Life is best as a perpetual learner. As soon as you think you know something fully, you close your mind from the possibilities and complexities that could bring depth and understanding to a whole new level. I am continually amazed by the connections and parallels I find as I continue to read and discover new ways of thinking in new and old ideas. What seems completely unrelated at first, suddenly becomes integrated and a deeper sense of understanding sets in.
I am committed to staying open, curious, and receptive. I have created huge periods of growth in my life because of the words of strength and wisdom I have found in books. As soon as I finish one book, I take notes into a Journal to record the key points, and then I move on to the next.
I have always struggled with traditional modalities of organized education. As soon as I feel like I am engaging in an activity because I am being told to do so, rather than being fueled by my own curiosity and discipline, I begin to lose passion and excitement for the task at hand. I do believe education is important - of course it is. But I am a huge advocate for self-led learning. If you read, engage in conversation, write about what you are noticing and learning, research ideas and what others are saying about similar topics, and reach out to experts and wisdom-full masters to gain support, you have just created your own course to expertise.
There is always more to learn and certifications/diplomas/degrees can be seen as icing on the cake versus the be-all-end-all of what it takes to get the accolades you deserve. No excuses. Pick up a book and get your education in full swing.
If you love to read, and you want to find a book that will spark intense curiosity and growth, check out my list below. In no particular order, these books have been #gamechangers for me. Click the links to find more info on each book and to order a copy for yourself today.
MY BOOK on Amazon ;)
1. Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
2. The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathon Haidt
3. Switch by Dan and Cheap Heath
4. The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
5. 12 Brain Rules by John Medina
6. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
7. Find Your Happy by Shannon Kaiser
8. The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte
9. Mindset by Carol Dweck
10. The Yamas and Niyamas by Deborah Adele
11. Living Your Yoga by Judith Lasater
12. Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson
13. The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge
14. Creative Confidence by Tim & David Kelley
15. The Hour Between Dog and Wolf: How Risk Taking Transforms Us, Body, and Mind by John Coates
16. Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior by Leonard Mlodinow
17. Meet Your Happy Chemicals by Loretta Breuning
18. The War of Art: Seize the potential of your life in three inspirational steps by Steven Pressfield
19. Mindsight: the new science of personal transformation by Daniel J Siegal
20. Rising Strong: The reckoning. The rumble. The revolution. by Brene Brown
21. The Untethered Soul: The journey beyond yourself by Michael A. Singer
22. Spark by John Ratey
23. Everything's an Offer: How to do more with less, by Robert Poynton
24. The Anatomy of a Calling by Lissa Rankin
25. The Fear Cure by Lissa Rankin
26. Creativity, Inc by Ed Catmull
27. Building the Bridge as you Walk on it by Robert E. Quinn
28. Immunity to Change by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey
29. Shadow Syndromes by John Ratey
30. What Makes Love Last by John Gottman
31. Perfectly Imperfect by Baron Baptiste
32. Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh
33. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
34. The Book by Alan W. Watts
35. TED Talks: The official guide to Public Speaking by Chris Anderson
36. But What If We're Wrong by Chuck Klosterman
37. Staying Healthy With Nutrition: The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine by Elson Haas
38. Nourishing Wisdom: A Mind-Body Approach to Nutrition and Well-Being by Marc David
39. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
40. The Gift of our Compulsions by Mary O'Malley
41. SmartTribes by Christine Comaford
42. The Mind by Daniel Siegal
43. Healing Myths, Healing Magic by Donald Epstein
44. Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown
45. How Emotions are Made by Lisa Feldman Barrett
46. Conscious Communication by Miles Sherts
47. Stealing Fire by Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal
What book(s) sparked change and inspiration in you? I would love to hear about it! marinmccue@gmail.com