Reach Your Dreams: Five Steps to Be a Conscious Creator in Your Life
by Alice Chan, Ph.D.
Balboa Press
REACH is an acronym for five key principles: Release limiting beliefs; Envision living our dreams; Act on divine inspiration; Celebrate life; Honor ourselves as powerful creators. Current scientific findings support Chan's thesis that "we can actively shape our experiences." For example, the practices of mediation and gratitude journaling, which are part of the REACH program, have proven to have the effect of rewiring the brain—a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity.
The author's step-by-step program includes contemplation exercises, illustrated practices, and dedicated spaces for strategic action planning. Among other things, REACH focuses on letting go of fears and mistaken beliefs, engaging one's "fearless inner dreamer" through feminine energies (visioning, meditations, and contemplation) and masculine energies (active and strategic planning), forgiveness, and issues of self-worth and mental and physical wellbeing. Additionally, "Emotional Freedom Techniques," exploration of chakras, creation of a "SMART" action plan with specific goals, and cultivation of the habit of celebration are hallmarks of the program. "Honor who you are," Chan writes, "with no strings attached."
An abundance of detailed, useful information is packed into these pages. It becomes immediately apparent that Chan has more than done her homework in establishing a program for readers seeking to consciously create the conditions necessary for the actualization of one's life dreams. Each of the five primary concepts spelling REACH contains its own dedicated chapter. A definite strength of Chan's work is how she organizes and presents large amounts of varied types of information into easily digestible layperson's terms. As such, her presentation of the REACH program makes for a fulfilling, informative, and inspiring read. This well-researched and optimally presented program would undoubtedly serve as a welcome guidebook for the "dreamers" among us, providing expert advice, candor, and tried-and-true blueprints to create a life fulfilled.