Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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89 of 92 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Turn Your Sucky Life Into A Suck-sess, October 29, 2003
When I first saw this book, I was a little turned off by the title. It implied that my life sucked--and it didn't! However, I was too curious not to look. I'm glad I did.
We all have areas in our life that "suck". They are the uninvestigated thoughts and assumptions we have made that are a part of our reality. These, in turn, affect our decisions and perspectives. As a result, we often sell out, self-sabotage, and put up with things that suck our energy. It's these "little foxes that spoil the vine", to borrow from the Bible, that often eat at our enjoyment of life and its blessings.
I'm glad that the publishers of this book, The Jodere Group, were brave enough to allow for the title. "Suck" is an oft-used word in American culture, but it has the stigma of being crude slang. Yet, Cohen maintains that there are many aspects of life (including "energy vampires") that can literally suck the vitality right out of us--leaving us feeling drained, tired, anxious, depressed, angry, cheated and empty.
It took me awhile to get through this book because there are so many wise nuggets to absorb. I had my highlighter out, and soon realized this is a book that is not to be consumed quickly. Don't get me wrong: it's not difficult reading. Cohen writes in a friendly, conversational style--as if he's sitting in the living room with you. He uses personal stories, examples of well-known people, and quotes from others. (And he's also hilarious!) But what makes it a book to read slowly is that it contains such practical wisdom and advice for every area of life: relationships, money, vocation/work, spirituality, creativity, personal empowerment, sex, and so on.
Why Your Life Sucks is divided into 10 Chapters or reasons why your life may suck. Each Chapter/Reason then has sub-sections that cover the areas of how your life sucks and what you can do about it.
For example, Reason 1 that your life sucks is that You give your power away. The how of giving your power away is:
You put people on a pedestal.
You imitate instead of create.
You don't listen to your intuition.
You let others choose for you.
You think your destiny depends on something outside of you.
He then shares ways to plug up the proverbial leaks in your bucket, so you're not sucked dry. Here are a few gems I highlighted just in Chapter 1:
Physical death is mandatory, but spiritual death is optional.
If you don't use your mind, someone else will.
Drop what you've been taught so you can remember what you know.
Your true strength resides in holding your power in the midst of those who have abdicated theirs.
In the long run, you are the one who will have to live with your decisions, so make sure they represent your true desires.
Here are the other 9 reasons that your life may suck:
Reason 2: You expect it to suck
Reason 3: You get fooled by appearances
Reason 4: You waste your energy on things that suck
Reason 5: You keep trying to prove yourself
Reason 6: You say yes when you mean no
Reason 7: You think you have to do it all yourself
Reason 8: You try to fix other people
Reason 9: You starve your soul
Reason 10: You forgot to enjoy the ride
Many self-help offer little advice on how to navigate out of the murky waters of discontent; they just tell you what you already know--being big on what, but not how. This book, however, gives practical advice and real-life stories to help you plug up that leaky bucket that's been draining you of your life, your passion, and your energy.
I'll leave you with a nugget from Chapter 4: "Do what brings you life. Do not do what deadens you."
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38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Be the one you love!, February 9, 2004
"When you trust your inner promptings and act on them, synchronicity works with amazing precision." ~Alan Cohen
There is a moment in your life when you realize you are taking care of everyone else and you have forgotten to take care of yourself. That is when you may notice a sense of soul-starvation, illness, a lack of energy, depression and a list of other negative factors appearing in your life. At about this time, you start to feel that your life "sucks."
Self-help guru Alan H. Cohen has written a comforting book to show you the 10 reasons why your life might suck and to present a roadmap to leave your past hell and enter a future life filled with triumph instead of tragedy. Through Alan Cohen's message I realized that everything I needed was inside me and lately I've learned how to listen to my heart and not just my head.
I really had a good time laughing out loud throughout this inspiring book. Not only does Alan Cohen speak to you as a friend, he adds a witty touch to reality checks. You can't help laughing along and enjoying this entire reading experience.
The book is divided into 10 main sections, which include such topics as: "You Give Your Power Away," "You Say Yes When You Mean No," and "You Forgot to Enjoy the Ride."
I enjoy Alan's love of quotes and his thoughts have been inspiring me for years when I heard them on the "Dave 'til Dawn" show on the radio. After going through a few months of deep soul searching I knew it was time to read all of Alan's books. I needed a reality check, but in a manner that was comforting and healing.
There is an amazing rescue story in this book and an interesting perspective on how you can lose weight. Now I realize why yoga can be great for weight loss. Alan really answered a lot of my questions in "Why Your Life Sucks." He also captures profound ideas in one sentence.
"Wherever you go, you will find yourself." ~Alan H. Cohen
Although I agreed with 99% of the advice in this book, I am not so willing to eternally responsible for agreeing that there is no heaven or hell. I found it interesting that Alan was quoting a few scriptures but had rejected those two ideas. Then he got me interested in looking up additional books. There are quotes from many religions and also from a variety of sources throughout this book. It is not a religious book, but will definitely help you along in your spiritual path. Alan is against guilt trips and in favor of a feeling of freedom and acceptance.
Alan goes beyond commonsense and shows you how to live in an enlightened reality. He encourages the reader to take care of the body and soul.
I also loved his descriptions of his life in Hawaii. I will continue to dream about night-blooming jasmine and clouds that turn pink at sunset.
You might also enjoy reading:
The Wisdom of the Heart
The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore
The Peace That You Seek
A Deep Breath of Life
~The Rebecca Review
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30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Be Gone, Oh Life That Suketh!, August 25, 2002
Like the books that offer the reader the opportunity to get rich quick, everyone would like to think that we are just a short read away from easy street. An author of seventeen self help books, Mr. Cohen appears to have found the formula for the good life. Like the infomercials on T.V. there is a hell of a lot of money being made by people "selling us" the way to happiness and success. With all this in mind, I might add that I was rather skeptical of this book. So I must admit that I was surprised at the many helpful ideas the book offered. So if you feel that your life, well, sucks. Read the book, just keep in mind that doing something about your life requires far more than reading a book. Perhaps the next title should be, "Beyond a Life That Sucks,"
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