10 Conversations You Need to Have with Yourself: A Powerful Plan for Spiritual Growth and Self-Improvement

by Shmuley Boteach

Celebrity author and therapist Rabbi Boteach shows how to use the power of self-talk to reach your full potential Some of the most effective talk therapy is self -talk therapy—learning to connect positively with that internal voice that serves as your own personal GPS to guide you through life. Rabbi Shmuley teaches the reader to reconnect with the inner voice of conscience, the source of personal dreams and values, which has been so drowned out by the noise of a culture that emphasizes form over substance, career over calling, and consumption over conviction. Drawing on Rabbi Shmuley's extensive counseling experience, this book helps you defeat negative self-talk and strengthen your positive inner voices of inspiration, conscience, and deepest self to help you move forward and live your truest life. Filled with dramatic real-life examples and practical exercises, it guides you through the ten most important and life-changing conversations you will ever have. Start the conversation today and you'll find the voice of inspiration, the motivation to make the right choices in your life, and the ability to be true to your innermost self.

Genres: Nonfiction

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2011

About the author

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, named by Talkers Magazine as one of the 100 most important radio hosts in America, is a nationally syndicated talk show host, the international best-selling author of 15 books, and an acclaimed syndicated columnist.

A winner of the London Times highly prestigious "Preacher of the Year" award, Rabbi Shmuley has lectured and appeared in print, radio, and TV all over the globe. His radio show, "Rabbi Shmuley's Passion," airs daily on Bonneville Broadcasting in afternoon drive-time.

He is the author of a number of books, including "Kosher Sex: A Recipe for Passion and Intimacy," "Dating Secrets of the Ten Commandments," "Why Can't I Fall in Love," "Judaism for Everyone: Renewing your Life through the Vibrant Lessons of the Jewish Faith," and most recently, "Hating Women: America's Hostile Campaign Against the Fairer Sex." A winner of the annual "preacher of the year" contest sponsored by the Times of London, he was formerly rabbi of Oxford University.


Shmuley—he is known universally by his first name, has marketed himself as a rabbi to the stars and an expert on Jewish attitudes toward relationships and marriage. ("Dr. Ruth with a yarmulke," the Washington Post called him.)

Reviews

[Jonathan H. MONTES · Rating 4 out of 5]

The following is a quote directly from the book:
"At issue is the most basic urge of all: hunger.
Simply stated, Americans will do anything to avoid being hungry. We hunger in order to eat. We hunger in order to become satiated. We focus on feeding our lesser desires. Yet we reject hunger as a state of being.
As a result, we lose our appetite for more important things. We spend our money on ephemeral objects that bring us instant but not lasting joy."

If you enjoy the tone from the preceding you will like this book. However, there are not much people picking this book up. Then again, there are not many people out there looking to have self talks with themselves that are real-real talk.
This book was fun to read. It was fun to see how someone else's perspective fits into my own. I have some of the same believes as the author. Take for instance what is said here:
"Our culture may tell you to indulge and satisfy your cravings, but I have a very different message: we all need to embrace hunger. Not every attraction a man or woman has is meant to be indulged, and not every item we see on sale at the department store is meant to be bought."

We are here, reading this book to learn how to listen to the inner-voice. The one that either always wants to take the easy route or the same one that takes you away from your dreams. There are intelligent questions that I myself have sat down and thought over. I'm here to use these books to better my life and not just read them. So I strongly recommend this book. The questions are direct and open ended so that you can come to your own conclusion:

"Ask yourself: where did my hunger go? As soon as there is money in my pocket, I’ve already spent it-and on what? Nothing of value. My problem seems to be that I no longer hunger for a better life. The petty, short-term satisfaction of material goods has served to keep me distracted from the legitimate hungers I have neglected."

And it goes on to say
"Our lives are nothing but a short span of time. And if we spend tons of time earning money that we simply throw away, then we’re throwing away part of our potential."

In case you are wondering, I annotate all of my books, so there is where I get all my quotes from. If you are interested in reading all the quotes, I have a Patreon page where you can support that.
Thank you for reading this review.

[Sandi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book for Christmas. I was familiar with Rabbi Shmuley from TV. After reading the first three chapters, I have to say that I am not much interested in continuing. I certainly agree with many of Shmuley's words of wisdom and I appreciate his humble-not-preachy voice. But, it seems the conversations that I am supposed to have with myself are already scripted by Shmuley. He does not really guide the reader to on how to have an organic conversation with oneself. In the introduction, he mentioned that his writing style was to throw all of this thoughts down on paper and then his editor helped him sort it all out. That sums up the book for me. He is much more skilled at interpersonal interactions than conveying his message in print. In a recent conversation with myself, I asked if I was judging this book too quickly. My answer was "I might pick it up again at a later date for another go at it." The one good thing about the book is that it is not necessary to read it from cover to cover. Because I have and affection for Shmuley and the peron who gave me the book, I can see myself picking it up again, randomly selecting a chapter and giving it another try...but not a while. Shalom

[Nichole Ferello · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was very insightful. I’ve already implemented some changes in my life and am feeling the difference. I don’t agree with everything he says — he’s very anti TV and internet — but he makes so many good points.

If I were to meet the rabbi, I would remind him that TV and leisure time has its place. Sometimes we are doing all the right things — being with our spouse, exercising, helping the kids with homework — and then comes a time to rest and enjoy some TV.

Other than that, I loved this book.

And, I might add, I am spiritual, but not religious. I’m open enough to read his thoughts and applications of bible stories without getting annoyed. We are all individuals and he is expressing his thoughts from his own unique point of view. I love that.

I got this from the library, but would definitely buy it to own myself.

[Becca Kirkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very uplifting and thought provoking book. I think it would be a great book for married couples to read together. It really is a book about taking yourself out of the world and really getting to know yourself. I love when he said, "I will rise above comparing myself to others and focus on my unique contribution." And I loved this- "What we seem to have forgotten is that God does not send us into the world empty-handed."
This is a great book for people of all faiths to look a little deeper.

[Chaise Crosby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written and thoughtful, but not as eye-opening as I expected. I felt like it was written for someone in greater need for introspection than I and felt like many of the conversations were not new for me and how I think. That said, there were quite a few good points to keep in mind for how to live each day and for what is important in life, things that are easy to lose sight of. I may review it again at a later date as the points brought up in this book would be valuable to nearly all at some point in life.

[Helen Petchey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ideas that Shmuley shares just don't stick in the brain. It feels very repetitive, so the book is hard to get through. I think the concept is a really good one, I just think it could have been executed a little better, somehow.

[Masood Akhtar]

Good reminder of some positive thinking approaches towards life, relationship and dealings with people. Some of the ideas are influenced by the religious thoughts the author practices. I read the book through Read aloud on headphones.