When I stood in front of my bookcase today, I thought I’d pick something light and simple. It’s been an incredibly busy few days and honestly, I just got up from a nap. I’m so tired! I picked up Don’t Let Anything Dull Your Sparkle by Doreen Virtue, sat down and began to thumb through it. That’s what I do when I’m getting ready to write. I thumb through, see if I highlighted, made notes or turned any page corners. Then I go to the contents page and remind myself what the book is actually about – especially if it’s been a while since I read it. In this case, it’s been about three years.
I was thumbing through when I realized… Um, Sher, this is not light or simple. Bummer. But… I always follow the prompting of my gut. I picked it up… so I’m gonna write about it.
Let’s start with Virtue herself. Her google descriptor (for her website) says she’s a Christian but she has her own oracle cards! One of these things is not like the other! Now, I don’t like labels and consider myself a progressive (yes, that word feels right) Christian, if I have to give a label. I believe she’s a lot like me. It really feels like she is! There’s talk of “God” here but nothing heavy-handed or Bible-thump-y AT ALL.
Virtue is prolific in a way that nobody I’ve written about (to date) has been. The actual “Also by Doreen Virtue” page (in the book) is filled to the brim with titles and spills onto the next page with her audio programs and card decks with guidebooks. Seriously, there are over 100 in total. Prolific. She has degrees in Psychology right through to Ph.D. No slouch, is she.
I (maybe?) should have begun by adding the subtitle of this book:
HOW TO BREAK FREE OF NEGATIVITY & DRAMA
There! Now you know why I think it’s important to talk about this book. No fluff here, despite the sparkly title.
With chapter headings like “Drama, Trauma and Stress,” “Histamine Addiction and Intolerance” and “Choosing Your Friends Wisely” is it any wonder I’d have picked up this book?
The first chapter has a “Drama Quotient Quiz” and it’s a darned good one! I just now stopped to answer the questions again… and while my total is lower than before, it’s still not in “You Sparkle” territory. Here I thought I’d gotten to a point of the lowest possible drama in my life… but nooooooooooooooo. No! Sucks to be me. Kidding, but not.
The bottom line throughout much of this book is that we have choices and how we make those choices will determine how much drama we allow into our lives. Take for example this statement: When disaster strikes in the world, I obsessively read or watch news about it. People, I have a board on Pinterest about Princess Diana and *still* read anything and everything I can get my hands on about her life and death, which (at the time) shook me to my core. Um. Okay, still does. So? Ya think?
If you’re like me, you’re wondering about the Histamines chapter? Let me tell you that it was a real eye-opener! I figured there were histamines in medications and that I was inadvertently putting them into my body. Au contraire! It’s in our dang food! And most of those foods are the same ones that trigger my allergies and/or migraines: aged cheeses, shellfish, strawberries. Actually, the book says the longer ANY food sits (even if refrigerated) the more histamines are produced. Can you believe I forgot about that? (She says as she sips from iced tea that’s been in the fridge for a week.)
Short rabbit trail: More and more, as I write about these books, I’m reminded of how little I RETAIN. *sigh*
For me, who got this book very late in my journey, the histamines information was the most important (and somewhat unknown, though it felt familiar) that I took from this book.
There’s a lot to be mined here, especially if you’re just starting out on your self-help journey. Virtue’s writing is personal, conversational and easy-to-read and navigate.
The overall feeling of the book is helpful, for sure! Maybe I should start giving stars. If I were to do that, this would be… 3 out of 5. Maybe 3 1/2.
The Self-Help Whisperer® 