Focus on the Good Stuff: The Power of Appreciation

Mike Robbins' book is the real deal.....all about what really matters in life..........being grateful for what is, and not worried about what is not. Many of us like Mike, experienced grave disappointments early in life, in which we had difficulty separating who we are from what we do, and growing to understand, that we are who we are, regardless of what we do. Easier said than done, when other look longingly at who we used to be, or more correctly, what we used to do. This is a book about gratitude, which is one of the true 7th wonders of the world. Accepting and appreciating who we are and being grateful for that, as well as for all the small kindnesses that come our way, is the first step to true happiness, or so it seems to me. Mike has nailed it perfectly. If your life seems to be less than you want it to be, please consider reading this book. You will find truths here, and you will be reminded of all the wonderful aspects of life that are already yours, and inspired to reach for the other accomplishments soon to be yours.

In today's world where civility, kindness, and generosity have often been replaced by rudeness, cynicism, conflict, and self-absorption, Mike Robbins offers us a delicious and refreshing reminder of the power of appreciation. This book is both beautifully written, and easy to read. It reminds us that happiness is difficult to come by in a "culture of complaint." But the simple act of consciously focusing on what is good, noticing what we have to be grateful for, and offering appreciation to others can magically transform our lives and our hearts. The Power of Appreciation offers a much-needed reminder of the spiritually uplifting experience gained by simply cultivating an enduring sense of gratitude. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

Do self-help books really help? The best answer to this question is probably that some hit their mark with a select few, while others hit home with practically everyone who reads it. I believe that Focus on the Good Stuff is the latter - it will be of value to all who read it. There have been a lot of books written about positive thinking, but author Mike Robbins' book takes the reader into a unique look at the power of appreciation. Mike shows how negativity will influence our lives unless we consciously undertake actions to move toward a more positive life. Negativity - about things around us and of our own selves - can be replaced by appreciation. And it is a set of simple acts that reaps a world of good for all. It's actually both a book and a workbook, allowing the reader to take action. I come away from the experience finding it easier to appreciate those around me as well as a deeper appreciation of myself. Wouldn't the world be a better place if everyone could find a little more happiness this way? I give the book a five star rating.

The one major thing I'm looking for when I pick up a "self-help" book is perspective - a chance to look at my life almost as if I were someone else looking in. As I began to answer the questions that the book asked me about my life, I realized that I was thinking about things I hadn't really ever considered; and I was thinking about them from different angles than I would have gotten to on my own. The little tips and tricks in it have changed my daily outlook and have allowed me to go through hours at work and at home lately appreciating what I have. I know it sounds dorky or whatever, but the bottom line for me is that I'm having more fun and enjoying myself while doing things I have to do anyway, and didn't necessarily enjoy before! In short: buy this book and read it.

This book - perhaps better identified as a work book - is a simple journey, using several practices in appreciation and acknowledgement that become a portal out of a cynical and resigned way of life into a world worth living in. Ask yourself, "if there was nothing wrong with me, and nothing to fix or change, who would I be and what would I do with my life?" By the end of this book, you will be that person, living that life. Mike Robbins has written this book with a genuine approach. Instead of browbeating the reader with his expertise (which he could very well have done), he joins with the reader on this journey, sharing delicate and intimate moments of his life along the way. In so doing, he creates the space for taking this simple and elegant process very seriously. Before reading "Focus on the Good Stuff", I considered myself highly trained in positive thinking, transformational process, etc. However, I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that I never thought I could impact how I thought. I knew I could sound good, I knew I could do good things, and I knew I could turn situations around on a dime; but I never thought those knee-jerk negative thoughts would ever go away. And if they didn't go away, I would always be compensating for them somehow. Those days are gone. Inside the space created by Robbins' process, I was able to retrain my thinking. Now, by simply shifting my attention outside myself, my experience of life has expanded. I'm regaining the passion in my life by focusing on what's out there and what's available to me, rather than what's wrong. I highly recommend this book.