Great Reads
“To change is to think greater than how we feel. To change is to act greater than the familiar feelings of the memorized self.” —Dr. Joe Dispenza
According to Dr. Dispenza, by the time we reach the age of 35, approximately 95% of who we are consists of a memorized set of behaviors, emotional reactions, unconscious habits, hardwired attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions. It’s like our brains have been running a well-worn computer program, and changing those patterns can be quite challenging.
I experienced great relief and a sense of empowerment as he explained the reason habits are so hard to change, using an easy-to-understand approach to explain the body-mind connection.
A great read for anyone, but especially those who:
Is working to changing their mental outlook and overall mood
Recognizes their automatic thoughts and behaviors and wants to reprogram them
Desires a deeper intellectual understanding vs. following specific steps for change
“Understanding the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism is critical to laying down the shield and picking up your life. Research shows that perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it's often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life paralysis.” —Brené Brown
Brené’s work on shame, vulnerability, and leadership stands out in part because of her own vulnerable storytelling as she evolved from working as a shame researcher to focusing on how shame was holding her back from living authentically. Her writing is credible, relatable, funny, and actionable.
As someone who has worried about what others thought and struggled with self-compassion, I resonate deeply with Brené’s wisdom on the topic of accepting our imperfections as what sets us apart — our gifts.
A great read for anyone, but especially those who:
Mask their authentic self to avoid rejection from others.
Compare themselves to others, focusing on what makes them imperfect or less than worthy.
Wants to break free from limiting beliefs and shine bright, lifting others up around them.
“When you’re going through a breakdown, a good question to ask is what is actually breaking down. We usually think it’s our self. But what’s typically happening is that our struggle to deny our emotional truth is breaking down. Emotional distress is a signal that it’s getting harder to remain emotionally unconscious. It means we’re about to discover our true selves underneath all that story business.” —Dr. Lindsay C. Gibson
There are so many great books on emotion-centric topics such as intelligence, regulation. Dr. Gibson peels back the layers of our emotional onion, explaining the traits that are commonly exhibited by various types of emotionally unintelligent (and intelligent) parents — moving the focus to how our minds and mood are conditioned.
I advise caution when individuals interpret personality assessments to avoid strong attachment or detachment from the insights. That notion extends to this book as well; the various types of personalities shared are on a continuum — the underlying traits are the nuggets of wisdom that allow us to know ourselves better.
A great read for anyone, but especially those who:
Want to build an emotionally mature life with healthy boundaries and authentic relationships.
Is curious why they think, feel, and behave the way they do (or have).
Desires a deeper understanding of their parents’ behavior.
“When it comes to risky, controversial, and emotional conversations, skilled people find a way to get all relevant information (from themselves and others) out into the open.” —Kerry Patterson
There’s a lot of talk about the need for candor in the workplace but the guidance on how to build an environment of trust where voices can be heard without fear of penalty is lacking. In steps ‘Crucial Conversations.’ Running for over two decades, this masterpiece uses storytelling that drops the reader into the scene at work and dissects the interactions to provide insights on how to cultivate an environment where candor can flourish.
This isn’t just for work — expect enlightenment and empowerment to enact more authentic interactions with family, friends, and strangers.
A great read for anyone, but especially those who:
Struggle to express their point of view without retaliation.
Wish others would open up to them and say what’s on their mind.
Will motivate, lead, and influence those around them to talk about the crucial things.
“Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry – all forms of fear – are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of non-forgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.” —Eckhart Tolle
The concept of mindfulness gets a lot of headlines, yet many of us struggle to practice being truly present in the moment. This profound work from Eckhart Tolle will ground you with practical knowledge and tactics for practicing mindfulness and fully experiencing the Now.
A great read for anyone, but especially those who:
Struggle to quiet the mind and tune in to what the 5 senses are experiencing.
Reflect excessively on the past, allowing regret and resentment to rob them of the present.
Worry excessively about what the future holds.
“Not giving a f*ck does not mean being indifferent; it means being comfortable with being different.” —Mark Manson
By embracing the pain and imperfections in our lives, we can worry less and be happy more. Mark guides the reader on ways to restore a sense of control and power over their thoughts and actions, emphasizing that we always have the power to choose.
While I found Mark’s writing style to be entertaining and approachable, I was more impressed with the breadth of concepts he covered in this no-nonsense approach to improving one’s mindset and approach to living to the beat of their own drum.
A great read for anyone, but especially those who:
Is tired of worrying about what others think or expect of them.
Enjoys a humorous approach to self-improvement.
Prefers direct and practical guidance over deep analysis of concepts rooted in psychology, spirituality, philosophy, etc.
“When you don’t investigate what’s going on with your words, thoughts, and beliefs, you risk stumbling through life on autopilot.” —Jen Sincero
Knowing how to earn, save, invest, and spend money won’t provide financial success. By transforming our mindset and relationship with money, we can create goals that we connect with (i.e., not adopting someone else’s financial goals). With the right mindset and goals, we can use practical knowledge and take decisive actions to achieve financial success that enables us to worry less about money and experience more in life.
This book is more impactful than any other personal finance book I’ve read over the years. Jen covers a lot of ground but the emphasis on the emotional and spiritual connection to money is what resonated most deeply with me. She ends every chapter with a money mantra (affirmations) and a short journaling exercise to help rewire thoughts about money.
A great read for anyone, but especially those who:
Holds limiting beliefs around money (e.g., scarcity, imposter syndrome, fear of abundance, etc.).
Stays in a job they hate because they’re afraid to lose the comfort of salary, bonuses, benefits, etc.
Experiences negative feelings toward themself or others because of the money they have or don’t have.