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At the beginning of 2018, I committed to myself to read more. It was something that always felt challenging as a mom of littles, but I love it so much, and somehow with a long cozy winter stretching out for us in Jan of last year, and many fireside moments, as well as a long list of books I was dying to read, I committed to reading at least 1 book a month, and aiming for 2.

As I do this wrap up reflection on books of the year, I’m becoming aware of just how much this habit fed my soul, my spirit, and my year of transformation–these books each had such an impact on me, so I love being able to pause now and share a few reflections–in case any of these are on your short list or you’ll be inspired for 2019…and you have to tell me–what was your favorite read of 2018, and why?

I know we have seasons of life where things/topics are more or less important in our grand priorities. For me, continually plugging into wisdom, especially in areas of health, personal development and spiritual growth are hugely important for me in my work and life as a mother and spouse. It’s like that saying—“you can’t pour from an empty cup”…and as committed as I am to pouring into my coaching clients, my business in general, and the other facets of my life that I’m called to, having these incredible (life and mind changing) reads right at my bedside make all the difference between starting out the day with a fresh inspired mind, or feeling stuck in the same mental ruts.

As you can see from my lists, I do have a heavy emphasis on non-fiction, and in different seasons of life, have gravitated more towards fiction or away from it, I know it’s good to have a balance, so perhaps you can all suggest to me some great fiction that I’ll read while snuggling my babe in 2019.

I shared at the beginning of 2018…this post 5 reads for a life changing year…those still hold the most power for me in terms of beginning of year perspective (and they form a backbone of my brand new course that’s launching!)…but I may have to add a few of these 2018 reads to the list of MUSTs for anyone who wants to grow in perspective, habits and overall fulfillment in the coming year.

Here’s a very short recap/thought on each of the reads–and tons of journal pages were written about these, so the lessons and concepts really went in as I was living.

I want to know—what are your top reads from 2018, and which books are on your short list for 2019?

“The goal of simplifying is to eliminate distractions so you can focus on what really matters.”

A Simplified Life

I read this in the summer when thinking about how to better set up our systems and spaces for family life and a nice flow. She’s got some great ideas and perspective for moms, but I also think most of the juicest ideas and tips I’ve gotten more effectively from Kon Mari books etc.

“So if the demands of your job or life require you to learn fast, deal with stress, be alert, pay attention, remember important things, and keep a positive mood, then you MUST take exercise more seriously.”

High Performance Habits.

This book probably had the biggest impact on me this year (as a first time read, the War of Art always impacts me). Brendon is just such a powerful coach and brilliant consolidator of all the amazing data/perspective from his work with high performers (meant in a balanced 360 way, not just high powered and miserable people…) I got so much out of it and can’t wait to read his Motivation Manifesto next.

To get to a business you love the first thing you need to figure out is the “why” behind your business. If it’s just to get rich, that’s fine. Making alot of money is great. I like to think of money as stored up freedom and energy and I love having lots of freedom and energy…What I’ve noticed about money is that once people get to a certain level of monetary success, they usually start looking for other things in their life….making a positive impact in the world.”

Launch.

This book has been on my shelf since fall 2017, but it was finally the right moment to dive into it when launching my new years course, and it’s a great read for entrepreuners and anyone who’s committed to doing more/impacting more, with strategic tools, and less hustle.

“Every flow activity, whether it involved competition, chance, or any other dimension of experience, had this in common: it provided a sense of discovery, a creative feeling, of transporting the person to a new reality. It pushed the person to higher levels of performance, and led to previously undreamed of states of consciousness. In short, it transformed the self by making it more complex. In this growth of the self lies the key to flow activities.”

Flow

An incredible read. I’m still slogging through it, but it’s just very juicy related to understanding what it is that makes us experience life as positive, with connected experiences, and when things are working well in moving towards our bigger goals/desires. I think this one is an important read to tackle, and I’m using alot of the nuggets in my Life design/Fulfillment in 5 course.

“A writers day.

I wake up with a gnawing feeling of dissatisfaction. I already feel fear. Already the loved ones around me are starting to fade. I interact. I’m present. But I’m not. I’m not thinking about the work. I’ve already consigned that to the muse. What I’m aware of is resistance. I feel it in my guts. I afford it the utmost respect, because I know it can defeat me on any given day as easily as the need for a drink can overcome an alcoholic.

I go through the chores, the correspondence, the obligations of daily life. Again, I’m there but not really. The clock is running in my head; I know I can indulge in daily crap for a little while but I must cut it off when the bell rings.

I’m keenly aware of the principle of priority, which states a) you must know the difference between what is urgent and what is important and b) you must do what’s important first. What’s important is the work.

The War of Art

This one is a MUST READ. It changed my life dramatically in 2017 when I first read it, and I have read it several times since. It will open your eyes to the forces of resistance that we all experience when seeking to make positive changes–in our lives and for the larger good. Why is it that it’s so easy to sit on the couch watching TV and eating junk, and so hard to get up, go to the gym, commit to starting that book we’ve always wanted to write, etc. You’ll come back to this one again and again, I promise. It just might change everything going into 2019.

“Owning our stories means reckoning with our feelings and rumbling with our dark emotions–our fear, anger, aggression, shame and blame. This isn’t easy, but the alternative–denying our stories and disengaging from emotion–means choosing to live our entire lives in the dark. When we decide to own our stories and live our truth, we bring our light to the darkness.”

Rising Strong.

My first Brene Brown, and I’m so glad I read it with my influencers club–it’s intense, there’s alot to unpack here, and it’s powerfully important for anyone who’s struggling/trying to understand the dynamics of hurt, vulnerability, courage in facing very challenging life circumstances, deepening relationships, and much more. I think it requires some wise folks to read it with, to truly get into all the layers. A few of my family members read it too, and really loved it. If you’re intrigued, start with her TED talks!

“There is a tendency with anyone who loves any kind of work to fantasize that if you just had endless time for it, you’d be able to achieve perfection in this field. Yet what I’d discovered is that when you put love first, not only does your life improve, but your work improves.”

One Beautiful Dream.

Such a great read about the power of embracing the messy process of growing a family while also embracing personal passions. Since this is my life and I coach many folks in this, I felt that she was speaking to me directly in so many ways, and I have a blog post coming with some more thoughts on this idea that the expansion of family and our vocation–saying the big yes, can also bring real power and expansion to all the small yeses we’re trying to say. This is a big, beautiful answer to “Lean in” and I love it.

“Times of imbalance may be seasonal, or change by the day. Our tendency is to shift out of balance, so let’s focus on counterbalance, on cramming our life with what we love most. Appealing, isn’t it?”

The Empowered Mama

Written by the founder of Fit4mom, it has tons of juicy tips. I think it’s more for moms who are feeling stuck with needing to find better ways to care for self and family, and it definitely set a good framework for some new perspective for me heading into the year, as I juggled the needs of business and family in new, creative ways. Probably the best parts were related to saying yes/no which is more powerfully treated in “The Best Yes”.

“Every book I’ve ever written is based on this core theme of my life. It’s the lesson I’ve learned over and over again…so it inevitably weaves its way into my stories, and this book especially. It’s the gift I wish I could give every person I know. It is the thing I wish someone had taught me as a child. Instead, I had to navigate life and figure it out on my own. It is the greatest lesson I have to give you. Only YOU have the power to change your life.”

Girl Wash your Face

Everyone is in love with Rachel Hollis right now. I liked the book–it’s super easy to read–like candy—but I also didn’t find it all to be life-changing wisdom. If anything, it’s a powerful example that someone can follow her heart, build a brand, and share a message that resonates, and in this day and age, that can grow way beyond her wildest dreams. I took away from it, that if Rachel can pursue her dreams and watch them grow, we all can. And that’s what I think she wants us to feel, the courage to take that first step.

“…A pure blink moment, a small miracle happened, the kind of small miracle that is always possible when we take charge of the first two seconds: they saw her for who she truly was.”

Blink.

This was a good read, tough at times to plow through, but worthwhile. It’s connected to the power of intuition that I’m really fascinated by, and classic Malcolm, you just enjoy the stories he brings into it.

“It’s not lost on me that to plant things in the garden, I have to get down on my knees. In the wait of those ten weeks, we prayed hard in hopes that God would grow something good as we stepped forward in fear-filled faith.”

Cultivate

I’ve used Lara Casey’s powersheets in the past (didn’t love them, I’m a desire map planner girl all the way), and I’ve followed her journey of motherhood and brand building from afar. I was inspired by many parts of this book–as in–cried–and also loved that I was creating my own little garden at the time when I was reading all her garden metaphors about how to be patient, tender and caring about the things that truly matter, in a world that pushes us to focus on many other passing things. It’s a good read, but not as powerful in retrospect as I thought it might be.

“Energy motivates but charisma inspires. Energy is easy to see, easy to measure, and easy to copy. Charisma is hard to define, near impossible to measure, and too elusive to copy. All great leaders have charisma because all great leaders have clarity of WHY; an undying belief in a purpose or cause bigger than themselves.”

Start with Why

This is a classic read for entrepreuners/leaders and I enjoyed it. I think that it could have been about half the length and been just as powerful. His TED talks are where to go if you want to hear more about this topic.

If nothing inspires you, try Daniel Pink’s prescription:

*Make a list of 5 things you are good at.

*Make a list of 5 things you love to do.

*Make a 3rd list of where the first two lists overlap.

*Read that list, then ask yourself, “will anyone pay me to do these things?”

What Color is your Parachute.

Hmm. This was one that was recommended by several different folks as an avenue for career changers/finding your true calling through a series of tips, exercises (creating a flower) and more. I have to say, it’s very powerful and shows just how important this topic is, but the work itself is archaic, really old-school in method, and I have been (and am!) approaching some of the same stuff, but in a lighter, better way through working with life-coaches in past, and now infusing some of the themes on personal understanding and where to best serve, and thrive,  into my #fulfillmentin5 course.

“We want to improve ourselves, to have more pride in ourselves, and to love and respect ourselves. We are hungry for guidance and support that will help us grow to be more powerful, more generous, and more self-assured. Anyone who has come full circle can tell you that these are the things that bring true happiness.”

The 4 year career.

A short and powerful read on the impact/power of the kind of business I do—one of my income streams 😉 All about leveraging relationships and impact—it’s relevant for many who want to figure out how to impact more with less of their time and energy. So good.

“Stop thinking. Stop expecting. Stop living in the past. Stop living in the future…Pay attention to the quality of time.  The Kairos-ness of time. And in a way I think of the phrase keep time…listen to the sounds, listen to the music of your own life. Listen to the voices of the people you live with, listen to the songs they sing. I don’t mean songs tra-la-la, but I mean listen to the music of their voices. Listen to the slamming of the screen door. Listen to the patter of feet walking back up the path. Listen to the turning of a tap in the tub, because that is in a very profound and touching way the music of your life. It is the song out of time that sings to you. Keep in touch with time, not just as rush and tumble.”

The Remarkable Ordinary

A poignant and beautiful book that was perfect for long summer days by the lake, pool and  in each moment rather than just speeding up life to check things off and do more. Frederick Buechner brings a powerful and artistic look into life and it’s deeper meaning, to be found in each precise moment that passes, and encourages us to stop, to look, to wonder. The author is someone who grappled with his own father’s suicide; I think that this book is really challenging us to get at the heart of what makes life rich, and to embrace it, rather than letting moments just flow by. It’s vulnerable and powerful.

“Man’s greatest need is love, love for God and for brother and sister. We do not have here a lasting city. We are pilgrims plodding along to the fatherland, wayfarers on the way to home.”

Happy are you poor.

I reflected in a prior post on how this shaped my thoughts about contentment, and freedom of spirit, when we remove some of the striving/grasping aspects of life and focus in on the beauty and joy of simple living. It’s something my husband recommended to me to check out, and it’s been so good for my heart. It’s bringing the kon mari lifestyle that I love to a new level of connecting it with our spiritual journey. Definitely challenging and I’ll come back to the themes and quotes from it again and again. I think that knowing where our true treasure lies allows us to go about our lives well–expanding resources just means more that we can give away and to keep our hearts pure and as focused as we can.

“Another way of living poverty of spirit is to consent to the present moment, without trying to return to the past or plan the future. We possess only the present. We should accept the past and trust the future to divine providence. Don’t stockpile provisions. Forget the way already traveled and set out afresh each day. Don’t boast about the good accomplished or worry about the evil committed, but begin again each morning, believing, hoping and loving.”

The 8 doors of the kingdom;

Recommended by my spiritual director, this one tied in so well to the one above, and these are the themes that are being given to me to dwell on; to truly understand and live the power of the beautitudes is a challenge that I’m grateful for. This is Jacques Phillipe’s newest work, and it’s a perfect connection with his lovely style with this rich material.

“As a mother’s love draws the heart of her child like a powerful magnet, so too, does the genuinely kind person wield the power to influence others for good.”

The Hidden power of kindness.

Again, recommended by my spiritual director, and I slowly but surely plugged away at it in the early months of the year, I LOVE this one, I recommend it highly, it’s just an entire framework shift in terms of how we look at charity, truly loving those in our lives, and connects to the beauty and power of positivity (not fake, but real, deep kindness) and how our words, actions, thoughts, and lives are either building up the kingdom (starting with our own souls) or are harming and taking away from God’s power in the world. This is a must read.

“The problem is that while most of us are aware that our diets are not what they should be, we are unaware of our increased nutritional needs and/or genetic predisposition. We are also often unaware that we are at high risk of disease. For too many Americans, the first indication they have heart disease is sudden death, the first indication of high blood pressure is a stroke, or the first indication of cancer is the diagnosis of stage 3 or 4 cancer.”

Slaying the supplement myths.

A great resource that I turn to often, especially in discussions with folks about MTHFR, and much more. There’s so much fad-ish info out there, and it’s key to find folks we can trust to inform our opinions on such matters.

“Ironically, the process of giving yourself permission to eat is actually the stepping-stone to rebuilding your trust with food and with yourself. In the beginning, each positive food experience is like a tiny thread. They may be few and far between, and seem insignificant, but eventually the threads form a strand. The strands multiply to form strong ropes and finally the ropes become the bridge to a foundation of trust in food and in yourself.”

Intuitive Eating

This is such an incredible resource that I’ve been unpacking in my own life this year (hello, pregnancy, when one is encouraged to eat intuitively!), and imagine how healing that this concept could be (and is!) for so many who discover and embrace it, as part of an overall mindful and healthy life–when I share it with clients it’s literally life changing at times. We’re so trained to think we have to diet, restrict, or “not care” about food choices rather than following this other path. I’m excited to say that some of these themes will be appearing in my 2019 book project that I’m starting with an incredible and inspiring friend–more on that soon! I was coming to this place on my own in Jan 2018, but didn’t have the book in hand until it was referenced by someone I trust in mid Feb. Incredible how the timing of these things works out and is always meant to be.

There are some 8 million microbial genes in the gut–400 times more than than in the human genome. Even more astonishing, we humans differ very little from each other genetically, sharing more than 90% of our genes, but the assortment of microbial genes in our guts differs dramatically, and only 5 % of them are shared between any 2 individuals. The gut microbiome adds a whole new dimension of complexity and possiblities to our brain-gut emotion-generating machinery.”

The Mind-Gut connection.

This is a powerful read, for those of us who love to nerd out on this topic. And more and more folks are coming to me with an awareness that they want to heal mood disorders, depression, anxiety and more with natural paths, healing the gut, introducing supplements and eating that truly supports their thriving, rather than just increasing doses of medication (which I absolutely believe are necessary and valuable in certain cases…but have also seen from my own life as well as others, that there can be many negative side effects involved and it shouldn’t be taken lightly, or as the end-goal). This book is just so good, and this ground-breaking research is leading many of us to approach healing the gut as a primary health concern. I love being partnered with a nutrition brand that is doing this all important research and rolling out new formulas of probiotics and tools to support the mind-gut axis that we now know about. It’s truly the next stage of wellness in my opinion.

“She closed her eyes and I watched the shadow settling in the hollow of her throat. It was like a little dip where the darkness had crept to hide from the evening light. When the breath rattled in her through and her heart stopped beating, I noticed that the shadow in the hollow quivered.”

I started a Marilynne Robinson novel this summer but didn’t finish it…;0

Walking into the night is the only one that I got through in my bedtime reads, and it’s lovely, entrancing and powerful. But I have to say, I haven’t had a taste for fiction recently–maybe you all can suggest some fiction for me for 2019 to balance it out (though I’ve learned to be mindful of what I read right after baby as that postpartum period can be intense enough, and doesn’t need to be mixed with emotional literature…I read Sigrid Undset after Ambrose and had to put it down…).

To summarize–I’m so grateful I made a goal and embraced more reading in my life (and created space for it!) in 2018–I can see all the ways in which my mind and heart have been changed in this process, and while I know, heading into a season of newborn in a few weeks, I may not have reading as high on the agenda, there are many many hours when I’m able to be quietly nursing/rocking and being with babe, so I’ll be sure to keep good reads nearby to sneak in to the moments. I remember right after Ambrose I was a voracious reader during his feeding times, and that was when I tackled and loved books like Spark Joy and the War of Art for the first time!

This is my short list for 2019…and I’m excited and grateful for my amazing influencer club—we always bring new books to each other, and pick new reads for each month, so I know that accountability will help; and if you’re in need of some motivation and accountability for reading, create a like-minded group–either in person or by zoom call, and you’re off!

2019 books I’m excited about:

*12 Rules for life by Jordan Peterson–I just touched this during holidays and it’s going to be awesome for the new year

*Dare to Lead, Brene Brown

*Motivation Manifesto, Brendon Burchard

Here’s a fiction list that I’ve liked looking at in the past with mom friends (if fiction is your priority): Well Read Moms 2019.

And related posts:

Best books for your first year in Business

2018–5 Life-changing reads for an amazing new year

Cheers to reading and enjoying more life-changing works in the new year!!!