The Undiscovered Goddess by Michelle Colston

Typically, I'm not a big fan of the "inner goddess" thing.  Not that I think that women shouldn't discover themselves, embrace who they are, take time for themselves. I think it's just the terminology that grates on me.

I liked this book though. I found some scenes hilariously funny; some scenes brutally honest; some scenes sinfully indulgent. ;) Holly was so self-absorbed at times I couldn't believe her husband could continue to put up with her.  But I loved some of the changes she made to try to become a better person.  I could identify with some of them.  Rick asked me once why I go to church.  I told him that every time I sit in church, I leave it wanting to be a better person: more compassionate, more kind, more forgiving, less judgemental, less impatient...both at home and in my job.  So I loved when Holly decides to be kind to people who are grumpy, like the cashier at the store. Really, when you think about it, what an easy thing to do. So often though, instead of being kind to someone like that, I walk away thinking "jerk!"  So I've decided to try being kind to the next person I meet like that! :)

I love that Holly went back and re-read what she had written from the beginning - and that she was horrified by her own personality. Because her personality WAS horrifying at the beginning!  I also like how she learns that her choices have power.  That someone can choose to be in a bad mood all day, affecting everyone around them in a negative way, or they can choose to get over it and think more positively - which also affects everyone around them, but in a positive way.  Also, that "life's journey is thousands of baby steps instead of one giant step from A to B. The beginning and end are not life. Life is the passage between the two."  I love that!  I also struggle to be more "present" when I am with someone, like my husband and my children.  Sometimes I do too much multi-tasking and not enough being "present" in the moment.  I definitely have been trying to change that, so I enjoyed Holly's journey from being completely self-absorbed and annoyed by her children, to her spending time actually enjoying her children.

So, despite the annoying terminology at times, and the words in "*...*" ;) I quite enjoyed this book.  My journey to become a better person continues...in baby steps.

Wendy's Rating: ****