I’m happy to be participating in author Elaine M. Edward’s Book Blast today for her latest release, TRIUMPH OVER FEAR, A Psychological
and Spiritual Journey.
The author is offering a giveaway at each tour stop. More information on
the giveaway is listed below.
* Paperback: 177 pages
* Publisher: Independently published
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 1795460911
* ISBN-13: 978-1795460910
Triumph Over Fears
offers hope and insight for anyone held back by difficult emotions that prevent them from living up to their potential and experiencing joy. Part memoir, part psychology lesson, and part metaphysical wisdom, it is an eclectic, inspiring personal story of someone who went from agoraphobic, afraid to go out in public, to a real adventurer and world traveler.
The 84-year-old author draws from her personal experience as well as the many people she has known, worked with and helped over the years, including decades of working with students, colleagues, family, and friends, and most of all herself. She delves deeply into the sense of existential guilt that pervades the human condition and offers guidance on how to overcome this.
Her journey is unique, but much of what she has learned is universal. At its core, it is a story of hope. At its core, it is a story of hope and a testament that
transformation truly is possible. Because of its eclectic mix of the
psychological and the spiritual most anyone will find some nugget of gold or
gem of truth that speaks to them. Some of the concepts might seem very
familiar, and other ones might be completely new to readers.
The author encourages those who are seeking freedom from fear to walk with her on her journey and let her share with you how she went from being very frightened and very limited in her life, to very confident and very brave.
Excerpt
Don't fall for false security.
Robert –
The Need For Approval
Robert is an example of feeling secure
based on a suggestion from his Ego. It was a case of seeking approval. Because
he had never been in touch with his true self, early in life he noticed that
when he received approval from others, he had a feeling of confidence. This was
a false security that he was unaware of at that time. He worked as an assistant
manager in a well-known department store. From the beginning, he noticed a
marked difference in the confidence he felt when others demonstrated their
approval of him. He also noticed how fearful he felt when he spoke
independently and didn't receive the same approval. He was soon behaving in a
way that guaranteed the acceptance of others. When he knew how others felt
about the common ideas of the day, he automatically agreed with them. He spoke
in a way he knew they would accept and gained their approval. Of course, this
required much fudging on the way he really felt, often making remarks that were
outright lies.
Occasionally,
people would withhold their approval regardless of his effort to get their
acceptance. When his approval-seeking manner didn't succeed, old feelings of
insecurity returned, and he was left with no way to handle them. Finally, he
knew he had to make changes in his outlook and confronted his problem. He
discovered the "approval of others" type of personality and learned
how it provided false security. He knew it did not provide the positive
feelings he wanted for himself. In looking at how insecurity affected his life,
he chose to work on overcoming it. He had a sense it had something to do with
how he felt about himself, but he was unfamiliar with psychological issues.
Eventually, he received feedback from
the head of the department that indicated he did not have the self-confidence
the store looked for in their management positions. As a result, he learned
that if he was going to remain in his job, he would need to make changes in his
outlook. He attended counseling sessions, and in time, he confronted his
problem. He could finally understand that, in addition to a lack of
self-confidence, he also had a self-esteem issue in that he had never thought
well of himself. There was much information to absorb on what this meant
because it had become connected to his career and to his interaction with the
customers. He discovered that the "approval of others" type of
personality with its false security was insincere. It could never provide the
positive feelings he wanted for himself. In looking at how insecurity had
affected his life, he chose to work on overcoming the problems that had caused
him to behave in such a foolish way. His livelihood now depended on being able
to interact honestly with others, and this became one of his values.
For those who aren’t familiar with the author, here’s a bit of background on her.
Elaine M. Edwards graduated from Arizona State University with a B.A. degree in Primary Education, taught primary grades for eight years, and spent 18 years as a high school Learning Disabilities teacher.
During her career as a teacher, she earned two Master’s degrees, in Learning Handicapped Education and in Counseling Psychology, from Santa Clara University.
She has been dedicated to understanding human behavior and discovering how deep transformation can occur. She has studied the Twelve Steps, Christianity,
Science of Mind, and many other sources of psychological and spiritual wisdom.
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
Author Elaine M. Edwards is giving away a copy of TRIUMPH OVER FEAR at each stop on her Book Blast.
To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. If the widget doesn’t show up, just click HERE and
you’ll be directed to the widget.
Thanks for stopping by and be sure to follow Elaine on her three day Book Blast HERE. You never know what you might find
out. By visiting all the stops, you have more chances to win. Can you imagine
writing a book at age 84?
Jasmine, thanks so much for being a part of Elaine's Book Blast and sharing this excerpt with your readers.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome!
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