THE MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW

More Americans are talking about seeking balance in their lives. Many of them have actually gone beyond talking and are on the quest. The Balancing Act is one of a number of books that have been written (and will be written) on this topic. Seivert, a business consultant and executive coach, has put together a design that suggests five areas that need to be brought into an appropriate balance for you: Personal Life, Relationships, Leadership, Organizations, and World.

Various chapters of this book are keyed to the five elements; others are presented as being of general interest to the reader. This approach and book organization (the chapters are coded in the table of contents) enables the reader to concentrate, during first or subsequent readings, on those areas of greatest interest. Two appendices and an index provide additional support.

The book is organized into three parts: Finding Your Balance in Life, Relationships, and Work; The Five Elements of Success; and The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts. The first section, pre-chapters, offers almost three dozen pages of introductory material on Finding Your Balance, The Elements of Success, and The Great Ally Inside You. Readers will find a collection of worksheets to engage in some self-analysis before proceeding into the meat of the book.

The text is heavy on spirituality, as opposed to books focused on life activities and common sense advice. Seivert's elements: essence, air, fire, water, and earth are discussed in the context of balancing them in the way you lead your life. If you are receptive to a deep spiritual approach to life, you'll enjoy this book. If you are not engaged by this approach, it will be difficult to connect with this presentation.