Official Review: Purposely Positive by Dr. Joel Lindeman

katiesquilts · Post by **katiesquilts** » 22 Apr 2019, 07:46

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Purposely Positive" by Dr. Joel Lindeman.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Do you ever find yourself plagued by negative thoughts? Are you drifting through life, full of ideas and ambition, but unable to find the time or energy to fulfill your ambitions? I know I feel both of these, despite the numerous self-help books I've read. I feel like I'm pretty knowledgeable when it comes to my mental process and "when I'm doing something wrong." Still, me thinking to my brain that I need to stop thinking negative thoughts is...a little different than someone else reminding me not to think negative thoughts. Which is why I purposefully search out self help books and read them regularly. When I saw Dr. Joel Lindeman's Purposefully Positive on the review list, I jumped at the chance to review it. Yes, another dose of positivity to feed my self-help addiction!

In Purposefully Positive, Dr. Lindeman explains the physiological reasoning behind the negativity our brains tend to exhibit. He also gives you advice on how to reroute the neural pathways that you have created with your negative habits in order to break and replace them with more positive, wholesome habits. The chapters in the book cover a variety of topics, such as allowing yourself to be less than perfect and achieving your dreams instead of allowing fear or pressure to hold you back. There is a chapter for almost anything that could possibly be making you unhappy.

I had a hard time believing that this is Dr. Lindeman's first book. His writing style is so conversational and easy going that the chapters flew by. Each chapter is compact but packed with memorable material and interesting stories from the author. Most importantly, I felt like I was sitting back and having the author talk to me. It certainly wasn't a boring lecture or angry shouting from a pulpit that I need to "be more positive or else!" Dr. Lindeman is a very positive person and a great influence, plus he owns up to his mistakes and shortcomings.

Each chapter has a funny but relevant title and quotes relating to the theme of the chapter. At the end, Dr. Lindeman gives PPEs, or mini activities to help you digest the content of the chapter and put his advice into action. Some of them are sillier than others, but they are certainly more original than many activities I have seen in other self-help books before.

Unfortunately, the book wasn't perfect. Two things really caught my attention. The first was poor editing, with over a dozen minor errors found throughout the book. Some examples include you/your/you're confusion and extra words in sentences. The second major problem was the author's tendency to put asides in parentheses both in the middle and at the end of sentences. This happened throughout the book, almost on every page, and seemed to happen more often the further I read. Some of the asides were truly funny and made me laugh, but too much of a good thing is still too much. Also, there were some times when Dr. Lindeman would be writing with a very eloquent, inspirational tone of speech, but suddenly he would use an aside to add in a joke. That stopped me in my tracks and made it hard to get back into the motivational mood.

I really enjoyed Purposefully Positive and will definitely be reading it again. The chapters are so short and there are 31 of them, so new readers could potentially enjoy the book by reading a chapter a day to stay positive for an entire month. I wish I could give the book 4 stars, but due to the poor editing and rampant aside usage, I can only give it 3 out of 4 stars. I would still recommend it to anyone who needs a small boost in life. It satisfied my self-help addiction, and I'm sure it will do the same for others.

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Purposely Positive
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Stephanie Elizabeth · Post by **Stephanie Elizabeth** » 23 Apr 2019, 15:34

This sounds like a useful tool for many people who suffer from negative thoughts. You stated that the author uses mini activities in order to re-route, but I am curious if the author suggests any CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy)?

Great review!

Post by **kandscreeley** » 23 Apr 2019, 15:55

I don't care about the editing in the book; this is one I need to read. Despite trying my best, I tend to be a negative person. I want to change that, but (like you) in spite of many self-help books, that doesn't seem to be happening. I will look into this one further in hopes that it will help me change. Thank you!

Nyambura Githui · Post by **Nyambura Githui** » 24 Apr 2019, 02:57

I tend to shy away from self-help mostly because they seem like long boring lectures. I hope Purposefully Positive isn't like that. Great review.

Prisallen · Post by **Prisallen** » 24 Apr 2019, 07:37

This sounds like it would be a book I would enjoy reading, except for the errors. Hopefully, the author will fix those soon. Thanks for a wonderful review!

DogoMulla · Post by **DogoMulla** » 24 Apr 2019, 15:32

Who wouldn't want some positivity in their lives? Some motivation and inspiration... According to your good review, this one seems good enough. Thank you.

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 25 Apr 2019, 22:31

I have heard about the theory of thinking patterns creating their own routes in the brain. The author's humor and suggested activities seem like a good start to begin the construction of new roads. Thanks for this positive recommendation!