Image: Empty Out the Negative by Len Lantz (CC BY-NC-ND)
Synopsis: Len's Star Rating: 7 out of 10. A positive book from a Christian perspective on improving happiness and confidence.
BY LEN LANTZ, MD, author of unJoy / 1.2.2022; No. 62
Disclaimer: Yes, I am a physician, but I’m not your doctor and this article does not create a doctor-patient relationship. This article is for educational purposes and should not be seen as medical advice. You should consult with your physician before you rely on this information. This post also contains affiliate links. Please click this LINK for the full disclaimer.
Star Rating – 7 out of 10
Rating guide: 1 = horrible, 5 = average and 10 = wow
Author
Joel Osteen
About the author
Joel Osteen is a bestselling author, televangelist, and pastor of America’s largest Christian church, Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. He has a large television and video audience of reportedly over 60 million people in over 100 countries and his own channel, Joel Osteen Radio, on Sirius XM.
General description
Empty Out the Negative has the subtitle Make Room for More Joy, Greater Confidence, and New Levels of Influence. In this book, Joel Osteen provides recommendations for having a happier and more successful life by using biblical references, personal stories, and rhetorical persuasion. His main points to the reader are in each of his chapter titles:
Empty Out the Negative: negative thoughts and attitudes “poison” a person; you must forgive others
Power Thinking: expect positive things to happen in your life
A Fresh New Attitude: set an intention each day to have a positive attitude
Drop It: actively ignore and do not return to dwell on negative memories
The Right Recording: silence and replace your inner critic
The Power of the Soil: distance yourself from negative people; surround yourself with positive, talented people
Unique and most important aspects
Empty Out the Negative is a positive book and, frankly, provides good advice from a Christian perspective for people who want to be happy and develop a growth mindset (See Len’s Book Review on Mindset). This book has a sermon-style delivery and is written for the largest possible readership, so it does not approach each idea from a highly academic or theological standpoint. However, it would not be difficult to find research to support Joel Osteen’s main points. His first chapter, which addresses forgiving others, is by far the most important chapter of this book.
This book was easy to read, yet I found myself slowing down in my reading about halfway through each chapter due to the repetition of statements and ideas. It gave me the impression that this book might be better appreciated as an audiobook. Also, some readers might be turned off by the big promises (frequent references to “your destiny”), forced dichotomies (you’ll either be happy or miserable or that people in your life are either good or bad for you), reductionist logic (“It’s very simple: The Enemy wants you to feel wrong about yourself; God wants you to feel right about yourself.”) and repetitive use of phrases (“beauty for ashes”). One of the challenges of a book such as Empty Out the Negative is that it provides very good ideas to the reader but not the specific tools that a person needs to carry the ideas out.
Best quote
“The reason some people don’t enjoy their lives is because their container, or their heart, is contaminated with so many things.”
Who would enjoy this book?
Readers who are interested in an easy, encouraging read on happiness from a Christian perspective would likely enjoy Empty Out the Negative.
Who would not enjoy this book?
Readers who are looking for a more academically or theologically rigorous book on happiness are unlikely to enjoy Empty Out the Negative.
Conclusion
Empty Out the Negative is a positive book from a Christian perspective on improving happiness and confidence.