Book Review: I’m on Assignment! by Diane Marie Taylor
Book Review / by The Chrysalis BREW Project / 169 views
What if your worst day was actually part of a job you agreed to before birth? I’m on Assignment! by Diane Marie Taylor explores this idea—read the full piece.
I’m on Assignment! by Diane Marie Taylor
Genre: Non-fiction
Sub-genres: Spiritual memoir, metaphysical self-help, personal development
Themes: Life purpose, reincarnation, resilience, mental health, karma, identity
Audience: Adults (recommended 16+)
Review
There is a psychological concept known as “cognitive reframing”—the ability to reinterpret a difficult situation in a way that gives it meaning. Studies show that people who view hardship as purposeful tend to cope better with stress and uncertainty. I’m on Assignment! can be read as an extended exercise in that exact idea.
The author proposes a bold framework: life is not random, nor is it purely reactive. Instead, it is an “assignment”—a deliberate experience chosen at a soul level before birth. From this premise, everything else unfolds. Challenges are not accidents but curriculum. Relationships are not coincidences but agreements. Even suffering is reframed as a form of education.
What makes the book stand out is not just its ideas, but its delivery. The writing is direct, conversational, and often unexpectedly humorous. One moment, the author is explaining karma as a simple cause-and-effect system; the next, she uses everyday scenarios to illustrate how people repeat patterns without realizing it. This blending of abstract ideas with grounded examples makes the material easier to follow, even when the concepts themselves are expansive.
The most compelling sections are those rooted in lived experience. The detailed account of her COVID-19 illness, including hospitalization and recovery, shifts the book from theory to reality. These passages are vivid and specific, offering a contrast to the broader metaphysical discussions. They also reinforce the central thesis: that even extreme hardship can be interpreted through a lens of purpose and growth.
The book also spends time exploring relationships, particularly the idea of “soul mates” as individuals who challenge and support growth rather than fulfill idealized romantic roles. This interpretation aligns with modern psychological views on relationships, where growth often comes through friction rather than comfort.
However, the book is firmly grounded in a specific worldview. Concepts like reincarnation, past-life memory, and pre-birth planning are presented with confidence, but without scientific validation. Readers who prefer evidence-based frameworks may find this approach difficult to fully accept. That said, the value of the book may not lie in whether its claims are provable, but in whether its perspective is useful.
Who is this book for? It will resonate with readers who are searching for meaning in difficult experiences or who are open to alternative ways of understanding life. It offers a structured way to interpret chaos, which can be comforting. On the other hand, readers who prefer grounded, research-driven explanations or who are skeptical of metaphysical systems may find themselves questioning its foundation more than engaging with its message.
Ultimately, I’m on Assignment! invites a shift in perspective: from asking “Why is this happening to me?” to asking “What am I meant to learn from this?” Whether one accepts the premise literally or metaphorically, that question alone has the potential to change how life is experienced.
Content Warning
- Discussions of suicide, depression, and mental health struggles
- Descriptions of serious illness and hospitalization
- Mature language and candid personal reflections
- Listing ID: 38497
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