Review: Have to Believe We are Magic
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 16, 2012
"Have to believe we are magic/Nothing can stand in our way."These words are from Olivia Newton-John's 1980 pop hit "Magic," from the box-office movie (and notable flop) "Xanadu." Newton-John is not referring to David Copperfield or Penn and Teller wannabes; rather, she is endorsing the much-maligned and over-hyped concept of self-esteem. I use these adjectives in this particular case to demonstrate how far-reaching and overarching this term has woven itself into the fabric of our society.Despite the scoffs and guffaws from certain segments of society, self-esteem does serve a purpose---to allow us the emotional and psychological freedom to accept ourselves for who we are, rather than permit an external locus to dictate our future. Stephen Williams has written "Self-Esteem: Improve and Be the Best You Can Be!" to accentuate and build upon this assertion, and in so doing provides his readers with numerous reasons for building upon their positive experiences while learning and growing from any and all negative setbacks.As children, we are constantly exposed to other peoples' words and actions that alternately build up and support our world view, but also denigrate and tear down how we see ourselves. Williams asserts that it is precisely these interactions with said people that influence how we relate to the world within our social, psychological and emotional niches. Williams stresses that being treated with respect and admiration from an early age is crucial to how we perceive ourselves to be, and that if we do not have this solid inner foundation, we will have an extraordinarily difficult time melding appropriately with the larger society in several facets of our lives: in social settings such as work and recreation; with our families; in school; etc.One of the most difficult perspectives to develop and maintain is keeping an even, balanced, positive perspective of our own selves and what we can contribute towards enriching our lives and those of others. Additionally, social media has a tremendous influence over how we, as individuals, "should" live our lives. Being dictated to on so many different levels at a frenetic 24/7 pace eventually has a way of subtly (and not so subtly) influencing our choices: in clothes; in cars; in where we attend college; in politics; in neighborhoods; in music---the list is endless. It takes a melange of life experiences, coupled with being happy with the choices we make on a daily basis, to be able to withstand the barrage of negativity that can accompany said decisions.One of the best things a person can do for themselves---especially in our fast-paced world---is to be good to ourselves. Granted, this is a broad statement, given our numerous daily responsibilities we have to others as well as to us, but if we do not take the time necessary to strike a much-needed balance in our lives, it is very likely that we can end up with much unnecessary, self-inflicted emotional, psychological, and physical pain.Williams writes a bit generically for my personal taste; nevertheless, his words express concern, empathy, a sense of warmth, and a heartfelt desire to see people take responsibility for the choices they make in their lives and learn from their experiences. "Self-Esteem" reads quickly and does not espouse highly complicated aphorisms---it is written in good taste and with tact. To paraphrase President Obama, the book provides an audacity of hope for Williams's readers.