New Year Thoughts + Books

I couldn’t decide what book to read to start the year, and I’m still wondering what that was about. Typically, I look for a book that will set me on my path for the year, something that will energize me to power through, and maybe that’s why nothing spoke to me. Yesterday, while passing the soccer ball around with my son in the backyard, he said, “Mom, it’s not about power; it’s about accuracy.” As someone with an appetite for books about power (a la 48 Laws of Power), his coaching in the moment made me wonder if maybe this is my season of accuracy or wonder or both. With all of the coaching work I’m doing, this is a season of action: gaining clarity around goals, making them super-plain, and taking tiny steps. “What do you mean when you say you’re going to ‘level up’ this year? In what area? And by how much? In what ways are you going to level up by the end of the year?

If you’re wondering what I settled on, it’s Ina Garten's “Be Ready When Luck Happens.” I walked past a bookstore on a rainy day, slid in, and decided this was it. I don’t know anything about her, with the exception of hearing her name here and there. I love memoirs and talking about luck.

If you’re looking for something to read, here are some books I’ve been recommending this year:

1. The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, greed, and Happiness: There’s a good amount of stress about money, and I have always found that the more people learn about money, the less stress they have. Read this and take Kahn Academy’s FREE financial literacy course.

2. Loving Bravely: Twenty Lessons of Self-Discovery to Help You Get the Love You Want: Relationships require skills, and if there’s anything you want to work on in your life, let it be love. I’m talking to Dr. Alexandra Solomon in my online community next week, and I'm very excited about that.

   

3. All Fours: This was the book I talked about for a few weeks straight (like everyone else I know). 🙃 It’s interesting, different, and bending, and I think we could all afford to spend a few hours outside our comfort zones. Don’t listen to the reviews.

Anyway, I could do book recommendations for hours, but I have to get going. Happy hump day, Substack!

Myleik