Change Your Life in Seven Days. Paul McKenna

Even though I haven't finished it yet, it's very good. Soemthing everyone should read.

I started to use a review title of "Life change made easy", but that just wouldn't be true really. You still have to work at it if you want to change your life. However, I did find this book to be both interesting and useful. It was interesting as it provided a different perspective on change than I had previously encountered and it was useful because you could actually try the different techniques to see if they work. The author's use of imagining is very powerful and can be done with the book, however, you will probably have to read through the imaginations multiple times before you can actually do it effectively. When you can go through the process without interruption (to read the next step), you'll be amazed at how it impacts your sense of being. I enjoyed the book and hope you will too. Tom Carpenter, Senior Consultant - SYSEDCO Helping IT Professionals Succeed

I have just read the two very different reviews currntly listed, and felt compelled to weigh in on the subject. But first a joke - How many psychiatrists does it take to change a lightbulb? Only one, but the lightbulb has got to want to change! I came to this book and CD 9 months ago, having searched pretty much every source possible for help in balancing my life. I was determined to find an answer, and for me it found through Paul McKenna's book and CD. Five years of frustration was removed in one week - to my absolute and genuine amazement. I was skeptical to say the least, and even after my first week I was constantly checking in with myself to see how long the "cure" was last before I returned to my original (and unwanted) frame of mind. It is coming up to a year now, and I am finally starting to believe in the power of hypnosis - if you want to change. I mean, why not? If you have created difficulties in your own mind, then surely you have the power to replace them with your own new ideas. For me the bottom line is this - you get what you expect!

If you know anything about the workings of the subconscious mind, you will know by the end of the first chapter of this book that McKenna knows what he's doing. Any lingering doubts will be totally erased after you've downloaded and listened to his extraordinarily effective 28-minute (FREE!) trance induction. This recording alone is worth the price of the book. Another reviewer has panned both versions of this title because of claims that McKenna is a fraud and his techniques are dangerous. As to the charges of fraud, I don't know about the details, but after reading his book I can tell you (based on 30 years' worth of independent study of the subconscious, hypnosis and psychology) that Paul McKenna is the real deal. I don't have a piece of paper from Hahvahd either -- does that mean I can't help people with what I've learned on my own from study, observation and practice? (And by the way, yes, I do have an authentic college degree, from an accredited school -- talk about a money-grabbing con game, but that's a topic for another review!) As to claims that McKenna induced schizophrenia in one of his subjects -- oh, please! True mental illness is a complicated, long-standing condition that is not caused by a session with a hypnotist. If hypnosis in some way brought the person's illness to a head, that, I think, is as healthy as clearing away dead flesh to expose and cleanse gangrenous tissue. At any rate, I would hate to have anyone reading these reviews decide not to experience the benefits of hypnosis because of a fear of "going crazy." Nonsense like that has plagued the practice of hypnosis since the days of Anton Mesmer and the first use of this valuable and exceedingly beneficial technique. Other reviewers said that they found McKenna's techniques too complicated and time-consuming. I found his instructions crystal clear and very easy to follow. He has a wonderful, conversational writing style that puts the information into simple layman's terms anyone can understand. A nice change from some of the other books I've read on hypnosis and the subconscious, that read like graduate-level college textbooks. Difficult? Time-consuming? Well, what is it worth in terms of time and effort to completely overhaul your life? Would you perhaps give up watching one TV sitcom a day to stop struggling with your weight problem, quit smoking effortlessly (I did), pave the way to success and abundance, improve your health, and generally feel more empowered, inspired and just plain HAPPY than you've ever been in your life? Because that's about all it takes, 30 minutes to an hour, and by the way, it's very enjoyable, and will leave you feeling more refreshed than an hour-long massage. Hearing is believing. Go to paulmckenna.com and download the free induction recording. No strings attached, there are no advertisements, just a 28-minute session. Listen to it and you'll know there aren't any "dangerous" suggestions on it. You'll understand that you don't become a

I have the UK version of this book and I was originally attracted to it by the fact that it had a free mind-programming CD with it - I believe the US version has the same mind-programming session for download. Anyway, I was absolutely fascinated with the prospect of having my mind programmed or being hypnotised. So I left work early on a Friday, went to the bookstore and snapped up the book. Well, I think the book is excellent. Let's face it - the shelves are awash with books that profess to make your life better, but this one is very simple to follow and effective. It is basically a neuro-linguistic programming book, although it never even goes near mentioning NLP or trying to explain it. In essence, the author has taken the useful bits of all kinds of self-help and put it into one volume, designed to be read over a seven day period. You are also meant to listen to the mind programming recording twice a day. I found it helpful, relaxing and effective. It also taught me techniques to change my state, such as the "confidence switch" - very useful to induce any state that you want with literally the click or at least touch of your fingers. I think this book more than holds it's own next to the work of Tony Robbins any day of the week - and don't get me wrong - I like TR, but this is just so nice and straightforward. The only thing I'd take slight issue with is the title. You can start to change your life within the said seven days, but you'll want to keep using the featured techniques way beyond that.