what’s right with me

Have you ever gone to a bookstore intending to get a specific book, but discovered another you just couldn’t resist? This happened to me recently. I went looking for a book about positive psychology. As I pulled out one book, another fell to the ground. I looked down at the bright orange book resting on my foot and read the title, “what’s right with me.” That’s all it took. I knew had found my book

I haven’t regretted buying this book. It’s subtitle, positive ways to celebrate your strengths, build self-esteem & reach your potential, accurately portrays the treasure inside the book. As a coach and a person who has sometimes experienced low self-confidence, this book made me realize how special I am.

It’s written by a mother and daughter team, Carlene DeRoo, Ph.D. and Carolyn DeRoo whose style of writing is very warm and comforting. As I read the book, I felt as if they were sitting at my kitchen table chatting with me, while sharing a cup of coffee.

In the section, “why we wrote this book,” I laughed out loud when the authors poked fun at their own struggles with the “fix it” attitude that emphasizes what’s wrong with us. In contrast, their book encourages people to stop trying to fix themselves and focus on what’s already good about their lives.

To use it effectively, you have to willing to go through the exercises presented in the book, but they are fun. Each exercise offers open-ended, creative questions geared to find the positive. And they cover a wide range of topics from relationships, how you see your body, the type of work you might choose and your sexual self.

While the book is set up for writing, you can still use it, even if you don’t like to write. Just use a tape recorder instead. Ask the
questions in the exercise and then record your answers. And an added benefit is that once you complete this book, it will keep on giving. So, on the days when you’re not feeling so good, you can review what you’ve written or taped to give yourself a confidence boost.

“what’s right with me” offers simple, helpful, and fun ways to discover your positive characteristics. It’s a great book for anyone who wants to look in the mirror and see what is right about them! I highly recommend it!