Not my favorite of the self-help books. It does the job in many cases but is told in a somewhat less nurturing way than I prefer. In some cases the author is funny but what is billed as "no-nonsense telling it like it is" can be outright unethical for someone who is constantly reminding us that he lives the metaphysical life.
One example that I found particularly off-putting was an exercise that Wilde wanted his readers to try as a way to get accustomed to being the receiver of free (or less expensive) things and not be afraid of coming off feeling foolish or undeserving. I do think that many of us feel undeserving or find ourselves unable to properly demand what we are worth. So I get some of the exercises that seem rude but aren't necessarily, like charging a friend to take him to the airport. In that case you are offering a service that he can either take or leave. But, an exercise that has one invite a group of friends to a massive meal at a restaurant and then not pay the bill after eating at least one of everything off the menu because of some stupid reason like "the potatoes were a little cold" is just perverse to me. That is not living a life of abundance but rather living a life of active thievery!
I lost respect for this author after he offered that exercise as a valid way for living within the abundance of the universe, and I therefore cannot condone reading his book which is otherwise full of some good and commonsensical advice. I would caution any curious reader to read this with a grain of salt and to maintain his or her own ethical standards while trying to live the more abundant life. You shouldn't have to be a jerk or take from someone else to have more.
One example that I found particularly off-putting was an exercise that Wilde wanted his readers to try as a way to get accustomed to being the receiver of free (or less expensive) things and not be afraid of coming off feeling foolish or undeserving. I do think that many of us feel undeserving or find ourselves unable to properly demand what we are worth. So I get some of the exercises that seem rude but aren't necessarily, like charging a friend to take him to the airport. In that case you are offering a service that he can either take or leave. But, an exercise that has one invite a group of friends to a massive meal at a restaurant and then not pay the bill after eating at least one of everything off the menu because of some stupid reason like "the potatoes were a little cold" is just perverse to me. That is not living a life of abundance but rather living a life of active thievery!
I lost respect for this author after he offered that exercise as a valid way for living within the abundance of the universe, and I therefore cannot condone reading his book which is otherwise full of some good and commonsensical advice. I would caution any curious reader to read this with a grain of salt and to maintain his or her own ethical standards while trying to live the more abundant life. You shouldn't have to be a jerk or take from someone else to have more.
