Customer Reviews

Dare to Be Yourself: How to Quit Being an Extra in Other Peoples Movies and Become the Star of Your Own

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I went to the bookstore looking for something to satisfy my craving for inspiration and higher consciousness. I came upon Alan Cohen's book, "Dare To Be Yourself", in the new age section (although, upon reading it, I'm not sure why).

Anyway, everything about this book is profoundly life-enhancing, from the cover straight through to the last page. Mr. Cohen's writing style is conversational, and easy to follow. He gives many examples and analogies to clarify his points. As I read, I couldn't help but feel he was speaking directly to me, although, I suspect anyone reading this book will feel similarly.

As I continued to read, I knew that I would never be the same after finishing this book. In fact, people have told me I seem happier, and I attribute that to lifting the self-imposed limitations I've lived with up until to this point. It may sound funny, but it's as if the author has given me "permission" to just be me! Reading this book has been a major liberating experience for me. I've been recommending it to everyone I know, and I'm sure I will continue to do so. I can't wait to read his other books. Alan Cohen has a wonderful gift which he has chosen to share with the world, and I, for one, am extremely grateful. And now, I'm off to share MY gifts with the world! : )

I read this book years ago, and it's still one of the firstbooks I recommend to people. It helps one realize that negative thinkingabout yourself is not only non-productive, it's harmful and keeps you from progressing in life as you want to; giving one the ideas and tools to become more positive-minded. Alan Cohen has written with a style that contains very powerful insight that is an easy read, and I like the one-liners at the beginning of every chapter; they help one focus on issues about to be covered.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has had a "Dark Night of the Soul," feels despair, needs a new outlook on life, and could use helpful advice on new ways to think, thereby changing to a more positive life instead of always focusing on the negative.

A truly WONDERFUL book!

Whatever we concentrate on, expands and increases. ~Alan Cohen

All of Alan's books are healing, beautiful gifts that allow you to see a reflection of your current self within the pages. Alan has the amazing ability (very rare as far as I can tell) to see deep spiritual lessons in even the most negative situations.

To Alan, life is a reflection of his inner world. This has become more apparent to me lately and there have been moments when I've spoken my intentions out loud or just thought them silently and my life changes or moves in positive directions. The same can happen when you think negatively as I have proved to myself time and time again.

Alan is a man before his time and his love of quotes and movies is a highlight in "Dare to Be Yourself." The truth is, Alan is comfortable being himself and as Ingrid Bergman once said: "Be Yourself. The world worships the original." He has divided his book into five main sections:

1. The Return of the Golden Buddha - How to chip away the mask and reveal more of your golden nature.

2. Dare to Love Yourself - Do you respect yourself and believe in yourself?

3. Dare to Live Now - How to turn scars into stars and let yourself experience life on the human level. It is fine to change your mind, be wrong or let go. Alan also discusses forgiveness and how to live in the moment.

4. Dare to Be Yourself - How can you take your power back? How to say NO!

5. Dare to Move Ahead - Taking risks, moving through fear, doing the impossible and living your vision.

Alan Cohen mingles practical advice with spiritual insight and weaves popular cultures into deep lessons. I always learn something new about life. There is a fascinating story about Monarch Butterflies on page 45. The original idea of the "Blessing Extractor" and "Wish-fulfillment machine" made complete sense to me and then I was very amused by the cute story of "The God in Chocolate."

His insightful observations about Marilyn Monroe shed light on her life and he also discusses how when you feel like you are dying, you are going through a spiritual birthing process. As your old self dies, the new self is born. This can happen over and over again. I have been through this a few times myself and now I finally understand what was happening to me. I loved his creative ideas for making space for joy and enjoyed quotes by Albert Einstein, Yogi Amrit Desai and Ramana Maharshi.

Reading Alan Cohen's books are truly a vacation for your soul and his writing is refreshing in that he looks at life from an uncommon perspective.

This book even has a workbook section with each chapter- to encourage you to apply the principles and open new doors in your life.

~The Rebecca Review

Stupendous, can't say enough about Alan Cohen and the way in which he clearly and concisely gets to the root of it. If you are doing some soul searching, this is the book to help you navigate your way to greener pastures.

FANTASTIC: short, great, applicable stories; with insightful exercises for self-empowerment!! I use this book in my Science of Mind III classes because I believe the more healed the individual, the better "healer" we can provide for others to find within themselves.

great book from an author with a great heart.
can be read, re-read, started from the middle or anywhere...

if you are reading this, then you are probably looking for some help, wondering how you can be happy, how you can be the star of your own life. this book was downright inspirational for me at a time in my life when i really needed it.

you won't regret the purchase.

This book is excellent...Mr. Cohen uses anecdotes from both his personal life and the outer world to teach about personal spiritual growth. The book is extremely relatable, and also, for those like me who love to write in the margins, Mr. Cohen has included end of chapter questions with space to write reflective answers. I actually bought a second copy for myself to re-read and write in, as I am in a different stage of life and it is still an extremely helpful tool.

This book helped me to become much more spiritually aware- I would recommend it to beginners or advanced spiritual masters alike.

To say this book changed my life would be an understatement. I keep copies of it on hand to give people that are struggling in trying to find out who they are or how to just make it through the day.

It opened my eyes to a NEW me not the "religious" guilt riden girl I had turned out to be. It took my life from guilt control to God's true adventure into freedom from man made rules.

Alan cohen uses humor and examples from modern life and makes his points in a way that is easy to understand. The questions at the end of each chapter are wonderful for getting to know the REAL you and find out where in your life you may have went off track and this book also helps point you in the right direction to get back on track and start enjoying your life again.

Awesome and Amazing but above all LIFE CHANGING !!!!

I had gone through a separation and divorce and was starting anew. Didn't want to read about divorce, but wanted something positive that focused on me. ;-)

Also absolutely LOVED "I Had It All The Time" by Alan. Really, if you liked "Dare To Be Yourself", give "I Had It All The Time" a read.

More spiritual than I would want. I am sensitive to spirituality in books since it is so dependant on the individual.