favorite books
This is by no means a list of all the books I've read and loved. It's simply a great jumping off point if you are just getting started on your journey.
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The Power of Now
This one set me on my initial journey to find lasting happiness. I learned that since we cannot change the past and cannot control the future, the only moment in which we really have power is this present one.
Daring Greatly
Brene has several books that I love, but this one is a great place to start. Having courage means being vulnerable, and that's an important lesson to master for any type of change.
The Desire Map
Every year we set goals for things we want to accomplish. What if instead we decided how we wanted to feel and then set goals around those? Life-changing concept!
The Miracle Morning
What you do when you wake up can determine how your entire day goes. In as little as 6 minutes you can change the course of your day and ultimately your life!
who I follow
These are some of the thought leaders I am currently following. They have super inspiring books, blogs, vidoes, podcasts and posts on social media!
MEL ROBBINS
Mel is a motivational speaker and author. Her recorded coaching sessions on Audible are amazingly insightful!
MARIE FORLEO
Marie is an entrepreneur who inspires others to use their gifts to get what they want. I love her book Everything is Figureoutable!
SHAWN ACHOR
Shawn is a professor at Harvard who researches and speaks about happiness and positive psychology. His book The Happiness Advantage is one of my faves!
BRENE BROWN
Brene is a research professor at the University of Houston where she studies shame, vulnerability, empathy and courage. Be sure to check out her Netflix talks!
GABBY BERNSTEIN
Gabby is an author and speaker who focuses on spirituality and manifesting your desires. She has many great articles on her website!
top 5 tools
There are many practices I learned as I was researching how to get myself back to a happy place and reach my goals, but I would rate these five as the most effective for me.
Meditation
I used to say I was so busy I didn't have time to meditate. I felt it was adding one more "'to do" to my day and putting me behind on accomplishing all of my tasks. Once I started practicing it regularly, I found I actually accomplished more each day because it improved my focus, self-control and motivation. It also greatly reduced anxiety and negative thought patterns.
Journaling
I journal every day, usually first thing in the morning before my meditation. It helps to dump all the thoughts racing through my mind onto paper freeing up my brain to focus on the things I desire. It has also been invaluable in helping me analyze my thoughts and challenge their validity and then choosing the thoughts I want for each day.
Coaching
Having someone help me design a plan specifically for how I wanted my life to be and keep me accountable each week for steps toward those goals got me to where I wanted to be much faster. I have used coaching for career, health, happiness, relationships, personal struggles as well as finances. You don't need a separate coach for each. One skilled person can help with it all!
Books/Audiobooks
I have picked up a lot of useful tools and tips from the many books I've read. I have also found that listening to audiobooks most of the time I'm in the car keeps my mind focused on things of my choosing, not to mention keeping me from texting while driving and getting frustrated with traffic!
Quotes
I place quotes all over my house, car, office and devices and change them regularly. This is so simple but extremely powerful! There is motivation and encouragement everywhere I look. Again, it's about keeping my mind focused on the thoughts I want.
articles
Everyone Has a Story
By Brene Brown
I woke up this morning to the news of Anthony Bourdain’s death. I adored his work and our family made it a point to put all of his recommendations on our travel...
Happiness isn't the Absence of Negative Feelings
By Shawn Achor
Happiness feels intolerably elusive for many of us. Like fog, you can see it from afar, dense and full of shape. But upon approach, its particles loosen and...
Beginner's Guide to Meditation
By Gabby Bernstein
Over the last several years, meditation has come fully into the mainstream. There are suddenly tons of articles on the benefits of meditation, meditation videos all over...
The Truth About Why You Doubt Yourself
By Mel Robbins
I bet more than once that little annoying voice in your head has popped up. You know the one. The one saying "You think you can do that? Yeah right." Or one I've...