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Roz Reviews: Joyce Meyer – The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow

(Originally reviewed April 22, 2008)

I did a more indepth and personal review of Joyce Meyer’s new book:  “The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow,” yesterday!  I decided to do an addendum to that review.

Since I listened to the book multiple times already, I would like to voice my true opinion and recommend this book to everyone and anyone.  You definitely do not have to be Christian to read and enjoy this book.  The one thing we all have in common is: “we are all people!”

Although we are all different, we are all very much the same as “we all have to deal with ourselves!”  No getting away from that.  Wherever we go, we take ourselves along.  We are the only people we can’t get away from – EVER!  So we better learn how to deal with ourselves before we learn to deal with others.  Actually, how we think of things affects everything and everyone we come in contact with – family, friends, strangers, business associates, loved ones, the clerk in the supermarket or post office.

True happiness starts with us, from within.  Things are only as important as we make them.  Of course there are exceptions to every rule.  Sometimes things really are important and we have to deal with them NOW!  But even those things are affected by our attitudes and beliefs.

In The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow,” Joyce covers just about every aspect of our lives.

I would truly recommend Joyce Meyer’s new book: “The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow” to everyone and anyone.  You will NOT be sorry you read or listened to it.  It is phenomenal, and one that I will listen to over and over again.  The nice thing about listening to the Audio/CD version is that you can relisten to those CDs that speak to your heart at any given time without having to reread the entire book.  Reading the book would not hurt either!  Maybe it is just me, but I get so much more out of the audio version of books and learning programs.  I can take them with me anyplace I go — No Restrictions!

CLICK THIS LINK… to read my indepth review to The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow and how to affected my immediate life.

For your convenience I have added a link to order Joyce Meyer’s NEW BOOK.  At the least, click the link to check it out NOW.  Don’t take my word for it.   You will be glad you did though — of that I AM POSITIVE!

CLICK TO ORDER:
The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow

With Warm Regards,

Roz Fruchtman
mailto:roz@DesignsByDaybreak.com
Blog Views By Roz / http://www.BlogViewsByRoz.com
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Say It With eCards / http://www.SayItWithEcards.com

October 13, 2014   Comments Off on Roz Reviews: Joyce Meyer – The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow

Roz Fruchtman on “Get The Edge” by Tony Robbins

Original Entry was written / November 19, 2004
Reposted August 9, 2008

Roz Fruchtman on “Get The Edge” by Tony Robbins

A week or two ago I posted the novella below on a self-proclaimed Tony Robbins fan site. I’m not sure why I did it, as I never visit the site and was just passing through. I believe it will do more good here than there as hardly anyone posts or reads that site. The topic was:

“HOW TONY ROBBINS INSPIRED ME!”

“You asked, I’ll tell…”

ON GET THE EDGE

I was very skeptical when I ordered Get The Edge (May 2003), but being desperately in need of help, I took a chance. There was something about Tony that struck a cord with me. However, I will admit that I watched his infomercial for 5 months “before” I ordered the CDs. Mostly because I did not have the money and I felt it was dishonest to order the CDs and then send them back. (NO… I still have them!)

The longer I watched the more desperate I got… Finally after 5 months I called and asked for the number of customer service. I do reviewing, but I knew how badly I needed those CDs and I WOULD NOT ask to review them. I told them my problem and asked if they ever had discounts. To this day I am not sure if there really was a promotion, but the man I spoke to took off $100 from the package and STILL told me I could return the package in 30 days. I NEVER returned it!

When I got the CDs I “admired” (smiling broadly as I type this) the packaging. I was impressed with the way it looked! I looked at it for one week using the excuse that I needed to go out and buy a disk player so that I could walk and listen and/or listen away from the computer.

Finally I said to myself: “Self, you really have to try these in case they really are NOT good and have to go back.” I gingerly put the CD in the CD player of my computer and began to listen. I listened to the program as I was instructed to:

  • Tape 1 — Get The Edge
  • I believe it was suggested that we could listen to the end tape of Focus.I did this and cried with Tony when he talked about his father-in-law. I had lost my best friend in a similar manner.
  • Tape 1 — Personal Power Classic
  • Tape 2 — Personal Power Classic — Pain & PleasurePAIN & PLEASURE was the one that did it for me. UNTIL THEN I did not feel much excitement or a feeling that things were going to change. When I started to do the exercise, I realized why I WAS doing and NOT doing certain things. It all became crystal clear. I have listened to that CD many more times than I care to count!

NOTE: It was never that I felt the program was not good, I just felt it might not work “for me!” After all, I was not having much success in anything at that point and for sure could not count on myself for anything! (I was shattered after 911 — living in NYC and being in Manhattan that day I was destroyed and could not seem to find my way back!)

PAIN & PLEASURE did it for me. I knew that I was eating for comfort. I had gained back the 20 pounds I had lost before 911. I gained it back because I was eating “comfort food,” like many others and NOT because I was hungry. I am/was not unique in any of this.

NOTE II: I did find out in the middle of UPW why I was so shattered after 911 and why I could not find my way back: “I LOST my CERTAINTY!” I lost the feeling of security and would never know it again. Once I realized that everything changed!

PAIN & PLEASURE was the turning point for me.

I went through Get The Edge (it took longer than a month) and Personal Power II (I started and stopped this a few times, but finally got through it in one shot. I cried in utter elation when I realized I had finished it. I had not realized I was at the end!)

I also attended Unleash The Power Within complimentary of Tony’s generosity after I gave a testimonial on National TV when he was on QVC (Over the phone!) I had been doing Get The Edge for about five weeks when I gave the first testimonial. I can still remember how nervous I was, but I remembered what Tony said on one of the tapes… (paraphrasing in my own words here) Something like we only get one chance sometimes and if we don’t take it it might not come around again! I felt if I did not call to talk to him that night I might never have the chance.)

One year later I gave another Testimonial in the way of “thanking Tony” live on National TV. I could not get near him at UPW and it was VERY important to me to thank him for helping me when no one else would. I did not want him to think that I just took the ticket lightly. He did for me, what no one else would.

Let’s put it this way, before I did Get The Edge I could not even see a light at the end of the tunnel. Once I started it I saw a glimmer and now I see a huge fire! Living in NYC after 911 I was done in.

Get The Edge helped me to learn to depend on myself again. (I was always independent and a survivor!)

I lost 23 pounds (the 20 plus 3) – not so much from dieting, but from walking, “deciding” when I ate whether it was going to be painful/regretful AFTER I ate it and ate for pleasure when I wanted to. In other words I decided if I wanted the pleasure of the food or the pain/regret afterwards. When I felt it would be painful afterwards I “did not” eat the food. It was easy, especially after I started to lose the weight. It’s still a struggle, but I worked too hard to go backwards.

I also changed the way that I think. I no longer feel if something does not work that I failed. I feel that “I learned something” and now I know what does not work. I then go on to do something different and if that does not work, I try again UNTIL I reach the outcome that I am looking for. All the time being positive and excited about what I am doing. Before that, I was shattered when things did not work and I put so much of myself into them.

This has kept me focused for 18 months so far. NOW that I know — AGAIN — what it is to be happy I HAVE something to measure from. BEFORE I could not remember being happy EVER! I could NOT understand how I got where I was.

I also take time “each day” to be grateful. It was not that I was ungrateful before, but I never gave it much thought. I realized that I had lots to be grateful for, but it was just in passing. I suppose you could say that I took things for granted like many others. NOW… that I take time to be grateful I find many more people doing the same things. I guess I just never looked before!

As well, I have learned to count my blessings and I am trying to demonstrate to others that they have things in their lives to be grateful for as well. To me, NOW… every little thing that happens is a blessing. I have learned to turn negatives into positives and usually demonstrate it through my art. It becomes fun and “feels good!” My entire life changed after I did Get The Edge. Got a little confusing after Unleash The Power Within because I dealt with the issues I had when I went and when I came back I had new ones. Let’s call it growing pains. However, It got better after Personal Power II. Also, it takes time. It’s a lot of work. I suppose some can do it quickly, but everything in my life was in disarray so I had a lot to fix. (As I said to Tony via my testimonial: “If I was not happy with me, I could not expect anyone else to be! So I worked on me first!”)

One has to be ready to do the program. It is NOT magic. It’s lots of hard work. It’s not rocket science and all makes sense, but it helps when the person helping IS encouraging you and NOT telling you what you can’t do. (I came from a dysfunctional family like a lot of other people and the one thing that Tony said that made a huge difference right off was: “Your past is NOT your future!” That tore down the barriers immediately, NEVER to go up again!)

Trust me, I am not where I want to be, but I am much, much, much further ahead than I was. My life is different. I am happy, I feel strong and have accomplished lots of the goals I set for myself. I still have some major ones to do, but when I look back at how far I have come I know I can do it!

I wish I could have a personal coach as one sometimes needs that personal touch, but I am more than a little financially challenged right now and that is not in the cards for me — right now. This is a major drawback, but I will just keep plugging ahead!

BTW, who cares if Tony got divorced. Did anyone ever think that someone CAN help others because they learned from their own mistakes. I would NEVER condemn him for getting divorced and then telling others how to build their relationships. That is utter nonsense.

Perhaps I look at things differently because I am older, but I have lived a lot of life and my only regret is that I NEVER knew about Tony Robbins before. My life would have been so much different.

BTW, I am a digital artist and run a Judaic eCard Club

Say It With eCards (aka Say It With eCards Judaic Greetings)
Judaic eCards for *Busy* People!
http://www.sayitwithecards.com/

I hope this helps someone else.

With Warm Regards,

August 9, 2008   1 Comment

Roz Reviews: The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow – Joyce Meyer

Subhead:
Roz Fruchtman Reviews Joyce Meyer’s new book…  The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow

Before I start, I will say… DO NOT WALK… DO NOT PASS GO… RUN to your nearest bookstore, or CLICK the LINK BELOW to pre-order/order Joyce Meyer’s new book:  “The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow.”  I love Joyce, but she surely out did herself with this one!

ORDER TODAY:
The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow

I do review, but… not as much as I used to, since I decided to concentrate on my own digital designs and online eCard Club “Say It With eCards.”  Now-a-days… I only review a product or service that catches my eye, or is a product or service I use or have knowledge of, or interest in – good or bad.  My mission is to share and inform others of what is good, what is bad and what is questionable — via my own opinion and/or experience.  This said: 

I felt really honored and truly blessed when I was approached to review the new book by Joyce Meyer.  Honestly I could not believe my eyes when I read the email. Initially, I thought it was spam, until I re-read it and did a bit of online sleuthing. 
       I say blessed, because this opportunity came to me when I was dealing with some of my own issues.  It made me think of “The Secret” and the Law of Attraction.  What you put out, you receive.  I am truly in receipt!

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REVIEWER’S NOTE:
When I can, I choose the audio versions of books as I can listen anywhere and take them anyplace, as well as re-listen on whim.  At times, I will buy both the paper version and the audio.  This depends, however, on the book though!  It can become quite expensive otherwise.  I will say… it would have been easier to review if I had the paper version as well as the audio as I would have had an Index.  Nonetheless, listening and reviewing this book was one of the highlights and delights of my life!  YOU SIMPLY MUST READ OR LISTEN to it!
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I had just finished listening to Joyce Meyer’s “Battlefield of the Mind” and was in the middle of Joyce Meyer’s “Approval Addiction,” when my copy of Joyce’s “The Secret to True Happiness” arrived. 

I promptly put Approval Addiction on hold in lieu of this review.  I am glad I did, The Secret to True Happiness is absolutely phenomenal.  I would recommend it to anyone and everyone – whether Christian or not.  Absolutely EVERYONE can take something away from this book. 

I read the book in audio form, so I found myself listening to each CD two or more times before I went on to the next CD.  While it is a book, the CDs can be listened to again and again in whatever order you like – should a particular topic resonate with you or speak to your heart.  I would suggest starting from the beginning initially as one chapter follows another and might make more sense.

I love Joyce Meyer.  I discovered her a little more than five years ago when I began on my own spiritual path.  While her teachings are serious, she shares in easy to understand terms and/or the everyday language that everyone could understand.  Her humor and honesty makes one believe she really does understand and you feel as if you are listening to a friend, who has been there before you. 

While I was not sexually abused as Joyce was, I, like many others was verbally abused. When I was growing up people did not talk about it as no one really knew what to do and there really was not a lot of help.  How freeing to be able to unload that baggage now, even after so many years and to know that I was not alone!

The teachings of The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow focuses on enjoying life where you are on the way to where you are going.  Joyce talks about this a lot, but this book truly dissects each aspect of life so it becomes more real and feasible to the reader/listener.  I am embarrassed to share this, as I usually do not speak this way, but I found myself saying “right on sister” more than once.  I felt she really understood and really knew what I was going through or had been through.

Since I read/listened to this book in audio form I do not have an index to go through and list here, but I will tell you, DO NOT miss this book.  DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT miss this book.

You owe it to yourself and to everyone you know and/or will meet, because what you/we do, how we behave, what we say or how we act not only impacts on us as individuals, but on everyone else as well.  While we know this deep in our heart of hearts, the reinforcement is so uplifting and much needed from time to time.

Here are some examples in my own life…

We do not have to wait for our situation to change or for us to receive things in order for us to become happy.  If we think we do, then we will rob ourselves of more than any thief can take from us.  Happiness is a state of mind, one that we can have in an instant.  I learned from Anthony Robbins, “things are as important as we make them,” and “we can change our focus in a moment!”  Joyce reenforces this way of thinking and after a while it becomes second nature. 

For example:  Last week I dropped a huge styrofoam cup of boiling hot tea on myself.  (This is true!)  On my way to the doctor’s offer, I kept thinking of things I could be Grateful for.  One was, it was pretty bad, but… it could have been lots worse.  The second was that I had health insurance and did not have to sit in a hospital emergency room, the third was that the doctor had office hours on Saturday and that I did not have to sit in a crowded emergency room or worry about my situation until the doctor came in on Monday.  The fourth thing was that the doctor was doing to tell me that things would be ok.  As I walked to the doctor’s office I took time to enjoy nature and snap a few digital images with my camera.  Trust me, I was plenty scared of what was going to happen, or what could happen, but as long as I could I would keep these good thoughts alive.  In the end it was all true.  The last, will take a while and I will have to do my part to make sure I follow the Doctor’s instructions in order for my burn to heal properly. (It is much more pleasant to think of things in a positive way as we really can’t change some of them.  I remember a time when I would have been hysterical under the same situation.

Joyce’s books and teachings are one of the main reasons I can keep this attitude.  It is NOT easy, but when I slip I have something to grab onto.  Many times I will find myself reaching for one of Joyce’s books or teachings and as odd as this might sound, sometimes the teaching just happens to be on the subject I am dealing with. 

Joyce says:  “Our Words Affect Others”…  About a month or so ago I went to throw the trash out.  I found a pizza box on top of where the newspapers were to be.  For some reason I opened it.  There was a “huge uneaten slice of pizza in the box!”  I lost it.  I was so furious, thinking of the rodents and vermin it could draw I ran right into my apartment and wrote a really strong note and posted it on the compactor room door.  Well, it did not take long for someone to write back asking “who made me the boss!”  I was even more furious, but was at a loss for what to do.  Oh, and don’t let me forget to share, each day for the next week there were more food boxes left. 

After I listened to Joyce, I wrote another note, much softer with a catch title:  “Rodent Alert!”  I went on to explain that raw food draws roaches, mice, rats, and who knows what.  I finished up thanking them for their cooperation and signed my name.  So far… I have NOT seen any more food being left in the compactor room.  I still feel strongly about what was done, but changing the way I behaved about it, made a huge difference.  THANK YOU Joyce!

On one of the CDs Joyce spoke about loss.  Loss comes in many forms.  Could be loss of a person, a job, a marriage, etc.  In my case it was the sudden loss of a friend’s son – he was 43. I was there for my friend and was and am as supportive as I can be.  But… I found it did not let me come to terms with the loss.  I was not able to deal with it properly as I was/am there propping her up.  Don’t get me wrong, that is what friends do, but your emotions do not understand that.  Listening to Joyce it all came into perspective again.  Loss is like the seasons…  There is a sequence to go through.  I found myself listening to that CD more than once.  But once was enough to get me back on track.  The next time I spoke to my friend, I felt that I understand better as I was using Joyce’s words and this time I knew it was not just lip service. I truly believe that God will eventually heal my friend’s heart.  My friend does not believe it or accept it, but I believe it and I will do my best to feed it into her!

The last CD is on Discipline — How true it is! 

Joyce talks about doing what it takes to be/get where we want to be and not be envious of those who might have gotten there first IF we DID NOT or DO NOT want to do the work to get there ourselves.  She talks about going the extra mile and not taking shortcuts, as they do not work.  How true this is!  Every time I take a shortcut because I am tired, or lazy, it comes back to haunt me — fifty-fold.

We all know in our heart of hearts, the right thing is to work for what we want, even if it takes us longer than we thought it would.  Complaining about life’s injustices will not help and will certainly not put us in the frame of mind to do what is necessary.  Through Joyce (and Joel Osteen), I have learned to look for the good in bad things — at the least they will make me/us stronger.  As we go through things, we sometimes wonder how they could possibly help later, but as an artist… sometimes I feel it helps me design my eCards with more emotion (walking in other’s shoes, so to speak).

Discipline also has to do with our behavior, how we act and get excited about what we can’t change.  Here again, it was almost as if God were leading me to listen to this Chapter when I did.  An incident happened here that was so unfair and infuriated me as it was lodged against me.  It happened on a weekend, so I had to wait until Monday to do something about it.  Well, I won’t say that I did not get upset, but as I listened to Joyce’s message, I felt the anger and frustration melt away as I waited to take the action I could, come the beginning of the week.  It does not help to carry on as it will only make ME/US SICK, waste our precious time and prevent me/us from enjoying life.

I have learned… Carrying on, being frustrated and/or angry really will not make anything better or resolve things sooner.  I know, I do NOT feel better physically when I vent on life’s injustices — maybe it is old age creeping up, as it never used to get to me as it does now!  I do my best to give it to God — this DOES NOT come easy to me as breaking old habits is hard, but I am a work in progress and it is much easier than it used to be. 

I would like to paraphrase Joyce’s Saying:  “I may not be where I want to be, but at least I am not ‘where I used to be!'”  This is so true!!!  When I look back to where I was just two years ago at this time, I have come so far.  We need to look to the future in dark times as the light always comes — in one way or another.

As Joyce says and is reinforced over and over in The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow… We do not have to wait for things to happen or to receive things in order to be happy.  If we think we need certain things to happen in order to be happy, we will rob ourselves of more than any thief can take from us.

What I would say to anyone reading this:  RUN, DO NOT WALK to your nearest book store, or better yet, CLICK THIS LINK to order Joyce Meyer’s new book:  “The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow!”  You owe it to yourself and everyone else you will ever come in contact with.  For sure, I WILL be listening to this book over and over and over again.  

For your convenience I have added a link to order Joyce Meyer’s NEW BOOK.  At the least, click the link to check it out now.  Don’t take my word for it.   You will be glad you did though — of that I AM POSITIVE!

CLICK TO ORDER:
The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow

With Warm Regards,

Roz Fruchtman
mailto:roz@DesignsByDaybreak.com
Blog Views By Roz / http://www.BlogViewsByRoz.com
————————————————————
Say It With eCards / http://www.SayItWithEcards.com

April 21, 2008   Comments Off on Roz Reviews: The Secret to True Happiness – Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow – Joyce Meyer

Roz Views: StatCounter.com – Free and Impressive

Earlier this evening I went on a search for a “real-time invisible web site tracking — stat counter — service. Tall order you would think… to find one that was FREE, but I did!

StatCounter.com is just that.  It not only provides in-depth stats, including:

  • Summary
  • Popular Pages
  • Entry Pages
  • Exit Pages
  • Came From
  • Keyword Analysis
  • Recent Keyword Activity
  • Recent Came From
  • Search Engine Wars
  • Visitor Paths
  • Visit Length
  • Returning Visits
  • Recent Pageload Activity
  • Recent Visitor Activity
  • Country/State/City/ISP
  • Browser
  • System Stats
  • Lookup IP Address

but drills them down with more specifics than you would even ask for.  So far I have used it for less than 1/2 hour and I already see in-depth activity on who is visiting, where they came from, where they went on my site, how long they stayed and what they clicked on.  That was all from one screen.

For now, I chose StatCounter.com’s free service which will keep a running analysis of my web site’s last 100 visitors.  I can only hope that my site would do well enough to use their pay service with is a bargain at what is offered.

Posted by Roz Fruchtman / BlogViewsByRoz.com

April 10, 2006   Comments Off on Roz Views: StatCounter.com – Free and Impressive

Review: Audacity – The Free, Cross-Platform Sound Editor

— quote from the Audacity website —

Audacity® is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It is available for Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems.

— end quote —

A friend/colleague turned me on to a wonderful “open source” audio recorder called Audacity.  Audacity not only lets you create your own audio files, but allowes you to edit them and save to popular formats.  Here is a complete list of its endless features:

[Read more →]

March 13, 2006   Comments Off on Review: Audacity – The Free, Cross-Platform Sound Editor