Tuesday, 15 April 2008

Beautiful Within: Finding Happiness and Confidence in Your Own Skin

I normally don't do 'self-help books' - you know the type that are rammed full of female bravado such as 'c'mon girl, how to get that life that you want and then some.' This is the type of material that Oprah Winfrey endorses and has welcomed into her influential book club with open arms. Personally, I have found them to be very cheesy and a tad bit patronising. Well that was until I read Beautiful Within: Finding Happiness and Confidence in Your Own Skin which is written by soul diva and TV presenter, Mica Paris. Part bio and part self help guide. the title teaches you how to create the life that you really want and how to be truly happy. This book serves as a wake up call for women whose lives have reached a pinnacle and need help to get it back on track. Drawing on experiences from her singing career, past relationships and life, the co-presenter of What Not to Wear tells us how look and feel good in all areas of life. She tackles the issue of eating disorders, images of women in the media, how to maintain a great relationships with family, friends and men and more importantly, how to have a wonderful relationship with yourself.

Beautiful Within is a compact hardback with a white cover that has a picture of Mica sitting zen like. It is organised into nine section with chapters such as: Who Says the Grass is Greener, which gives you strong mantra on how to stay focused and never lose sight of your goals. Loving & Learning is the harsh realities on how you can never change anyone and the only person you can change is yourself. Woman to Woman teaches you how to flush out the toxins in your life and embrace the goodness. Each chapter has a mini summary at the end that reflects on the lessons that have been learned. Beautiful Within also contains gorgeous illustrations of various women looking ethereal while rushing around doing their thang. If you are like millions of women in this country and around the world who are juggling many balls then this book is for you.

Beautiful Within: Finding Happiness and Confidence in Your Own Skin is out now!

4 cool comments:

Brown Girl Gumbo said...

Her name sounds so familiar, but her face doesn't ring a bell. Anyway, great review. It's definitely something I'd love to read!

Anonymous said...

Hi Brown Girl , Mica Paris is a singer from south London who made it big in the eighties courtesy of tracks like 'My One Temptation'. She has since ventured into TV and radio and can be seen on BBC 1 style programme - What Not to Wear. I read Beautiful Within late last year and still feel quite ambivalent about it. Don't get me wrong, there were some elements that were cool. I particulary enjoyed all the behind the scenes stories about her as a rising star taking the US by storm. I also found her straight-talking writing style quite endearing. But I didn't really learn anything new per se so I felt a bit short-changed. But then again she doesn't profess to be any kind of self help guru so maybe I'm being a bit too harsh. I'd still say it's worth the read, you'll finish it in a couple of days. Good review Ronke.

Kwana said...

Great review. Now I'd like to pick up the book. Thanks!

The Style Page said...

Hi. Despite good press and play of the video for "My One Temptation" on VH1, Mica never really broke out as a singer in the US. And we don't get the Beeb's new What Not to Wear on BBC America!