Books For Dummies?

We have all seen them, you know, the big yellow and black “How To…” books on the shelves. The ones resembling school text books that you peruse briefly and gingerly place back on the shelf, hoping no one saw you.

The books you will never purchase, in public, as you know the cashier will give you the knowing “oh yeah?!”, as they painfully stifle their amusement, raised eyebrow and smirk.

Well I bought one!

But I by-passed the uncomfortable, hot under the collar, “yes I would like a bag; as I am not stepping outside in broad daylight brandishing this book for all and sundry to see”. Yes my friends, I went to my online book emporium, who anonymously packaged said offending article and delivered it under the guise of Amazonian brown cardboard - right to my door. And now I have the amused grin.

The title? Oh yes, it’s……………………..Life Coaching For Dummies and I have to say; it’s not bad at all!

To be fair, I have never had a full-on conversation with a Life Coach, on or offline, so I have no idea what they do, their techniques etc. but I find it fascinating, intriguing and inspiring.

Only having read the first couple of chapters I have already noticed a very familiar theory emerging. Coaching seems to ask the question what do you want? It seems to empower your positive inner thoughts and feelings. It looks at how you can positively improve your thoughts and feelings and, in turn, improve your life. Plus it screams an (action driven) Law of Attraction.

Now I hope I have not upset any Life Coaches out there by my rather clumsy, short analogy, but it is said with great gusto and appreciation.

The author of Life Coaching For Dummies For Dummies , Jeni Purdie, is an NLP (neuro linguistics programming) Practitioner, and as such the book uses structure and specific wording, triggering positive responses and outcomes. OK, that sounded a little technical for someone with very little knowledge, but NLP is something else that appeals – based on my current interpretation.

In the book Jeni explains exactly what Life Coaching is all about, (and what it is not) what it can do for you, how you can use it, and how it can continue to enrich your life.

I’m kinda hooked.

Life Coaching is soo transferable, across soo many demographics. It is not telling people how to live their lives. It is not telling people that they have a problem. It simply gives people the tools to improve their own lives – giving them back the controls to change aspects of their lives, if they wish to.

I want to learn, know more and I am definitely putting Life Coaching on my “Must learn, practice and teach before I hit 40″. :S

It feels inspired.

It feels right.

It feels like “me”.

And to this end, I will continue reading Life Coaching For Dummies For Dummies with relish, hoping the publishers would smatter the book with a less cringe provoking title………………….To be continued/.