"When your focus is always on what's 'wrong' with you, you diminish what's 'right' about you." (page 11)
"In order to thrive in your uniqueness and be distinct, you need to be aware of what I call 'distinctly you blockers' and then overpower them with 'distinctly you builders.'" (page 11)
I personally have a bad habit of letting things get to me. I am sure you do too...
It's human nature... letting small things get to us that shouldn't.
All it does it stop us from being who we really are. We are so wrapped up in what we think rather than what is. I know many, myself included, who have this habit. We can only focus on the good.
The book is broken even further down into the two concepts above: "Distinctly You Blockers" and "Distinctly You Builders".
Distinctly You Blockers
1. Letting Others Define You
2. Letting You Define You
3. Those Three Cs: Comparing, Competing, Coveting
4. A Small View of God
5. A Large View of Yourself
6. Fickle Feelings
7. Distractions
8. Disappointment with God
9. Destructive Speech
10. A Bad Attitude
11. Spiritual Apathy
12. Seeing Failure as Final
Distinctly You Builders
1. Letting God Define You
2, DO Your Best
3. A Big View of God
4. Focus
5. Limit Limitations
6. Adjust Your Attitude
7. Soul Fitness
8. Designer Wardrobe
9. Prizing Wisdom
10, Count the Cost
11. Live in the Now
12. Control You
It is well written and really is a powerful story as well as advise. It is something that every person can relate to. I found myself thinking that some of the things were lighter than I thought they would be. Finding that even things that are smaller than what I have been through would define someone to such a degree makes me realise that my uniqueness is strong... But it also reminded something so important...
We can't hold others to our standards of uniqueness. We are all meant for a different purpose. As a parent, I can't deal sometimes with the struggle of my child not wanting to do school work. I never had the person behind me pushing me at home to do well at school. And while I give my kids freedom, I find myself getting on them for not being up to date on their work and not taking it seriously. While this means that they have the comforts around them to know they are taken care of, it pains me to think that they aren't doing their best. I need to stop holding them to the same standard I hold myself to. Yet, allow them to find their own inner self.
In fact, that above, is going to be something I really consider and internalize more. Because it goes into more of the voice I hear too-- "I am not good enough." When I look back at who I am, I realise I am someone who is on the verge of something wonderful. I have done so much. I need to look at me instead of the comparison.
The book is a very easy read. It does have biblical references that even a non-believer can tolerate. I really appreciate that. She isn't using her faith as a crutch but rather a light for her. That shows in her writing.
Anyone, and I do mean, anyone with an open learning heart can gain something from this book. There are many introspective pieces to it even as she is writing about her experience and that is something that is powerful in of itself.
This is a book I will be coming back to to remind myself, and even have my daughter read it. Even at her tender age of nine (okay, okay, almost nine). There are some really good things that I think that a nine year old can understand, take to heart, and hopefully diminish the amount of feeling the need to compare that so many of us have struggled with for so many years.
* I received this book in exchange for my honest review *
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