Blog Archives
What I Tell Myself About Self-Protection
![What I Tell Myself About Self-Protection by [Michael Brown, Ilham Fatkurahman, Michele Mathews]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51jVElRdtIL._SX260_.jpg)
What I Tell Myself About Self-Protection is an educational resource for children, adults and educators. It teaches the reader through simple rhymes that danger lurks in the world and one must be prepared for it. It shows how different people, young and old, can get into scary situations that may be harmful to them. It then empowers them with the knowledge that they can protect themselves by fighting back, but also that it is okay to run away or call the police. It gives readers the tools necessary to take their safety into their own hands.
This is the most pragmatic picture book that I’ve read this year. It teaches children and adults valuable skills that might literally save their lives. It presents readers with various situations where the characters are in danger, and then shows them different ways they could protect themselves. Either by being aware of their surroundings, or dialing 911, running away, or by simply saying No and Stop. The art that accompanied each scene was clean, bright, and emotive. It reminded me of the D.A.R.E comic books that used to be distributed through schools. This is a great book for parents or educators to begin a conversation with kids about self-defense and when it’s acceptable to defend yourself. I appreciated how varied the talking points were. At end of the book readers are given a list where they can write down the contact information for different self-protection resources, which is a good resource to keep handy, or at the very least it’s a great opportunity to begin a discussion about each resource. Simply knowing that those people and services exist should help children understand that there are people in the world that will help them when needed. The book also provides a summary of a self-protection law case that helps give the books topic a real world reference, but may be more suitable for older readers. What I Tell Myself About Self-Protection provides practical advice that is easy to understand and simple to implement.
Pages: 30 | ASIN: B08BCNV9RB
Brittany’s Rose: Finding Peace After Losing a Loved One
She was a bubbly and jovial little girl one day and sickly the next. Brittany’s condition deteriorated along with her family’s spirit. When a loved one passes away, they leave with a part of us. You are left with a big hole in your heart that you have no use for. How then do you get past the loss? How do you feel the sun on your face again? How do you accept the loss and learn to live with it rather than let it derail your life? How do you finally find some peace despite the ache in your heart?
Brittany’s Rose is the story of a little girl’s death and her family’s journey through grief. It tells the story of their struggles with mourning. Mary Jane Clayton gives a candid account of what she and her family went through for the benefit of the reader. You can never truly prepare for such a loss. But with a book like Brittany’s Rose then you can hope for a better day. You can hope for a day when the grief will be more of a background ache than an earth-shattering life stagnating condition.
This is a quick read meant to help you get past the fog. To hold your hand through this turmoil. Because, really, there is no way to avoid it. The only way to get through it is to go through it. The author creates a sense of kinship with the reader by being honest and open. This book is written with the utmost empathy and is all heart. It is evocative and sad but comforting at the same time. It works whether your loved one passed recently or a decade ago. It is personal and uplifting and written in simple language. It is almost casual but still in a tone that lets you take in the message therein.
The simplicity of this book, the tone, the emotion, the personification of it and the honesty and transparency all make this book a great companion. Sometimes you have to let the healing happen naturally rather than forcing it. It is a natural process. You will also learn the importance of faith in the process.
Brittany’s Rose is a personal story that is always important and useful to someone. The one telling the story requires bravery and courage to tell their story especially one of this caliber so kudos to the author for letting us in. May all who have suffered losses be divinely guided through their grief to a space of peace and acceptance.
Pages: 206 | ASIN: B0792Y4LFF
Bully Friends
![Bully Friends by [Kelechi Uchendu]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41TtO33IHEL.jpg)
Bully Friends by Kelechi Uchendu is an uplifting and inspiring book about how to deal with bully friends, and how to cope with the way they’ve treated you. The book also tells you how to stop yourself from becoming a bully friend. The book explains how having good friends can change your life in a positive way. Kelechi Uchendu provides examples of bully friends, coupled with real-life experiences to let the reader know that they aren’t alone. At the end of every chapter is a page for you to write down your own experiences and ways you think you can improve your friendships.
Providing real-life experiences is great for young readers as they can relate to them. It helps the reader to not feel alone or like the author doesn’t truly understand what they’re going through. The pages to write on at the end of each chapter is great for the reader to identify the similarities between their situation and Kelechi’s so they can stop it. Overall, Bully Friends is a good book for young-adults to read so they know how to avoid bad friendships. Reading a book like this is good for kids to notice the toxic friendships they may have, so they can find better, nicer, and supportive friends.
Bully Friends is one of the most useful books that I’ve read this year as it gave me tools that I can actually use. Kelechi Uchendu covers almost every way a bully friend can abuse you mentally so her readers can avoid those situations. The relatable experiences and helpful advice can help to change anyone’s life for the better.
Pages: 34 | ASIN: B08D3YH1B9
Healthy Dividends
Tricia Silverman brings a wealth of experience on nutrition and health in a compact and informative book. She teaches readers how to beat unhealthy food cravings and reveals that one can enjoy night outs in restaurants without breaking their diet. She uses some fad diets as examples of how to recognize a diet that is more harmful than useful. This book also comes with useful tips for self-motivation. Motivation is quite possibly the biggest enemy of healthy living. How do you motivate yourself to eat a healthy meal when there is fast food wafting in your airspace?
Tricia Silverman is not fueled by popularity and certified by social media. She is an academically certified nutrition expert. Her advice is evidence-based and factual. Her programs have been top-rated by clients, beneficiaries, and peers in her field. She has a refreshing way of delivering her message. The tone in the book is light while still maintaining an air of professionalism. She engages the reader in her book right from the beginning with her warmth and demand for full participation. Her advice is practical and realistic. While some diet goals can be designed to make you fail, she keeps in mind that you are human. She knows that you need to build up to an expert level. This is why it is a nutrition staircase. Stairs are meant to be taken one at a time.
This book is an easy read that is both motivating and inspiring. It made me feel like healthy living is actually possible. It takes you, step by step, from a novice to a well-oiled healthy machine. The writing style is laid back with both original and borrowed nuggets of wisdom scattered all around. The language used in this book is simple and friendly. Like two friends sharing stories of their wellness journey. Tricia adds a personal touch by sharing her own story of struggles with weight as an obese child.
This book is everything a wellness guide should be. It is simple, engaging and backed by science. It comes from a place of expertise and experience. For all of that and more, this book deserves five stars out of five. It is a must-have for anyone looking to live healthy, prevent disease, and simply be happy. Tricia Silverman has done a wonderful job. This book is your own personal wellness coach.
Pages: 186 | ASIN: B07ZQMYSJ9
8 Paradoxes of Leadership Agility: How to Lead and Inspire in the Real World
![8 Paradoxes of Leadership Agility: How to Lead and Inspire in the Real World by [Chuen Chuen Yeo]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/414o6u3V9jL.jpg)
How can you become a leader in a world that is constantly changing? How can you become not just a good leader, but a great one? Yeo Chuen Chuen shares how her powerful Re4 coaching model can help you accomplish this in her book 8 Paradoxes of Leadership Agility. We cannot stop the world from changing, so we must adapt and Yeo Chuen Chuen provides leadership guidance that will help you adapt and overcome any obstacle.
The keyword I picked up with this book is ‘agile’. How can leaders be agile? It starts with a mindset. But saying and doing are two different things and I think this is where 8 Paradoxes of Leadership Agility sets itself apart from other self/professional development books. The Re4 Coaching Model is plainly demonstrated in a way that helps you see the world through an unbiased lens. At the end of this practical leadership guide I felt that I understood why I needed to change, but much more importantly, I understood how to make the change happen. This is accomplished by the sharing of thought-provoking and diverse stories of leaders who faced similar challenges. I also appreciated the coaching exercises that are provided because they help reinforce what was learned and challenge you to think critically.
It could be Yeo Chuen Chuen’s proprietary coaching method, or it could be the pragmatic and approachable way that the information is laid out, but in either case I found the Re4 coaching model to be beneficial. But I will stress that you must have a willingness to embrace change as this method does encourage leaders to be agile in practice and in mindset.
If you have struggled with other leadership models, haven’t used one before, or are looking for a new one that is on the cutting edge, then I think you will find 8 Paradoxes of Leadership Agility fits your needs perfectly.
Pages: 138 | ASIN: B0893JQ6YH
Overcome a Multiplicity of Adversities
Coach Michael Taylor Author Interview
The Cure For Onlyness is a motivational guide to help black men live a life filled with joy, passion and purpose. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Despite the mainstream media generated narrative that suggests black men are in danger of becoming extinct, I personally believe black men are positioned to experience unprecedented levels of success in America today. Now more than ever, black men need to be exposed to optimistic stories that refute the negative media generated stereotypes about black men. My intention with the book was to not only share some reasons for optimism, but to also provide some insights and strategies that support them in becoming optimistic about the future.
You have dedicated your life to empowering men and women. How has your experience helped you write this book?
After overcoming divorce, bankruptcy, foreclosure, depression and being homeless for 2 years living out of my car, I decided I wanted to share the lessons I learned during those challenging times in my life. Since I was able to overcome a multiplicity of adversities in my own life, I definitely have first hand experience in dealing with adversity. Being able to rebuild my life after all of these challenges gives me credibility and my story gives others permission to challenge themselves to overcome any adversity in their own lives. I’m a firm believer that experience is the best teacher, and my experiences have definitely made me a great teacher.
I enjoyed your view on positivity expressed in this book. What do you find is a common misconception people have about positivity?
Because of the over proliferation of negative news stories, most people are extremely pessimistic about the world right now. I on the other hand happen to be extremely optimistic about the future. A big misconception that people have about optimists is that we are in denial about the challenges facing our world. The truth is we aren’t. We simply choose to focus our attention on the things that are right with the world versus the things that are wrong. If a person is willing to look past negative media headlines they would find there are a lot more things that are right with the world than are wrong with it. It’s really all about perception and the lens through which we see the world. I love this quote by Deepak Chopra, “There are two types of people in the world. Those who believe the world is primarily a dangerous place with only moments of safety, and those who believe the world is primarily a safe place with only moments of danger. I choose the latter.
I found this book to be ultimately uplifting. What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your book?
I hope people will feel a sense of optimism in regards to race relations in this country and abroad. I personally do not believe race relations are getting worse in this country despite the current racial tensions we all feel. As an optimist, I see the world through an evolutionary lens and I believe humanity is still evolving. We are evolving in consciousness and ultimately, we will evolve to the understanding that we are all a part of one human family. More specifically, my hope is this book reaches the millions of men of color who have given up on their dreams and let them know they have everything they need already inside of them to create an extraordinary life. I hope my story inspires them to find their joy, passion and purpose in life.
Author Links: Website | Amazon | GoodReads
![The Cure For Onlyness: A Black Man's Guide To Joy, Passion & Purpose by [Coach Michael Taylor]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41MjX1bWt+L.jpg)
Discover the secrets of thriving as a black male in a world that is rigged against you with this definitive guide to self-improvement for black men!
Do you often find yourself despairing at the abysmal and “doom-and-gloom” statistics of black men? Are you tired of being forced to conform to noxious societal labels and subscribe to stereotypes that don’t serve your ultimate purpose and goals?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this guide might just be what you need.
In this powerful guide, Michael Taylor, an accomplished life coach and entrepreneur, shows you how to shatter limiting beliefs peculiar to black men and hands you the blueprint to living a life of joy, happiness, fulfillment and accomplishment.
The Process Way of Life
Faust Ruggiero Author Interview
The Fix Yourself Handbook presents an easy to follow process that will help positively change lives. Why was this an important book for you to write?
After seeing well over 2,000 people use the Process Way of Life become happier and more productive, I wanted to show readers that they can make these changes too.
This guide touches on a range of things from communication to setting and achieving goals. What were some ideas you felt were important for readers to grasp?
I want then to know that getting better doesn’t have to be a complicated process. I also wanted them to understand that the Process Way of Life presented in The Fix Yourself Handbook can help them understand themselves and how to live a happy life. If they are willing to commit themselves to the plan, they will see positive changes.
What do you find is a common misconception people have about happiness?
The most important misconception is that something outside of us is going to make us happy. The truth is that all we need is already inside us. We just need to understand how to access, understand, and apply it, and the happiness we receive will be genuine and sustained.
I appreciated how the book helped me understand emotions like anger and forgiveness. What is one thing you hope readers take away from your book?
I wanted everyone to understand that inside them is a wonderful and powerful person, and that if they are willing to take the time to make the changes, they will introduce themselves to that person.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
![The Fix Yourself Handbook: Using the Process Way of Life to Transform Your Life into a Happy, Healthy Journey by [Faust Ruggiero]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51+y7nUSX3L.jpg)
The Fix Yourself Handbook presents the Process Way of Life, a step-by-step program that can transform your life into one that is happy, healthy, purposeful, and content. Who we are is the product of the interplay between our physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual attributes.
The Process Way of Life’s fifty-two internal processes will help you create a state of internal balance as these four attributes operate together, providing you with a pure loving energy source that will change your life. Learning to understand and love yourself, and to apply your love to others, is the enduring final gift of the Process Way of Life.
The Process Way of Life is the product of more than twenty years of Faust Ruggiero’s research and practical counseling application. It is your guide on an exciting and enlightening life journey that will touch every part of you. The Process Way of Life creates one of life’s most exciting and wondrous life journeys, and yours is about to begin.
My Perception of the Afterlife
Linda Perry McCarthy Author Interview
Life Sounds In Verse deftly explores various emotions through lyrical verse. What was the inspiration that made you want to publish this book?
Some poets and writers have a muse. I pray that God will guide and inspire my words; to be an instrument in His hands to assure all of His love and to hopefully encourage the downtrodden who are without hope. Helping to build or re-build faith is another of my intents when I seek inspiration, which comes to me through the Holy Spirit. I also find inspiration in Nature and through all God’s creations, including my family. The scriptures are a tremendous source of inspiration for me.
You explore many different emotions and topics in this collection. What do you find yourself often drifting towards when writing?
I drift toward the hereafter, according to my deeply-held religious beliefs. As much as I enjoy living in the now, I am limited physically by Parkinson’s Disease. I drift toward and dream of the day when I can scale mountains. For now, I create my own scenarios- my own worlds, often word and digitally-created scenes in my perception of the afterlife.
In reference to emotions explored in my poetry, I am personally familiar with each—good and not-so.
My favorite poem from the collection is ‘The Boy Prophet’. Do you have a favorite from the book?
I have a few favorite poems. If I narrow the choice down to one, it would be, “Land of My Father’s Birth.”
Do you plan on publishing more works of poetry?
I have published seven books of poetry now, and I am presently working on another. Just a few days ago, my most recent book—a memoir–was released: “Family Forever.”
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Life sounds are sounds of truth, love, faith, hope and beauty, as well as sounds of pain, sadness and grief. Transmitted by the Author and Creator of such sounds, they echo in our hearts and minds as we find and use them for ourselves and for the good of others.
