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Category Archives: books
What Not Reading a Great Book Taught Me About Giving and Receiving
I don’t have enough fingers to mark the number of times folks have told me to read Braiding Sweetgrass. The recommendations always sounded similar. It’s about indigenous wisdom and scientific knowledge and plants, they’d tell me. That sounded like a compelling premise to me, but also risked being a dry one. I was in graduateContinue reading “What Not Reading a Great Book Taught Me About Giving and Receiving”
Thank you in advance
This idea has been showing up a lot in my life lately. I just read You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero, and she talks about it. Before that, I read Becoming by Michelle Obama, and she talks about it too. Basically, the idea is that by expressing thanks for something that hasn’t yet happened,Continue reading “Thank you in advance”
You belong
I’ve been listening to the Audible audiobook of Micelle Obama’s Becoming on my evening walks. I feel like she’s my (extraordinarily accomplished) big sister, taking me under her wing when I need the perspective of someone a bit older and a whole lot wiser. Today, Michelle reminded me about the value that feeling like youContinue reading “You belong”
There’s something about the smell of a bookstore
I got to spend part of #smallbusinesssaturday at one of my favorites, Moon Palace Books.
Thanksgiving
I am trying to work through my personal experience of #Thanksgiving as an American holiday about gratitude and generosity with its oppressive and painful history. As part of this process, I’ve been reading resources on how to #decolonize Thanksgiving. It sounds like the current consensus is to teach kids about Native culture to combat bothContinue reading “Thanksgiving”
The things that are obvious to you
I still can’t stop thinking about the mantras speakers shared at @togetherliveevents with @hellosunshine. This one is from @priyaparker and hit me in the gut. As a self-critical perfectionist, I tend to think that if something is obvious or easy for me, it must not be valuable or important. Here’s a small example. Continue reading “The things that are obvious to you”
If it feels weird
One of the best mantras from @togetherliveevents was from the country music star Cam. She said, “If it feels weird, it’s weird.” Meaning, trust your own read on things, folks. Own it. Believe yourself. This is very much something I’m working on right now. It’s important for me, and it’s doubly important for my kidsContinue reading “If it feels weird”
Never stop growing
The other night, I attended @togetherliveevents and the speakers were each asked to share a mantra. No one asked me to share mine, but here I go anyway: Never stop growing. I believe deeply in the importance of growth and change throughout the lifespan. I really think we can’t fully live unless we’re growing. IContinue reading “Never stop growing”
What if you felt less guilty
I have been listening to the @audible_com audiobook of Come As You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by @enagoski. I have 29 minutes and 46 seconds left, and I can tell I am loving this book because I am delaying listening to that last bit. I just don’t wantContinue reading “What if you felt less guilty”