrate which helps the information in the book to stick in our brains. The Skinny On books are not boring unlike other books in the same field. The book uses so many references from other books and online sites.

Review:

This was the only book out of the 4 that had a slow start because at the beginning it was giving an introduction to the book and the sticky people and how they are different from us.

Ignoring the slow start, the book is excellent source of information. It contained lots of history and real life facts. In addition to that it had tools and tips on how to maximize your network. The book could be an amazing read for marketers and publicists and since I am planning to study marketing, I found it very helpful. Forgot to mention that the sticky people were so funny. See it is not boring ( I was expecting it to be boring, sorry, but it failed by expectations). In addition to that, these books were sent to be for review, so that means I will keep them forever which means I will read the book over and over again because it's that useful. No kidding.

I wonder how am I going to review the other books, if that was my least favourite out of the four and I couldn’t stop talking about how good it was. Geez.

So I am going to recall some of the stuff I learned from The Skinny On Networking:

·         When you are in a middle of a conversation, listen more than talk

·         When people ask you to do favours for them, do it because it’s a human nature that they will want to return the favour to you.

·         Try to expand your horizons and don’t wait for jobs to knock on the door.

Ok I think I should stop spoiling the book, but seriously the book is useful for our generation, the Y generation to be exact. Hint: you need a good foundation of network to find a job unless you are lucky.

Today I had my communication lecture and I was surprised when the teacher talked about networking. 

Networking is a big deal, people. I never realized that till I read The Skinny On Networking.

So that’s the end of my review. Soon I will be reviewing:

• The skinny On Success
• The skinny On the Art of Persuasion
• The Skinny On  Time Management

Here is a little story that was in the book and I found online. Enjoy:

Tata for now