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April 2007 Newsletter Good BooksThe Soul of Money: Although Lynne Twist lives in San Francisco, she seems a true citizen of this world, finding herself at home wherever her work takes her. As an activist and fundraiser she spent twenty years working to end world hunger as part of The Hunger Project. More recently she has been invited to work with remote indigenous groups living in the Amazon rain forest, helping them to prepare for contact with the modern world and the inevitable change that will follow. The Soul of Money introduces three myths of scarcity. Myth 1: There's not enough. Myth 2: More is better. Myth 3: That's just the way it is. These myths are followed by three truths of sufficiency. Truth 1: Money is like water [“a current, a carrier, a conduit for our intentions”]. Truth 2: What you appreciate appreciates. Truth 3: Collaboration creates prosperity. Twist is a master storyteller who draws from her professional and personal experience to introduce new possibilities for our world, ourselves and our money. She seeks ways that are sustainable, ways of having enough and using what we have for our own fulfillment as well as the benefit of others. She demonstrates the power in conversation, collaboration, dreams and creativity to change what needs changing. Time and again she demonstrates how money alone is not enough. This is an inspiring, thought provoking book that would be wonderful to read and discuss in a book group, simple living group, investment group, or community building group. “We each have the power to arrange life so that the stand we take with our money and our life with money is a right-now, every-day, every-week expression of our core values, not a some-day, next-year, or when-I-retire or when-I-have-enough expression of our core values. Every moment of every day there are chances to participate in expressing your individuality and creativity, in contributing to your vision for yourself, your family, your community, city, or world. When we bring this consciousness to our choices about money and use our resources—money, time, or talents—to take a stand for what we believe in, we come alive. We are flooded with a sense of purpose even in the smallest action, and a feeling of power and energy opens up in our life.” -Lynne Twist
Who hasn't heard of Suze Orman, best-selling author and personal finance guru, or seen her award winning PBS specials? Reading Women & Money, her eighth book, I was surprised to discover this is the first book she has written especially for women. It's also the first of her books that I've read and I recommend it highly. Women & Money focuses on developing a healthy relationship with money, at the beliefs level and at the behavioral level. The information ranges from very basic to intermediate, but it's genuine, accessible, interesting, lively, and motivating. Orman presents her Save Yourself Plan, a five month agenda covering checking and savings accounts, credit cards and FICO credit scores, retirement investing, must-have documents, and insurance. Although Orman divides the plan into five months of assignments, nothing prevents readers from working at their own pace while tending to everything Orman suggests. For women who are more experienced managers of their money, the book might still be an excellent review as well as a quick checklist to make certain things are taken care of properly. Throughout the book Orman endorses a no shame, no blame approach. She is passionate about passing along what she knows about money so that women can be in control of their own lives and their own money. This is definitely a resource to turn to if you are seeking a healthier more confident relationship with your money or the inspiration to start doing the things you know you need to do. “That's what controlling your financial destiny comes down to: knowing what to do and what not to do—and having the conviction and confidence to go out and do it. Not just think about it. Or intend to do it next week or next month. To actually do it.” -Suze Orman
The Secret is a fast-paced documentary in which Rhonda Byrne brings together nearly two dozen authors, philosophers, scientists and teachers who introduce viewers to the secret power of the Law of Attraction: what we think about we bring about. This includes the things we think about because we want them in our lives, e.g., friends, as well as the things we think about because we don't want them, e.g., debt. The law of attraction is always working and applies to every area of our lives: finances, relationships, health, work, home, possessions and opportunities. After revealing the secret, the presenters talk about how to use it to be, do or have anything you want. The focus is definitely on having wealth and things. That said, the DVD is engaging and does an excellent job of introducing the basics of the law of attraction. Unfortunately, many of the speakers are featured for no more than a thought or two at a time. Since I was unacquainted with most of them and genuinely interested in what they had to say, I would have liked the opportunity to listen to them in more depth. If you haven't seen it, I encourage you to watch The Secret, maybe even more than once. Whatever your reactions to the content and presentation, you will probably have a lot to think and talk about afterward. This would be a great DVD to view and discuss within a small group. “The good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. You do that through your own thinking.” -Bob Proctor in The Secret
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phone: 651-644-7766 • mail@LaurieMattila.com • www.LaurieMattila.com Bless the time spent here… seeking listening dreaming.
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