Why No More Dreaded Mondays?

This is my first attempt at a book review. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. "No More Dreaded Mondays" by Dan Miller is about exactly what the title describes. The basic idea is to not dread Monday mornings anymore and how to like Mondays as well as Fridays.

In chapter one Mr. Miller tells you why you need to read his book and basically states the obvious about why you bought the book to begin with, you hate Mondays! He gives some background on his life because, well I don't know why, but he tells you about it anyway and it has nothing to do with Mondays but is interesting none the less. My favorite part about this chapter is the title, even though none of us can accomplish this: "Don't Be 'Stupid'."

The next chapters offer more of the same, stories about other people that have made career changes or changes at their workplace to help them feel "more" fulfilled along with random statements that you will find all the answers you need in this book. Maybe my review of this book is tainted since I wrote it on a Friday and not a Monday but in our time and our economy, making statements like, "No one needs to feel trapped in a dead-end-job -- there are too many choices available. It doesn't matter if you trained to be a plumber, an assembly-line worker, a physician, a dentist, or a schoolteacher. It's never too late to change careers or change things about your current career to make it a better fit." just offer false hope. This only works for some people in some areas with some levels of health and some level of ability to learn or comprehend.

Are there ideas I like? Yes. I like the idea of not blaming others including God for the things that happened to you in your life. I also like the fact that Mr. Miller seeks counsel in the Bible for making decisions and principles for living life. In fact, if you can't read any of this book at least glean the insight out of chapters 4 and 7. Readers would likely enjoy the standard "life coach" steps of identifying, planning, and doing stuff.

Finally, the real issue here is the entitlement being promoted. Do we really deserve to be happy all the time!? As people we need to realize and digest the fact that it is not about us. We are where we are because providence has placed us there. Why am I at a job I dread? My family needs to be taken care of so my happiness is a small price to pay for the joy one has in taking care of their home. Our hope is in Christ and living a Christian life requires a lot of suffering. Allowing your life to speak through the suffering a message of love is what will make others want to suffer along with you and partake of the joy you demonstrate. My recommendation, Don't quit your job to do what you want to do. Ever. You will thank me later.