All the Money in the World: What the Happiest People Know About Getting and Spending
Best Paradigm Changer: Surprisingly, people are shockingly bad at predicting what will make them happy, and the way they spend their money is no exception. It turns out, money can buy a little bit of happiness, if spent wisely. Vanderkam explores how happy people strategically spend (and give) to build the kind of life they want–for themselves, and for others.
More info →Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges
From the publisher: "Amy Cuddy has galvanized tens of millions of viewers around the world with her TED talk about "power poses." Now she presents the enthralling science underlying these and many other fascinating body-mind effects, and teaches us how to use simple techniques to liberate ourselves from fear in high-pressure moments, perform at our best, and connect with and empower others to do the same. Brilliantly researched, impassioned, and accessible."
More info →The Well-Trained Mind
I read this book for the first time when I was 22, and had no intention of ever homeschooling my someday-children. But the author was my college prof, and when I found out she'd written a book I wanted to read it, whether it addressed rocket science or ancient Persia or homeschooling. But reading this book made me wish I'd been educated this way, and for the first time I considered home education as a possibility for my future children. Now I'm a homeschooling mom of 4, and I turn to this book again and again to remind me why we're doing it, to help me get unstuck, and to encourage me to keep it up.
More info →How to Be Here: A Guide to Creating a Life Worth Living
In short, story-driven chapters, Rob Bell explores presence, mindfulness, and creativity in his newest release (published March 8). Regular listeners of his podcast The Robcast will find many of the concepts familiar. I enjoyed this one, and especially appreciated his insistence that you don't need a fifty-year plan to begin something, you just need to do the next right thing. This would make an excellent companion to Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic.
More info →The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need
If you just have to give a book as a graduation gift, make it this one from the always-excellent Dan Pink. This pithy career guide is written in the Japanese comic book style manga—so you know they’ll read it.
More info →The Five Love Languages
I just re-read this modern classic. Chapman's framework transforms the way you think about your most important relationships. This is a quick and easy read that has changed many lives for the better. Add Audible Narration for $3.99.
More info →Lean In for Graduates
I'm usually not a fan of gift books, but I'll make an exception for Sandberg's game-changing bestseller about making the choices necessary for long-term success early in your career. This edition has been updated with specific advice aimed squarely at new college grads.
More info →Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
High praise: I owe the library a week's worth fines because I took this to the beach despite the fact that it was due while I was 600 miles away and it was totally worth it. It deserves its own blog post: I'll figure out a way to dive a little deeper into the concepts here soon. I appreciated the concepts in Cal Newport's previous book So Good They Can't Ignore You; in this one he shares excellent ideas while seriously upping his writing game. This is an excellent read for anyone who wants to thoughtfully examine their priorities, their working habits, or their relationship with social media.
More info →Reading People: How Seeing the World through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything
We are collectively obsessed with the idea of defining and knowing ourselves and our unique place in the world. For readers who long to dig deeper into what makes them uniquely them (and why that matters), Reading People explains the life-changing insights that can be gained from the most popular personality frameworks, such as Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder, Enneagram, and others and shares specific, practical real-life applications across all facets of life, including love and marriage, productivity, parenting, the workplace, and spiritual life. Understanding personality can revolutionize the way we live, love, work, and pray.
More info →That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week: Helping Disorganized and Distracted Boys Succeed in School and Life
This book isn't just for boys (or kids, for that matter). The author is an educational consultant who works with bright, talented kids who bomb in school because they just can't get it together: her lightbulb moment came when she realized "chronic disorganization" was the biggest culprit in her students' underperformance. Homayaoun outlines the common sources of struggle, her plan for building incremental habits, and a quick guide to troubleshooting, so her students can devote less time to keeping their stuff together and more time to the things they really love.
More info →The Well-Gardened Mind: The Restorative Power of Nature
As a self-certified plant lady, I recognize the benefits of surrounding myself with greenery, especially in the cold and dreary winter months. But now that it's spring, I'm turning my attention to the garden outside. This meditative exploration of the power of gardening from a professional psychiatrist inspired me to spend more time digging in the dirt and tending to my outdoor plants as a way to feel grounded. Stuart-Smith explains the connection between gardening with your hands and soothing your anxious mind with examples from her own gardening journey, her grandfather's post-WWI healing, and progressive prison gardening programs. I enjoyed the combination of research and practical gardening tips and feel inspired to try some new planting projects soon.
More info →Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind
The title says it all: this little book is about playing to your creative strengths and natural rhythms by building daily routines. Twenty-plus luminaries from a host of people who work in creative professions—Gretchen Rubin, Steven Pressfield, Teresa Amabile, Seth Godin—weigh in on the importance of their personal habits for email, solitude, social media, multitasking, and more. This inspiring and practical guide will spur you to evaluate your schedule, create better habits, and rethink your priorities.
More info →Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind
From the publisher: We are living through one of the most anxious periods any of us can remember. Whether facing issues as public as a pandemic or as personal as having kids at home and fighting the urge to reach for the wine bottle every night, we are feeling overwhelmed and out of control. But in this timely book, Judson Brewer explains how to uproot anxiety at its source using brain-based techniques and small hacks accessible to anyone.
More info →What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend: A Short Guide to Making the Most of Your Days Off
This isn't a sale price but it IS darn cheap and offers a potentially paradigm-shifting approach to your weekends. Add Audible narration for $2.99.
More info →The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
The publisher calls this classic "one of the most inspiring books ever written."
More info →10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works–A True Story
I enjoyed this one much more than I expected, and was genuinely surprised at the lasting impact this book had on my life. Harris's secret to health and happiness is mindfulness—something he never saw coming either. Harris is an ABC news anchor, and his journey began when he had a panic attack on live television. His doctor quickly identified the underlying cause, but the panic didn't subside. He subsequently spent years investigating—personally and professionally—his own mindlessness, exploring the changes he needed to make in his life to be healthier and happier. Powerful story and strong writing combine to make one great read.
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