Good Books
Karen Schacter, contributing editor
Book Review: Incredible You! 10 Ways To Let Your Greatness Shine Through
Book by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, with Kristina Tracy
Illustrated by Melanie Siegel
Want to inspire your children without lecturing them about why they should feel good and be good people? Then run, don’t walk, to buy Dr. Wayne Dyer’s book, Incredible You!
Dr. Dyer is an international best-selling author and inspirational speaker, who has been writing books for adults for over 35 years. In this gem of a book, written for the youngest child (although enjoyed by my 9 ½ year old son
as well!), Dr. Dyer has taken the 10 concepts from his book, 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace, and interpreted them for children.
The concepts are:
- Share the Good
- Find What You Love
- You are Filled With Love
- Find a Quiet Place Inside
- Make Today Great!
- Change Your Thoughts to Good
- Take Care of Yourself
- Picture What You Want
- Everyone is Special, Especially You
- Good Thoughts Give You Energy
Written in a rhyming verse format, with gorgeous, vibrant pictures, each concept is easy to understand and discuss. (In fact, there are a series of questions at the end of the book, designed to get parents and kids talking together about how they can personally apply these ideas in their life).
And don’t be fooled: Although written for young children, I found the concepts relevant in my own adult life as well, and a good reminder about how to serve as role model for my children.
Take his “Find What You Love” verse, for example:
“Think of something you love to do, That is your passion, so let it shine through. Never let fear hold you back. Do what you love — you’re on the right track.”
Certainly, we all need gentle reminders to live our passion, without letting fear hold us back; to take time to meditate (or simply be in a quiet space — so important for busy parents); to shift our negative thoughts to positive ones; to take care of ourselves, despite what is going on outside of us; and to visualize our successes. And sometimes the simplest books can serve as powerful reminders, even for us grown ups!
As Dr. Dyer says in his introduction, “It is my desire to have all of the children of the world grow up knowing within them that they are indeed incredible, divine beings...it is my desire to have these tiny, precious souls...close this book and feel so good about themselves that they feel in their hearts that nothing is impossible for them.”
Isn’t that what we all want for our children (and for our own hearts as well)? I know for sure that Incredible You will be a part of our family’s library — and bedtime story collection — for years to come.
