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Everything I've Ever Done That Worked
"Here are some pages from my personal resource book, the one I wrote for myself. I wrote it because I think I know what to do . . . and then life bowls me over again and I forget. I decided to get my experiences down on paper so that I could turn to them in an emergency, like a friend. It is my own spiritual and emotional first-aid kit. "This [book] holds things that work in darkness and things that work in daylight. There are techniques that will help you plan your journey and techniques that will light the next inch of the path when you’ve lost your way. They provide comfort in a crisis, but they’ll also inspire you to lead a deeper, richer life. They’ve worked for me in my life, and they may also work for you in yours." — Lesley Garner
208 pages, Paperback
First published October 28, 2004
12 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
About the author
Lesley Garner
15 books6 followersLesley Garner has been taking notes all her life. Her thoughts and observations have been published in many newspapers and magazines, including the Sunday Times, the London Daily Telegraph, the Daily Mail, and the Evening Standard in the U.K.
She's been an art critic, book and film reviewer, as well as a columnist and social commentator. Lesley has traveled widely through Europe, Africa, and the Middle and Far East, has been a resident of Ethiopia and Afghanistan; and currently lives in London.
She's been an art critic, book and film reviewer, as well as a columnist and social commentator. Lesley has traveled widely through Europe, Africa, and the Middle and Far East, has been a resident of Ethiopia and Afghanistan; and currently lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 21, 2010
And she’s done a lot, although drinking eight pints to reach the light inside of her disappointingly isn’t one of them. Or not yet, I haven’t finished it as I write this. Garner is a bit like Dorothy Rowe without the steely gumption which says it might never be alright, this might be as good as it gets. Garner always seems to be striving for the magic bullet that will make it better – meditation, writing things down, finding time to be creative – and these are her notes on what’s worked in her life to relieve the pressure and dull the pain. I’m not critical of it because there’s some great advice in this book and I took one particular pitch and used it to great effect when I asked to relocate to York. Sometimes the more you ask, the more you receive, and the clearer you ask for it the better it will be, as outlined in the essay “Knowing What You Want and Asking For It”. Assertiveness training it may well be, but I found this particular advice both helpful and motivating. Not many books are remotely inspirational but this one has been, and I think I could return to it many times in the future.
June 1, 2021
This collection of short essays is part memoir, part personal therapy, and part useful reference/advice from someone who has been there, felt it, and tried it. I read this as a book but it could just as easily be used to dip in and out of, or flick through for help and/or inspiration when needed. I didn't gain a lot from this as those chapters that appealed to me I've already incorporated into my life but it was interesting getting a new perspective on these and other possibilities. I would say just take a gander and see if anything pulls your attention, if so, read on.
November 13, 2019
So I got this book as a present from a friend, because she thought I need to read a couple of chapters from it. I am going through a period of low productivity and losing my interest of things fast and I was feeling guilty about it.
Anyway, going back to the book. it is really a kind of memoires of the writer, with a didactic message in the end. It is easy to read, as each chapter is not more than three pages and they are nicely structured with the message as a title, an introduction, a story from the writer's life that contains the message and a conclusion about the message.
Some chapters are more interesting than others, with the majority of them until about two thirds of the book being rather on the interesting side. There are interesting messages such as:
- A talent is nothing without passion
- Be glad you are free. The price of freedom is insecurity, but security is often an illusion
- Sometimes nothing seems to work. You may have entered a period of winter and it's simply time to hybernate. Times of inactivity are followed by times of extreme productivity.
- Boredom makes life last longer. It makes you know absolutely, as you didn't before, exactly what you would rather be doing.
Unfortunately the last third of the book is rather not interesting: a technique to calm down, the power of flower remedies and crystals, talking to a tree. Somehow a few chapters like this made me lose my interest in reading this book further. I rarely leave a book in the middle, so I tried to finish it, but because of these chapters I can't put more than three stars to this book.
Anyway, going back to the book. it is really a kind of memoires of the writer, with a didactic message in the end. It is easy to read, as each chapter is not more than three pages and they are nicely structured with the message as a title, an introduction, a story from the writer's life that contains the message and a conclusion about the message.
Some chapters are more interesting than others, with the majority of them until about two thirds of the book being rather on the interesting side. There are interesting messages such as:
- A talent is nothing without passion
- Be glad you are free. The price of freedom is insecurity, but security is often an illusion
- Sometimes nothing seems to work. You may have entered a period of winter and it's simply time to hybernate. Times of inactivity are followed by times of extreme productivity.
- Boredom makes life last longer. It makes you know absolutely, as you didn't before, exactly what you would rather be doing.
Unfortunately the last third of the book is rather not interesting: a technique to calm down, the power of flower remedies and crystals, talking to a tree. Somehow a few chapters like this made me lose my interest in reading this book further. I rarely leave a book in the middle, so I tried to finish it, but because of these chapters I can't put more than three stars to this book.
November 27, 2019
Nothing life changing (for me anyway) but definitely enjoyable and some good tips and I enjoyed the writing
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October 9, 2011This book contains a lot of sense, particularly about ways of changing your thinking on a day-to-day basis and practical strategies such as having "running away money". I thought it was weaker when the author focused more on things that you can buy (holidays, retreats, classes, coaching...), of which she has tried a somewhat dizzying number. I won't be running to put a crystal under my pillow ("A rose quartz dream is not the same as an amethyst dream."). Nor do I believe that holding a flower over some water infuses the water with the flower's vibrational energy so that a drop of it can transform my moods.
A few ideas and quotes I liked:
"The fact is that nothing worthwhile or interesting gets done in this world until people learn to deafen themselves to some of those controlling voices. It's the fact that these voices are inside us that does all the damage. I have found that life frees up a lot when you get them out of your head and leave the criticism to the 'everyone' that's supposed to be delivering it in the first place."
"I have a trick I use when I catch myself out in a monologue of disapproval: I approve, on purpose. I start consciously looking for things to praise. Absolutely anything will do to turn the tide."
"That's the thing about having a head full of crows - they never shut up. And they have a wonderful vantage point. Your fears and insecurities are laid out below them like so much roadkill. There is only one way to deal with them. There is only one cure for procrastination. There is only one answer to the perennial fear of getting started, and that is to take an action, no matter how small, that will move you towards your goal."
A few ideas and quotes I liked:
"The fact is that nothing worthwhile or interesting gets done in this world until people learn to deafen themselves to some of those controlling voices. It's the fact that these voices are inside us that does all the damage. I have found that life frees up a lot when you get them out of your head and leave the criticism to the 'everyone' that's supposed to be delivering it in the first place."
"I have a trick I use when I catch myself out in a monologue of disapproval: I approve, on purpose. I start consciously looking for things to praise. Absolutely anything will do to turn the tide."
"That's the thing about having a head full of crows - they never shut up. And they have a wonderful vantage point. Your fears and insecurities are laid out below them like so much roadkill. There is only one way to deal with them. There is only one cure for procrastination. There is only one answer to the perennial fear of getting started, and that is to take an action, no matter how small, that will move you towards your goal."
February 16, 2014
I enjoyed very much the book format. A small booklet. Easy to read. Entertaining. Not very structured. Just a few random thoughts, by a journalist collecting her ideas about happiness and how to cope during difficult moments. She shares some tips or simple some thoughts about she has learned from experience or from meeting some wise people during her carreer as a journalist.
I offered it to a (male) friend who found it very 'sisi'... oh yes, it's probably a book for women only - and probably only for middle-age women!? Ahah!
Yes, all right, it's a bit sissi.... It's not scientific (at all!). It was not about neuroscience and statistics, and there is no garantee that any of these thoughts help... but it might!
It's without much pretention, simple, efficient. But I liked it, because it's very human and it's easy to identify with the author. It felt good to feel that others experience the same issues and questions than me and are also searching for & sharing some of their answers...
I offered it to a (male) friend who found it very 'sisi'... oh yes, it's probably a book for women only - and probably only for middle-age women!? Ahah!
Yes, all right, it's a bit sissi.... It's not scientific (at all!). It was not about neuroscience and statistics, and there is no garantee that any of these thoughts help... but it might!
It's without much pretention, simple, efficient. But I liked it, because it's very human and it's easy to identify with the author. It felt good to feel that others experience the same issues and questions than me and are also searching for & sharing some of their answers...
May 2, 2018
Highlights:
1. The price of freedom is insecurity, but security is often an illusion.
2. It’s not about changing your life all at once. It’s about finding a moment of authenticity and self-truth.
3. A talent is nothing without passion.
4. In the most difficult circumstances, the human spirit irresistibly asserts itself.
5. To produce, we must be able to make endless mistakes, and often the mistake themselves are starting points for fresh approaches and new ideas.
6. BOREDOM: Boredom makes your life last longer. Boredom makes you realize what your priorities are. Boredom makes you know, absolutely, as you didn’t before, exactly what you’d rather be doing. And boredom forces you to develop your own resources.
7. Sometimes the right thing to do in an extreme situation is to stop trying to control it.
8. A coincidence is only a question meeting an answer in an unexpected way.
9. When you look at creativity as a process instead of a means to produce perfection, it frees you up enormously.
10. Darkness is what we need to unravel all our thoughts, both good and bad.
1. The price of freedom is insecurity, but security is often an illusion.
2. It’s not about changing your life all at once. It’s about finding a moment of authenticity and self-truth.
3. A talent is nothing without passion.
4. In the most difficult circumstances, the human spirit irresistibly asserts itself.
5. To produce, we must be able to make endless mistakes, and often the mistake themselves are starting points for fresh approaches and new ideas.
6. BOREDOM: Boredom makes your life last longer. Boredom makes you realize what your priorities are. Boredom makes you know, absolutely, as you didn’t before, exactly what you’d rather be doing. And boredom forces you to develop your own resources.
7. Sometimes the right thing to do in an extreme situation is to stop trying to control it.
8. A coincidence is only a question meeting an answer in an unexpected way.
9. When you look at creativity as a process instead of a means to produce perfection, it frees you up enormously.
10. Darkness is what we need to unravel all our thoughts, both good and bad.
February 23, 2019
I love anything and everything written by Lesley Garner - my kind of author!
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March 12, 2019کتاب و با ترجمه مهراوه فیروز خوندم. بعضی جاها منظور رو شفاف نمی رسوند. شاید با ترجمه دیگه ای بخونم بتونم به کتاب امتیاز بدم. ضمن اینکه همه با کتاب های این سبکی آشنا هستیم و می دونیم چی میخوان بگن :-)
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews