A workshop leader and author of several bestselling advice books, Ford (The Dark Side of the Light Chasers) offers another path toward a better life. According to Ford, it is the unconscious choices we make that prevent us from achieving future goals and dreams. For example, someone who truly wants to lose 20 pounds may choose to eat a high-fat, fast-food dinner because he or she has a hidden commitment to the comfort such food will bring; a hardworking woman who has always dreamed of buying a home sabotages herself by getting into credit card debt by an unconscious commitment to rewarding herself immediately with expensive purchases. The author contends that it is possible to identify such self-defeating commitments by asking 10 questions that will turn unconscious choices into beneficial conscious decisions. Choosing to overeat or overspend can be avoided by asking, is this an act of self-love or self-sabotage? According to Ford, asking the questions she recommends—including "am I choosing from my divinity or my humanity?"—will lead questioners to behave more positively toward themselves and to others. Although somewhat contrived, this guide is certainly not harmful and may be of use to readers who enjoy following roadmaps to happiness. (Apr.)
