Review: Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide

 Creativity

A Short and Cheerful Guide

John Cleese

According to John Cleese, creativity is something one can learn. In this short, fun, and yes, very cheerful guide, he provides tips for encouraging and practicing creativity. The first tip is to let your unconscious mind do most, if not all, of the work for you. Use it to play with ideas and thoughts, just like children do when playing or daydreaming. Secondly, he gives some more specific tips and tasks, such as writing what you already know about or thinking about how your mood will affect the creative project or endeavor you are working on because it will likely affect the outcome. And perhaps most importantly, don't worry about making mistakes or about the result. Just start something creative and see what happens. You might be surprised.

This well-written, little gem of a book would make a wonderful gift for anyone hoping to boost their creativity. It's one of those things you can turn to when you need a little pick me up. It's short, in fact, almost a bit too short for me. By the end, I found myself wishing for more tips and anecdotes from this talented author. Nevertheless, it covered an engaging theme, offering sage advice.

This review was written by me for City Book Review.

Review: Growing Big Dreams

Growing Big Dreams

Robert Moss

If you are interested in using your dreams and imagination to become more creative and in tune with your inner self, then Growing Big Dreams is a book for you. The author reveals twelve ways for readers to have more lucid dreams, connect with those dreams, heal the past through dreams, and create a future by finding a story within.

Every chapter is devoted in some way to helping you develop and understand your dreams. Even if you are in what he terms a dream drought, you will see that you can dream more vividly and recall more about your dreams by following his tips and exercises. He also seeks to help you understand recurring dreams and what they may be telling you about your life. I especially enjoyed chapter nine, where the author covers how we can use our dreams to manifest our desires and wishes for the present and future.

Before trying some of the exercises he suggests, I was a little skeptical that I would be able to have more lucid dreams or that I could recall them. But, I was pleasantly surprised by the results. Throughout the book, the author combines stories from his travels, seminars, and course participants, as well as enough exercises to encourage anyone to dream big.

This review was written by me originally for City Book Review.

Review: Ignite Your Light

 

Ignite Your Light

Jolene Hart

Are you looking for a way to get more energy in your life? If so, Ignite Your Light has many useful tips, inspiration, and recipes to help you do just that. Jolene Hart focuses on the differences between a dim light and positive light. She will help you discern the difference between the two and, ultimately, get more positive light moving through your day. Changing your energy levels will allow you to feel better and glow from the inside out. And the best part about the process Hart describes is that you don't need a lot of money to follow her advice.

I love the fact that this book is divided into sunrise, daylight, sunset, and moonlight. I knew right away that I needed to incorporate tips and tricks the Hart presents to awaken more positive energy during sunrise, especially since that sets the foundation for the day. I found useful advice for other times of the day as well. For example, just turning off devices and relaxing with friends or family or taking a long relaxing bath at the end of the day can have positive benefits for your health and mind. Ignite Your Light is a well written, easy-to-follow guide that I will continue to consult whenever I need a little bit of inspiration.

This review was written by me for City Book Review.

Review: The Universe Is Talking to You

 

The Universe is Talking to You

Tammy Mastroberte

Do you ever wonder if the universe is talking to you when you think of something in your mind, and it suddenly shows up? It could be a book someone mentions more than once that you want to read, and on your way to work, you pass a billboard with the same book advertised, and you wonder if it is a sign. Well, Tammy Mastroberte thinks it is not only a sign, but that life is filled with symbols and synchronicity if you know how to slow down and recognize them.

She provides useful exercises, prayers, meditations, and visualization tips throughout this book to help you find more magic in your life. I loved learning about how to unblock thoughts by understanding the role of the Reticular Activity System (RAS). It filters thoughts between the subconscious mind and the conscious mind. With practice, one can turn the focus towards positive ones.

Whether you want to see signs from loved ones who have passed away or seek answers to current issues in life, Mastroberte guides you through the process with her personal story. She has learned to incorporate many techniques into her daily routine that allow her to feel connected to the universe. By following her lead, you will come to see how magical the universe can be.

This review was written by me and published by City Book Review.

Review: Scripting the Life You Want

 

Scripting The Life You Want

Royce Christyn

What is scripting? It is basically writing down how you want your day to unfold. The author suggests making a list of your wants and beliefs, which include some mundane things that you already know will happen. Some or all of these things are incorporated into your daily script. Which is like writing a journal account of your day as you want it to occur. This is followed by an evening entry into a nightly journal where you write down what actually happened. By using the examples and tips, the author gives you should see your daily script align with your nightly journal in a short time.

I love that the author presents a simple way to bring about changes in our day-to-day lives quickly. If you are drawn to the theory of the law of attraction but have trouble manifesting your desires, this book might help. The author writes with a passion and enthusiasm that inspired me to write my first daily script. This helped me focus on the day ahead. However, he does go into a lot of scientific information about how and why he thinks this works, which I'm not sure I needed.

Nevertheless, this guide is good at showing you how to incorporate scripting into your life. All you need is a pen and paper.

This review was written by me and originally published by City Book Review

Review: Feel Better in 5

Feel Better in 5

Dr. Rangan Chatterjee

Feel Better in 5 is all about making small changes in your daily routine that lead to lasting results. The book is divided into three sections: Mind, Body, and Heart. Within each area, Dr. Chatterjee presents what he calls "health snacks" designed to make you feel better throughout the day. By devoting five minutes three times a day to his suggestions and exercises, you can create a new routine that will positively benefit your mind, body, and heart. By finding time in the day that works for you, whether it is before your day begins or at the end of the day, these tips are designed to have a ripple effect in your life. Once you start to feel good, you will want to incorporate more of the exercises into your day; at least, that's the idea. And I'm happy to say that there are many interesting options listed throughout the book. I enjoyed the physical exercise snacks the most.

If, like me, you are one of those people, who start diets and exercise programs only to give up a few days or weeks later, Feel Better in 5 presents a new way of addressing health and fitness. It's easy to follow and it doesn't require a lot of time or willpower. As far as I'm concerned, that makes this one a winner.

This review was written by me and originally published by City Book Review.