Books shape us. Their words can bring about a plethora of responses. They can inspire and motivate us. They can cause us to reflect upon ourselves and the world around us. They can challenge us and spur us to action. They can make us feel, help us heal, and change the way we live. The following selections address a wide range of topics to help shape us into the people we want, or may even need, to be as we strive to be the best versions of ourselves. We hope you enjoy!
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Both an intimate memoir and a galvanizing wake-up call, Untamed is the story of how one woman learned that a responsible mother is not one who slowly dies for her children, but one who shows them how to fully live. It is the story of how each of us can begin to trust ourselves enough to set boundaries, make peace with our bodies, honor our anger and heartbreak, and unleash our truest, wildest instincts so that we become women who can finally look at ourselves and say: There She Is.
The Friendship Formula by Caroline Millington
Friendship is a beautiful thing but there are lots of difficult times in life where it can be tricky to navigate: when friendship becomes toxic; how to break up with a friend; what to do if a friend 'ghosts' you and surviving friendship betrayal; how motherhood can impact on female friendships; friendship grief and how to cope with losing a friend. This book shows you how applying kindfulness to the difficult side of friendship can help you mend your heart, move on and get the best out of those friendships that really matter.
The Path Between Us by Suzanne Stabile
Most of us have no idea how others see or process their experiences. And that can make relationships hard, whether with intimate partners, with friends, or in our professional lives. Understanding the motivations and dynamics of these different personality types can be the key that unlocks sometimes mystifying behavior in others―and in ourselves. This book from Stabile on the nine Enneagram types and how they behave and experience relationships will guide readers into deeper insights about themselves, their types, and others’ personalities so that they can have healthier, more life-giving relationships.
Reader, Come Home by Maryanne Wolf
The ways we process written language have changed dramatically and new research on the reading brain chronicles these changes in the brains of children and adults as they learn to read while immersed in a digitally dominated medium. Wolf draws on neuroscience, literature, education, technology, and philosophy and blends historical, literary, and scientific facts with down-to-earth examples and warm anecdotes to illuminate complex ideas that culminate in a proposal for a biliterate reading brain. Provocative and intriguing, Reader, Come Home is a roadmap that provides a cautionary but hopeful perspective on the impact of technology on our brains and our most essential intellectual capacities—and what this could mean for our future.
Get Out of Your Head by Jennie Allen
Are your thoughts holding you captive? Do you what it is like to swirl in a spiral of destructive thoughts? Do you ever want out of the trap of toxic thoughts? Freedom comes when we refuse to be victims to our thoughts and realize we have already been equipped with power from God to fight and win the war for our minds. In Get Out of Your Head, Jennie inspires and equips us to transform our emotions, our outlook, and even our circumstances by taking control of our thoughts.
It's Not Supposed to Be This Way by Lysa TerKeurst
Life often looks so very different than we hoped or expected. Some events may simply catch us off guard for a moment, but others shatter us completely. We feel disappointed and disillusioned, and we quietly start to wonder about the reality of God’s goodness. However, our disappointments can be the divine appointments our souls need to radically encounter God. In this book, the New York Times bestselling author unveils her heart amid shattering circumstances and shows readers how to live assured when life doesn't turn out like they expected.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
A modern classic, Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. His quest will lead him to riches far different—and far more satisfying—than he ever imagined. Santiago's journey teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, of recognizing opportunity and learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, most importantly, to follow our dreams.
Eat That Frog! By Brian Tracy
There’s an old saying that if the first thing you do each morning is eat a live frog, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’re done with the worst thing you’ll have to do all day. For Tracy, eating a frog is a metaphor for tackling your most challenging task. Eat That Frog! shows you how to organize each day so you can zero in on these critical tasks and accomplish them efficiently and effectively. The core of what is vital to effective time management is: decision, discipline, and determination.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. It reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results. Atomic Habits will reshape the way you think about progress and success and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits.
