5.0 out of 5 stars
Biro, a popular motivational speaker, proceeds to show you what you need to do to get this joy in your life., March 9, 2011
This review is from: It's Time for Joy: How to Become the Happiest Person You Know (Paperback)
I agree with the premise behind IT'S TIME FOR JOY! (Morgan James Publishing) by Brian Biro; i.e., it is indeed time for joy.
Biro, a popular motivational speaker, proceeds to show you what you need to do to get this joy in your life . . . you can start with this simple exercise:
* Wherever you are, sit up really tall. Straighten your backbone. Put a big toothy grin on your face for a second, and open your eyes a little wider. Now, fill yourself up with a rich, deep breath. Did you feel a rush of energy surging inside you? Emotion is created by motion, and you've just felt the truth of that adage. Suddenly, just by sitting up, changing your facial expression, and taking a rich, energizing breath, billions of cells in your body received new messages filled with vibrancy, creating the instantaneous result of heightened vitality and alertness. If we can transform our energy level so quickly simply by deciding to use our bodies differently, imagine what we can do if we consistently make better choices about our health, our nutrition, and our physical vitality.
Exercise also helps, according to the author--and he recommends that you follow the principle of progression:
* For exercise and movement to become a basic part of everyday life, it must become habitual. Generally it takes thirty days of conscious, consistent action to build a new habit. If over the course of those thirty days you see genuine progress being made physically, emotionally, and mentally from your chosen exercise program, you will have a far greater likelihood of sticking with it. You'll establish the habit of that exercise program as a vital part of your day. For example, when I first began running, I was in poor physical shape. I ran a total of four minutes the first time out and thought I was going to keel over, but each day following that initial "marathon," I used the principle of progression to heighten my inspiration. My plan was very simple. I ran one more minute on the front half of my route for that day, which meant I ran two full minutes more by the time I returned home. I progressed to six minutes on my second day, eight on the third, ten on the forth, and so on. Within two weeks, I was running over half an hour without stopping. My weight began to drop and my energy and spirit rose. By the end of my first thirty days, I had build up to over an hour of continuous running, and I was hooked.
Lastly, he warns that comparisons are rarely the best way to motivate or lead:
* Many parents can fall into the destructive habit of using comparison as a way to motivate their children. Statements like "You should act more like your sister," or "Your brother wouldn't do that!" tear down your children's self-esteem and fuels their need for outside approval to feel worthy. If you practice comparison enough as a parent, your children will never feel they are good enough in your eyes. This fear of not measuring up will follow them wherever they go. In business, many managers and executives use the same approach of comparing employees to one another to motivate and ignite performance, with the same damaging results. The truth is there is no need to use comparison in your parenting or leading. Instead you can simply focus on helping others make better choices and behave positively. Letting go of comparison doesn't mean you can't learn from others by examining best practices and successful solutions to challenges. The key is to no longer place those you lead on some sort of rating scale. You can help them learn that giving their best and being fully conscious in the present moment is perfect, complete and deeply satisfying. In this way you will guide them to peace of mind, confidence and appreciation rather than envy. You will create an environment both at home and at work that moves from ego to "we go!"
So consistent with that last tidbit, I won't rate IT'S TIME FOR JOY! in terms of similar books that I have read on the subject . . . however, I will tell you that you won't go wrong in reading it, and you'll get a lot of useful ideas that you can put into practice in your role as a parent, employer or employee, or volunteer member of any organization.
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