Koncocoo

Best Self-Esteem

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
From thought leader Dr. Brené Brown, a transformative new vision for the way we lead, love, work, parent, and educate that teaches us the power of vulnerability. Every day we experience the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure that define what it means to be vulnerable or to dare greatly. But when we step back and examine our lives, we will find that nothing is as uncomfortable, dangerous, and hurtful as standing on the outside of our lives looking in and wondering what it would be like if we had the courage to step into the arena—whether it’s a new relationship, an important meeting, the creative process, or a difficult family conversation. Daring Greatly is a practice and a powerful new vision for letting ourselves be seen. “The brilliantly insightful Brené Brown draws upon extensive research and personal experience to explore the paradoxes of courage: we become strong by embracing vulnerability, we dare more greatly when we acknowledge our fear. —Maria Shriver " Daring Greatly is an important book -- a timely warning about the danger of pursuing certainty and control above all. The invitation in this book is clear: We must be larger than anxiety, fear, and shame if we want to speak, act, and show up. The world needs this book and Brené’s unique blend of warmth, humor and ass-kicking makes her the perfect person to inspire us to dare greatly." Brené Brown shines a bright light into these dark recesses of human emotion and reveals how these feelings can gnaw at fulfillment in education, at work and in the home. If you're a student, teacher, parent, employer, employee or just alive and wanting to live more fully, you should read this book. —Sir Ken Robinson "In an age of constant pressure to conform and pretend, Daring Greatly offers a compelling alternative: transform your life by being who you really are. —Michael Bungay Stanier, author of Do More Great Work "I deeply trust Brené Brown--her research, her intelligence, her integrity, and her personhood. So when she definitively lands on the one most important value we can cultivate for professional success, relationship health, parental joy, and courageous, passionate living...well, I sit up and take notice .
Reviews
"Last week I was sitting outside a coffee shop reading a book on my kindle when a youngish guy walked by carrying a coffee and a computer, looking for a place to sit. I promptly went back to my reading but I could feel his eyes boring into me as I anticipated the dreaded question. There's just something about the vast amount of information that I'm pressured to wrap into one or two sentences that completely overwhelms and paralyzes me. Part of me was tempted to lie to youngish guy by replying, "oh, it's just some silly novel." Allowing myself to be vulnerable led Patrick and I into a conversation for the next hour. Patrick, if you're reading this, c'était une joie pour vous rencontrer. This moment of unabashed vulnerability with Patrick was the beginning of a major shift in my life. She reinforces what I've known all along but been afraid of admitting--that vulnerability leads to happiness. Following Brene's advice and expertise garnered through her research and life stories, truly does work. It was the reading of Daring Greatly that prompted me to finally divulge my long kept secret of my history with an eating disorder; which wound up being my highest trafficked blog post of all time. If any of these questions ring true then I hope you'll read this book for yourself."
"In fact, "Vulnerability is the the core, the heart, the center of meaningful human experiences." The main concern of Wholehearted men and women is living a life defined by courage, compassion, and connection. It comes down to this: If we don't embrace vulnerability, we are destined to live a lonely, detached, unfulfilling life. Wholehearted Parenting: Daring to Be the Adults We Want Our Children to Be. - Final Thoughts. - Appendix -- Trust in Emergence: Grounded Theory and My Research Process. - Practicing Gratitude. Daring Greatly doesn't focus on the area of love and relationships, but it offers invaluable tools for deepening our love partnerships. For going deeper into vulnerability in the context of a romantic relationship, check out The Couple's Survival Workbook: What You Can Do To Reconnect With Your Partner and Make Your Marriage Work by Olsen and Stephens. More generally, if you're interested in Browne's concept of Wholehearted living -- the contextual framework of Daring Greatly -- check out The Gifts of Imperfection. It's not altogether easy, but it's deeply relieving to understand that this essential skill is not about simply stepping out under a hail of deadly arrows. It's about leaving behind lonely and fearful self-interest, having courage that deeper connection eagerly awaits us."
"I enjoy this book a lot and I’m thankful I had the opportunity to read it, it’s a book that will change how you see yourself and the rest of the people in the world."
"This a really important book for living well and learning how to tune out the noise of people who pile shame and guilt on others."
"Brene Brown is helping us to repair the fractured way many of us grew up to think and believe, and she does it with humor, empathy and lots of great story telling."
"Absolutely could not get into it."
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Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World
BASED ON THE INCREDIBLE GRADUATION SPEECH WITH OVER 10 MILLION VIEWS ON YOUTUBE If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. Admiral McRaven's original speech went viral with over 10 million views. "Full of captivating personal anecdotes from inside the national security vault...McRaven's lessons, like his commencement speech, extend far beyond his bed-making. "McRaven...has taken the genesis of what he learned during SEAL training and his nearly four decades in Navy Special Operations into a thin, powerful book.
Reviews
"However, General McRaven's Make Your Bed comes across as refreshingly different from those books by well known self-help gurus like Dr. Phil or Tony Robbins mainly because the anecdotes he uses to illustrate his ten key points are gleaned from his experiences as a Navy SEAL."
"Excellent."
"Easy, enjoyable read intertwined with important reminders about life."
"If you are slightly better today than yesterday, and slightly better tomorrow than today, your life will be more meaningful and impactful."
"Although the examples are from a military life, it is not a military book."
"I read the entire book straight through, underlining my favorite passages, and it is so well written!"
"It was on engraved on a plaque, and inscribed on T-Shirts worn by hundreds who gave moral and spiritual supported to me and my family."
"As a wife of a retired military officer, I have to congratulate the author for an inspiring message."
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The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are
In The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown, a leading expert on shame, authenticity, and belonging, shares ten guideposts on the power of Wholehearted living—a way of engaging with the world from a place of worthiness. In her ten guideposts, Brown engages our minds, hearts, and spirits as she explores how we can cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, "No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough," and to go to bed at night thinking, "Yes, I am sometimes afraid, but I am also brave. "Brené Brown courageously tackles the dark emotions that get in the way of leading a fuller life; read this book and let some of that courage rub off on you." Despite occasional moments of insight, this book's primary value may be in spurring thought and providing references to other authors that will provide further inspiration for those seeking a more meaningful life.
Reviews
"Moreover, I had recently been dumped in my 'perfect' engagement by my fiancee who had been cheating on me with a male coworker. Changing my mind on reading this was undoubtedly one of the best decisions I have ever made and I am a much better person for it. This is important because thoughtful people need to confront these things in order to overcome them and develop not just a positive mindset; but, a *realistic* one that doesn't ignore the potentially negative cognitions that arise. But, allow me to be clear: if you have just been dumped, divorced, or experienced a break-up, then I think this is a great book for you. I think this is the right approach, since qualitative research is well-suited to derive meaning from the experiences of people. CONs. -for the uninitiated (read: myself), I thought that guidepost 8 wasn't as clear in defining the concept of stillness. First, I grew-up with a very domineering father and reading this book has made me truly comfortable with him for the first time in my life."
"I read "Daring Greatly" about 6 months ago after watching Dr. Brown's TED talks and that book honest to goodness changed my life. I found this was a little shallow and abstract, whereas Daring Greatly so eloquently and articulately put words to ideas we understand intuitively, and it really enhanced my emotional vocabulary. Some of it (shame vs guilt, for example) was redundant of Daring Greatly (and other texts for that matter) and her discussion of ideas like intuition, spirituality, and numbing were vague and unhelpful to me. She had a section after each chapter called DIG deep where she listed ways that she tries to employ these strategies, and she often said "Amen" at the end of some quotes. She was also a little judgmental in this book (towards others and towards herself) and I could ironically see her striving for perfectionism (like in order to be perfect she needs to become "wholehearted," so she is actively working to employ these strategies rather than actually embodying them). Additionally, unlike Daring Greatly, this reads a little bit like a checklist (see comment above) of things you should do: 1. don't be a perfectionist 2. The Gifts of Imperfection seemed to get sidetracked by specifics (dancing, jewelry making, her childhood house in New Orleans) and it never reached that universality that was so healing in Daring Greatly. In contrast, it felt like Brene Brown had found her own voice in Daring Greatly, and no longer needed to continually reference others' work and could just share her research and the conclusions she reached from it. All in all, while The Gifts of Imperfection was a nice book that offered a little refresher of Brown's understanding of "wholehearted living" with some ideas about intuition and faith, creativity, and song and dance, it was not as sophisticated or inspiring as her latest book Daring Greatly, which really felt like a true culmination of her research and experiences."
"I've been through 6 therapists, I've struggled with depression for nearly twenty years, never could finish anything I started, and everyone always assumed I had ADHD. Not until therapist number five did someone point out to me that ADHD is often mistaken for anxiety and he was sure that was my problem."
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Best Self-Esteem Self-Help

The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are
When can I stop proving myself?In The Gifts of Imperfection, Bren頂rown, PhD, a leading expert on shame, authenticity and belonging, shares what she's learned from a decade of research on the power of Wholehearted Living--a way of engaging with the world from a place of worthiness.In her ten guideposts, Brown engages our minds, hearts, and spirits as she explores how we can cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough, and to go to bed at night thinking, Yes, I am sometimes afraid, but I am also brave. Each guidepost is the focus of a chapter that contains illustrative stories, primarily from her own life; definitions, including the difference between shame and guilt; quotes from such diverse sources as Diane Ackerman and E.E. She intersperses her own personal journey with research and clinical observations of others of the work of living a “wholehearted” life, or “engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness.” The point is to embrace life and oneself with all the imperfections, releasing the stress of overdoing and overworking.
Reviews
"Moreover, I had recently been dumped in my 'perfect' engagement by my fiancee who had been cheating on me with a male coworker. Changing my mind on reading this was undoubtedly one of the best decisions I have ever made and I am a much better person for it. This is important because thoughtful people need to confront these things in order to overcome them and develop not just a positive mindset; but, a *realistic* one that doesn't ignore the potentially negative cognitions that arise. But, allow me to be clear: if you have just been dumped, divorced, or experienced a break-up, then I think this is a great book for you. I think this is the right approach, since qualitative research is well-suited to derive meaning from the experiences of people. CONs. -for the uninitiated (read: myself), I thought that guidepost 8 wasn't as clear in defining the concept of stillness. First, I grew-up with a very domineering father and reading this book has made me truly comfortable with him for the first time in my life."
"I read "Daring Greatly" about 6 months ago after watching Dr. Brown's TED talks and that book honest to goodness changed my life. I found this was a little shallow and abstract, whereas Daring Greatly so eloquently and articulately put words to ideas we understand intuitively, and it really enhanced my emotional vocabulary. Some of it (shame vs guilt, for example) was redundant of Daring Greatly (and other texts for that matter) and her discussion of ideas like intuition, spirituality, and numbing were vague and unhelpful to me. She had a section after each chapter called DIG deep where she listed ways that she tries to employ these strategies, and she often said "Amen" at the end of some quotes. She was also a little judgmental in this book (towards others and towards herself) and I could ironically see her striving for perfectionism (like in order to be perfect she needs to become "wholehearted," so she is actively working to employ these strategies rather than actually embodying them). Additionally, unlike Daring Greatly, this reads a little bit like a checklist (see comment above) of things you should do: 1. don't be a perfectionist 2. The Gifts of Imperfection seemed to get sidetracked by specifics (dancing, jewelry making, her childhood house in New Orleans) and it never reached that universality that was so healing in Daring Greatly. In contrast, it felt like Brene Brown had found her own voice in Daring Greatly, and no longer needed to continually reference others' work and could just share her research and the conclusions she reached from it. All in all, while The Gifts of Imperfection was a nice book that offered a little refresher of Brown's understanding of "wholehearted living" with some ideas about intuition and faith, creativity, and song and dance, it was not as sophisticated or inspiring as her latest book Daring Greatly, which really felt like a true culmination of her research and experiences."
"I've been through 6 therapists, I've struggled with depression for nearly twenty years, never could finish anything I started, and everyone always assumed I had ADHD. Not until therapist number five did someone point out to me that ADHD is often mistaken for anxiety and he was sure that was my problem."
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Best Palmistry

The Art and Science of Hand Reading: Classical Methods for Self-Discovery through Palmistry
A comprehensive guide to the inner psychology revealed by the hand. • Details how to interpret the entire hand--the shape of the palm and fingers, mounts, lines, fingerprints, flexibility, nails, and skin texture. The book also examines other factors that enhance the qualities revealed by the mount types, including the flexibility of the hand, texture of the skin, and the shapes of the fingers, fingertips, and nails. Presenting the hand as a guide to self-fulfillment, The Art and Science of Hand Reading incorporates correspondences to other mystical sciences such as astrology, Kabbalah, the Hermetic teachings, and archetypal psychology. "In this comprehensive guide to hand reading, based on Ellen Goldberg’s 40 years of teaching palmistry and the Western Mystery tradition, the authors make the powerful insights of the hand accessible in an inviting and user-friendly manner.
Reviews
"When you are studying something as visual as palm reading, it always baffled me how most of the books either have very few pictures or line drawings of a palm."
"My boyfriend is enjoying this book ."
"This book is so brilliant in explaining palmistry to all levels of readers."
"Honored to have been a student of Ellen Goldberg, I can confidently say that this has the potential to be a life changing book for anyone who is open it's study."
""The Art and Science of Hand Reading" (co-authored by Dorian Bergen) is the go-to for anyone interested in learning more about palmistry."
"If you are a novice exploring your own hand or an experienced Palm reader - this book will enhance and enrich your experience of Palmistry."
"Palmistry, like astrology, is an art and science that links Jung's archetypes and general character traits with the physical aspects of the hand. New factors covered include lifestyle preferences like love, sexuality, career choices and unique strengths and weaknesses."
"And while we’re discussing delays, I’m reviewing a book that debuted roughly a year ago! “The Art and Science of Hand Reading: Classical Methods for Self-Discovery through Palmistry” by Ellen Goldberg and Dorian Bergen has everything you need. He was so devoted to the study of the palm that he earned a medical degree to further his understanding. “The Art and Science of Hand Reading” is a complete text book. “The Art and Science of Hand Reading” by Ellen Goldberg and Dorian Bergen is the only book on the subject of palmistry that you may ever need."
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Best Cybernetics

Thinking in Systems: A Primer
In the years following her role as the lead author of the international bestseller, Limits to Growth ―the first book to show the consequences of unchecked growth on a finite planet― Donella Meadows remained a pioneer of environmental and social analysis until her untimely death in 2001. Just before her death, scientist, farmer and leading environmentalist Meadows (1941-2001) completed an updated, 30th anniversary edition of her influential 1972 environmental call to action, Limits to Growth , as well as a draft of this book, in which she explains the methodology-systems analysis-she used in her ground-breaking work, and how it can be implemented for large-scale and individual problem solving. An invaluable companion piece to Limits to Growth , this is also a useful standalone overview of systems-based problem solving, "a simple book about a complex world" graced by the wisdom of a profound thinker committed to "shaping a better future. "Dana Meadows' exposition in this book exhibits a degree of clarity and simplicity that can only be attained by one who profoundly and honestly understands the subject at hand--in this case systems modeling. This is modestly called a primer, and indeed it is, but unlike most books with that title, this one quickly takes one from the elementary into deep systems thinking about issues as critical today as they were when Dana wrote these words. As the book moves from the 'mechanics' of systems dynamics to Dana's more philosophical perspective, we are treated to her inherent belief in human values that consider the good of all, and how much more effective considering the needs of others is likely to be in solving larger, complex problems. The universe and our society may be very complex and operate in counterintuitive, non-liner fashion, but following the insights of this book and applying them will provide for far more effective solutions to the challenges of a 7 billion person planet than current incremental, linear responses by governments, corporations and individuals." For her systems thinking included the expected things like recognizing patterns, connections, leverage points, feedback loops and also the human qualities of judgment, foresight, and kindness. To live sustainably on our planet, we must learn to understand human-environment interactions as complex systems marked by the impact of human actions, the prominence of nonlinear change, the importance of initial conditions, and the significance of emergent properties. "An inspiring sequel to Dana Meadows' lifetime of seminal contributions to systems thinking, this highly accessible book should be read by everyone concerned with the world's future and how we can make it as good as it possibly can be."
Reviews
"Pros. * Easy, non-jargony language. * Helpful diagrams. * Diverse real-world examples make it relatable. Cons. * Would have liked some exercises to help think through some of the concepts in the diagrams (e.g. feedback flows). * Would have liked some more in-depth case studies where systems thinking was applied, what the challenges were, how cross-functional teams worked together, etc."
"If you can get past the occasional typo this book will leave you with insights that you will use every day of the rest of your life."
"Read the book (your library may have a copy), then write your own review!"
"Reach, interesting material delivered in easy to understand, easy to follow, easy to reference form."
"From lucid introduction to basic stock and flow models to deep meditations on the messiness of reality and the need to extend both attention and caring beyond the limits of the quantifiable, this book is by far the best introduction to system's thinking that I have every read."
"Observe and identify the boundaries and the interconnections between systems before taking decision and judgement."
"A very accessible introduction to Systems, with some great examples and anecdotes."
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Best Creativity

Q&A a Day: 5-Year Journal
With questions that are sometimes provocative (“On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you?”), occasionally quirky (“What can you smell right now?”), and inevitably interesting (“If you could travel anywhere tomorrow, where would you go?”), this classically designed journal—embellished with beautiful details—is the perfect gift for anyone embarking on a new phase of life. Potter Style , an imprint of the Crown Publishing group, is a high-end gift book and stationery line, specializing in lifestyle, design, art, fashion, humor, and DIY.
Reviews
"However, you will get that with any journal that is attempting to come up with 365 unique questions. So it is overall a good little journal."
"But seeing those realities scattered throughout the journal is helping me realize what I can control and what I can't. Yes, there are some silly questions in here and some that don't lead to greater self-awareness or life-changing epiphanies, but I appreciated the variety, because I think I would have found it difficult to answer a deep or self-analytical question every single day."
"This book arrived with many bent pages and fairly dusty."
"I've always loved Journaling but, I am not always good at keeping up with it."
"A little smaller then I was hoping, but the size does make it portable so if I'm traveling it won't be such a hassel to take with me ."
"I LOVE this book and look forward to writing in it each day but a few things could make this book even more awesome. You don't always think much about what TV show you are watching but 5 years from now it'll be interesting to see."
"I love writing down simple thing every day and comparing how my life changes or doesn't changes over the course of time."
"Just got this yesterday and did my first entry."
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Best Vitamins & Supplements

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause
Most patients with Hashimoto's will present with acid reflux, nutrient deficiencies, anemia, intestinal permeability, food sensitivities, gum disorders and hypoglycemia in addition to the “typical” hypothyroid symptoms such as weight gain, cold intolerance, hair loss, fatigue and constipation. Izabella Wentz, Pharm.D., FASCP is a pharmacist, Hashimoto’s patient and pioneer in lifestyle interventions for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.
Reviews
"I saw three endocrinologists, three GPs, two neurologists, numerous chiropractors and massage therapists, two acupuncturists, and even a life coach and hypnotist (pretty much any health related professional whose bio suggested they might be able to help). This book introduced me to two concepts that were critical: Functional medicine, and Hashimoto's Gluten sensitivity. This led to several significant changes. The second came when I started looking for functional medicine doctors in Austin, TX and following the supplementation suggestions put forward in this book. Empty Stomach (AM): - Licorice drops. - Probiotic. - Saccharomyces Boulardii. Lunch: - Glutamine. - Methyl B12 (my Dr suspects a MTHFR gene mutation; regular B12 wasn't helping but this works great). - NAC. - Zinc (this was huge for me; gave me lots more energy). - Selenium. Bedtime: - Magnesium. - CoQ10. - Probiotic. - Fish Oil w/vitamin D. Many of these don't have to be taken with food and the order could be switched up. I'd recommend chatting with your doctor about lab work for vitamin deficiencies and reading Dr. Wentz's supplement guide."
"I've read the Stop The Thyroid Madness site, Mary Shamon's thyroid-info website, Dr. Alexander Haskell's book, Dr. Datiz Kharrazian's book and his diet recommendations, read what Jack Kruse has to say... I've looked into the GAPS diet, the paleo diet, the autoimmune paleo diet, and researched intestinal permeability and how to heal it. I'm so thrilled to have this book, it still seems too good to be true! :). I would suggest though, if there is ever a second printing, and an updated version, that the author include more advice/info on finding a good functional/integrative/holistic Dr. to work with, which testing is available and from which labs, how to navigate testing solo or with your Dr., etc."
"My antibodies went from 1200 + down to under 100 since then and I'm taking lower and lower doses of my compounded meds and cytomel."
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Best Interpersonal Relations

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
From thought leader Dr. Brené Brown, a transformative new vision for the way we lead, love, work, parent, and educate that teaches us the power of vulnerability. Every day we experience the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure that define what it means to be vulnerable or to dare greatly. But when we step back and examine our lives, we will find that nothing is as uncomfortable, dangerous, and hurtful as standing on the outside of our lives looking in and wondering what it would be like if we had the courage to step into the arena—whether it’s a new relationship, an important meeting, the creative process, or a difficult family conversation. Daring Greatly is a practice and a powerful new vision for letting ourselves be seen. “The brilliantly insightful Brené Brown draws upon extensive research and personal experience to explore the paradoxes of courage: we become strong by embracing vulnerability, we dare more greatly when we acknowledge our fear. —Maria Shriver " Daring Greatly is an important book -- a timely warning about the danger of pursuing certainty and control above all. The invitation in this book is clear: We must be larger than anxiety, fear, and shame if we want to speak, act, and show up. The world needs this book and Brené’s unique blend of warmth, humor and ass-kicking makes her the perfect person to inspire us to dare greatly." Brené Brown shines a bright light into these dark recesses of human emotion and reveals how these feelings can gnaw at fulfillment in education, at work and in the home. If you're a student, teacher, parent, employer, employee or just alive and wanting to live more fully, you should read this book. —Sir Ken Robinson "In an age of constant pressure to conform and pretend, Daring Greatly offers a compelling alternative: transform your life by being who you really are. —Michael Bungay Stanier, author of Do More Great Work "I deeply trust Brené Brown--her research, her intelligence, her integrity, and her personhood. So when she definitively lands on the one most important value we can cultivate for professional success, relationship health, parental joy, and courageous, passionate living...well, I sit up and take notice .
Reviews
"Last week I was sitting outside a coffee shop reading a book on my kindle when a youngish guy walked by carrying a coffee and a computer, looking for a place to sit. I promptly went back to my reading but I could feel his eyes boring into me as I anticipated the dreaded question. There's just something about the vast amount of information that I'm pressured to wrap into one or two sentences that completely overwhelms and paralyzes me. Part of me was tempted to lie to youngish guy by replying, "oh, it's just some silly novel." Allowing myself to be vulnerable led Patrick and I into a conversation for the next hour. Patrick, if you're reading this, c'était une joie pour vous rencontrer. This moment of unabashed vulnerability with Patrick was the beginning of a major shift in my life. She reinforces what I've known all along but been afraid of admitting--that vulnerability leads to happiness. Following Brene's advice and expertise garnered through her research and life stories, truly does work. It was the reading of Daring Greatly that prompted me to finally divulge my long kept secret of my history with an eating disorder; which wound up being my highest trafficked blog post of all time. If any of these questions ring true then I hope you'll read this book for yourself."
"In fact, "Vulnerability is the the core, the heart, the center of meaningful human experiences." The main concern of Wholehearted men and women is living a life defined by courage, compassion, and connection. It comes down to this: If we don't embrace vulnerability, we are destined to live a lonely, detached, unfulfilling life. Wholehearted Parenting: Daring to Be the Adults We Want Our Children to Be. - Final Thoughts. - Appendix -- Trust in Emergence: Grounded Theory and My Research Process. - Practicing Gratitude. Daring Greatly doesn't focus on the area of love and relationships, but it offers invaluable tools for deepening our love partnerships. For going deeper into vulnerability in the context of a romantic relationship, check out The Couple's Survival Workbook: What You Can Do To Reconnect With Your Partner and Make Your Marriage Work by Olsen and Stephens. More generally, if you're interested in Browne's concept of Wholehearted living -- the contextual framework of Daring Greatly -- check out The Gifts of Imperfection. It's not altogether easy, but it's deeply relieving to understand that this essential skill is not about simply stepping out under a hail of deadly arrows. It's about leaving behind lonely and fearful self-interest, having courage that deeper connection eagerly awaits us."
"I enjoy this book a lot and I’m thankful I had the opportunity to read it, it’s a book that will change how you see yourself and the rest of the people in the world."
"This a really important book for living well and learning how to tune out the noise of people who pile shame and guilt on others."
"Brene Brown is helping us to repair the fractured way many of us grew up to think and believe, and she does it with humor, empathy and lots of great story telling."
"Absolutely could not get into it."
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Best Psychology & Counseling

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself
Singer shows how the development of consciousness can enable us all to dwell in the present moment and let go of painful thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving happiness and self-realization. Copublished with the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) The. Untethered Soul begins by walking you through your relationship with your thoughts and emotions, helping you uncover the source and fluctuations of your inner energy. The accuracy and simplicity of this work is a measure of its pure mastery.”. — James O’Dea , past president of the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS). It is the clearest statement I know of who we are and what we face in our emerging humanity.”. — Jean Houston , philosopher, psychologist, and author of A Mythic Life and Passion for the Possible. It may take more than one reading and many hours of introspection, but The Untethered Soul is a must-read for anyone in search of greater understanding of themselves and of the truth.”. — Louis Chiavacci , senior vice-president of Merrill Lynch, ranked in Barron’s top fifteen US Investment Advisors. “This publication has released boundless joy for the hungry souls of the world.”. — Ma Yoga Shakti Saraswati, founder of Yogashakti International Mission and recipient of Hinduism Today’s Hindu of the Year 2000 award. With great eloquence, wit, and compelling logic, Singer’s brilliant book completes this thought by showing them to be two poles of the same selfless devotion.”. — Ray Kurzweil , National Medal of Technology recipient and author of The Singularity Is Near. Singer takes the reader on a journey that begins with consciousness tethered to the ego and ends having taken us beyond our myopic, contained self-image to a state of inner freedom and liberation. Michael A. Singer’s book is a priceless gift to all who have futilely searched and yearned for a richer, more meaningful, creative life.”. — Yogi Amrit Desai , internationally recognized pioneer of modern yoga.
Reviews
"I read the audio version of this book multiple times, bought copies of it for clients, and shared it with friends. After reading Michael's book, I simply allowed irrelevant, erroneous, totally made up thoughts to just float on by without attaching my emotions to them. It means you're no longer an emotional puppet on the string of everyone else's behavior, attitudes, decisions, choices, etc. I LOVED the audio version of the book because the person who read it was perfect for the content. I've read TONS of other books on similar topics but the way Michael conveyed the material was unique and different and I really GOT IT!"
"Some of the points made in The Untethered Soul are: 1. Learn to relax and stay open no matter what. Do not identify with the experiences you are observing. Facing the fact of bodily death can help you to realize that all of the observed is temporary. Do not allow painful experiences from the past to influence the present. If you want a life full of joy and love you must make a commitment to having a life full of joy and love. Learn how to live from your heart, not from your ego. The Untethered Soul is my second most favorite book on the subject of how to transcend the ego and how to realize the true Self and directly experience that perfect infinite consciousness that has only joy and love and has no suffering. My most favorite book on that subject is THE SEVEN STEPS TO AWAKENING which is a collection of quotes by these seven authors: 1."
"I see life and the spiritual journey differently, and though I do believe we all should strive for a happier life and a more peaceful spirit, I don't believe it is desirable to live without some unhappiness, some worries, some fears. The author contradicts himself many times, but more importantly doesn't indicate any awareness that he has contradicted himself. Thus, while the author makes many statements throughout that I agree with, he also constantly is making other statements that contradict previous ones, giving me the impression that he is just writing a stream of consciousness of statements cherry-picked to resonate with a broad range of spiritual-enlightenment-seekers, without much regard to whether those statements gel together to form a cohesive whole. Structure. I would not want to take that away from anyone, but sadly, it is not the book for me."
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Best College & University Financial Aid

The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2018: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes
Each entry contains all the necessary information for students and parents to complete the application process, including eligibility requirements, how to obtain an application, how to get more information about each award, sponsor website listings, award amounts, and key deadlines. — Honolulu Advertiser "Advice on applying for scholarships from start to finish." The Ultimate Scholarship Book gives a down to earth step by step method of finding, applying for and winning scholarships.”. —Lynda McGee, College Counselor, Downtown Magnets High School, Los Angeles.
Reviews
"You have to go through 196 pages to cover the state scholarships, even though there may only be 7 scholarships for your state."
"This book has a TON of information about scholarships, BUT it's layout and organization make it difficult to navigate."
"Also discovered a few scholarships that were posted as being available, but are no longer being offered (not because of a missed due date)."
"As an adult student, this book is geared for the student coming out of high school."
"So far this is the best book we have found but it is still hard to locate a specific scholarship and I found the organization of them confusing."
"Jam-packed with scholarships."
"OK the book is great you just have to look at every page to see if you might qualify."
"does not really provide anything you cant easily find on the internet and no real insight on getting scholarships."
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Best Occupational & Organizational Popular Psychology

Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles That Fuel Success and Performance at Work
When it comes to the pursuit of success and happiness, most people assume the same formula: if you work hard, you will become successful, and once you become successful, then you'll be happy. Success does not beget happiness. He gives more than 150 lectures a year on the science of happiness and human potential, which have been covered in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and NPR.
Reviews
"I saw Shawn Anchor's presentation on PBS where he explained a simple 5 minute technique called 'The 3 Gratitudes'. I was brought up in a culture of pessimism and had 50 years of experience that was so deeply entrenched that I decided that I would be the perfect candidate for experimentation with such a simple exercise. I've never had much luck trying to change my 'default mode' of negative self-concept (no matter how much therapy I've had or how many self-help books I've read) so I was really on a mission to prove this man and his ideas wrong! I listened to the whole book on tape to make sure I was doing it as explained in the television presentation and this is what I did: It takes exactly 21 days to create a new neural pathway so you have to do the exercise everyday for 3 weeks. You want to find the part of your routine in the morning where you have a moment (well, 5 minutes) (when you're having a cup of tea or coffee for instance). THE FUN-15: This one is the optional one but will speed up the process: You want to get 15 minutes of fresh air and exercise...a lovely walk with some sunshine if possible (if you're NOT up to this yet, you can add it in after 21 days when you feel better). After 3 months I figured there was something to this neural construction thing (or whatever it's called) and I kept doing 'The 3 Gratitudes' straight through till August. In September I decided to experiment and I stopped doing the exercise just to see whether I would go back to default (after 7 months of being a happy, optimistic, creative and grateful person). The only time I've slipped back into feelings of real pessimism was one week when I had the flu but it lifted as soon as I started recovering."
"I loved the TED talk and wanted fyi learn more."
"So much goodness is packed in here."
"Interesting to read (never seemed like a slight) and I remind myself, daily, of the suggestions it provided."
"More productivity, more smarts, more cooperation, more accomplishment. This one goes next to other keepers like New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and some other really impressive books that I just can't think of now but surely would know if I was standing right in front of my bookshelf at home that holds all the 'bibles' i've collected over 30+ years. Marcianne Waters, avid reader and avid happiness promoter (I hope)."
"This should be a must read for everyone that works in an organization environment."
"One of the best books out there on happiness."
"Hard to use a highlighter on an audio book."
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