“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.”― Henry Ford
I love growing in my knowledge and never want to stop learning! With a fairly demanding schedule it has been important for me to be creative in the way I do this. Listening to audio-books is a great way to immerse myself in new ideas while driving and has allowed me to explore many topics.
This week I’ll share with you some of the books I have been listening to lately. Perhaps it will inspire you to read one of these books, or explore a topic you’ve been meaning to look into.
The books range in authors from doctors to navy seals. The topics cover leadership, healing, and vulnerability. But each of these authors is passionate about their story, making for a compelling read!
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
“The Way of the Essentialist isn't about getting more done in less time. It's about getting only the right things done. It is not a time management strategy, or a productivity technique. It is a systematic discipline for discerning what is absolutely essential, then eliminating everything that is not, so we can make the highest possible contribution towards the things that really matter.
The disciplined pursuit of less empowers us to reclaim control of our own choices about where to spend our precious time and energy - instead of giving others the implicit permission to choose for us. Essentialism is not one more thing - it's a whole new way of doing everything. It's about doing less, but better, in every area of our lives.”
My biggest takeaway: I loved the chapter on eloquent ways of saying "no" and setting boundaries so you can focus on the things that are truly important to you. This is an area that I have room to improve, and will be working on implementing some of the strategies.
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown
“Every day we experience the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure that define what it means to be vulnerable or to dare greatly. Based on twelve years of pioneering research, Brené Brown PhD, LMSW, dispels the cultural myth that vulnerability is weakness and argues that it is, in truth, our most accurate measure of courage.
Brown explains how vulnerability is both the core of difficult emotions like fear, grief, and disappointment, and the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, empathy, innovation, and creativity. She writes: “When we shut ourselves off from vulnerability, we distance ourselves from the experiences that bring purpose and meaning to our lives.”
Putting ourselves out there means there’s a far greater risk of getting criticized or feeling hurt. But when we step back and examine our lives, we will find that nothing is as uncomfortable, dangerous, and hurtful as standing on the outside of our lives looking in and wondering what it would be like if we had the courage to step into the arena.”
My Biggest Takeaway: She had a parenting section of the book that I thought was fascinating. She discusses knowing your values and then having your actions consistently reflect these values. If everything is in alignment, things tend to go more smoothly, but if there is a gap (i.e. you say you value one thing, but this isn't always how you act), this can be very confusing to kids and lead to difficulties in the relationship. I also thought that some of the key differences between men and women that came out in her research were really interesting. They helped me understand a bit more about why my husband and I think differently on certain topics. I will strive to be more vulnerable after listening to this book.
It Starts with the Egg: How the Science of Egg Quality Can Help You Get Pregnant Naturally, Prevent Miscarriage, and Improve Your Odds in IVF by Rebecca Fett
“The latest scientific research reveals that egg quality has a powerful impact on how long it takes to get pregnant and the risk of miscarriage. Poor egg quality is in fact the single most important cause of age-related infertility, recurrent miscarriage, and failed IVF cycles.
Based on a vast array of scientific research, It Starts with the Egg provides a comprehensive program for improving egg quality in three months, with specific advice tailored to a variety of fertility challenges— including endometriosis, unexplained infertility, diminished ovarian reserve, PCOS, and recurrent miscarriage.
With concrete strategies such as minimizing exposure to common environmental toxins, choosing the right vitamins and supplements to safeguard developing eggs, and harnessing nutritional advice shown to boost IVF success rates, this book offers practical solutions that will help you get pregnant faster and deliver a healthy baby."
My Biggest Takeaway: We hear all the time that women are born with all of the eggs that they have, so it is easy to feel helpless when fertility issues arise. I loved hearing about all of the research and real life examples showing that improving our health really will improve both egg quality, sperm quality, and help couples everywhere in their fertility journeys. Stay tuned, if you are interested in this topic, because I have big plans for 2020 and beyond to help more people achieve health and by doing so improve their ability to have a healthy pregnancy and thriving kids!
Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Willink & Babin
“Combat, the most intense and dynamic environment imaginable, teaches the toughest leadership lessons, with absolutely everything at stake. Jocko Willink and Leif Babin learned this reality first-hand on the most violent and dangerous battlefield in Iraq. In gripping, firsthand accounts of heroism, tragic loss, and hard-won victories, they learned that leadership - at every level - is the most important factor in whether a team succeeds or fails.
Willink and Babin returned home from deployment and instituted SEAL leadership training to pass on their harsh lessons learned in combat to help forge the next generation of SEAL leaders. After leaving the SEAL Teams, they launched a company, Echelon Front, to teach those same leadership principles to leaders in businesses, companies, and organizations across the civilian sector.
Since its release in October 2015, Extreme Ownership has revolutionized leadership development and set a new standard for literature on the subject. Detailing the mindset and principles that enable SEAL units to accomplish the most difficult combat missions, Extreme Ownership demonstrates how to apply them to any team or organization, in any leadership environment.”
My biggest takeaway: This book would be a great read for anyone who is in a leadership role either at work or within their family. If there is a problem, then taking responsibility and developing clear communication plans, rather than placing blame on others will help the team dynamic and solve many problems.
A Mind of Your Own: The Truth About Depression and How Women Can Heal Their Bodies to Reclaim Their Lives by Kelly Brogan
“In this groundbreaking, science-based and holistic approach, Dr. Brogan shatters the mythology conventional medicine has built around the causes and treatment of depression. Based on her expert interpretation of published medical findings, combined with years of experience from her clinical practice, Dr. Brogan illuminates the true cause of depression: it is not simply a chemical imbalance, but a lifestyle crisis that demands a reset. It is a signal that the interconnected systems in the body are out of balance – from blood sugar, to gut health, to thyroid function– and inflammation is at the root.
A Mind of Your Own offers an achievable, step-by-step 30-day action plan—including powerful dietary interventions, targeted nutrient support, detoxification, sleep, and stress reframing techniques—women can use to heal their bodies, alleviate inflammation, and feel like themselves again without a single prescription.
Bold, brave, and revolutionary, A Mind of Your Own takes readers on a journey of self-empowerment for radical transformation that goes far beyond symptom relief.”
My biggest takeaway: In this book Brogan explains how she went from a traditional psychiatrist to practicing in a whole different way based on her own postpartum experiences. Her explanations on the mechanisms behind many commonly used medications for anxiety and depression was fascinating. It really brought light to the fact that these drugs are not getting to the root cause of why so many of us are suffering with these symptoms, but are just masking (often ineffectively) the symptoms and are often quite addictive in the process.
Have you read anything interesting lately? I'd love to hear about it!
Dr. Jamie