Shift Happens
by Robert Holden
Hay House (audiobook)
Readers who like self-help books will probably give this the thumbs up for several reasons: it's easy to follow and repeats the main point in case you missed it the first few times around - you don't need to improve yourself; you need to accept yourself, which cannot begin unless you stop thinking you're lacking in some department. However, those who cannot stand this category of books will find many reasons to pan it. There are platitudes, such as 'Self-acceptance feeds the inner garden of the soul', the obvious, including, 'If you want joy, be kind', and too many exclamation marks. Fans of Robert Holden, founder of The Happiness Project, will love his narration of the book, which benefits from his non-threatening, confide-in-me-type voice. They will also appreciate the books and CDs he recommends, which to his credit aren't all his. Richard Carlson's Don't Sweat the Small Stuff ... is recommended, as is Deepak Chopra's The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. But naysayers will just shake their head at the cliched chapter titles, from Detox your ego to Struggle is choice to Be the goal.
