August Reading List

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Instead of waiting until the end of the month to do a reading list, I thought I should start posting earlier instead of after the fact. So this month, I've been obsessed with The Maze Runner series.

In the first book, The Maze Runner, Thomas arrives in the Glade without his memory in a box that deposits him in the midst of a group of boys. Think Lord of the Flies meets the future that is in total upheaval. There is definitely a pecking order and each boy is assigned a job. The Glade is surrounded by walls on each side that close up every night. Runners have the job of trying to map the maze that encircles The Glade to try and find a way of escape. It's very much a young adult read but it's a good story of what trust is, is the individual or group more important, and what determines friendship.

The Scorch Trials continues the Maze Runner saga. They've escaped the maze but what follows is anything but better. The Gladers learn the Sun Flare has ruined the world as they knew and has infected most of the population with "the flare". WCKED is the group that put them in maze to try to find a cure and now they are testing them even further in this next set of trials set in The Scorch where humans don't quite act like humans but more like crazed, rabid animals.

The Death Cure is the third installment of the saga. I'm still in the middle of getting through this one, but it definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. Thomas continues to fight for his life, his friends, and to try and take down WCKED. More to come as I finish.

The Maze Runner movie franchise starts out very much in line with the first book. However, then it dramatically departs from the storyline in the books. That being said, although different, I think they are still very good. Some of the things depicted in the books would just be too difficult to try and convey on the big screen.

The Tea Girl from Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See is by far one of the most moving books I've read in a long while. I have loved Lisa See's books since I first read Shanghai Girls which was the first encounter I had with her work. I've since read most of her books, heard her speak, and been a loyal fan for years. The Tea Girl follows an Akha through her life in Yunnan province.

The Akha people are one of the 55 minority groups that exist within China's borders. Yes, China definitely has more than just Han majority. I actually spent 3 weeks in Yunnan province in 2001 and went to some of the places mentioned in The Tea Girl. It is a beautiful province that was extremely poor both in the novel and my personal experience.

Times have changed over the past 20 years and with the growth of the tea industry, Yunnan has become famous for their Pu'er tea. Tea is at the center of this story and how it shapes the life of Liyan. It is how her peasant family made a meager living prior to the opening of China and how Liyan ultimately triumphs. It the story of loss, love, struggle, enduring and overcoming.

It is also the story of mothers and daughters - a unique bond that defines who we are as girls and women the world over no matter race, creed, religion, or background. Read this book!

What have you been reading?

July Reading List

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How I have managed to keep up with books over the past month is some what beyond me, but thank goodness for audiobooks! Without them, I definitely would not be able to tear through so many books a month. Here's July's Reading List a little late!

Why Everyone Should Have a Journal

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Journaling is not just something certain creative individuals do, but it should really be something everyone does. Journaling helps in so many ways, from finding triggers to your stress, to helping with physical and mental health, and of course being a creative outlet.

Depression, PPD, and Decades of Living Through It: Chapter 1

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It scared me when I created the above title and picture that it has, in fact, been decades that I have suffered from depression.  I will be 38 in August and have suffered from depression since I was as young as 10 and probably earlier.  I read tonight a blog, www.wildtypebeauty.com, and was taken through this woman's inner struggle with depression and anxiety.  

July Goals - Mid Year Review

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Can't believe June is coming to an end. I feel like the month just began and here we are at the end already. I kind of feel that way about the whole bloody year. Seriously, how can it be July?? I'm having a hard time believing that I've actually accomplished several big goals this year already.

2018 Reading Challenge Courtesy of @AnneBogel

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June's Reading List

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As I mentioned in my May Reading List, reading is my favorite.  Yes, hear it in a 7 year's old voice almost at the point of a whine.  As an only child, it was my primary form of amusement.  Finding good books to read always makes me smile.  This month's reads seemed to have a theme of what matters to the soul, what is integrity, and how do we define loyalty.  I certainly didn't think I was embarking on a soul-searching selection of books this month, but alas, I guess I have.

How to Simply Grow Your Journaling Practice

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As I've mentioned previously, in my post The Power of Journaling, I have been pouring my heart out to the pages of any notebook, diary, or journal I could find. It wasn't until the past several years that I became a more dedicated journaler with a daily (well almost) habit of writing.

Level 10 Life Explained: A 3 Year Journey of Discovery

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Level 10 Life

 I first heard of the Level 10 life from Boho Berry who heard from it from Hal Elrod. I've always enjoyed goal setting, self-motivation, dreaming, planning, and creativity. This seemed to combine all of those things! Needless to say, I was very excited to do it myself. So, what exactly is this Level 10 Life thing?

6 Habits that will make you feel More Productive

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As I talked about in my Journaling post, I was really drawn to the daily ritual discussed in The Miracle Morning. It sounded equally like a great way to ease into the day as well as a way to get the creative juices flowing and as it touts "feel productive before 8am." I'm a bit of an overachiever; so, anything that makes me feel like I've already accomplished something is a win for me.


What constitutes this ritual? Why do habits and routine make us perform better? A habit is defined as "a settled or regular tendency or practice" which means it's something we perform on auto-pilot. It doesn't take extra thought or motivation to complete the action. When we have positive habits and rituals, our body goes through the motions without extra effort and sets us up with a foundation for daily success. Similarly, bad habits do the opposite but are oh so hard to break because they come naturally (eating fast food or smoking are some obvious examples). Good habits allow for us to reach life goals and set the tone for everyday life. With the Miracle Morning, you are training and implementing good habits while helping to visualize your end goal or life goals.

The first habit is silence. Just taking a few moments in the morning to give thanks for what you have; to meditate (if you wish to call it that).  Simply engaging in the act of not rushing to emails or social media or to your kids gives a fresh perspective on the day.  Daily gratitude has been shown to create real and long-lasting effects in one's everyday life.  Research done at Berkeley has proven that those that practice gratitude have better immune systems, have more joy, and are more helpful and generous.   Those alone seem like great reasons to start practicing silence and gratitude!

The next is affirmations.  I show my full affirmation board and talk about affirmations in another post.  Suffice it to say, I'm 100% on board with doing daily affirmations.  They make you feel better and according to some research, they help sculpt the brain and work the positivity muscle.  More can be read about affirmations here.

Along with affirmations, visualization is another key habit in the Miracle Morning.  If you can really see in your mind's eye what you want, you are already half way to getting there.  Most people wake up in the morning and go through the motions of everyday life without a thought as to what they want out of life.  Beyond thinking of the paycheck they need, that they have to feed their kids, that they somehow have to pay for college, that they need a bigger house, that they need more stuff.  Some are little better than zombies on the treadmill hoping they'll somehow run into the life of their dreams when they aren't actually going anywhere.  Yes, we all need money to pay for various things, but what do you really want out of life and why?  

Why do I want a really big 5,000 square foot house?  I love to entertain; I love traditional Southern decor and the grandness it demonstrates to me.  Those are the selfish reasons.  Ultimately, I want to have a house where fundraisers are thrown to generate donations to give back to the community.  I love historic preservation; I love children; I want to be able to give back.  No, you don't need a big house to give back - you can have a tiny house, not spend as much, and give cash.  That's just not me.  Plus, I've been living in less than 1500 square foot for a decade and I want room to spread out!

Exercise: the habit I love to love and love to hate at the same time.  We all know with our desk jobs that we have to exercise daily to prevent our middles from growing as we age.  Truthfully, I feel better when I exercise regularly. I used to go to the gym for an hour a day and walk for 2 hours a day, but I also lived in Washington, DC where everything was walkable and all I had to do was walk out the front door of my building.  I currently live on 400 acres full of forest without trails and on a relatively busy road.  I have to drive to go walk which takes time I don't have with a child and full time job.  This is an important habit I know; I'm just hoping with the new house and neighborhood I can get back to my walking habit!  I now try to do 20 minutes of exercise with Skimble or Sworkit.

Reading, as a habit, is important for a variety of reasons, but most importantly, it helps to develop the mind.   It boosts creativity, gives you new ideas, and helps you grow as a person.  Reading is my favorite habit and I have read every day of my life for pleasure with the exception of those 2 years of grad school!  You couldn't pay me to read for pleasure then!  Even 10 minutes can expose you to something you might not have otherwise encountered that day.

Scribing or writing every day is something that might seem to take a lot of time, but it doesn't have to.  Keeping a one-sentence journal every day is enough to get into the habit of it.  Writing down our thoughts and feelings helps to flesh them out, give them clarity, and make us really think about the swirling emotions, feelings, thoughts constantly circulating in our brains.  The Artist's Way does an excellent job of going into detail about how writing every day helps to unblock your creativity and open the mind to new possibilities.  

While the acronym is SAVERS, they certainly don't have to be practiced in any particular order.  Although, starting with Silence seems to work best, otherwise, you start going and promptly forget it!  I prefer starting with silence, making coffee, writing, doing affirmations/visualization, and the exercising but that's just me.

What about you?  What rituals and habits do you do daily?

6 Habits that will make you feel More Productive

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As I talked about in my Journaling post, I was really drawn to the daily ritual discussed in The Miracle Morning. It sounded equally like a great way to ease into the day as well as a way to get the creative juices flowing and as it touts "feel productive before 8am." I'm a bit of an overachiever; so, anything that makes me feel like I've already accomplished something is a win for me.

Affirmations

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I showed my affirmation board here, but I truly believe they work wonders. Affirming what you believe about yourself, your environment, and your life is a critical component in developing self-love, eliminating self-doubt, and telling the world what you expect from it. While that sounds a little like hocus pocus, it works for if for no other reason than giving a daily mood boost.

The Power of Journaling

I began journaling I think as soon as I could write complete sentences. I always was trying to find a way to getting everything going on in my head out. There was very little method is my scribing. Sometimes, I would write daily, even multiple times a day, and then other times, it would be weeks, if not, months...probably even years if I am honest. Regardless of frequency, I always returned. Things would become too overwhelming. Life would feel too bad. I’d be struggling with something I just couldn’t get over. Writing always seemed to help. It might not have helped immediately, but it just felt good to get some of the mundane madness out of the churn that existed within me.