Reviewed By K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
Discover Gold: Search for The Gold Within and Reach for Dreams is a work of non-fiction in the self-help and advice sub-genres, and was penned by author DonnaLee Overly. In this concise and insightful guidebook, the author takes readers through a lifechanging discovery and a journey to become a person who pursues dreams instead of hiding away from the world. Utilizing her own personal transformative story, Overly combines this with the philosophers, experts, and advice-givers whom she has relied upon over the years in order to achieve her own dreams and go for gold. What results is an empathetic and empowering exploration of change, with advice to make it possible for anyone and everyone.
Author DonnaLee Overly has, first and foremost, crafted a highly uplifting book that is totally ideal for these times of isolation when we all need a pick-me-up and a chance to refocus on what’s really important in life. I loved the personalized nature of the work as it encourages us towards change in a way that suits us as individuals and adheres to the dreams and goals we have for ourselves, however distant they may seem. The friendly and accessible narrative style, when coupled with Overly’s own personal anecdotes, examples, and tales of struggle, gives a fully rounded experience of what it’s like to undergo hard work and real change but also shows how amazing the results are and inspires other to do the same. Overall, I would highly recommend Discover Gold for any readers looking for real experiences of self-help that work.
Discover Gold: Search for The Gold Within and Reach for Dreams by DonnaLee Overly is a self-help book by a critical care nurse. The author wrote this book as a motivation for readers to be content with life so that when they reach their final moments, they can be peaceful. Through her profession, she has to come face to face with people who regretted their lives and weren’t really happy with how they lived it. This book will act as a gentle guide to seek happiness, comfort, and the will to reach your dreams. The author shares her experiences, the experiences of her friends, and allows the reader to draw their own conclusions. She shares questions and makes the reader draw examples from these experiences. She believes that every life is unique and only the person living it can make the best decisions.
The moral of Discover Gold is simple: be grateful for what you have and don’t regret what never was yours. However, DonnaLee Overly encourages you to look forward to achieving your dreams. Giving up, not fighting for what you want might seem easy, but the more you look forward to the future the happier you will be. Your experiences are gold and you need to treat them as such. From reaching your five-year goals to becoming an overall happier person, this book will help you with this and everything in between. Her book is simple, her words are empowering and feel like talking to a friend. The author shares her struggles, her triumphs, and her need to move forward with the reader. The reader then draws courage from her words and looks for peace in their life. I liked how DonnaLee Overly left a worksheet after chapters so that readers can draw their own conclusions and take a step towards a better future. These act as a gentle nudge in the right direction. The author has done a wonderful job of sharing her thoughts and giving readers the inspiration to do better.
Discover Gold by DonnaLee Overly is a part-memoir self-help book that encourages readers to mine for the gold that lies within themselves. Using stories, lists, images, questions, worksheets, anecdotes, snippets, quotations, personal experience, and advice from seasoned experts and personal acquaintances, Overly presents the material in an emotional, compassionate way. That's important in a world where uncertainty, illness, and potential loss of identity saturate society, neighborhoods, families, and individuals. In a time of crisis, this book is valuable; something to cherish and read again and again. The author is an experienced helping professional, and her caring shines through the pages in hopes of reaching the audience. Besides caring on a professional level, Overly speaks from her own adverse experiences. She doesn't just dole out feel-good advice without having any foundation.
One part stands out more to me over the others, and that's when Overly defines gold and what makes it valuable; what makes people cherish it and desire it. Discovering gold within yourself, as Overly writes in her book, takes courage. Courage to take an honest look inside yourself and ask yourself important questions that you may have been too timid to ask: Who am I, really? What do I want in life? From life? Do I have what it takes to pursue it, capture it, and own it? Overly's personal style leads you to believe that you can awaken your dreams, visualize them, and make them a reality. This is the gold that she talks about. As most successful people know, pursuing goals and dreams are more fulfilling than the success itself. Discover Gold asks you to set aside your self-defeating behavior, your negative self-talk, and link up with support systems and resources--whether that be family, friends, community, whatever--and start your dream today, or return to the one you may have had long ago.
