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A Beginner's Guide to the Universe: Uncommon Ideas for Living an Unusually Happy Life
The beloved creator of "Notes from the Universe" distills a career's worth of inspiration into elegant, brief lessons for making our way through the world--conceived as a guidebook for his young daughter yet relevant to everyone who's living a life on earth. (In other words, everyone.)
Mike Dooley returns with what he expects to be his most impactful book yet: a volume of elegant, brief lessons conceived as a message from a father to his daughter, and equally relevant to everyone who's living a life on earth. (In other words, everyone.)
Mike is a beloved teacher and thought leader for seekers around the world, known for his trademark humor, wisdom, and sheer joy in living--all of which he's shared in his 17 books and his free daily e-mails of "Notes from the Universe." His Beginner's Guide to the Universe, inspired by such classics of gem-like wisdom as Life's Little Instruction Book, The Four Agreements, and The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down, gives voice to his most essential, heartfelt advice about living deliberately and creating consciously.
Guiding the reader thoughtfully and joyfully through a range of topics--including family and relationships, power and responsibility, adversity and bouncing back from it, even the nature of heaven, angels, and God--Mike succeeds in making a happy life in this universe seem easily within our reach. With short passages of text placed artfully on each page, and a format that's a pleasure to hold in the hand, this is an ideal gift for a parent, a parent-to-be, a child, a new grad, a dear friend, or anyone who needs a dose of Dooley, whether they know it or not.
Mike Dooley returns with what he expects to be his most impactful book yet: a volume of elegant, brief lessons conceived as a message from a father to his daughter, and equally relevant to everyone who's living a life on earth. (In other words, everyone.)
Mike is a beloved teacher and thought leader for seekers around the world, known for his trademark humor, wisdom, and sheer joy in living--all of which he's shared in his 17 books and his free daily e-mails of "Notes from the Universe." His Beginner's Guide to the Universe, inspired by such classics of gem-like wisdom as Life's Little Instruction Book, The Four Agreements, and The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down, gives voice to his most essential, heartfelt advice about living deliberately and creating consciously.
Guiding the reader thoughtfully and joyfully through a range of topics--including family and relationships, power and responsibility, adversity and bouncing back from it, even the nature of heaven, angels, and God--Mike succeeds in making a happy life in this universe seem easily within our reach. With short passages of text placed artfully on each page, and a format that's a pleasure to hold in the hand, this is an ideal gift for a parent, a parent-to-be, a child, a new grad, a dear friend, or anyone who needs a dose of Dooley, whether they know it or not.
Audiobook
Published March 5, 2019
208 people are currently reading
670 people want to read
About the author
Mike Dooley
112 books416 followersMike Dooley is a former PriceWaterhouseCoopers international tax consultant, turned entrepreneur, who's founded a philosophical Adventurers Club on the Internet that's now home to over 350,000 members from over 189 countries. His inspirational books have been published in 23 languages and he was one of the featured teachers in the international phenomenon, The Secret. Today Mike is perhaps best known for his Notes from the Universe emailings and his New York Times bestseller Infinite Possibilities: The Art of Living Your Dreams. Mike lives what he teaches, traveling internationally speaking on life, dreams, happiness.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
March 15, 2019
i read this book throughout the past week or so & really enjoyed it. i was sent this from mike dooley’s team & am so grateful they asked me to read it. i would recommend this book to anyone! young or old! it is written from mike’s point of view/experience with his daughter & what he would like her to know in this life. it was so cute & also filled with immense detail & great life lessons. my personal favorite chapter was on relationships of all kinds. i highlighted many great quotes in this book, but one of my favorites from that chapter was “know everyone by their good traits.” i love that! i loved this book! i’d suggest to read it if u believe we are inherently divine just by being born. if u do not, this book might make u roll ur eyes. either way! maybe u need to read this to be reminded of life’s immense beauty, synchronicity, & purpose.
August 16, 2019
RECOMMEND FOR EVERYONE TO READ THIS BOOK.
This is the most quotable book ever. It hides some of life's greatest secrets and lessons inside. I wish I had read this book while going through a painful situation that I had to go through in the past because it would've saved me so much confusion. In the end, I learned the same things that were written in here.
I recommend all of you to read it and truly take in what the author is telling you.
This is the most quotable book ever. It hides some of life's greatest secrets and lessons inside. I wish I had read this book while going through a painful situation that I had to go through in the past because it would've saved me so much confusion. In the end, I learned the same things that were written in here.
I recommend all of you to read it and truly take in what the author is telling you.
July 9, 2019
4.5 🌟/5
This is a very thought provoking book which you can carry with you in your bag whereever you go.
The book starts with a very heart warming letter to his daughter which made my eyes teary.
The book further talks about how time, space and matter might be an illution and all we have is now. It literally questions all those questions which we ask ourselves like who we are and are we here and what we can do with our lives.
I felt like I was reading myself and my thoughts in a much simplified way.
The book then consists of over 500 notes from universe for life lessons, fear and self doubt with creatives which are some 2sentances long. This can work like your guiding cards whenever you need help and you randomly open a page to see what message unfolds before you.
It speaks about the old soul thinking and about magics and miracles.
Full review video on my youtube channel - Kinjal Parekh
https://youtu.be/C91WO_Qn97s
This is a very thought provoking book which you can carry with you in your bag whereever you go.
The book starts with a very heart warming letter to his daughter which made my eyes teary.
The book further talks about how time, space and matter might be an illution and all we have is now. It literally questions all those questions which we ask ourselves like who we are and are we here and what we can do with our lives.
I felt like I was reading myself and my thoughts in a much simplified way.
The book then consists of over 500 notes from universe for life lessons, fear and self doubt with creatives which are some 2sentances long. This can work like your guiding cards whenever you need help and you randomly open a page to see what message unfolds before you.
It speaks about the old soul thinking and about magics and miracles.
Full review video on my youtube channel - Kinjal Parekh
https://youtu.be/C91WO_Qn97s
April 7, 2023
Not a huge fan of his writing style, but overall OK.
June 30, 2025
An inspiring read full of some good advice for how to view life in a more positive way. I enjoyed it.
May 6, 2019
Lovely book of passing on what we should know of life, from a Father to his Daughter.
August 25, 2019
“Life doesn’t happen to you. You happen to life.”
November 21, 2020
TUT has gotten me through many many difficult and anxious times in my life. Notes to the Universe has consistently supported me on mornings when I felt like I didn’t have the energy left to be who I really was. I ordered this just before the election because I knew regardless of the outcome I wanted to be more aware of my thoughts and to work harder to consistently be in awe of life and at peace with the universe. I really enjoyed this book even though it was mostly just series of notes, reading Mike’s musings on being a father and his experiences raising his daughter were so special, she’s lucky to have this little book to guide her. Here are my favorite notes:
“Just because you’re a supernatural, unstoppable, creator doesn’t mean you can’t have friends on your team who help you out from time to time”
“While the notions of purpose, meanings, and destinies may challenge you, one idea you can always be clear on is that the mind that spun the cosmos together clearly wishes and dreams all its own..:that obviously included you. All is supremely well.”
“Forever has only just begun. Slow never fails to arrive. And happy always lasts longer than sad. Time is truly on your side.”
“While in the pursuit of a grand and wonderful dream, should you suddenly round a bend and see before you an enormous uncharted mountain with towering cliffs, jagged rocks, and seemingly impenetrable walls, consider it a sign that your dream is far more worthwhile than you had previously imagined.”
“The greatest trick and most subtle secret to doing anything really really well is loving that you get to do it at all.”
“It takes a really special person to find true happiness in the lap of luxury, surrounded by friends and laughter, and choices, choices, choices. And oddly it’s usually the exact same kind of person who could have been equally happy without all that, spending time alone, maybe with a book, or some tools, or a dog.”
“To err on the side of generosity, patience, love, or kindness is not to err.”
“Don’t trust anyone who tells you your happiness is more important to them than their own.”
“Those who deserve your love the least are usually the ones who need it most. Some, however, are better loved at a distance. For awhile , anyway. Fortunately love doesn’t really know the difference.”
“At this very moment there are people only you can reach. Some of whom may have chosen this very lifetime hoping you’d be in theirs.”
“Any profound difference you make in the life of someone else will always be smaller than the difference it will make in your own.”
“Just because you’re a supernatural, unstoppable, creator doesn’t mean you can’t have friends on your team who help you out from time to time”
“While the notions of purpose, meanings, and destinies may challenge you, one idea you can always be clear on is that the mind that spun the cosmos together clearly wishes and dreams all its own..:that obviously included you. All is supremely well.”
“Forever has only just begun. Slow never fails to arrive. And happy always lasts longer than sad. Time is truly on your side.”
“While in the pursuit of a grand and wonderful dream, should you suddenly round a bend and see before you an enormous uncharted mountain with towering cliffs, jagged rocks, and seemingly impenetrable walls, consider it a sign that your dream is far more worthwhile than you had previously imagined.”
“The greatest trick and most subtle secret to doing anything really really well is loving that you get to do it at all.”
“It takes a really special person to find true happiness in the lap of luxury, surrounded by friends and laughter, and choices, choices, choices. And oddly it’s usually the exact same kind of person who could have been equally happy without all that, spending time alone, maybe with a book, or some tools, or a dog.”
“To err on the side of generosity, patience, love, or kindness is not to err.”
“Don’t trust anyone who tells you your happiness is more important to them than their own.”
“Those who deserve your love the least are usually the ones who need it most. Some, however, are better loved at a distance. For awhile , anyway. Fortunately love doesn’t really know the difference.”
“At this very moment there are people only you can reach. Some of whom may have chosen this very lifetime hoping you’d be in theirs.”
“Any profound difference you make in the life of someone else will always be smaller than the difference it will make in your own.”
July 15, 2019
Inspirational. "You are God's only chance to be you, to see what no one else will ever see, to hear what no one else will ever hear, and to think and feel what no one else will ever think and feel - you are more precious than you can possibly imagine." "You are forever." "Heaven is everywhere always at once - hell is not knowing it." "Your positive thoughts are at least 10,000 times more powerful than your negative thoughts." "Don't be afraid to go where you've never gone and do what you've never done because both are necessary to have what you've never had and to be who you've never been." "It's not wanting that unlocks wheels, parts seas, and changes everything - it's expecting so greatly that you begin preparing and thanking in advance." "The first step you might take toward changing unpleasant circumstances is to stop dwelling upon those circumstances." "Bringing new things in your life boils down to learning to think of yourself with them and vice versa for removing things from your life." "The secret to performing miracles lies in (1) knowing your desired outcome (2) not knowing how you'll pull it off (3)proceeding anyway." "Ask yet expect - surrender yet prepare - and miracles will abound." "Being happy without a partner is the fastest way to attract one - if you even want one." "No matter what you do that may disappoint or hurt others always keep in mind it was the very best you could have done with what you knew at the time - and so will this be true of others who disappoint or hurt you." "Sexual orientation is like being left or right handed - it not random and it will serve you and you are far far more than any orientation." "The best way to create more free time is to take it - to move a mountain befriend it him or her." "When it comes to climbing mountains slaying dragons or just plain getting what you want remember you've got a built in double secret advantage - you're supernatural." "Just because all things are possible doesn't mean you're supposed to do all things - besides it's not like you aren't going to live forever." "Never make a decision until you have to." "Offering criticism belies a longing for recognition appreciation and validation none of which however can be obtained through criticism." "It's being alive that makes you rich." "The trick to being in the right place at the right time is knowing you already are." "It always works, there's only love things are getting better you chose well there've been no mistakes you're never alone and everything makes you more."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2019
How do you guide a daughter or son's footsteps in a life filled with challenges and obstacles? None of us knows how many years, months, days, or hours we have left. Mike Dooley answeres many of those questions in a beginner's guide to the universe.
Mike Dooley has written a beautiful book for his cherished daughter. It is a comfort to those at the end of their life. It provides hope for those lost in the challenges of life. And, it balances both the good and the bad that may befall a child who is feeling their way in a somewhat turbulent world. What messages do we want to send to the children we will one day leave behind?
a beginner's guide to the universe is a book you can easily read in one sitting. If you do, you're missing the whole point. The book is a guide to embracing the joys of life, traveling the bumpy highway, and believing the best of yourself and others. Dooley's words need to be absorbed slowly. His ideas may not all resonate with you. However, I assure you, they will confirm what you already know while opening your heart to those things you have not yet learned.
Each of us will react differently to his words because each of us has a vastly different past. Open your heart to the lessons he shares in this guide to life. It doesn't matter whether or not you're at the beginning of your adventure or nearing the end. I guarantee it will release memories of hurt and restore your faith in your abilities and of those who surround you.
Mike Dooley has written a beautiful book for his cherished daughter. It is a comfort to those at the end of their life. It provides hope for those lost in the challenges of life. And, it balances both the good and the bad that may befall a child who is feeling their way in a somewhat turbulent world. What messages do we want to send to the children we will one day leave behind?
a beginner's guide to the universe is a book you can easily read in one sitting. If you do, you're missing the whole point. The book is a guide to embracing the joys of life, traveling the bumpy highway, and believing the best of yourself and others. Dooley's words need to be absorbed slowly. His ideas may not all resonate with you. However, I assure you, they will confirm what you already know while opening your heart to those things you have not yet learned.
Each of us will react differently to his words because each of us has a vastly different past. Open your heart to the lessons he shares in this guide to life. It doesn't matter whether or not you're at the beginning of your adventure or nearing the end. I guarantee it will release memories of hurt and restore your faith in your abilities and of those who surround you.
October 27, 2023
I have been a subscriber to Notes from the Universe for many years now. I love the idea, and these emails have made me smile and chuckle many a time. I never knew that Mike had written books though. I listened to this one as an audiobook during the most stressful week of this year, and it really uplifted me. I find a common theme among many spiritual and self-help books - they ask you to take ownership of every single thing in your life. Many people are scornful of this approach. How can you be responsible for a disease that you have, for an unfortunate event that happened to you, they ask. Those are valid questions that I don't have answers to. But I am starting to open myself up to this idea, and it has already brought me a lot of peace and acceptance. Maybe the point isn't about whether you caused something in your life. It is about whether you can take that event, accept it, shift the focus inward, and use it to truly learn and transform. Recommend this, but only to those who are open enough to listen to a very different perspective and ponder upon it.
March 20, 2019
As always, Mike delivers. It was t what I was expecting. I thought it would be a story but it was a collection of Notes from the Universe split into sections with lovely written introductions. It is written for his daughter in mind and the love and adoration he feels for her is what you wish for every child. This book is exactly what it says it is, a beginners guide and we’re beginners everyday with a new adventure in front of us. This is a perfect book to keep by your bedside or at your desk. When you feel challenged, open it up and see what the Universe has to offer or advise. I loved it and will continue to refer to it whenever I need a reminder of how awesome this world is or that this too shall pass. Thanks Mike. We need more of you
March 15, 2019
I enjoyed being reminded by this book
I enjoyed reading some of my own thoughts written by another, gently reminding me that we are one. I enjoyed learning more than I knew before and wondering how he or it knew some things I still can’t get my head around yet, but remain open to learning more. I bought a hard copy for my 6 year old daughter and wrote her a note to share it with her friends and family. Everyone should read this because everyone could benefit from being reminded of who they really are. Imagine how much better people would treat each other if we each believed and acted on this? In my life it’s produced jaw-dropping miracles.
I enjoyed reading some of my own thoughts written by another, gently reminding me that we are one. I enjoyed learning more than I knew before and wondering how he or it knew some things I still can’t get my head around yet, but remain open to learning more. I bought a hard copy for my 6 year old daughter and wrote her a note to share it with her friends and family. Everyone should read this because everyone could benefit from being reminded of who they really are. Imagine how much better people would treat each other if we each believed and acted on this? In my life it’s produced jaw-dropping miracles.
May 5, 2019
It is quite the task Mike Dooley laid out for himself; hoping to encapsulate his twenty years of observational teaching in a volume that aims to narrow it down to the youngest? He captures the sweetness of being a later-in-life dad, and pays great respect to the parent-child relationship. Maybe it could have been two or three smaller volumes for me to have appreciated it a smidge better? I wanted this to work more read-aloud, but sometimes Mike's turn of phrase doesn't flow as well as the lovely intent that vibrationally comes in his usual Notes.
March 18, 2019
Mike Dooley has done it again. This time with an easy to read (and gift) compendium of almost 500 of his favorite Notes from the Universe and poignant letters to his 5 year old daughter. It seems like all the major lessons of his other 15 books have been rolled into the Beginners Guide. I highly recommend you grab a copy and start it today. It’s one of those books you can turn to any page any day and get an “AHA” or “Woo-Ho!” Get started today!
September 17, 2020
I've enjoyed this work of art. He is earnest in his efforts to share all his knowledge and lessons with his young daughter while he's still here and writing. Good info for all ages. I bought it because he offered a workshop and explaination for a certain time period after purchase and I just LOVED hearing him describe his thought process behind each passage., Etc. Very entertaining to be so interactive with the author.
May 28, 2019
Slightly too “out there” for me but loved most of the snippets about life. I’ve been reading a lot of books lately to be more of my best self and this one definitely fit that bill but with a more spiritual touch. A perfect book to keep on the nightstand to randomly read a page or two if ever in need of life advice or inspiration.
September 23, 2019
This is a beautiful book. Each chapter starts with several pages of prose where he shares stories and ideas with his daughter (and the reader) and finishes with those wonderful short insightful thoughts that Mike is famous for. Another book that I will always keep close by so that I can turn to it when I need a smile or a lift or when I feel good and want to feel even better.
February 2, 2021
Great simple book written for the future generation. I would love my girls to read it. I have been following Mike Dooley for a while, and this is more of a beginners' book. I would recommend it to be given to someone who is just embarking on a journey of connecting with the Universe and trying to make sense of why we are here, how we evolved, and what our purpose is.
August 4, 2019
I've been receiving Thoughts from the Universe for some time and love the surprises! These are truly uncommon ideas for living an unusually happy life! And everyone wants that! Karen Briscoe, author and podcast host 5 Minute Success
August 24, 2019
NOT up to the talent and standards of Mike Dooley.
The print is way too small, the organization of the messages in each chapter to me...made no sense
I was SO looking forward to reading "messages from the Universe" but I was sadly disappointed.
I'll wait for my daily TUT messages instead!
The print is way too small, the organization of the messages in each chapter to me...made no sense
I was SO looking forward to reading "messages from the Universe" but I was sadly disappointed.
I'll wait for my daily TUT messages instead!
December 20, 2020
A quick and wonderful read which reminded me of the importance of imagination in every day life, as well as believing in self as well as the path being traveled. This book will pump you up and help you to move the mountains in your life.
December 26, 2020
A mini yardstick of things to help you keep/change your perspective, some real talk, some spirituality, and yes, some ways to try to change your mindset for the better. Perfect to read during the holidays!
March 19, 2024
The only reason I loved this book were those heartfelt words of a father for his daughter. The small aphorism type ideas and words were okay, but the introduction to each chapter and the first introduction were really heart-warming.
March 28, 2019
Soul-filling content. Absolutely perfect
April 5, 2019
Cute book consolidating all The Notes from the Universe concepts into pith statements.
April 6, 2019
As always a good read and no matter what you think you know you can learn more.
May 14, 2019
As always inspiring and motivating.
June 27, 2019
A million and one stars! I love Mike Dooley and his books, his light, his optimism, and his words. This book is an absolute must have.
July 20, 2019
The daily emails are better than the book. Meh.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews