false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170640074m/66140.jpg 66140 4 Put the telescope away; the North Star mentioned here is a human body, not a heavenly one. And like Polaris, which has guided sailors for centuries, the human body's gut feelings and emotions can help guide a wayward soul back to his or her "essential self." In this absorbing combination of detailed self-awareness exercises and true stories from her own counseling experience (equal parts sobering and hysterically entertaining), Harvard-trained sociologist Martha Beck invites readers to explore their heart's desires and the vast social webs that keep such desires in check. The goal is not to forsake the "social self" and indulge every emotional impulse of the "essential self." Rather, Beck gives readers the tools and the encouragement to achieve maximum happiness by harmonizing these typically divergent voices.<p> Beck (author of <I>Expecting Adam</I>) admits that repairing a damaged emotional compass and setting out on such a vital journey--which often involves painful realizations and changes--"has all the combined attractions of suicide and childbirth." But the payoff, she concludes, is a love affair with real life. To that end, she walks readers through a lengthy exercise to evaluate their current lifestyle's pleasures and pains, teaches the process of listening to the body for directional cues, describes how to extract "soul shrapnel" (healing all those nasty, self-defeating emotional wounds), and provides an intriguing "Map of Change" to achieve an authentic life. Beck's impressive knowledge, her engaging (if somewhat irreverent) voice, and her ability to parse this scary process into achievable steps make her a new champion in the self-help arena. <I>--Liane Thomas</I> 6580782 1997 Finding Your Own North Star: Claiming the Life You Were Meant to Live total:331|5:115|4:123|3:65|2:22|1:6| 331 1312 616 70 3 0 false false Tue Jun 16 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Jun 17 06:52:03 -0700 2009 Wed Jun 17 07:19:21 -0700 2009 http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com, one of the blogs I like, but I was afraid it was going to be formless and non-specific. To the contrary, Ms. Beck is highly pragmatic and the book is focused on concrete steps you can take to make real c...more...]]> 3 1 false false Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Tue Nov 27 07:20:13 -0800 2007 Mon Dec 10 08:47:06 -0800 2007 more...]]> 5 1 false false Thu Jul 31 11:53:17 -0700 2008 Thu Jul 31 11:54:54 -0700 2008 5 2 false false Tue Aug 26 20:19:02 -0700 2008 Wed Jul 09 18:20:17 -0700 2008 Tue Aug 26 20:19:02 -0700 2008 4 1 false false Wed Mar 18 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Mar 01 05:56:55 -0800 2009 Thu Mar 19 16:56:16 -0700 2009 Finding Your Own North Star, by Martha Beck has also been on my book shelf for a few years now. An insightful book with some thought-provoking exercises, designed to help you to explore your inner thoughts for true happiness. The goal of this book seems to be to help the reader to recognize...more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1997 Tue Oct 20 07:05:37 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 20 07:08:25 -0700 2009
I particularly loved:
- Her model of the Essential Self and the Social Self, and how we can manage those parts of ourselves and get them wor...more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Jun 10 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Jan 16 09:24:21 -0800 2009 Thu Jun 25 20:04:05 -0700 2009
This is a GREAT book! I really like her approach in discovering yourself. You have two selves: the essential self (who you really are inside) and the social self (who society expect you to ...more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sun Sep 02 19:50:41 -0700 2007 Mon Jan 05 00:38:15 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 1 false false Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2003 Mon Aug 06 09:50:24 -0700 2007 Mon Aug 06 09:54:58 -0700 2007
I started reading this book because I couldn't figure out why I wasn't happier in my life. This book offers simple exercises and steps to figure out your best direction. There's nothing earth shattering in here, but the way Martha Beck has written the book makes the...more...]]> 3 1 true false Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Nov 09 09:40:16 -0800 2008 Mon Mar 30 08:14:57 -0700 2009 1
Several years ago, I read Beck'...more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun Apr 26 13:02:45 -0700 2009 Sun Apr 26 13:10:36 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Sep 08 10:23:08 -0700 2008 Tue Jan 27 09:46:43 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Sep 21 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 06 23:17:29 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 06 23:19:57 -0700 2009 1 0 false false Fri Oct 19 07:27:06 -0700 2007 Fri Oct 19 07:27:06 -0700 2007 more...]]> 0 0 false false Fri Feb 27 23:19:35 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 27 23:20:38 -0800 2009 5 0 false false Wed Mar 04 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Wed Mar 04 07:11:15 -0800 2009 Wed Mar 04 07:12:30 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Thu Jul 09 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 09 22:47:40 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 09 22:47:52 -0700 2009 4 0 true false Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Jul 07 09:17:54 -0700 2009 Wed Jul 22 07:47:03 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Thu May 14 12:30:51 -0700 2009 Thu May 14 12:31:14 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Wed Feb 11 08:51:02 -0800 2009 Wed Feb 11 08:51:02 -0800 2009 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=66140