End the Struggle and Dance with Life: How to Build Yourself Up When the World Gets You Down

by Susan Jeffers and Jeffers Susan

Book Overview

We live in a difficult world. But life does not have to be a struggle. From the author of the best-selling classic "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway" comes a book of inspirational advice that teaches us... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312155220
• ISBN13: 9780312155223
• Release Date: April 1997
• Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Susan Jeffers helps her listeners put things in perspective

When my local public library had its annual summer book sale, I came across this treasure for a fraction of its list price. I love listening to audiobooks, especially self-help/personal growth audiobooks. Self-help books can range from farcical to truly transformational. I found Susan Jeffers' guidance to be on the transformational side of the self-help spectrum. Ms. Jeffers distinguishes between our lower-selves and our higher-selves (I likewise had come up with my own terms to describe this phenomenon of where we are in our personal development--our regressed/imbalanced selves, our potential/balanced selves, and our in-between selves). Our lower-selves are competitive and ego-driven, seeking validation in the wrong things and in the wrong ways. Our higher-selves are " good enough," to quote Ms. Jeffers verbatim. Susan discusses at length our preoccupation with goals and urges us to reconsider our values and how we seek self-worth. Marianne Williamson, who endorses this book, also gives good guidance that works synergistically with Ms. Jeffers' advice. I was listening to a self-help audiobook by Ms. Williamson a few months ago when a profound truth really registered with me for the first time. Marianne quoted A Course in Miracles (which I've never read) when she said enlightenment doesn't come from having people no longer say unjust, unkind, or untrue things about you. Enlightenment comes from no longer caring (about these negative words). I remember saying out loud, "Yes! Yes!," excited about this epiphany. I had heard words to the same effect before...consider the source, sticks and stones may break my bones, etc., but something about the way A Course in Miracles emphasized no longer caring really struck a chord with me. Since you can't control what other people do or say to you or about you, this is profoundly helpful advice. Susan also points out that what other people do or say is their way of handling hurt...another incentive to not take things personally, but instead feel compassion (or at the very least, refrain from feeling antipathy) towards people who are attacking us. Susan Jeffers talks extensively about our lack of control and how we have to accept that we don't have control over many things in the world and in our own lives. We can control our reaction, and that is a powerful thing to be able to control. Most of us have heard that life is 10% what happens to us and 90% our reaction and attitude towards what happens to us. Susan definitely believes our reactions and attitudes are where we live most of the time; therefore, we really need to reevaluate our reactions and attitudes. Susan says that even though we may not like many of the terrible things going on in the world, we have to consider that we have only a limited understanding of "The Grand Design." In the grand scheme of things, there may be reasons we aren't capable of understanding at this point of time (or ever) why things are the way they are.

My Favorite Author

This is probably the most helpful book I have ever read. Susan Jeffers talks about living in a world the way it is today and not trying to change things or people. There is a magnificent chapter, TRUST THE FUTURE. This chapter should be read by anyone attempting any kind of life change, be it a new job, a new husband, a new city. She says that in the end, it's all perfect any way. I have already read this book twice and I find myself referring to it often when things do not go the way that I might have wanted. Read this book and you will regret mistakes less and less.

Prozac for the Soul..

This book takes you on a wonderful journey. Jeffers' words are immensely uplifting and transforming. You will gain immense insight into yourself, what you are doing that is making you unhappy, and what you can do to make yourself happier. This opened up a whole new world for me, philosophically speaking, and I can now look at life with a more positive slant. I enjoyed all the quotes she included, as well as the dozens of apt analogies and affirmations. As a bonus, it is chock full of suggestions for further exploration and contemplation. Don't wait - it is an easy and delightful read.

Immensly uplifting and worthwhile!

'End the Struggle and Dance with Life' was read by several of my relatives after I completed it, and I noticed a change within them also. It really is a very uplifting, positive and proactive book, which helps to guide readers to a more positive, happy and furfilling life.I found it positively refreshing and wonderful, and feel myself change occuring as a result. The only thing I did wrong was borrow it from a library, hence I am unable to refrence back to it when life gets me down as it no doubt will.The only problems I see within this book, as it fades away in the ending a little, and I didn't fully comprehend the idea of lower and higher selves, though this is through my only lack of understanding rather than the book itself.Wonderful quotes, wondefully uplifting, a wonderful read in whole.

It opens your mind and lets you know you're not alone

I'm not really one for reading self-help books, but I picked this one up because I realized I was becoming a fearfull person. This book shows you the reasoning behind things you do and don't do all because of your fears. I highly recommend this book for both those who know they have fear problems, and those who don't think so. I think all of you will be suprised by what you find.