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What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?: Discover a Life Filled with Purpose and Joy Through the Secrets of Jewish Wisdom
Let Michal Oshman take you on a journey of self discovery to identify what makes you you, what you were born to do and how to do it.
As a mentor for leaders in top global companies, Michal created a unique personal growth methodology based on the life-changing principles of Jewish wisdom. It is easy to think that the daily challenges we experience in the 21st century are new and unlike any that people faced in the past. Michal draws on her own heritage and a wide range of Chassidut (Jewish teachings) to offerpractical advice for common concerns, such as a broken heart, parenting, overcoming setbacks, and getting the most out of your career.
By challenging you to explore what matters, Michal offers solutions to your everyday struggles. She will empower you as well as teach you how to adopt her self-development tools to discover who you really are and what you were born to do with your life. With its uplifting belief that you already have all the ingredients within you to lead a joyous life, Michal's unique mix of corporate culture experience and Jewish wisdom will help you reconnect with yourself.This unique book will help you to find your courage, and move forward freely, with no fear at all!
As a mentor for leaders in top global companies, Michal created a unique personal growth methodology based on the life-changing principles of Jewish wisdom. It is easy to think that the daily challenges we experience in the 21st century are new and unlike any that people faced in the past. Michal draws on her own heritage and a wide range of Chassidut (Jewish teachings) to offerpractical advice for common concerns, such as a broken heart, parenting, overcoming setbacks, and getting the most out of your career.
By challenging you to explore what matters, Michal offers solutions to your everyday struggles. She will empower you as well as teach you how to adopt her self-development tools to discover who you really are and what you were born to do with your life. With its uplifting belief that you already have all the ingredients within you to lead a joyous life, Michal's unique mix of corporate culture experience and Jewish wisdom will help you reconnect with yourself.This unique book will help you to find your courage, and move forward freely, with no fear at all!
256 pages, Hardcover
Published May 4, 2021
130 people are currently reading
562 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
September 12, 2021
I don't tend to read self-help books, but this one caught my eye as did the author bio. I think that the author being a female made it much easier for me to identify with. I don't have any Jewish family so this is a book I went into with no real idea as to what to expect.
What I found was an honest, humble and respectful book. The author shares her Jewish heritage, wisdom and thoughts in such a way as to make them easy to understand. There are times when we all need to take a step back and re-evaluate and I do think this is such a book to help with that.
This isn't a book that will help you overnight, it is a book that you can use to reassess life, goals, challenges and deal with things that you have not fully dealt with. We live in a fast-paced world that sometimes we just cannot keep up with. That's fine!
Overcoming fear is something that you will need to work at, taking small steps, making small changes, altering your view or repeating a phrase. I do think that everyone will take something different from this book depending on what they are looking to achieve.
It is a book that makes good reading as well as one that can definitely help. It isn't at all preachy, it doesn't call for expensive purchases, you don't need to live a certain lifestyle. Instead, it is a book that will help to add purpose to your day and your thinking.
A book that I found to be useful and one I would definitely recommend.
What I found was an honest, humble and respectful book. The author shares her Jewish heritage, wisdom and thoughts in such a way as to make them easy to understand. There are times when we all need to take a step back and re-evaluate and I do think this is such a book to help with that.
This isn't a book that will help you overnight, it is a book that you can use to reassess life, goals, challenges and deal with things that you have not fully dealt with. We live in a fast-paced world that sometimes we just cannot keep up with. That's fine!
Overcoming fear is something that you will need to work at, taking small steps, making small changes, altering your view or repeating a phrase. I do think that everyone will take something different from this book depending on what they are looking to achieve.
It is a book that makes good reading as well as one that can definitely help. It isn't at all preachy, it doesn't call for expensive purchases, you don't need to live a certain lifestyle. Instead, it is a book that will help to add purpose to your day and your thinking.
A book that I found to be useful and one I would definitely recommend.
March 29, 2021
I will confess that sometimes I actively seek an advanced review copy (Arc/Galley) with minimal expectations. I may look at the cover. I may read about the author. It may simply be the description of the book that makes me think "This sounds interesting."
This was the case with Michal Oshman's "What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?," a book that weaves together religion/spirituality, self-help, leadership skills, and more into a book that merely piqued my curiosity initially but ended up full-on immersing me in a world that now has me going down the internet's rabbit hole to learn even more about these ideas, concepts, and teachings that Oshman embraces and writes so beautifully about.
"What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?" has turned out to be the book I didn't realize I needed. It has turned out to be the book my soul needed at a time personally and professionally when I'm sensing some major life shifts and trying to make sense of it all. I began the book early today, a Sunday, not long after attending my usual morning worship service. While I'd planned to read today, I hadn't intended to both begin and finish a book. However, once I began reading "What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?" I simply didn't want to stop.
So, I didn't.
Oshman is the Head of Culture at TikTok Europe, a position she recently transitioned into after several years in Team & Leadership Development at Facebook.
If you are already thinking to yourself "The last thing I need is another stuffy, privileged business leadership book," I practically beg you to think again. For years, Oshman has been a mentor for leaders in top global companies. With this book, she expands upon her unique personal growth methodology based upon the life-changing principles of Jewish wisdom. She draws upon her own heritage and a wide range of Chassidut, or Jewish teachings, to offer practical advice for common concerns ranging from getting the most out of one's career to overcoming setbacks to parenting, to healing from a broken heart and more.
Oshman writes both intelligently and with warmth and compassion throughout "What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?" She empowers yet also feels as if she's standing by your side and holding space for the journey you are about to embark on. There's a realistic yet unwavering optimism throughout the book that reinforces the idea that each of us has a purpose and a soul reaching for the light. It's a matter of finding that light and living into it. We already have all the ingredients needed to lead a joyous life.
Oshman beautifully balances her experiences in the corporate world with the highly applicable world of Jewish wisdom. Each chapter is based upon a key principle and each chapter has beautifully illustrations, contemplation points, and absolutely vital and revealing questions.
Oshman herself is quite revealing here and openly discusses her own journey points ranging from dealing with anxiety to growing up in a home where death was always nearby and all the way through universal experiences like a relationship's end, a job change, parental insecurities, and more. Oshman writes matter-of-factly, yet her words are accessible and the book provides definitions for those Jewish terms that may be unfamiliar. Familiarity with Judaism is not required to fully embrace and gain from this incredibly valuable book.
Even the title, "What What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?," is so incredibly simple yet beautiful that even thinking about it sends me into reflection and prayer. This is a book I will undoubtedly refer to time and again, a book that provides the tools to move past the fears that may be holding us back personally and professionally and a book with such a richness of humanity and heart and even humor that these teachings will plant themselves inside you and you'll actively seek to learn more while also admiring Oshman's ability to communicate all of this so wonderfully.
From observing Shabbat faithfully to giving regularly of her and her family's time to a myriad of other ways in which the author illustrates her own continued practice of these principles, Oshman has crafted a wonderfully insightful and applicable resource guiding us toward a journey of meaning and purpose.
Destined to be one of my favorite books of 2021, "What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?" is a book you may not realize you need but you'll be oh so glad you discovered it.
This was the case with Michal Oshman's "What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?," a book that weaves together religion/spirituality, self-help, leadership skills, and more into a book that merely piqued my curiosity initially but ended up full-on immersing me in a world that now has me going down the internet's rabbit hole to learn even more about these ideas, concepts, and teachings that Oshman embraces and writes so beautifully about.
"What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?" has turned out to be the book I didn't realize I needed. It has turned out to be the book my soul needed at a time personally and professionally when I'm sensing some major life shifts and trying to make sense of it all. I began the book early today, a Sunday, not long after attending my usual morning worship service. While I'd planned to read today, I hadn't intended to both begin and finish a book. However, once I began reading "What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?" I simply didn't want to stop.
So, I didn't.
Oshman is the Head of Culture at TikTok Europe, a position she recently transitioned into after several years in Team & Leadership Development at Facebook.
If you are already thinking to yourself "The last thing I need is another stuffy, privileged business leadership book," I practically beg you to think again. For years, Oshman has been a mentor for leaders in top global companies. With this book, she expands upon her unique personal growth methodology based upon the life-changing principles of Jewish wisdom. She draws upon her own heritage and a wide range of Chassidut, or Jewish teachings, to offer practical advice for common concerns ranging from getting the most out of one's career to overcoming setbacks to parenting, to healing from a broken heart and more.
Oshman writes both intelligently and with warmth and compassion throughout "What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?" She empowers yet also feels as if she's standing by your side and holding space for the journey you are about to embark on. There's a realistic yet unwavering optimism throughout the book that reinforces the idea that each of us has a purpose and a soul reaching for the light. It's a matter of finding that light and living into it. We already have all the ingredients needed to lead a joyous life.
Oshman beautifully balances her experiences in the corporate world with the highly applicable world of Jewish wisdom. Each chapter is based upon a key principle and each chapter has beautifully illustrations, contemplation points, and absolutely vital and revealing questions.
Oshman herself is quite revealing here and openly discusses her own journey points ranging from dealing with anxiety to growing up in a home where death was always nearby and all the way through universal experiences like a relationship's end, a job change, parental insecurities, and more. Oshman writes matter-of-factly, yet her words are accessible and the book provides definitions for those Jewish terms that may be unfamiliar. Familiarity with Judaism is not required to fully embrace and gain from this incredibly valuable book.
Even the title, "What What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?," is so incredibly simple yet beautiful that even thinking about it sends me into reflection and prayer. This is a book I will undoubtedly refer to time and again, a book that provides the tools to move past the fears that may be holding us back personally and professionally and a book with such a richness of humanity and heart and even humor that these teachings will plant themselves inside you and you'll actively seek to learn more while also admiring Oshman's ability to communicate all of this so wonderfully.
From observing Shabbat faithfully to giving regularly of her and her family's time to a myriad of other ways in which the author illustrates her own continued practice of these principles, Oshman has crafted a wonderfully insightful and applicable resource guiding us toward a journey of meaning and purpose.
Destined to be one of my favorite books of 2021, "What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?" is a book you may not realize you need but you'll be oh so glad you discovered it.
May 14, 2022
Michal centers What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid? around Jewish wisdom and I love that concept so much. This book is non fiction which is not my usual genre, but I was so engaged and captured in the words that Michal not only wrote, but taught as well. Her outlook on life is beautiful and I loved the Jewish perspective even more. There was so much to learn and while Judaism is a big part of my life, there are so many other ways I could incorporate the values and teachings. Each chapter focused on a different aspect of Jewish wisdom and it was so well done. I feel like I can take so many things away from this book and I really value that.
July 22, 2021
The author doubted that religious teachings could help with her anxiety and depression, but she was happily mistaken. Her life changed when she understood ancient Jewish concepts that promote self-awareness, dissolving of the ego, and finding meaning and purpose in helping others. These ideas showed the author that she’d lost sight of her purpose, and was caught up in the ego-driven distractions of the modern material world. By learning and embracing her Jewish roots, she finally learned to focus on what’s important.
These important concepts have already been described by many sages, religions and life coaching.
I believe this book can help people try to change or fix their primary goals and focus on the important things that life has given us.
Furthermore, anxiety, fear and other statements are not properly covered in the book, but are implicitly covered through other states, for these reasons I only give 3 stars.
These important concepts have already been described by many sages, religions and life coaching.
I believe this book can help people try to change or fix their primary goals and focus on the important things that life has given us.
Furthermore, anxiety, fear and other statements are not properly covered in the book, but are implicitly covered through other states, for these reasons I only give 3 stars.
June 7, 2021
I don't generally read self-help books. So many of them rehash the same stale advice and offer little of benefit. This book is different. The author touched my heart and helped me to think through some issues I've been working on.
Although I am Christian, I liked the spiritual background of this book, and the way it was organized around different spiritual terms, which provided a basis for the discussion that followed. The questions helped me to think more deeply about certain aspects of my life. The writing is accessible, unlike some spiritual writers. I feel as though I will be benefiting from what I've been reading/learning about myself for some time to come.
I didn't find the cover particularly interesting. I wasn't previously familiar with this writer, so her photo didn't attract me to the book. I wish the publisher had done something more creative.
Although I am Christian, I liked the spiritual background of this book, and the way it was organized around different spiritual terms, which provided a basis for the discussion that followed. The questions helped me to think more deeply about certain aspects of my life. The writing is accessible, unlike some spiritual writers. I feel as though I will be benefiting from what I've been reading/learning about myself for some time to come.
I didn't find the cover particularly interesting. I wasn't previously familiar with this writer, so her photo didn't attract me to the book. I wish the publisher had done something more creative.
November 13, 2022
Absolutely not what I was expecting, but delightful in every way. Love that the author infused every point with her Jewish traditions and teachings.
May 31, 2021
I am definitely a person that lives with random bouts of fear and anxiety with making decisions, choices, big steps, etc.
I found these lessons in the Hasidic principles of Jewish wisdom so thoughtful and intregal to living a well balanced life. Their purpose to replace fear and anxiety with joy and purpose. As with all Jewish religious rituals and prayers everything is symbolic. This book describes through the authors own experiences how she learned from these lessons and how these lessons were realized in her own life.
We had an interfaith wedding with a Pastor and a Rabbi and my husband broke the glass, we stood under the Chuppah and we signed our Ketubah which is framed on our wall. We celebrate Passover, Hanukah, and Yom Kippur. I loved reading more about some of the wisdom beyond what I've read in the Haggadah and what our Rabbi spoke at our ceremony.
This book isn't to convert it can be read from any religions perspective. It is for self reflection and growth on your own journey of purpose.
The areas of the book that really stood out to me were:
✨Mitzrayim - "boundaries" my internal chains. I have so many- Self doubt, jealousy, body dismorphia, and social media.
✨Soul and Death- ok this wasn't answered but young Michal I have the same questions about where all the feelings go when a person dies. They can't just disappear.
✨ Your purpose- doesn't have to be grand. It takes time, its a journey. You don't have to share it on social media, it's discovered as you go.
✨"The day you were born is the day God decided he was missing you." -Rebbe Nachman of Breslov . I want to add this to our Lexicon. I love this!
✨Be a Mensch - self explanatory
✨ Compliment game - I want to add this into our week as well. I think it's great!
There was a lot more I flagged that I loved and want to use but I'm a work in progress. Def recommend to add to your non fic shelves.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you net galley and penguinrandomhouse for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
I found these lessons in the Hasidic principles of Jewish wisdom so thoughtful and intregal to living a well balanced life. Their purpose to replace fear and anxiety with joy and purpose. As with all Jewish religious rituals and prayers everything is symbolic. This book describes through the authors own experiences how she learned from these lessons and how these lessons were realized in her own life.
We had an interfaith wedding with a Pastor and a Rabbi and my husband broke the glass, we stood under the Chuppah and we signed our Ketubah which is framed on our wall. We celebrate Passover, Hanukah, and Yom Kippur. I loved reading more about some of the wisdom beyond what I've read in the Haggadah and what our Rabbi spoke at our ceremony.
This book isn't to convert it can be read from any religions perspective. It is for self reflection and growth on your own journey of purpose.
The areas of the book that really stood out to me were:
✨Mitzrayim - "boundaries" my internal chains. I have so many- Self doubt, jealousy, body dismorphia, and social media.
✨Soul and Death- ok this wasn't answered but young Michal I have the same questions about where all the feelings go when a person dies. They can't just disappear.
✨ Your purpose- doesn't have to be grand. It takes time, its a journey. You don't have to share it on social media, it's discovered as you go.
✨"The day you were born is the day God decided he was missing you." -Rebbe Nachman of Breslov . I want to add this to our Lexicon. I love this!
✨Be a Mensch - self explanatory
✨ Compliment game - I want to add this into our week as well. I think it's great!
There was a lot more I flagged that I loved and want to use but I'm a work in progress. Def recommend to add to your non fic shelves.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you net galley and penguinrandomhouse for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
March 17, 2021
Can a successful business woman living in London, relocated from Israel, with a big family and an impressive academic record, that was initially accepted in the Air Force Intelligence Unit for the military service be afraid? How? and especially why?
In this open memoir, Michal Oshman, currently head of TikTok Europe, the Culture, Diversity and Inclussion division is sharing her lessons learned as a Jewish woman and follower of Chasidut. Besides Chasidut, there is another Jewish author which is greatly inspiring her, one of my favorite post-WWII Jewish minds as well, Viktor Frankl. His search for meaning as the engine that keep people - literally - alive - means also a completely different approach on failure, mistakes and the overall life interaction. More than any classical therapy mindset, thinking about change and failure as a challenge helps to keep the mind fed with meaning instead of the toxic reactions of fear.
´When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves´ said wisely Frankl and there is so much potential to completely revisit your life in just one quote.
Born in a non-religious academic family, Oshman is navigating the terrains of fear with the orientation given by her refreshed discovery of Jewish sources: ´The Jewish ideas I was learning helped me control my thoughts and heal my life. They allowed me to move forward, towards a joyful, confident life´. Jewish practice is not for the sophisticated discussions, it is for life, and this life is our life, no matter our religion or lack thereof. As there are so many nonreligious people which keep doing loads of good deeds, while being nourished by the religious learning. Thus, the large variety of daily application of chasidut, which, as Oshman is explaining, chapter by chapter, covers personal development, company culture and diversity, as well as parenting.
Through personal and passionate - allow your soul to burn like a flame - engagement in the moment, desire to change each and every one of us has the chance to reach his or her potential. ´You don´t have to be in full control. You only have to give space´. And how else can we achieve our potential unless we are bravely learning from our mistake, embrace them and make space for growth. (A mindset which is completely the opposite of the business and educational culture in Germany where I am living right now.) We have to allow ourselves to cross a bridge towards something not just to run through life away from something.
I really enjoyed reading What Would You Do If You Weren´t Afraid for various reasons, the organised writing and the questions at the end of each chapter being one of them. As a reader, no matter your religion and professional level, you are invited to a journey of self-discovery and mind-investigation. You feel you matter more than a passive received of information. It is also honestly written which creates more than a bridge between the author and the readers.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
In this open memoir, Michal Oshman, currently head of TikTok Europe, the Culture, Diversity and Inclussion division is sharing her lessons learned as a Jewish woman and follower of Chasidut. Besides Chasidut, there is another Jewish author which is greatly inspiring her, one of my favorite post-WWII Jewish minds as well, Viktor Frankl. His search for meaning as the engine that keep people - literally - alive - means also a completely different approach on failure, mistakes and the overall life interaction. More than any classical therapy mindset, thinking about change and failure as a challenge helps to keep the mind fed with meaning instead of the toxic reactions of fear.
´When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves´ said wisely Frankl and there is so much potential to completely revisit your life in just one quote.
Born in a non-religious academic family, Oshman is navigating the terrains of fear with the orientation given by her refreshed discovery of Jewish sources: ´The Jewish ideas I was learning helped me control my thoughts and heal my life. They allowed me to move forward, towards a joyful, confident life´. Jewish practice is not for the sophisticated discussions, it is for life, and this life is our life, no matter our religion or lack thereof. As there are so many nonreligious people which keep doing loads of good deeds, while being nourished by the religious learning. Thus, the large variety of daily application of chasidut, which, as Oshman is explaining, chapter by chapter, covers personal development, company culture and diversity, as well as parenting.
Through personal and passionate - allow your soul to burn like a flame - engagement in the moment, desire to change each and every one of us has the chance to reach his or her potential. ´You don´t have to be in full control. You only have to give space´. And how else can we achieve our potential unless we are bravely learning from our mistake, embrace them and make space for growth. (A mindset which is completely the opposite of the business and educational culture in Germany where I am living right now.) We have to allow ourselves to cross a bridge towards something not just to run through life away from something.
I really enjoyed reading What Would You Do If You Weren´t Afraid for various reasons, the organised writing and the questions at the end of each chapter being one of them. As a reader, no matter your religion and professional level, you are invited to a journey of self-discovery and mind-investigation. You feel you matter more than a passive received of information. It is also honestly written which creates more than a bridge between the author and the readers.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
August 8, 2022
Part memoir, part self-help, the avenue this one takes to share its lessons: the author, during times of her own troubles, listened to Judaic leaders of the past and present, and to her own grandparents (concentration camp survivors), and applied those lessons to her life. Many of these I think will be useful, and a couple of them are real keepers.
—The title itself is a self-help keeper. We could ask this to ourselves every morning—in a journal, in our head, or even out loud.
—Victor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning is a major influence for the author (and for this reviewer), and is mentioned frequently in this book. This is okay with me, and will also be with you. Frankl was a concentration camp survivor and former student of Freud’s, and this book is his philosophy. In a nutshell, it says that we are happiest not when we look for happiness, but when we look for purpose and meaning. This differed from Freud’s belief in the innate search for pleasure, or avoidance of displeasure.
—A chapter epigram from Mark Twain: “The two most important days of your life are the day you’re born and the day you find out why.” Again, the search for purpose, not pleasure.
—Frankl found that most concentration camp survivors were those who had meaning in their lives. (Because, one assumes, there is no pleasure of any kind in a concentration camp.)
—If you’re CCD trained like I am, or if you’re Jewish, you’ll recall the Israelites’ flight from Egypt, from slavery to the Promised Land. Oshman makes it a point to say that we’ve all got our own Egypt. We enslave ourselves.
—My favorite thing about the book: Every chapter ends with a summary that starts with: “If You Change Nothing, Nothing Will Change.” A re-working of the definition of insanity, but effective.
—Another lesson, paraphrased: Every time you feel fear, take action. Do something. Anything.
—Find purpose through your strengths. You’re good at something for a reason.
—Fill your emptiness with purpose.
—Despair = Suffering without meaning.
So, overall, very helpful, I think. Nice discourse of the difference between Freud and Frankl. If you haven’t read Man’s Search for Meaning, you very much should. This one pales in comparison, but then most things would. This one says things you might intuit, but haven’t put into words. Here they are, in ways that maybe you haven’t seen them before. They may resonate because of that.
—The title itself is a self-help keeper. We could ask this to ourselves every morning—in a journal, in our head, or even out loud.
—Victor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning is a major influence for the author (and for this reviewer), and is mentioned frequently in this book. This is okay with me, and will also be with you. Frankl was a concentration camp survivor and former student of Freud’s, and this book is his philosophy. In a nutshell, it says that we are happiest not when we look for happiness, but when we look for purpose and meaning. This differed from Freud’s belief in the innate search for pleasure, or avoidance of displeasure.
—A chapter epigram from Mark Twain: “The two most important days of your life are the day you’re born and the day you find out why.” Again, the search for purpose, not pleasure.
—Frankl found that most concentration camp survivors were those who had meaning in their lives. (Because, one assumes, there is no pleasure of any kind in a concentration camp.)
—If you’re CCD trained like I am, or if you’re Jewish, you’ll recall the Israelites’ flight from Egypt, from slavery to the Promised Land. Oshman makes it a point to say that we’ve all got our own Egypt. We enslave ourselves.
—My favorite thing about the book: Every chapter ends with a summary that starts with: “If You Change Nothing, Nothing Will Change.” A re-working of the definition of insanity, but effective.
—Another lesson, paraphrased: Every time you feel fear, take action. Do something. Anything.
—Find purpose through your strengths. You’re good at something for a reason.
—Fill your emptiness with purpose.
—Despair = Suffering without meaning.
So, overall, very helpful, I think. Nice discourse of the difference between Freud and Frankl. If you haven’t read Man’s Search for Meaning, you very much should. This one pales in comparison, but then most things would. This one says things you might intuit, but haven’t put into words. Here they are, in ways that maybe you haven’t seen them before. They may resonate because of that.
May 8, 2022
- Bittual: reexamination oneself without the ego: what gives you meaning? What do you enjoy the most in life? Practice this often helps one to understand the purpose of living
- Fail harder: it's perfectly acceptable to fail. In fact, failing early is actually an incredibly cheap tuition compared to failing harder in life. The point here is to quickly reflect, gain the reason of the failure, and not to repeat such failure again: constantly forming a unified, easy to follow philosophy in life (get a formula, instead of a complicated regression)
- A good leader gives the team breathing room: instead of telling people what to do, a good leader should let people do what they need to do freely.
- Parenting is a about giving kids values, then have kids discover what they want to be. Instead of molding kids to be the miniature, perhaps slightly better version of oneself
- Fail harder: it's perfectly acceptable to fail. In fact, failing early is actually an incredibly cheap tuition compared to failing harder in life. The point here is to quickly reflect, gain the reason of the failure, and not to repeat such failure again: constantly forming a unified, easy to follow philosophy in life (get a formula, instead of a complicated regression)
- A good leader gives the team breathing room: instead of telling people what to do, a good leader should let people do what they need to do freely.
- Parenting is a about giving kids values, then have kids discover what they want to be. Instead of molding kids to be the miniature, perhaps slightly better version of oneself
July 13, 2021
Thank you in advance to the Amazon Vine Program for providing a complimentary copy of the book. A positive review was definitely not required or requested in any way; all words are my own.
I originally saw this book on BookishFirst and passed on using my points to get it. After all, I don’t really do the self-help books. But, when I saw it on the Vine program, I decided to grab it. So many of the BookishFirst books have ended up on the Vine in the past few weeks.
The cover isn’t one that grabs you. It isn’t flashy. It’s simple – it’s the author, looking confident yet in some ways concerned, worried, assertive, with the title and related information. And, it is a rather short book. Most of the “text” is 224 pages. So, this isn’t a long read at all.
I was drawn in by the first page, roughly finishing it within a 24-hour period.
Oshman isn’t one of those “self-help” gurus, she isn’t a psychologist, she isn’t even a therapist. This is in fact, her first book, and at one point she admits it wasn’t her idea to write a book. What she is, is a person who has an impressive life-story:
** Three (3) years in the Israeli Army (as required)
** Worked for Danone (Dannon)
** Worked for eBay
** Worked for Facebook
** Currently employed by TikTok
Having been born in Israel, she was culturally Jewish but not practicing.
But, she’s also had anxiety since she was a child. Honestly, if I had grown up in Israel with everything she had seen – I likely would too. Her father’s occupation as the top forensic pathologist in Israel also didn’t help matters. Her anxiety was also a result of grandparents who survived the Holocaust. In fact, her grandmother jumped off a train and broke both her legs. She felt something was wrong and had to get off the train, even risking injury and death. She later learned it was heading for Auschwitz. Her parents and sister were murdered by the Nazis. In later years, she had nightmares thinking the Nazis were coming back, even instilling in young Michal that “it” could happen again.
This anxiety robbed the author of simple joys – enjoying what life had to offer and bring her. While she still functioned, it wasn’t at what some might say an enjoyable level.
While most would suggest therapy, Oshman did just that. But, she found it lacking. While not bashing therapist or their techniques, she relates her experiences with it. It was, and often is, a never-ending cycle of digging up the past. In stead of getting better, her problems were getting worse. She wasn’t moving on. Therapy, in and of itself, is unyielding in its own beliefs.
One thing that struck her was “purpose”. What is her purpose here? What is the purpose each of us have? We have origins of “self” in the bible.
What Oshman has done, is researched Jewish wisdom, and well-researched it is. She refers back to the book of Exodus and the famous leaving Egypt. In short, we will all have our versions of Egypt. We get out of it, but can’t get it out of us. The key component of Jewish wisdom, well one of them, is we will always have struggles. It is a part of life.
It is up to us to change. If you change nothing, nothing will change – another pearl of Jewish wisdom.
While the principles come from the Jewish faith, they’re not stuck to that religion per se. Even Christians or almost anyone can apply these principles in life – work, family, and even in their own “self”.
Throughout the short book, Oshman leads the reader – without preaching – through the principles. She uses real-life examples. There are quotes from famous people in this book – from Kamala Harris, Anne Frank, even Rabbis.
Some of the key highlights reference making mistakes, where we are in life, what are we needed for, accepting things might not “be”, not being afraid to fail, not comparing our lives, real conversations (even if it might be hard), being present.
Oshman’s presentation is more of a conversation with a friend than being preached to or at. She keeps it real with personal experiences and anecdotes in a vivid and detailed manner. Some of her experiences were down-right horrific. Some of the “best” advice given to her when she moved to the UK were to “straighten” her hair because men didn’t take women with curly or wavy hair seriously.
Mind you, some of this happened in the 2000’s! Other key factors – her nose (yes, a co-worker mentioned her nose and assumed she was Jewish); even her emotions (yes “feeling”) and talking with her hands cost her a promotion and a raise at a bank. The “excuse”? “This isn’t done in the UK” and a reference to her culture was made. So, there was some prejudice even then towards Jewish people. She remarks, like so many of us, we can’t be us and succeed. She however, decided to leave the job. Kudos to her!
Oshman also has advice for raising children and goals for “being”. I also learned that a mensch is a good thing, or rather a decent person. Quite simply, the principles teach us about thinking “I value …”, “I thank …”, “I appreciate …”, “I love…”.
There is a LOT of wisdom in this tiny book. And, just as she points out about Judaism being a journey – so too is this book and the wisdom.
One won’t feel enlightened overnight, but there is some enlightenment that will follow in reading it – better ways to communicate, acceptance of ourselves, and learning to be a mensch.
I am definitely glad I was able to read this book. I highly recommend it! As one of the nuggets of wisdom goes – life is not a challenge to solve, but an experience to be lived.
I originally saw this book on BookishFirst and passed on using my points to get it. After all, I don’t really do the self-help books. But, when I saw it on the Vine program, I decided to grab it. So many of the BookishFirst books have ended up on the Vine in the past few weeks.
The cover isn’t one that grabs you. It isn’t flashy. It’s simple – it’s the author, looking confident yet in some ways concerned, worried, assertive, with the title and related information. And, it is a rather short book. Most of the “text” is 224 pages. So, this isn’t a long read at all.
I was drawn in by the first page, roughly finishing it within a 24-hour period.
Oshman isn’t one of those “self-help” gurus, she isn’t a psychologist, she isn’t even a therapist. This is in fact, her first book, and at one point she admits it wasn’t her idea to write a book. What she is, is a person who has an impressive life-story:
** Three (3) years in the Israeli Army (as required)
** Worked for Danone (Dannon)
** Worked for eBay
** Worked for Facebook
** Currently employed by TikTok
Having been born in Israel, she was culturally Jewish but not practicing.
But, she’s also had anxiety since she was a child. Honestly, if I had grown up in Israel with everything she had seen – I likely would too. Her father’s occupation as the top forensic pathologist in Israel also didn’t help matters. Her anxiety was also a result of grandparents who survived the Holocaust. In fact, her grandmother jumped off a train and broke both her legs. She felt something was wrong and had to get off the train, even risking injury and death. She later learned it was heading for Auschwitz. Her parents and sister were murdered by the Nazis. In later years, she had nightmares thinking the Nazis were coming back, even instilling in young Michal that “it” could happen again.
This anxiety robbed the author of simple joys – enjoying what life had to offer and bring her. While she still functioned, it wasn’t at what some might say an enjoyable level.
While most would suggest therapy, Oshman did just that. But, she found it lacking. While not bashing therapist or their techniques, she relates her experiences with it. It was, and often is, a never-ending cycle of digging up the past. In stead of getting better, her problems were getting worse. She wasn’t moving on. Therapy, in and of itself, is unyielding in its own beliefs.
One thing that struck her was “purpose”. What is her purpose here? What is the purpose each of us have? We have origins of “self” in the bible.
What Oshman has done, is researched Jewish wisdom, and well-researched it is. She refers back to the book of Exodus and the famous leaving Egypt. In short, we will all have our versions of Egypt. We get out of it, but can’t get it out of us. The key component of Jewish wisdom, well one of them, is we will always have struggles. It is a part of life.
It is up to us to change. If you change nothing, nothing will change – another pearl of Jewish wisdom.
While the principles come from the Jewish faith, they’re not stuck to that religion per se. Even Christians or almost anyone can apply these principles in life – work, family, and even in their own “self”.
Throughout the short book, Oshman leads the reader – without preaching – through the principles. She uses real-life examples. There are quotes from famous people in this book – from Kamala Harris, Anne Frank, even Rabbis.
Some of the key highlights reference making mistakes, where we are in life, what are we needed for, accepting things might not “be”, not being afraid to fail, not comparing our lives, real conversations (even if it might be hard), being present.
Oshman’s presentation is more of a conversation with a friend than being preached to or at. She keeps it real with personal experiences and anecdotes in a vivid and detailed manner. Some of her experiences were down-right horrific. Some of the “best” advice given to her when she moved to the UK were to “straighten” her hair because men didn’t take women with curly or wavy hair seriously.
Mind you, some of this happened in the 2000’s! Other key factors – her nose (yes, a co-worker mentioned her nose and assumed she was Jewish); even her emotions (yes “feeling”) and talking with her hands cost her a promotion and a raise at a bank. The “excuse”? “This isn’t done in the UK” and a reference to her culture was made. So, there was some prejudice even then towards Jewish people. She remarks, like so many of us, we can’t be us and succeed. She however, decided to leave the job. Kudos to her!
Oshman also has advice for raising children and goals for “being”. I also learned that a mensch is a good thing, or rather a decent person. Quite simply, the principles teach us about thinking “I value …”, “I thank …”, “I appreciate …”, “I love…”.
There is a LOT of wisdom in this tiny book. And, just as she points out about Judaism being a journey – so too is this book and the wisdom.
One won’t feel enlightened overnight, but there is some enlightenment that will follow in reading it – better ways to communicate, acceptance of ourselves, and learning to be a mensch.
I am definitely glad I was able to read this book. I highly recommend it! As one of the nuggets of wisdom goes – life is not a challenge to solve, but an experience to be lived.
October 6, 2022
A very good book not only about how certain Jewish practices and teachings are helpful but how they arcane truly change your life. After reading about Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam, you learn very quickly how similar the core values and teaching are to all. If we can focus on what we have in common instead of our differences, the world would be a much better place.
June 14, 2025
Oshman has a way of writing that really grasps at the reader heartstrings. Knowing minimally about Hasidic Teachings and growing up Jewish, I very much connected to the values and sentiments she wrote about in this book.
April 1, 2023
One of the chapters talks about the Jewish idea of "Tsimtsum," & that was so mind-altering I thought it was worth the whole book!
May 4, 2021
This book is extraordinary! I was initially drawn into this book with the idea of learning about the Jewish wisdom secrets that Michal claims to share. I loved learning about her life and some of the history of her ancestors. Her grandmother jumped from a train that was heading to a concentration camp! My own great grandfather, with Jewish heritage, immigrated from Austria to the United States a couple of decades before the Nazi invasion of Austria. Thus, my ancestors were not personally involved, but I frequently wonder what would have happened had they not immigrated when they did. While I am not a Jew religiously, I love learning about other cultures, especially those that I have ancestral ties to. One of the things that most surprised me, was how each of the Hebrew words of wisdoms and their meaning translated into a similar teaching that I have been taught in my own religion. It was really eye opening how similar we, as humans, really are, despite our differences.
I found Michal to be such an engaging author! She is so relatable! I, too, have felt the fear that she has, though my life circumstances be different. I am so inspired by how she has overcome so many of her fears and had such extraordinary faith and bravery. This women has been dealt her fair share of hardships and she is so vulnerable and honest in discussing them through the books. But she was resilient and was strengthened by each of them. Her story is uplifting and motivating.
While the book is part memoir, it also weaves in Jewish wisdom. While many of these are ideas that I have already been taught, she teaches them in a way that really touched me differently than these ideas have in the past. These concepts teach the reader how to be more compassionate and empathetic, to put faith over fear, and how to live a more joyful life. They teach how serving and providing room for others, can help us develop humility, confidence, and contentment.
A quotation from the ending of the book really brought things full circle for me.
"...You have the power to assess where you are and where you ought to be. View every single day as an opportunity to adjust, to correct, to forgive or be forgiven, to reflect and evaluate and to always, always, move forward."
No matter where you are in your life or what religion you do or do not practice, I feel this book is exceptional. It is insightful, moving, and I learned a lot from it. It teaches how to be a benevolent and more cheerful person through ancient wisdom that has been passed down from ancestors. This wisdom can, and should, be applied today too.
Thank you to the publisher, DK publishing, for an advanced reader's copy! I have a hard time doing anything to "blemish" a book, but I couldn't help but highlight some of the soul-stirring words in this book. I plan to come back to it frequently!
I found Michal to be such an engaging author! She is so relatable! I, too, have felt the fear that she has, though my life circumstances be different. I am so inspired by how she has overcome so many of her fears and had such extraordinary faith and bravery. This women has been dealt her fair share of hardships and she is so vulnerable and honest in discussing them through the books. But she was resilient and was strengthened by each of them. Her story is uplifting and motivating.
While the book is part memoir, it also weaves in Jewish wisdom. While many of these are ideas that I have already been taught, she teaches them in a way that really touched me differently than these ideas have in the past. These concepts teach the reader how to be more compassionate and empathetic, to put faith over fear, and how to live a more joyful life. They teach how serving and providing room for others, can help us develop humility, confidence, and contentment.
A quotation from the ending of the book really brought things full circle for me.
"...You have the power to assess where you are and where you ought to be. View every single day as an opportunity to adjust, to correct, to forgive or be forgiven, to reflect and evaluate and to always, always, move forward."
No matter where you are in your life or what religion you do or do not practice, I feel this book is exceptional. It is insightful, moving, and I learned a lot from it. It teaches how to be a benevolent and more cheerful person through ancient wisdom that has been passed down from ancestors. This wisdom can, and should, be applied today too.
Thank you to the publisher, DK publishing, for an advanced reader's copy! I have a hard time doing anything to "blemish" a book, but I couldn't help but highlight some of the soul-stirring words in this book. I plan to come back to it frequently!
May 6, 2021
Thank you Bookish First, author Michal Oshman and her publishing company for providing a copy of What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid ARC for my review. I finished reading this book very quickly because it was easy to read, had good suggestions/anecdotes with stories, and was structured very well. I also tried to get through it faster so I could write a review on it. However, if you are reading it for actual advice and following the guides to self-discovery then this book will take much longer to get through.
If you're looking for a clear solution to your insecurities, worries, or stress: this isn't it. There isn't a clear answer to any of the problems, and Michal is still figuring out some of it herself, but that makes complete sense! Everyone's life is different so the solution is obviously going to be different too. You really need to put in the time and effort to self-reflect, learn about your needs, acknowledge your weaknesses, and most importantly take action to change and improve. Obviously, it's easier said than done. The book itself is super short and Michal says it worked for her, but the entire process took her whole life and you can't expect to transform completely after reading the book. I like how she has guides with really probing and thoughtful questions that make you think. And she said these answers can change as you age, which is too true! If you take the time to complete the guides I think you can learn so much more about yourself.
I told my sister about this book and read little excerpts of passages that reminded me of her, and she felt like it hit her right on the nose. She is looking forward to reading this book and seeing if she will improve. Also now that I'm done with the review, I will go back and fill out those guides as well. Thanks for a great read!
If you're looking for a clear solution to your insecurities, worries, or stress: this isn't it. There isn't a clear answer to any of the problems, and Michal is still figuring out some of it herself, but that makes complete sense! Everyone's life is different so the solution is obviously going to be different too. You really need to put in the time and effort to self-reflect, learn about your needs, acknowledge your weaknesses, and most importantly take action to change and improve. Obviously, it's easier said than done. The book itself is super short and Michal says it worked for her, but the entire process took her whole life and you can't expect to transform completely after reading the book. I like how she has guides with really probing and thoughtful questions that make you think. And she said these answers can change as you age, which is too true! If you take the time to complete the guides I think you can learn so much more about yourself.
I told my sister about this book and read little excerpts of passages that reminded me of her, and she felt like it hit her right on the nose. She is looking forward to reading this book and seeing if she will improve. Also now that I'm done with the review, I will go back and fill out those guides as well. Thanks for a great read!
April 17, 2021
I won an advanced copy of this book from Penguin Random House and BookishFirst in exchange for a full review.
"What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid" is a self-help book by Michal Oshman, head of culture at TikTok Europe and a former leadership expert at Facebook. As someone so successful, you would expect her to deal with severe, often crippling anxiety in her daily life. By embracing her Jewish heritage and it's teachings, Oshman has been able to handle this anxiety and is sharing her experiences with the reader.
First, the good. Oshman explains each Hebrew/Jewish concept well. She provides a definition and often breaks down the origins of the word or phrases so that we can get a better grip on its meaning. I also liked that each chapter was short enough that you didn't get bogged down in a single concept at the expense of the others. Her parenting chapter, in particular, does a good job of bringing everything together. My favorite aspect was that she includes reflection questions at the end of each chapter to make the concepts a bit more practical.
Now, the bad. Based on the title and the preview chapter I'd read before receiving the book, I has assumed, perhaps unfairly, that this book would deal with anxiety more than it did. Outside the first few chapters, it comes up only rarely. Additionally, while the Jewish wisdom that Oshman imparts may cause you to look at things differently, the core messages are no different than other self-help books.
Overall, the book is enjoyable, but if you've read many self-help books in the past, you probably won't discover anything new in this book.
"What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid" is a self-help book by Michal Oshman, head of culture at TikTok Europe and a former leadership expert at Facebook. As someone so successful, you would expect her to deal with severe, often crippling anxiety in her daily life. By embracing her Jewish heritage and it's teachings, Oshman has been able to handle this anxiety and is sharing her experiences with the reader.
First, the good. Oshman explains each Hebrew/Jewish concept well. She provides a definition and often breaks down the origins of the word or phrases so that we can get a better grip on its meaning. I also liked that each chapter was short enough that you didn't get bogged down in a single concept at the expense of the others. Her parenting chapter, in particular, does a good job of bringing everything together. My favorite aspect was that she includes reflection questions at the end of each chapter to make the concepts a bit more practical.
Now, the bad. Based on the title and the preview chapter I'd read before receiving the book, I has assumed, perhaps unfairly, that this book would deal with anxiety more than it did. Outside the first few chapters, it comes up only rarely. Additionally, while the Jewish wisdom that Oshman imparts may cause you to look at things differently, the core messages are no different than other self-help books.
Overall, the book is enjoyable, but if you've read many self-help books in the past, you probably won't discover anything new in this book.
April 22, 2021
There are many aspects of Ms. Oshman’s book that are worth contemplating at any age. One that resonated strongly with me is the idea of having a purpose in life. Replace fears you might have by figuring out what is meaningful in your life. Why are you here? It’s not surprising it’s been shown that people live longer when they have purpose in their lives. Many times that involves caring for another human being or caring for our earth. Taking action in a positive way and moving toward a purpose will help one move away from fear.
Michal Oshman gave examples of how the ideas she practices in her daily life would benefit places of business as well as families as well as just people in their everyday life. One of these ideas she described as taking up less space yourself and giving others more space. In other words, give others a chance to excel, listen to others and do less talking yourself, truly see others and care about them. Incorporate the practice of showing gratitude, giving compliments, and positive feedback to others and teach this to your children.
All of Ms. Oshman’s advice is presented with good examples and questions at the end of each chapter to reflect upon and apply to your own life. Many people will be quite familiar with the ideas she espouses depending upon ones stage in life or what a person’s profession has been. There is certainly value in her book for all, however, depending upon whether some of the ideas are new to a person or just a reinforcement or reminder for those who have put many into practice already.
I thank DK London through Penguin Random House and BookishFirst for my advanced copy of this book.
Michal Oshman gave examples of how the ideas she practices in her daily life would benefit places of business as well as families as well as just people in their everyday life. One of these ideas she described as taking up less space yourself and giving others more space. In other words, give others a chance to excel, listen to others and do less talking yourself, truly see others and care about them. Incorporate the practice of showing gratitude, giving compliments, and positive feedback to others and teach this to your children.
All of Ms. Oshman’s advice is presented with good examples and questions at the end of each chapter to reflect upon and apply to your own life. Many people will be quite familiar with the ideas she espouses depending upon ones stage in life or what a person’s profession has been. There is certainly value in her book for all, however, depending upon whether some of the ideas are new to a person or just a reinforcement or reminder for those who have put many into practice already.
I thank DK London through Penguin Random House and BookishFirst for my advanced copy of this book.
August 6, 2021
What would you do if you weren’t afraid?
This the question that suggested her that she didn’t HAVE TO live her life in a constant state of anxiety, that hit her to the point to change something in her life.
The author Michal Oshman, born in a secular Jewish household in Israel , tells her story in few pages: she served as a commanding officer in the Israeli army, held several university degrees, and worked as a senior leader at top banks, advertising, PR and tech companies all her life.
She talks about her expierence about self discovery, life improvement and the multiple ways to become happier, introducing different themes as Jewish wisdom and spirituality.
Why is it that in our society, where more people than ever enjoy freedom and choice, it has become a struggle to feel happy?
This book is NOT meant to find a clear solution to your insecurities, worries or stress. It's a collection of suggestions with personal stories that doesnt' give any help to YOUR PROBLEMS, but just IDEAS to look a possible way to solve them. It's generally talking, an INPUT NOT A METHOD. It needs TIME and the author simplified everything like it took a while to think about discover and improve herself. Everyone is DIFFERENT and the process will be not the same for everybody.
I found it really USELESS, because I thought she would be more focused on her anxiety and fears battles and the ways to try to cope them step by step ... but it was a bit superficially treated (according my opinion, that I expected more!)
It's not for me but maybe someone will appreciate that who just started the journey about self discovery.
This the question that suggested her that she didn’t HAVE TO live her life in a constant state of anxiety, that hit her to the point to change something in her life.
The author Michal Oshman, born in a secular Jewish household in Israel , tells her story in few pages: she served as a commanding officer in the Israeli army, held several university degrees, and worked as a senior leader at top banks, advertising, PR and tech companies all her life.
She talks about her expierence about self discovery, life improvement and the multiple ways to become happier, introducing different themes as Jewish wisdom and spirituality.
Why is it that in our society, where more people than ever enjoy freedom and choice, it has become a struggle to feel happy?
This book is NOT meant to find a clear solution to your insecurities, worries or stress. It's a collection of suggestions with personal stories that doesnt' give any help to YOUR PROBLEMS, but just IDEAS to look a possible way to solve them. It's generally talking, an INPUT NOT A METHOD. It needs TIME and the author simplified everything like it took a while to think about discover and improve herself. Everyone is DIFFERENT and the process will be not the same for everybody.
I found it really USELESS, because I thought she would be more focused on her anxiety and fears battles and the ways to try to cope them step by step ... but it was a bit superficially treated (according my opinion, that I expected more!)
It's not for me but maybe someone will appreciate that who just started the journey about self discovery.
April 10, 2021
I enjoyed the conversational style of this inspiring book. The author shared her own life experiences as a corporate leader, wife, daughter, and parent throughout the book as she both revealed how she learned about the ancient wisdom and how she applied it to her own life and relationships.
Readers definitely don't need to be Jewish to appreciate the advice the author gives her readers about how to change their thinking about the world and their purpose in it. Everyone has purpose and the key to happiness is finding your purpose in life. Purpose gives us hope and something to live for. She provides thought questions at the end of each chapter for readers to consider because self reflection is the key to growth. Failing at something is only possible if you face your fears and try crossing the bridge to your life calling.
The one quote that stuck with me and gave me that "ah-ha" moment was on page 21: "I realized that the story of the Israelites' escape from Egypt isn't just a historical story about liberation from slavery. It's a story that is lived every single day. It's the human story of liberating ourselves from narrowness, from our own personal restrictions, our own self-slavery." The author asks her readers to think about what is making them fearful, causing anxiety, stopping them from finding their joy.
Overall, this is a quick and insightful book that has helped me think about my own chains as well as change the way I think about being afraid. This is not a quick fix idea, but one that is a life pursuit and will take work every day.
Readers definitely don't need to be Jewish to appreciate the advice the author gives her readers about how to change their thinking about the world and their purpose in it. Everyone has purpose and the key to happiness is finding your purpose in life. Purpose gives us hope and something to live for. She provides thought questions at the end of each chapter for readers to consider because self reflection is the key to growth. Failing at something is only possible if you face your fears and try crossing the bridge to your life calling.
The one quote that stuck with me and gave me that "ah-ha" moment was on page 21: "I realized that the story of the Israelites' escape from Egypt isn't just a historical story about liberation from slavery. It's a story that is lived every single day. It's the human story of liberating ourselves from narrowness, from our own personal restrictions, our own self-slavery." The author asks her readers to think about what is making them fearful, causing anxiety, stopping them from finding their joy.
Overall, this is a quick and insightful book that has helped me think about my own chains as well as change the way I think about being afraid. This is not a quick fix idea, but one that is a life pursuit and will take work every day.
dnf
June 6, 2021I do not know if I am qualified to write this review because I did not or, to be precise, could not finish the book. It bored me at about 50%. Based on the title, I expected to read the book about fear and anxiety and how someone who experiences these feelings can cope with them and be their best. I loved the promise of Jewish wisdom and spirituality. The book delivered on this promise; however, it was woven into the memoir of the author. I was not looking for a memoir or biography. I was looking for wisdom based on a universal understanding of what to do if you are afraid. Basically, the book does not teach anything that has not already been addressed in other self-help books. If you have read 2-3 self-help books already, nothing new will meet you in this book. However, I did appreciate the reminder that your past is not you and that finding your purpose can help to overcome fear and anxiety. The author emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and provides questions at the end of each chapter to reflect. This is a great approach to make readers stop and think about the material. All in all, it is a solid read for someone new to the self-help genre or those who are interested in the author's application of Jewish wisdom to her life journey. I would encourage everyone to give this book a try.
March 17, 2021
This book was received as an ARC from DK in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
I learned so much from Michal than I have learned from anybody else. The language she used and the tone she picked to write this book was perfect not only for understanding purposes but for motivating purposes. Learning the background of Michal and all that she went through in her career made her more admirable than ever. I am all about female empowerment and not being afraid to stand up to your potential and Michal definitely expresses her views in an empowering tone that is sure to get everyone up and moving to achieve your dreams. A lot of things have been holding me back because of fear and now after reading Michal's book, I am taking a different approach to achieving my goals by telling myself that I am worth it, first thing when I wake up in the morning. This book will be perfect for those who are struggling with their future or just plain living their life.
We will consider adding this title to our Self Help collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
I learned so much from Michal than I have learned from anybody else. The language she used and the tone she picked to write this book was perfect not only for understanding purposes but for motivating purposes. Learning the background of Michal and all that she went through in her career made her more admirable than ever. I am all about female empowerment and not being afraid to stand up to your potential and Michal definitely expresses her views in an empowering tone that is sure to get everyone up and moving to achieve your dreams. A lot of things have been holding me back because of fear and now after reading Michal's book, I am taking a different approach to achieving my goals by telling myself that I am worth it, first thing when I wake up in the morning. This book will be perfect for those who are struggling with their future or just plain living their life.
We will consider adding this title to our Self Help collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
April 4, 2021
Thank you to Dorling Kindersley Limited/Penguin Random House and Michal Oshman for an ARC of What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?. I won my copy on Bookish First.
I don't give away spoilers in my reviews -I always add this but really this isn't the type of book that has spoilers.
I very much enjoyed this book. I loved the explanations of Jewish wisdom and the personal stories Ms. Oshman shared.
Ayeka - The moving away from blame and looking inwards concept is amazing. I practice mindfulness and this practice fits with it. It's hard for me to explain, but that alone was worth reading her book.
I also loved the concept that Home is a small sanctuary. I have always viewed my home as my sanctuary and not just in a physical sense - also in an emotional sense.
The part of the book where Ms. Oshman discusses a job opportunity where her hair was discussed hit home for me as well. I have curly hair too and have also been advised to straighten it, people take you more seriously if it's straight, etc.
She sums up all her advice with "If you change nothing, nothing will change."
That's exactly it - and her book will give you some amazing advice to do just that.
I don't give away spoilers in my reviews -I always add this but really this isn't the type of book that has spoilers.
I very much enjoyed this book. I loved the explanations of Jewish wisdom and the personal stories Ms. Oshman shared.
Ayeka - The moving away from blame and looking inwards concept is amazing. I practice mindfulness and this practice fits with it. It's hard for me to explain, but that alone was worth reading her book.
I also loved the concept that Home is a small sanctuary. I have always viewed my home as my sanctuary and not just in a physical sense - also in an emotional sense.
The part of the book where Ms. Oshman discusses a job opportunity where her hair was discussed hit home for me as well. I have curly hair too and have also been advised to straighten it, people take you more seriously if it's straight, etc.
She sums up all her advice with "If you change nothing, nothing will change."
That's exactly it - and her book will give you some amazing advice to do just that.
April 21, 2021
I think it is interesting that this book is somewhere in between an auto biography and a self help book. Michal has a pretty interesting life and career, being born in Israel, living in London, working for some major companies, and having 4 kids in between. But the book isn’t really about her, but rather about using Jewish principles as an inspiration to lead a better life. The question/title - What would you do if you weren’t afraid? - is at the same time an inspiration and an invitation to rethink how we face difficulties in life. We can see bad things as obstacles, but we can also see them as opportunities to grow. And I feel like the book in the end is more about that - learning from our mistakes, and also not being afraid of making choices and eventually making mistakes. If you make no mistakes it can mean that you’re maybe not trying hard enough, which makes sense. So basically, you already have the “no” as an answer to anything you still didn’t try in life. What’s the worse it can happen if you try? Maybe change to a yes? Worst case scenario you’re back with the no you already had and can move on and try the next opportunity.
April 27, 2021
I received an ARC of this title via Bookish First (Thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.
This was one of the better books I’ve read in a long time and I don’t normally read self help books. As someone with anxiety I found this to be extremely helpful in finding new ways to think about myself and others around me that I lead. I started wanting to power read it through like I do my other books but instead I discovered myself taking a chapter a day. This allowed me to soak through what I’d learned and apply those skills the next day.
The only reason I did not give this book five stars (I would have done 4.5 if I could) was because the ninth chapter was about leading children. I have no problem with children and others will probably not find this an issue like I did. The issue was that there was no disclaimer of “if you don’t have children you can skip or try to apply this into another aspect of your life” but rather it assumed I had children. As a married woman in her twenties the idea of children gets pushed on you a lot so I didn’t really enjoy the assumption.
The rest of the book hands down five stars!
This was one of the better books I’ve read in a long time and I don’t normally read self help books. As someone with anxiety I found this to be extremely helpful in finding new ways to think about myself and others around me that I lead. I started wanting to power read it through like I do my other books but instead I discovered myself taking a chapter a day. This allowed me to soak through what I’d learned and apply those skills the next day.
The only reason I did not give this book five stars (I would have done 4.5 if I could) was because the ninth chapter was about leading children. I have no problem with children and others will probably not find this an issue like I did. The issue was that there was no disclaimer of “if you don’t have children you can skip or try to apply this into another aspect of your life” but rather it assumed I had children. As a married woman in her twenties the idea of children gets pushed on you a lot so I didn’t really enjoy the assumption.
The rest of the book hands down five stars!
April 9, 2021
Michal shares her story as if confiding what she's learned through her struggles and despite herself. The delightful unfolding of her breakthrough mindset shift and attitude change becomes winsome and attractive as she puts forth the essential ingredients so that anyone interested and determined can craft their own stunning delicacy of a newly born life and a freshly renovated fixer-upper. Hands-down winner from "do-as-I-do" and copy-me-closely gurus w ho seek to ride the wave of popularity with fans drawn by the charm of empty promises to have life better quick without the struggle. Michal stumbles upon the gems, and offers herself as a Sacagawea type who knows the way and can translate the language available to anyone who seeks the treasure that is not far from any one of us for if we reach out for it we will find it, because it wants to be found! After reading the first chapter in an advanced review copy, this one is not just on my to-read list but to-read soon and one to read again and again!
April 30, 2021
Surprisingly inspiring
I thought this would be another typical self-help, overly positive, it's all within you type book but I was surprisingly drawn in by her background and thought-process. This is a book that anyone could gain wisdom from, whether you are Jewish or not. I liked that it is not a religious book either, but drawing from Jewish wisdom, principles and Hebrew terms. I learned a lot about Jewish wisdom and culture through What would you do if you weren't afraid?
Honestly, this book might be even better in audio format so you could learn the pronunciations as well. I would have liked the phonetic spelling with each Jewish principle.
The quotes were a great addition and the questions at the end of each chapter were thought-provoking. Michal has lived a really interesting life, and I think there could be more personal stories, since that was the best part for me (more memoir and less self-help).
I liked this quote...
"Instead of trying to be a different person in each of the different settings of her life, she was simply herself in all of them."
I thought this would be another typical self-help, overly positive, it's all within you type book but I was surprisingly drawn in by her background and thought-process. This is a book that anyone could gain wisdom from, whether you are Jewish or not. I liked that it is not a religious book either, but drawing from Jewish wisdom, principles and Hebrew terms. I learned a lot about Jewish wisdom and culture through What would you do if you weren't afraid?
Honestly, this book might be even better in audio format so you could learn the pronunciations as well. I would have liked the phonetic spelling with each Jewish principle.
The quotes were a great addition and the questions at the end of each chapter were thought-provoking. Michal has lived a really interesting life, and I think there could be more personal stories, since that was the best part for me (more memoir and less self-help).
I liked this quote...
"Instead of trying to be a different person in each of the different settings of her life, she was simply herself in all of them."
May 10, 2021
Thanks to bookish first and the publisher
For my gifted copy
What would you do if you weren’t afraid?
The title and the main question asked throughout this book.
I loved it. Different from what I normally read but so insightful.
From the title I instantly thought of a bunch of things I would do if I wasn't afraid. Could I change my job? Could I learn something new? Could I come up with a new hobby? The way my relationship is? I like how she touched on all the subjects someone may be stuck on in their life, from self to work to family
And everything in between. And I loved how she used Jewish wisdom to try and teach us different ways to look at things. The end of each chapter has questions to ask yourself while you are on a path to reinventing yourself.
This is great read. I can’t wait to go back over the questions and see if this will help me in my everyday life. Hey even if you have your stuff together this may still be insightful to learn other ways to look at things.
For my gifted copy
What would you do if you weren’t afraid?
The title and the main question asked throughout this book.
I loved it. Different from what I normally read but so insightful.
From the title I instantly thought of a bunch of things I would do if I wasn't afraid. Could I change my job? Could I learn something new? Could I come up with a new hobby? The way my relationship is? I like how she touched on all the subjects someone may be stuck on in their life, from self to work to family
And everything in between. And I loved how she used Jewish wisdom to try and teach us different ways to look at things. The end of each chapter has questions to ask yourself while you are on a path to reinventing yourself.
This is great read. I can’t wait to go back over the questions and see if this will help me in my everyday life. Hey even if you have your stuff together this may still be insightful to learn other ways to look at things.
June 3, 2021
I wish that I could give half stars because this book was better than ok but not great for me- so 3.5 star rating. I am not generally a self help reader although I own several that I keep meaning to get to at some point. This book by Michal Oshman was intriguing to me because of the way she tied her experiences to her religion. I am also not a religious person but the more spiritual aspect of religion is interesting to me. So what I liked about this book is that each chapter starts with a Jewish word and description and that she uses this throughout to tell her story. I enjoyed learning more about her faith and how she uses it to relate to every day experiences. This book felt more like a memoir than self help so that is where it loses a bit for me. She frequently admits that she has led a privileged life and some of her stories fall flat for this reason. Overall I think it is worth the read but more memoir/autobiography than self help.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.
September 12, 2021
Pleasantly Pleased....
I am the reason someone writes this kind of book. I am that reader. The one that needs to read these words. Witty, entertaining, and a bit inspiring, I was captivated from start to finish. A quick read but absolutely delightful. Michal Oshman has an interesting life and reading about her Jewish culture, wisdom, and history was wonderful. I'm not Jewish. I can't exactly relate to her life and yet there was this pull, this gravitation, and I found myself learning so much from her words. She doesn't spend the entire book talking about herself and as much as I wanted to know more about her, I enjoyed the snippets here and there and most of all the valuable messages throughout. This isn't cheesy self-help. This is true life and the wisdom that she learned along the way and she gives it to us, the readers, in the hopes that it has the same effect more or less.
Great read. Highly recommend.
Thanks to DK Publishing for my copy of this book. I received. I read. I reviewed this book honestly and voluntarily.
I am the reason someone writes this kind of book. I am that reader. The one that needs to read these words. Witty, entertaining, and a bit inspiring, I was captivated from start to finish. A quick read but absolutely delightful. Michal Oshman has an interesting life and reading about her Jewish culture, wisdom, and history was wonderful. I'm not Jewish. I can't exactly relate to her life and yet there was this pull, this gravitation, and I found myself learning so much from her words. She doesn't spend the entire book talking about herself and as much as I wanted to know more about her, I enjoyed the snippets here and there and most of all the valuable messages throughout. This isn't cheesy self-help. This is true life and the wisdom that she learned along the way and she gives it to us, the readers, in the hopes that it has the same effect more or less.
Great read. Highly recommend.
Thanks to DK Publishing for my copy of this book. I received. I read. I reviewed this book honestly and voluntarily.
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