Reading Good Books

I made a reading goal this year. Reading has been on my back burner for a long time, and I can't believe how happy it makes me and yet I wasn't making time for it. Alas, the problems of most adults. But my goal in life is to do more things that I enjoy, and to do this I have to set little goals to get there. When I read I am happier, I am more reflective, I am more peaceful, I don't feel like 45 minutes of my life was sucked away through the evil Netflix monster. I also believe that everything we experience mentally and spiritually will go with us after this very short mortal life, and that makes me even more passionate about self improvement and experiencing all that life has to offer, and what history can teach us, through other people's experiences and lives. I can't believe how many places I can travel and how many people I meet through books, from my cozy little couch.

The lofty goal of 20 books this year is what I'm aiming for. That may be normal for some, few for some, I won't admit what a big jump it is compared to the last several years. Eek.

My first few books in 2017:

The Burnout Cure. Please read this if you are a tired ( feeling burnt out) Christian mother, or if you are a Christian mother who isn't too tired and overwhelemed...yet.

Alexander Hamilton. Amazing. Wonderful. A beast of a book but worth it. If you are a friend or neighbor you know I've been reading this since January because I'm a total nerd without an edit button and can't help sharing everything I was learning during his story. Also, I had to look up words about every other page (sometimes 3 times on a page). Chernow's vocabulary is...vast.

1. It doesn't matter where you came from (stop using that as an excuse)

2. It also doesn't matter if you had a crappy childhood (his mother was a prostitute, died when he was 13, creditors came and took everything (which wasn't much) He caught his first break because of his own hard work and dedication. Which brings me to #3...

3. Hard work and education can get you far (Read, read, read, read, read)

4. Marrying the right person is kind of important

5. Be open to new methods and ideas, with open, even medicine (both Hamilton and his wife survived the Yellow Fever because of this)

6. Follow your passions

7. Stick to your guns: your beliefs, your values (and maybe even literally, your gun)

8. Friendships impact who you are, choose very wisely

9. Grief changes you

10. Family is everything


The next book I read was the perfect one for after Hamilton:

A Man Called Ove. Please read, I laughed. I cried. I loved all of the characters, especially Ove.

Designing Your Life This was an interesting read about learning how designers think during invention and applying that to your life path. Written by two professors who both changed their professions in their mid 40's/50's and now teach this class at Stanford.  I can't recommend it enough for anyone feeling stuck in their profession/life, trying to decide which way to go for their profession/life and especially parents of High School seniors and seniors themselves. Way interesting to find out how effective life plans are found and prototyped (what lights you up, what energizes you, what drains you etc), also how most people will live 2-3 lives as far as professions and personal life.

Next up...
How Reading Changed My Life

and
Forget Me Not (By my friend Ellie Terry! Her first novel!!!)

I'm on the hunt for more books this year. Let me know any suggestions.