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Look Inside Yourself for Healing
Authentic Power: Give Yourself Permission to Feel offers science-based facts and solutions that help readers start their personal journey towards healing. Why was this an important book for you to write?
This is the book I wish I had when I was going through my health crisis of Lyme disease and postpartum depression. I also felt called to write this in the early days of the pandemic when I found myself faced with familiar feelings: Anxiety, grief, confusion, despair, and more. Yet this time around, I gave myself permission to feel all of those messy critters, and felt called to write about my healing journey in hopes to inspire others to move through and process their feelings in healthy ways. The pandemic was a collective trauma for our world, and we as humans need to give ourselves permission to feel all of the feelings from these past two years because that is where healing and transformation will happen.
I appreciated all the references and research that went into this book. Was there anything that surprised you during your own research?
I interviewed several experts about the science behind stress and how chronic stress takes a toll on the body. Dr. Marianne Teitelbaum, an ayurvedic practitioner, discussed that stress particularly takes a toll on the immune system. Stress was a constant element in my life as a journalist, and when I look back now, it’s no surprise that the stress on my body from my career and previous life circumstances such as witnessing my father’s death later continued to my impacting my immune system, leaving my body unable to fight Lyme disease.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
There are so many important themes that the book explored, including grief, connection, feelings, spirituality, empathy, and more.
The theme of grief was a very important subject for me to explore because I had spent most of my life burying the loss from my father at the young age of eleven years old. In chapter 6, I interviewed renowned grief therapist Edy Nathan, discussed how we can lean into the power of grief. When Lyme disease hit me on the head and death felt near, I began to revisit losing my father in a way I never had before. Instead of ignoring my feelings of grief as I had done so for more than twenty years, this was the first time I allowed myself to feel, process, and move through my grief. What I discovered was profound healing, peace, and discovery of a way to have a relationship with my father, even in death.
Another theme I felt very important to address was the importance of the power of connection to heal our lives. When I was in the throes of my health crisis, I was isolated and alone, and preferred to stay that way. But something called me to reach out to my loved ones and friends and get vulnerable about what I was experiencing. What happened next will forever be with me: I was met with open arms of compassion, love, and understanding. My connections with people deepened. I found that when you get honest and vulnerable with what you are experiencing and how you are feeling in your life, you open yourself up to deeper and more powerful connections with others.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your book?
As a society and culture, we are taught to look outside of ourselves for answers, especially when it comes to healing. Yet my hope is that by reading Authentic Power, readers will feel empowered and inspired to discover that we already hold those answers inside of us. We are the experts of our own lives, and when we get quiet and still, and turn off the outside noise, therein lies our Authentic Power, which is the wisdom we have within each of us. We need to learn to trust that wisdom and once we do, profound healing and transformation happens. My story and journey is a testament to that.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Facebook | Website
Whether it’s grief, despair, or anxiety, society will always find a way to label feelings as “messy.” But burying these reactions only leads to greater emotional turmoil. In the past, we have looked to self-help gurus like Gary Zukav, whose Seat of the Soul inspired Oprah Winfrey to help America process trauma. So why did that book resonate with her, and what does everyone still love about Oprah? It’s not that she’s rich or that she’s successful…it’s her authenticity. She taps into what she has described in her SuperSoul Sundays as Authentic Power: uniting all the pieces of herself so that she’s always bringing her whole self to everything she does. Oprah didn’t ignore her messy feelings: she shared them with America, and she processed and integrated them in order to tap into her own authentic power. She became her authentic self, which exudes from her in every second that you see her.
In Authentic Power: Give Yourself Permission to Feel, accomplished entrepreneur, journalist, publicist, and award-winning podcaster Ashley Bernardi continues the brave work of these great thought leaders by teaching you that your darkest hours are disguised opportunities to uncover and process, feel, heal, and grow.
Bernardi’s personal journey began when she witnessed her father’s sudden death at age eleven. Years later, a mysterious illness began a personal quest toward healing and taught her that trauma and adversity can be sources of strength and self-discovery. Through daily affirmations and writing prompts, you will discover Ashley Bernardi’s F.E.E.L. Framework:
Focus
Enter
Experience
Learn
You will explore chapters such as:
Embrace the Waves of Emotions
Lift the Emotional Fog
Make Space for the Brave Conversations
The F.E.E.L. Framework
Balanced Body, Balanced Heart
Discover Your Deeper, Powerful, Self
Exercise Your Empathy
As the founder of a national media relations and publicity firm, Ashley has the privilege of access to many of the world’s leading experts in health and wellness who offered healing and hope with her personal challenges—a rich collection of top doctors, neurologists, psychologists, nutritionists, coaches, spiritualists, and others. She shares their profound wisdom so that you can build hope during your times of struggle.
Bernardi searched for true healing and growth for more than twenty years; Authentic Power equips you with the tools to ignite your own journey now.
Keys to Healthy Communication
To sustain a fulfilling life, one must make a lifetime commitment to a healthy life. But what is the general definition of a “healthy life?” After witnessing the COVID-19 pandemic, the Keys to Healthy Communication was written. Authors Dr. Bobby Patton, Dr. Rusalyn Andrews, and Dr. Jennifer Daily developed this self-help guide to educate readers on improving interpersonal communication.
The first section, ‘Overview,’ outlines the many types of health and the necessity of the complementary relationship between personal and social health in achieving total well-being.
The first essential key to effective communication is ‘Authenticity,’ covered in section two. People are inundated with numerous erroneous beliefs and “alleged” facts, prompting them to question their own beliefs or those of others until they have properly analyzed and compared them to proof. The degree of sincerity exchanged between partners is also advantageous to the health of intimate relationships. Being unreal causes a skewed conscience, which leads to manipulation, dishonesty, and even abuse. Conversely, mutual trust in one another boosts productivity and decides the failure or success of society.
The importance of the second key to effective communication, ‘Empathy,’ is highlighted in the third section. Given people’s natural propensity to develop sympathy, empathy is seen as a key that may be taught through mindfulness or “moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness.” In addition, empathy is essential for a dynamic society because it allows people to empathize with people and cultures they do not necessarily identify with or agree with.
Section four is on ‘Empowerment,’ which depicts self-control and the ability to self-regulate, as well as comprehending the extent of one’s own choices and the repercussions of those actions, as well as detecting the power centers at play. Social variables that induce ill health are caused by a lack of self-authority.
The fifth section explains the activities, skills, and attitudes that should be practiced and a strategy for promoting good communication throughout one’s life. Finally, it breaks down all of the measures to improve one’s physical, mental, and relationship health into categories based on age and environment.
Keys to Healthy Communication: Authenticity, Empathy and Empowerment is an extensive self-help book filled with practical and actionable guidance. This well-researched book explains how individuals may adopt and learn certain practices and skills in daily lives to help them develop as a person.
Pages: 204 | ASIN : B09R4L4BRV
Authentic Power
Authentic Power: Give Yourself Permission to Feel, is a thought-provoking self-help book by author Ashley Bernardi. This inspirational collection of anecdotes and affirmations is compiled in a book that is part journal and part self-help, providing information on how to handle trauma and the overwhelming emotions that go with it.
The author draws on her hurtful past experiences of witnessing her father lose his life to a fulminating heart attack when she was nine years old. She also opens up about the long process of searching for a diagnosis for a mysterious chronic illness that left her severely debilitated. Bernardi offers readers different insights and strategies that they can use to navigate stress and trauma in their lives.
This helpful book is a unique work that is different from traditional self-help books. The layout is in the form of a journal, where each chapter begins with a small introductory text and includes a paragraph with a positive affirmation to be said aloud, a quote, and a blank space where the reader is encouraged to put into practice the proposed exercise. Some examples of the exercises included are to make a list of objects for a self-care kit or to express their thoughts after their first attempts at meditation. This organization and structure makes for a safe environment where anyone can express their emotions freely, away from third-party judgments.
It should be noted that the author’s strategies and tips are validated with evidence-based data, and she makes sure to cite the sources in between pages. This makes her work stand out from other self-help books that might rely more on religious doctrine and be as adamant about following scientific guidelines.
The book includes approaches to challenges that have arisen amidst COVID-19. This updated work is another differential that will lend a hand to those struggling with social distancing and losing loved ones during the pandemic.
Authentic Power: Give Yourself Permission to Feel is a secular, science-based self-help book for those that are looking for a fresh approach to dealing with grief and trauma. Readers will learn how to build emotional wellness through the steps set forth in this well-researched book.
Pages: 195 | ASIN : B09FTLLSLM
Your Smartphone Can (and Will) Save YOU!
Your Smartphone Can (and Will) Save YOU!: An insider’s guide on how to make great money just by using a smartphone written by Wanda W. Garcia is an illuminating book that delves into modern marketing. But, most excitingly, Wanda Garcia explains to readers how they can make extra income just by using their phones.
With the rise of social media, we see how influencers online make money just by using their social media accounts. Wanda Garcia explains how easy it is to become an online influencer, even if starting out with only a tiny following. Growing a social media account can be as easy as following a few simple steps that she outlines in her book. This quick read explains her straightforward method for gaining organic followers, being competitive, and the kind of content you should post. The combination of information will lead readers to a more extensive following than they could have imagined.
Readers will enjoy Wanda Garcia’s engaging and conversational style of writing. The author is also hilarious, sharing light moments with the reader. This book will come in handy for readers who want to dive into being an influencer but have no idea how to start. The author uses an appealing and gentle tone that makes the reading experience fun. Want to create a YouTube account? Confused about how Tiktok works? Is your Facebook account active? Thinking of joining the podcast world? Wanda Garcia has all the bases covered. The author touches on almost every aspect of social media, sharing her knowledge on how to build your online image and how you can monetize the content you post.
Your Smartphone Can (and Will) Save YOU! will have readers looking at and using their smartphones differently. This book is excellent not just for the young but also for people in all age groups who want to leverage influencers’ power and make money using the latest social media applications.
Pages: 62 | ASIN : B09DTJY6C2
Self-Love Toolbox
After the last two years, we are all more than ready for a fresh start. The new year is the best time to reexamine our priorities and practice self-love. Unfortunately, while many make resolutions, few seem to keep them as the new year kicks off. It could be that accountability, or the lack thereof, is the reason many of us fail at keeping those bold New Year’s Day proclamations. Truly changing the way we look at ourselves and thoroughly examining our own goals takes time but is more than worth the time and effort it takes to do the work.
Self-Love Toolbox – Powerful Steps to Help Retool Your Life Starting Today! is a self-help book written by Wanda W. Garcia. Readers looking for a very formal, preachy text that takes lots of patience to pour through will not find it here. Instead, Garcia goes to great lengths to give readers a down-to-earth, easy-to-follow instruction manual for making much-needed changes in their lives. She makes no promises for miracles and her honesty is refreshing. In fact, much of the book reads like a conversation with a good friend.
Garcia writes in a conversational tone and low-pressure kind of way. This nine-step program is presented in a format that is easy to follow and puts all of the work and self-examination in the reader’s hands–accountability is the name of the game. In no uncertain terms, Garcia tells readers from the beginning that journaling is a requirement for the success of her program. She gives readers lots of space to respond to prompts and self-reflect within the book’s pages.
Unlike other self-help books that focus on the author’s story and personal experiences, this one instead puts the reader’s needs at the forefront. The Self-Love Toolbox is as much a workbook as it is expository text. Readers will not be disappointed in Garcia’s approach. Virtually every page is dedicated to self-analysis, whether it’s examining attributes and assets or making SMART goals. Garcia discusses the barriers we encounter and spends a significant amount of time helping readers dig deep into finding ways to overcome the obstacles that stand in the form of truly loving ourselves.
Self-Love Toolbox – Powerful Steps to Help Retool Your Life Starting Today! will appeal to readers looking for a new approach to life changes and self-improvement.
Pages : 161 | ASIN : B08C2M6QFT
Reach Your Dreams
Reach Your Dreams is eloquently written by Alice Chan to help us uncover our true selves by leaning into becoming more of what we are born to be: the creators of our own reality. “Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” This is the quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson that the author opens this fantastic book with. It is the base by which her book is founded. It teaches readers to trust the Universe or God, whatever name they would like to give it.
Alice Chan gives readers a refreshing and honest perspective to creating a beautiful, passionate, and inspired life. In a gentle yet firm voice, Chan tells readers how to remove the barriers in their life that keep them from being the best that they can be, even if it is themselves. She helps readers learn precisely how to tap into their potential and celebrate the life they create while reaching for their dreams.
She provides five steps that will give readers the best chance at success. The steps she elaborates on in her book are: releasing limiting beliefs, envisioning the life you want, acting on inner guidance, celebrating the good in your life, and honoring the current you. Each of these essential steps detailed in this through-provoking self-help book Alice Chan will help readers realize their potential.
This is the perfect book for anyone who’s ever felt scared or afraid of not making the necessary changes in their life to be successful. Reach Your Dreams gives readers the tools to picture and gain clarity on their dreams, release fear and doubt, and take inspired action towards their personal truth. Alice Chan truly helps readers regain the confidence to go after their dreams, allowing them to take control of their lives and live it the way they have always deserved.
Reach Your Dreams is an encouraging and inspiring self-help book. This book is truly an insightful and practical guide to living a life not only of your own creation but a life that is fun, fulfilling, exciting, and made entirely by you!
Pages: 204 | ASIN : B07957MQQ7
Your Next Big Idea
Samuel Sanders has written an inspiring and encouraging book that will have you view life in a different dimension. Readers will find encouragement to think outside the box and try out things that they previously would not have paid attention to. Samuel Sanders is a diverse author writing to readers of all levels. Whether readers are a student, starting a small business, or are in the corporate world, Samuel Sanders will share with readers how they can grow that small idea that they have been sitting on. The author has a guide that will enable readers of all kinds to grow as a person and as a brand.
Your Next Big Idea: Improve Your Creativity and Problem-Solving is a great book for both creatives and those that do not consider themselves to be creative. Samuel Sanders will bring out the creativity in those that read this intellectually invigorating book. The author directs his readers to think beyond their surroundings. The language and tone the author uses are friendly and welcoming, like having a conversation with a friend or colleague. This approach is helpful for getting outside of your comfort zone and really analyzing methods that will work to advance whatever project you are engaged with. These tools will benefit people across all areas in life and can be applied to more than just business undertakings. Reading this inspiring book will make readers aware that the next big thing in whatever project they are working on is achievable.
Your Next Big Idea: Improve Your Creativity and Problem-Solving covers topics like identifying problems and looking for solutions, how to be an inquisitive person in an intelligent manner, erasing stigmas, strategizing in different areas, welcoming ideas, and how to interact with those that have the same mindset. This is the ideal book for readers looking for problem-solving skills and how to be better in one’s craft.
Pages: 225 | ASIN : B08QZXG1X4
Truths that Transform Lives
Jess Lederman Author Interview
Hearts Set Free follows the interweaving tales of characters on a journey that illuminates both faith and love. What served as your inspiration for this wonderful novel?
People who know that Hearts Set Free contains autobiographical elements (and several historical characters) sometimes ask me, “How much of the story is true?’ And I answer, “Perhaps twenty percent—and the rest is even more true!” What drives my writing is the desire to convey truths that transform lives. Truths of the heart. There were several inspirations: the first was my own journey, from being an arrogant atheist (for the first fifty years of my life!) to a follower of Christ. The story was also born out of tragedy. At the prime of her life, only a few years after we had both become Christians, my late first wife was diagnosed with ALS and given two years to live. She’s very much the model for one of the major characters, Joan Reed. We chose to spend her last days on earth together in a small town in Alaska, and lived not far from the headquarters of the Iditarod, the iconic thousand-mile dog sled race. It’s no coincidence that my novel begins with the Great Race of Mercy of 1925, the heroic effort to get diptheria serum to Nome to save ten thousand lives, which inspired the Iditarod.
Yura and Luke are intriguing and well developed characters. What were some driving ideals behind their character development?
One of the themes of Hearts Set Free is how people come to faith and deal with doubt. I put aspects of myself into several of the characters, including young Luke, although I only wish I had his courage and purity of heart. Yura and Luke Noongwook are native Alaskans, mother and son, and they embark on a quest to bring back Victor, who is Yura’s husband and Luke’s father. He’s a hero of the Great Race of Mercy who has abandoned them for a beautiful reporter from New York. Yura has a warrior’s spirit, and has resolved to kill the woman who stole her husband. Thirteen-year-old Luke is desperate to have his father back. I won’t spoil the plot by revealing whether or not they find Victor and bring him home, or whether Yura follows through on her plans for revenge, but I’ll say this: on their long journey, these two, who at the beginning know only the Inuit gods, do find their true Heavenly Father. God draws all people to Himself, though some respond quickly and others come kicking and screaming. How they respond when the Hound of Heaven is nipping at their heels is the key to their character development.
Your characters overcome many obstacles and are testaments to the human spirit. What do you hope readers take away from your story?
First of all, I hope they enjoy the story and love the characters as much as I do. What I’d love for readers to be inspired by is how many of the characters seek to make their faith a reality in their day-to-day lives. There are several points in the story where characters are discussing Scripture, wrestling with difficult passages, and coming to terms with doubt. What does it really mean to follow Jesus? What is involved in forgiving our enemies, let alone loving them? My characters struggle to come to terms with these things, not out of some academic interest in theology, not as a Bible-study exercise, but out of a burning desire to love God with all their heart, strength, soul, and mind. If a reader is motivated to do the same, I’ve accomplished everything I could ever hope for in writing Hearts Set Free.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m hard at work writing The Church on Misfit Row, which is set in Las Vegas in 1955. God willing, it will be completed in 2020 and available shortly thereafter!
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
![Hearts Set Free: An epic tale of love, faith, and the glory of God's grace by [Lederman, Jess]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41X5Kn01MCL.jpg)
Hearts Set Free weaves together three tales of men and women who journey from the darkness of doubt to triumphant faith and from the ache of loneliness to everlasting love.
In 1930, the rag-tag riffraff of a railway stop called Las Vegas need a fighting man to shepherd their tiny church after their pastor is murdered. Might David Gold, a washed-up boxer and Bible-school dropout who fights as the Pummelin’ Preacher, be the answer to their prayers?
At the same time, Luke, a native Alaskan boy, is on a quest to find his father, who has abandoned his family for a beautiful woman his warrior mother vows to kill. The journey of mother and son will lead them to the Nevada desert, and to truths–and terrors–of which they’d never dreamed.
In 2011, Science Cable T.V. producer Tim Faber is determined to prove that mankind has no need of God, while his lover, Joan Reed, strives to regain the faith of her youth. They’re bound for Las Vegas to meet with a 99-year-old man who holds the key to a mystery they must solve–and answers that will forever change their lives.
LITERARY TITAN 