I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately which had been a rare occasion during the past few years. I always loved reading when I was younger but reading for pleasure was shoved to the back burner during college and I just never got back into the reading groove since. But I’ve been more intentional lately with using pockets of time throughout the week and free time on the weekends to read. Because it’s good for the mind. And heart.
I’m excited to share the first post in the Books Worth Reading series. This series may include novels, personal development books, quick reads and anything in between. You will continue to find posts designated to one particular book that sparked something deep in my soul like I’ve recently done for A Million Little Ways, my current favorite. It is my hope that this series will help you discover books that you will enjoy and I’m also using it as accountability for myself…to keep reading and to keep learning and to share that experience with you.
I believe, like instances in life, there is always something to learn from any type of book. Some may capture and maintain your attention a little more than others but again, there’s always something to learn.
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The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself & Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter
Ok, so this topic may be somewhat random. And may sound a bit disturbing at first glance. I actually thought I was picking up a different book that I was intending to read but it clearly was not what I thought it was. But that’s okay. The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning was an enjoyable, easy read and I picked up few tips related to minimizing and cluttering.
RELATED: Embracing A Minimalist Home & A Minimalist Mind
Have you ever heard of döstädning, or death cleaning? I promise it’s not as dark as you may think.
The author, Margareta Magnusson, alludes to the fact that while death cleaning is certainly applicable for middle-aged couples and individuals who have begun to think about downsizing and the next phase of life, it doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with age or death.
And it’s not about dusting or mopping up. Music to my ears. Partially because I hate dusting and mopping, so I was glad to know that wasn’t part of the point, and because I’m all about efficiency. When it comes to efficiency, focus and relaxation, I don’t do well when I’m in the midst of clutter. I like my home and office to be clutter free so my mind isn’t always churning with ways to minimize the stuff…the distractions…the junk…that seems to stack up.
Here are just a few of the wonderful tips I gathered from this easy read:
TIP #1 • If you can’t decide where an item belongs in your house, chances are you don’t even need it.
TIP #2 • Downsize or minimize at your own pace. Just don’t let your self-paced effort turn into procrastination.
TIP #3 • Don’t feel guilty for getting rid of gifts. Gratitude for receiving the gift has nothing to do with the item itself but rather the gifter who gave it to you.
Those were some of the tips that stuck out to me and after reading this book, I’m sure you’ll discover some great ones that pertain to you and where you’re at in life right now.
Shattered Silence: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer’s Daughter
I must be going through a seemingly dark phase of books. First death cleaning. Now serial killers.
Don’t let this title fool you either. Shattered Silence is the life story of Melissa G. Moore, daughter of Keith Jesperson, also known as the Happy Face serial killer. Void of any gruesome details about her father’s acts, Moore’s book is overflowing with life lessons about forgiveness, authenticity, vulnerability, choices, intuition and the importance of sharing your story.
Her message is right in line with the #fireworkphilosophy. On top of that, she even mentioned Marianne Williamson’s “deepest fear” quote that I love so much.
Profound and courageous life lessons were shared in the first few pages of the book as well as the last few chapters and all of the pages in between painted a vivid story of detrimental hardships coupled with unwavering determination and hope.
If you enjoy learning about other people’s lives – their history, childhood and growing pains along with their hopes and dreams – you’ll enjoy Moore’s writing. We learn from others when we learn about their lives. Everyone has a story to tell – a story that has value and worth – and Moore tells hers beautifully.
The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM)
The first impression of this title is a little lighter than the previous two.
I’ve been willing myself to wake up at 5:00 am to create more time in my day. Time to get things done that I don’t often have a chance to do during the day. But willing yourself to do something doesn’t get you very far. I was looking to The Miracle Morning for some motivation and inspiration. If it was as popular and results-producing as I heard it was, surely it would rub off?
Well, it hasn’t yet.
I read this book right before we experienced a 5+ day power outage from a Spring storm so waking up an hour earlier than usual in a colder-than-normal home with minimal electricity usage was not of interest to me. But now that we’re back up and running with the luxury of electricity, I’m looking forward to starting my day earlier.
The Miracle Morning process is incredibly flexible which I appreciate because at this point in my life, I’m interested in some of the suggested aspects more than others. For now, my Miracle Mornings will consist of reading, journaling, affirmations and visualization, four of the six S.A.V.E.R.S. explained in the book.
I often operate at my highest level in the mornings so I also hope to include some ACTION to help fulfill my visualizations. Checking things off of my capture list first thing in the morning sounds like a plan to me. It will free the frenzy that goes in on my mind throughout the day thinking about all the “things” I need and want to accomplish.
I’ll let you know how my mornings go. Stay tuned.
What have you been reading lately?
I may have to pick up a copy of the Swedish Death Cleaning book. I’ve heard about it before and it’s unique twist on simplifying and organizing as we get older. The older I get the more I realize how quickly things accumulate and I really don’t like to feel “overwhelmed” with stuff. Thanks for the recommendations.
I get overwhelmed by stuff too! It’s a great, easy read and a book you could certainly refer to throughout life!