What’s on my Bookshelf – Volume 1

Books are important, I have learned so many valuable lessons and concepts and have tapped into parts of myself that I was not connected to all through reading books. In this article, I am sharing a few selections from my personal bookshelf.

The industry around books and authors have also been a big part of my business. Some of my favorite clients have been authors. I am drawn to their passion, their purpose, and the single-minded determination to publish their body of work to bravely share with the world. Every time I am invited to be part of the process of birthing a book, I am deeply honored.

In that spirit, I am sharing some favorites from my bookshelf, the ones that have rocked my world and changed the dynamic of who I am. Please share your favorites too. If you read from my selections, please share your thoughts either in a comment below or click to tweet one of the interactive boxes below.

Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert

This book changed me, and then it changed me again, and then a few more times. I often give it as a gift to friends and clients. The author beautifully shares her many experiences of dancing with fear. I prefer to listen to this book on audible.com, I feel like Liz is speaking directly to me and encouraging me to get past whatever I am dealing with. As a reward, on the other side of fear, there is growth, new opportunities, what you have been asking for… Big Magic also taught me how to embrace my creativity, I was able to see that although my creativity showed up in a different form, it is very real and undeniably mine. Check out the article I wrote about it on Medium.

Onlyness, Nilofer Merchant

I learned about Nilofer Merchant a few months ago and I have devoured her work. Her journey to success and reinvention is brilliant and inspiring. She is smart, funny, and you can feel her heart in her writing. She is living proof that wild dreams can be caught and one person can make a dent in the world, this is what she shares in Onlyness. Those are my people!

I initially found her when I stumbled upon her Ted talk… Got a Meeting, Take a Walk. So simple, so good.

Daring Greatly, Brene Brown

Daring Greatly is my favorite Brene Brown book. It was published a few years ago, but the content was recently updated and the audiobook was re-recorded in her voice, which makes all the difference. This book is all about belonging, in your personal life and professional life. When shit gets hard and when people or things you counted on fall short. Brene is a masterful author, she is a researcher, educator, social worker, and activist. Her diverse background roots her work in science and humanity in such an interesting way. In addition, she shares her life, her relationships, and her slip-ups. I had the opportunity to see her live last year and her connection with the audience was incredible, it felt more like a concert. I highly recommend her books and if you get the chance to see her live, jump on it

Linchpin, Seth Godin

I am a BIG Seth Godin fan, quite simply… he is a genius. His books are almost like Beatles songs, my favorite always changes, but Linchpin comes up in the top 3 regularly. This is all about doing the inner work to ensure that you make a difference regardless of what you do and where you do it. He calls it a manifesto and it is.

Just read it.

The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin

Gretchen is a prolific content creator and I have massive respect for this, it’s hard work and she consistently creates amazing content across platforms. Perhaps it is because she knows the value of happiness and time management. Her methodology, which is shared in the Happiness Project, it about creating habits that remove stress and overwhelm while making space for doing the things that make you happy.

It’s simple, the solution always is, that is the big takeaway for me from her work. Basically, stop overcomplicating things and make your bed!

What’s on your bookshelf?

P.S.  These book recommendations were included in my weekly Friday Finds email newsletter, a curated collection of things we find. Learn more about how Friday Finds originated and sign up to join our #FridayFinds tribe.