Tag Archives: Reading

My Favourite Books

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Reading is one of my favourite things to do. Nothing makes me happier than sitting down with a great book and immersing myself in it’s world of wisdom and wonder.

My areas of interest are psychology, spirituality, personal development, Lean, business, marketing and entrepreneurship. I have read many wonderful books that each in their own unique way have changed my life for the better.

Below is a list of books I love, maybe you’ve read some of these or maybe you’ll put them on your to read list. Either way I’m sure they will transform your life in a positive way just as they have done for me

I start this list with my Top 5 books of all time. These are books that I read over and over again and with every reading I find new wisdom, new learnings and a new view on the world.

My Top 5 Books

The Power Of Now by Eckhart Tolle

The Power of Now is my favourite book of all time and has been since I first read it over 10 years ago.

The first time I read this book I didn’t really understand it, however what I did understand was that there was a very powerful message in the book. Each subsequent reading has brought a deeper understanding of the simple principle that Eckhart teaches – there is only the Now, there never was and never will be anything other than the Now.

Eckhart explains the past is gone, the future isn’t here yet and so all we have is this present moment. This is where we should focus our mind & our efforts – in this the present moment.

I listen to the audio version of The Power of Now every 3 months and it keeps me focused on the Now. Without a doubt, this is the best and most powerful book I have ever read or listened to.

If you haven’t read this book I suggest you buy it, read it, study it, give it the time it deserves and live the teachings, it will transform your life.

The 7 Spiritual Laws Of Success by Deepak Chopra

This is a most beautiful book by one of the world’s leading spiritual teachers Deepak Chopra.

If you want success in your life then buy, read and implement the teachings of this beautiful book.

This is a short book at just 118 pages. It is easy to read and understand yet the simplistic and powerful teachings will take a lifetime to implement.

These are the 7 Spiritual Laws of Success outlined in Deepak’s book,

The Law of Pure Potentiality: Take time to be silent, to just BE – silently witness the intelligence within every living thing, practice non-judgment.

The Law of Giving: Keep wealth circulating by giving and receiving care, affection, appreciation and love.

The Law of Karma: Every action generates a force of energy that returns to us in like kind. Choosing actions that bring happiness and success to others ensures the flow of happiness and success to you.

The Law of Least Effort: Accept people, situations, and events as they occur. Take responsibility for your situation and for all events seen as problems, relinquish the need to defend your point of view.

The Law of Intention and Desire: Inherent in every intention and desire is the mechanics for its fulfillment. Make a list of desires, trust that when things don’t seem to go your way, there is a reason.

The Law of Detachment: Allow yourself and others the freedom to be who they are. Do not force solutions – allow solutions to spontaneously emerge, uncertainty is essential, and your path to freedom.
The Law of Dharma/Purpose: Everyone has a purpose in life, a unique gift or special talent to give to others. When we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal.

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Man’s Search for Meaning is a classic and one of the best and most impactful books ever written.

Viktor Frankl was a holocaust survivor who lost everything in Auschwitz during World War II. As awful and inhumane as his conditions were, the message from Viktor’s book isn’t one of fear and loss.

Viktor’s message is one of hope and resilience and the ability to find meaning in life, no matter the circumstances.

‘the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way’.

This book reminds us that things can always be worse and no matter what we lose, we never lose the ability to choose how we feel about and react to our circumstances.

Is there any greater meaning in life than to choose one’s own attitude and one’s own way?

This book is only 154 pages long but on every reading it will bring deeper wisdom and a more profound connection to meaning in our lives.

Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin

To say I adore this book is a huge understatement. It is, by far, the best, most profound, most exciting, most down to earth book I have ever read on leadership. If you want to learn about the real meaning of leadership and become a better leader read this book.

Jocko starts this incredible book by explaining that this is not an individual’s glorified war story but it is indeed ‘all about the team’.

The focus on teamwork is evident from the beginning of this book, throughout every chapter right up to the last word. Jocko explains as ‘Seals they operate as a team of high calibre, multi-talented individuals who have been through perhaps the toughest military training and the most rigorous screening process anywhere. In the Seal program, it is all about the team, the sum is far greater than the parts’. Jocko goes on to say ‘we call ourselves team guys’.

We are given a glimpse into the fine characters of these great leaders Jocko Willink and Leif Babin as they explain that they wrote the book to capture and pass on the leadership lessons they had learned on the battlefield and through their work with civilian business’s so that such crucial lessons may not be forgotten or need to be relearned or rewritten.

Jocko and Leif wrote this book for leaders everywhere so they may use the principles they share to lead and win.

Even with all of their accomplishments, experience and knowledge, Jocko and Leif remain extremely humble which is hugely admirable. This humility is evident as they explain they ‘continue to learn and grow as leaders every day and that they pass on these leadership lessons not from a pedestal or a position of superiority but from a humble place where the scars of their failings still show’.

What I loved most about this book is the fact that the leadership lessons shared through their incredible experiences are so simple. With all the complications, complexities and dangers of war, the lessons shared are ones we can all learn from and apply.

The leadership basics of solid, clear and consistent communication, keeping everything simple, effective teamwork, planning, planning and more planning, prioritisation, accountability and courage are woven into all of the fascinating true-life stories that Jocko and Leif tell. All told with the one over arching principle in mind that,

The single most important factor on the battlefield or in business is leadership.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough and if you’re a fan of audiobooks it’s narrated by the authors which is always a treat!

Here is my book review on this brilliant book – Extreme Ownership.

The Shift – From Ambition to Meaning by Dr Wayne Dyer (RIP)

Dr Wayne Dyer RIP is one of my favourite authors and spiritual teachers. Wayne has written 34 books, each of them jam packed with heaps of wisdom, guidance and deep truth but this book is one of his greatest works.

The Shift is about moving from being led by your ego to being guided by your soul,

From doing to being
From striving to thriving
From problems to possibilities
From attachment to freedom
FROM AMBITION TO MEANING

This is a short book at 149 pages but like all of Dr Wayne Dyer’s brilliant books, the wisdom on each page can last a lifetime!

If what you are doing isn’t working for you and you want more meaning in your life, I highly recommend From Ambition to Meaning.

Wayne Dyer explains his wonderful book in the following words,

‘As we contemplate leaving the morning of our life, where ego has played a commanding role, and entering the afternoon (and evening), where meaning and purpose replace ambition and struggle, we may encounter unexpected occurrences that accompany this new direction.

It’s almost a universal law that we’ll experience a fall of some kind. Yet these falls or low points provide the energy we need to move away from ego and into a life of meaning and purpose.

The Shift doesn’t mean that we lose our drive and ambition; it signifies that we become ambitious about something new. We make a commitment to living a life based on experiencing meaning and feeling purposeful, rather than never-ending demands and false promises that are the trademark of the ego’s agenda’ Dr Wayne Dyer

My Favourite Books on Finance

If you are looking for some excellent books on finance I highly recommend the following,

How To Be Good With Money by Eoin McGee

This is a super book that would financially benefit everyone if it was taught in school. Eoin is all about getting the financial basics right then building on them to work towards and achieve financial freedom. Eoin explains all elements of personal finance in an easy to understand, no jargon way which makes this book such an enjoyable read.

Eoin is a super guy to follow on Instagram and he does a Q&A every week which is really helpful. Eoin also runs his own financial consultancy Prosperous, where you can take advantage of those who know best in the financial world to improve your finances.

Money – Master the Game by Tony Robbins

This book goes into finance in great depth. Finance is not my favourite subject and so I skipped a few chapters as I didn’t enjoy or understand them. Listening to this on audible made this easy to do. As well as chapters I didn’t understand there were chapters that I loved and listened to over and over again.

Chapter 8 is one of the chapters I loved. It is all about financial freedom and it is worth buying this book for this chapter alone. Tony walks through the simple steps of financial freedom and explains really well how it’s not as difficult to achieve as you may think.

This is an excellent book for those who want to dive a bit deeper into finance and financial freedom.

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Think and Grow Rich is a literary masterpiece first published in 1937. It’s as much a book about success and manifestation as it is about money. Napoleon Hill’s storytelling is unique and captivating and his 13 step formula for success is easy to understand – implementation takes a bit more work!

This is the type of book that you can read over and over again as you go deeper and deeper into the wisdom shared by Napoleon Hill.

A must read for anyone serious about financial freedom!

Mindset by Carol Dwecke

I truly believe that having a growth mindset is the first step to reaching financial goals.

While this book isn’t solely about finance it does go a long way to explaining the necessity of a growth mindset in terms of financial success. This book teaches the difference and the inevitable consequences of having a growth mindset or a fixed mindset in all elements of life including business, parenting, school and relationships.

An absolute brilliant book that I highly recommend no matter what your interests are.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Rober T. Kiyosaki

I found many similarities between this book and Mindset in terms of the importance of a growth and abundance mindset when it comes to finance.

This is a very easy read as the lessons it teaches are told through a brilliant story. The financial teachings are easy to understand and jargon free which is how I like to learn about finance.

A super read no matter what your level of personal financial knowledge is.

More of my favourite books to follow…….

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If so download my free ebook ‘The A-Z of Effective Change’ below and you are all signed up!

Thanks for reading,

Siobhain

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The JOY of reading 📚

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In my blog post What brings you JOY and what fills YOUR days’ I wrote about the 2 lists that Mel Robbins suggests we create and whether those 2 lists align.

Basically it’s an exercise to see where you can bring more HAPPINESS & JOY into your life.

I have much to be HAPPY & JOYFUL about but my days are filled with an overarching sense of sadness and loss.

There are glimpses of HAPPINESS & JOY but always tinged with sadness and loss.

That’s just my life at the moment and I’ll work through it. Some days it’s so hard but my Dad’s memory and the life he lived and gave to our family deserves to be honoured.

One of the JOYFUL activities in my life is reading.

The only thing I love more than reading is writing.

The thing with reading (especially physical books) is that you need lots of time.

Listening to audiobooks also takes time but you can listen to them while doing something else – driving, walking etc.

Getting the time to read physical books is a work in progress.

I don’t like reading a few pages at a time, I much prefer immersing myself in a physical book for hours at a time.

This makes creating the required time for reading difficult.

That said, it is totally worth it.

When I do dedicate the required time to reading I feel so JOYFUL & HAPPY and that JOY & HAPPINESS lasts well beyond when my reading finishes 📚

Over the past few years for many reasons, I haven’t been able to dedicate as much time to reading physical books as I would have liked.

I’m prioritising reading from now on – I want to be more JOYFUL and reading is an endless source of joy for me.

What could you prioritise that brings you HAPPINESS & JOY?

Does reading bring you JOY?

I have always wanted to create a blog post to share with you the books I have read and love. This will take me a while and isn’t something I can commit to this year but here is a list of some of my favourite books that I have previously shared with you.

Every single book on this list has changed my life for the better and can do the same for you.

BOOKS & MENTORS.pdf ❤️

Would you like to join my weekly newsletter?

If so download my free ebook ‘The A-Z of Effective Change’ below and you are all signed up!

Thanks for reading 🙏

Siobhain

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My Top 20 Books of 2020

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Image Credit: Dollar Gill @ Unsplash

Every year I set a goal of how many books I want to read. In 2020, I set a goal to read 2 books a month, 24 in total. I didn’t reach this goal but did manage to read 20 excellent books and some I read a few times. I love reading, books fill me with joy and happiness, if there was ever a year we needed to be filled with joy and happiness it was 2020!

The first 8 books make it to my reading list most years as I read these excellent books over and over again and take new learnings form each read. I tend to read books on psychology, personal development, spirituality, business and entrepreneurship and this year tried to read some books from a different category. I’m fascinated by people and so I read a few autobiographical books which I loved and will read more of these in 2021.

Here are my Top 20 Books for 2020.

What did you read in 2020? What is on your reading list for 2021?

The Power Of Now – Eckhart Tolle

The Power of Now is my favourite book of all time.

The first time I read this book I didn’t really understand it, however what I did understand was that there was a very powerful message in the book. Each subsequent reading has brought a deeper understanding of the simple principle that Eckhart teaches. There is only the ‘Now’, there never was and never will be anything other than the ‘Now’.

I listen to the audio version of ‘The Power of Now’ every 3 months and it keeps me focused on the ‘Now. Without a doubt, this is the best and most powerful book I have ever read, for those of you who have read to this book you will understand why. For anyone who has not read this book I suggest you buy it, read it, study it, give it the time it deserves and live the teachings, it will transform your life.

A New Earth – Eckhart Tolle

This book expands on the teachings, lessons and message in ‘The Power of Now’. Just like ‘The Power Of Now’, it is a deep book and a book that needs time to study. It is full to the brim with immense learnings and a message so powerful you will have no choice but to be transformed by it.

Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor Frankl

An absolute classic that in my humble opinion should be studied in school. Viktor Frankl was a holocaust survivor and this book documents his time in Auschwitz concentration camp where he lost everything in every sense of the word. As awful and inhumane as his conditions were, the message from this book isn’t one of fear and loss, it is of hope, gain & finding meaning in all we have.

Viktor, through his personal story and strength of character teaches us that no matter what the situation is, no matter how hard things get, no matter what is taken away for us in this physical world we still have, in Frankl’s own words ‘the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way’.

When our entire world changed in March, reading this book reminded me that things can always be worse and no matter what we lose, we never lose the ability to choose how we feel about and react to our circumstances.

Money Master the Game (7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom) – Tony Robbins

Tony is a master when it comes to finance and in this book he not only shares his own wisdom but also leverages the wisdom of many of the world’s finest financial advisors to share their advice, insights and experience. Tony’s book is written in an easy to understand format for all levels of wealth which is why I liked it so much.

The spectrum of financial guidance goes from the simple advice of ‘spend less, earn more, save more’ to investment advice in stocks & shares and hiring a fiduciary to help you with same. For anyone like me who doesn’t know much about stocks, shares & fiduciaries, the simple steps to assist with ‘spending less, earning more and saving more’ are reason enough to buy and read this book.

In this excellent book, Tony introduces us to the concept of financial freedom which is, in simple terms, having a passive income (one you don’t need to work for) that supports your lifestyle whatever that is. Tony’s step by step process through the levels of financial freedom are so easy to understand and even easier to implement. If you want to improve your financial situation and take steps towards financial freedom, I highly recommend this brilliant book.

The 7 Spiritual Laws Of Success – Deepak Chopra

This is a short yet powerful book that you will want to visit again and again. Deepak’s insights and advice for success are so simple yet so effective. The 7 spiritual laws are easy to understand, however like all good advice, living the 7 laws is the challenging part.

The 7 spiritual laws are – The Law of Pure Potentiality, The Law of Giving, The Law of Karma,  The Law of Least Effort, The Law of Intention and Desire, The Law of Detachment and The Law of Dharma

You can read more about these 7 laws here on Deepak’s website.

MindSet (The New Psychology of Success) – Carol Dwecke

This book is an incredible read. A simple yet effective explanation of the two types of mindset – one being a fixed mindset and one being a growth mindset. From decades of research in her field of psychology, Carol explains the different outcomes of having the different types of mindset.

Guy Kawasaki’s review sums this book up “If you manage people or are a parent (which is a form of managing people), drop everything and read Mindset. I agree with Guy, no matter who you are and what you do, if you want to succeed in any area of your life, read and study this book.

Here is an excellent article that gives a summary of the highlights of this book.

The Personal MBA (Master The Art Of Business) – Josh Kaufman

In his remarkable book, Josh outlines everything you need to know to succeed in life and business in an easy to understand, simplistic approach. Josh’s understanding of business, psychology and systems is remarkable and he advises if you want the knowledge of an MBA without the cost and time, this book is for you.

If you’re looking for more books of a similar calibre, here is Josh’s personal recommendation of the best 99 business books.

The Personal MBA Recommended Reading List: The 99 Best Business Books.

Platform (Get Noticed In A Noisy World) – Michael Hyatt

Platform is an extremely well written book on building and sustaining an audience online. Whether you are starting out online or are well established in an online business this book will teach you loads. This book walks you through step by step in great detail what is required to build your very own platform. I highly recommend this book. It’s easy to read and the wisdom shared is easy to implement albeit it sure does take time. I have read Platform many times and with each reading I learn something new and take a few steps forward on my own online platform.

Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn – Katie Anderson

If you are in business or leadership of any kind you need to buy, read and study this book.

I am a Lean practitioner which is really a Lean learner as every day is a school day. What I love most about Lean is it is a people centric way of leading and running a business. No matter what type of business you have or are in, all businesses are built & run by people. If you are not looking after and developing your people to their infinite potential you are not running or developing your business to it’s infinite potential. It’s such a simple concept, yet time and time again I see so many businesses almost ignore the potential of their people in preference to ‘getting things done’!

Every page of this excellent book is a reminder of the importance of people centric leadership & culture in business told through the experiences of Isao Yoshino who worked for Toyota for over 40 years. This book is the story of a life lived with vision, purpose, & intention and a story of, true to the title of the book, learning to lead and leading to learn. Isao Yoshino’s story is eloquently written by Katie through a deep friendship based on shared values & passions with Isao Yoshino.

There are 8 excellent lessons that not only highlight intentional, people centric leadership but also highlight the Lean tools and practices that support this type of leadership.

I was on Katie’s launch team for the launch of ‘Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn’ this year and am very proud to call Katie my friend.

I love everything about this book and it is taking a place on my ‘must read & study again’ list.

The Charge (Activating the 10 Human Drives That Make You Feel Alive) – Brendon Burchard

Any book by Brendon Burchard is going to be life changing and ‘The Charge’ is no exception. If you are looking to charge your life and feel more alive, get this book. I felt energised by just reading it! The 10 Human Drives that Brendon writes about are control (of your life, not others!), competence, congruence, caring, connection, change, challenge, creative expression, contribution, conciousness.

Other books by Brendon Burchard that I love and recommend are The Motivation Manifesto, High Performance Habits, The Millionaire Messenger & Life’s Golden Ticket

The Gift – Dr Edith Eger

I first came across Dr Edith Eger when I saw her interview with Marie Forleo. After sharing this interview on social media a friend recommended Dr Eger’s books, The Gift & The Choice. The Gift is a beautiful, easy to read book with 12 lessons on how to treat your life and everything in it as a gift even the challenging times. Dr Edith Eger, like Viktor Frankl is a holocaust survivor and like Viktor Frankl, has a deep understanding that the prison we sometimes find ourselves in is not a physical one but a prison we hold ourselves in within our own minds. A fascinating read which is on my ‘to read again’ list.

Born a Crime – Trevor Noah

I love Trevor Noah, he is hilarious and one of the funniest comedians ever. His ‘Daily Show’ is laugh out loud funny and if I ever want to be picked up by comedy, I go to Trevor Noah. I love Trevor’s humour and so knew I was in for a treat listening to his audiobook ‘Born A Crime’. Trevor was ‘Born A Crime’ in South Africa during apartheid when it was illegal to be born from a mixed race relationship. The son of a Xhosa mother and a Swiss-German father, Trevor was indeed ‘Born a Crime’ but that did not stop his mother, father and Trevor himself from bringing into the world their own way of living and creating the life they wanted for themselves. This is a story of going from the streets of South Africa in the time of apartheid to being named one of “The 35 Most Powerful People in New York Media” and ‘one of the 100 most influential people in the world’ according to Wikipedia. More fascinating than this story, is the story of the importance of unconditional love, going against the grain, being who you are, allowing others to be who they are, creativity, resilience, strength of character and the importance of humour. Trevor narrates the audio book which makes it all the more enjoyable as he does all of the character voices highlighting why he such a good comedian and mimic.

I loved every minute of this book and look forward to listining to it again.

This is Going To Hurt (Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor) – Adam Kay

If you are looking for a funny, laugh out loud, side splitting book, this is it.

As well as being extremely funny, this book gives us insights into a world most of us don’t occupy on a daily basis but would like to think is being managed and operated to the highest standards – the world of healthcare. Adam’s humour, wit and innate comedic writing skills make this a book of two halves – it is a hugely uplifting book but it is also scary & serious knowing all of the stories Adam tells are true. It’s no surprise Adam is now a comedy writer & comedian. He is naturally hilarious and has a wizardry of wit with words which makes this book a really enjoyable read.

You can read my book review of ‘This Is Going To Hurt’ linked here.

Inside Out – Demi Moore

As an 80’s child, i grew up watching Demi Moore’s movies and watched her become of the most known, admired and successful women in the world.

Throughout this time, even with all her outward success, Demi admits to struggling with self-doubt and insecurity. On the outside she had it all – a movie star husband, three beautiful daughters, a successful movie career, stunning beauty and wealth beyond imagination. In contrast, on the inside she was barely keeping it together. This is a stark reminder that it is inner peace and fulfillment that ultimately brings happiness and not the glitz and glamour of external rewards or perceptions.

Inside Out is a fascinating story of resilience, grit, struggle and ultimate happiness reminding us that the journey of self-love can take a lifetime, but it is the prerequisite to all other relationships.

You can read my book review of ‘Inside Out’ linked here.

Quiet (The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking) – Susan Cain

In this beautiful book, Susan Cain explains what it is to be an introvert, the quiet power introverts possess and how introverts can use this quiet power to succeed in a noisy, extrovert focused world. This book explains what introversion and extroversion are in terms of where both get energy from, it also explains incredibly well the differences between extroversion & introversion. It is through this explanations that an awareness evolves into how extroverts and introverts can understand, work & live harmoniously together utilising each other’s strengths.

Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, this is an educational read that brings immense self awareness to both types.

The Four Agreements – Don Miguel Ruiz

It is brilliant authors like Don Miguel Ruiz that make simple advice so powerful! The Four Agreements is a short read with 4 powerful messages. If these are the only agreements you bring into your life, your life would be transformed.

Agreement 1: Be Impeccable With Your Word

Agreement 2: Don’t Take Anything Personally

Agreement 3: Don’t Make Assumptions

Agreement 4: Always Do Your Best

The Infinite Game – Simon Sinek

Simon Sinek’s books are a bit like Brendon Burchard’s books – life changing and guaranteed an excellent read. In The Infinite Game, Simon explains what it is to play the Infinite Game in business and life and why those who play the Infinite Game are the most successful & prosperous. Simon outlines the principle of the Infinite Game using excellent examples from the world of business. If you are in business of any kind, I highly recommend this and any of Simon’s excellent books.

A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khalid Hosseini

I don’t usually read fiction as you can tell from my top 20 list but this was recommended to me by a great friend and so I listened to it on audible and absolutely loved it. I was totally hooked from the first chapter and loved the story, how it was told and the immersion in the story it provided.

Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill

This classic has been on my bookshelf for years, waiting patiently to be read. So many entrepreneurs recommend this book and I finally got to read it this year. I struggled through the first few chapters as it was written in 1937 and the english/grammar is old and takes time to get used to. After a few chapters I got into my stride and loved every word of this book. It is a bit heavy reading and as Napoleon Hill advises, will take a few readings to fully understand the life changing message. I recently heard this book being described as ‘Think and Grow Wise’ which is a very apt description for this book. It is a classic and is way ahead of it’s time, like all good messages and books, they stand the test of time.

As a Man Thinketh – James Allen

Robin Sharma, whom I admire as an author and though leader recommended this book and I was expecting a large book with immense detail that would take me ages to get through.

As a Man Thinketh is the smallest book I have ever read at just 38 pages however, the size of this book does not reflect the big message that how we think determines our destiny in life. If you want to change you life change your thoughts – thoughts become behaviour and behaviour drives the direction of our lives – simple yet powerful!

As a Man Thinketh was first published in 1903 but the message rings through to this day.

That’s my list of books I loved in 2020, did you read any great books in 2020?

What is on your reading list for 2021?

Wishing you and your loves ones a safe, healthy, happy and prosperous 2021,

Stay safe,

Siobhain

x x

You might like my 2020 Annual Review linked here.

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My Top 10 Books of 2019

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Reading is one of my favourite things to do and one of my goals for 2019 (and previous years) was to read/listen to a book every 2 weeks – 26 books in total. I have yet to reach this goal but came very close this year and enjoyed each book immensely. I love physical books but don’t have as much time as I would like to sit and read. This is where audio books come in and I have learned to love listening to them through Audible,

Here’s my Top 10 books for 2019 in no particular order, all of them I read previously which is an indication of how much I love them!

Extreme Ownership – Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

Extreme Ownership is one of the best books on leadership I have ever read. You can read my review of Extreme Ownership here,

Extreme Ownership Book Review

Most of us don’t work in the extreme conditions of war in Iraq where this book is based and so we may think that what Jocko and Leif learned on the battlefield wouldn’t apply to our daily lives – this is so far from the truth.

What I loved most about this book is the fact that the leadership lessons that Jocko and Leif share through their incredible experiences are so simple. With all the complications, complexities and dangers of war, the lessons shared are ones we can all learn from and use. I cannot recommend this book highly enough and if you’re a fan of audiobooks it’s narrated by the authors which is always a treat!

MindSet – Carol Dwecke

An incredible book that gives us a simple yet effective explanation of the two types of mindset – a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. From decades of research in her field of psychology, Carol explains the different outcomes of having the different types of mindset.

Guy Kawasaki’s review sums this book up – “If you manage people or are a parent (which is a form of managing people), drop everything and read Mindset.”—Guy Kawasaki (author of The Art of the Start 2.0).

Here is an excellent article on the highlights of this book, thanks to Brain Pickings.

10% Happier – Dan Harris

This is an insightful, uplifting and really funny book. In this book Dan Harris takes us through his journey to the top of his game which culminated in a nationally televised panic attack. The lifestyle changes Dan makes after this panic attack take him on a journey, a more inward journey that leads him to a happier place. Dan’s upbeat, honest and humorous personality is what makes this book such a pleasure to read/listen to.

The Soul Of Leadership – Deepak Chopra

A beautiful book by an incredible teacher, this book enables the reader to identify and develop their core values which in turn enables them to lead others to greatness through creativity, intelligence and organising power. This is an easy to read book jam packed with amazing insights. Everyone is a leader, whether you are leading yourself, your family or a company and everything in between, this is a brilliant read. Deepak spells out the elements required to be an effective leader as follows, L = Look and Listen, E = Emotional Bonding, A = Awareness, D = Doing, E = Empowerment, R = Responsibility and S = Synchronicity.

The 7 Spiritual Laws Of Success – Deepak Chopra

Another beautiful book by Deepak Chopra, easy to read and a book you will want to visit again and again. Deepak’s insights and advice for success are so simple yet so powerful. There are the 7 Laws of Success outlined in Deepak’s book – The Law of Pure Potentiality, The Law of Giving, The Law of Karma,  The Law of Least Effort, The Law of Intention and Desire, The Law of Detachment and The Law of Dharma

You can read more about these 7 laws here on Deepak’s website.

The Life Changing Magic Of Tidying Up – Marie Kondo

I loved this book and have started to put it’s teaching into practise in our home. It’s a work in progress but it is totally worth the effort. A wonderful read for anyone who wants to banish clutter from their home (and mind) for good and spend less time tidying and organising!

The Power Of Now – Eckhart Tolle

I have lost count of the number of times I have read ‘The Power Of Now’. The first time I read this book I didn’t really understand it, however what I did understand was that there was a very powerful message in the book. Each subsequent reading has brought a deeper understanding of the simple principle that Eckhart teaches. There is only the ‘Now’, there never was and never will be anything other than the ‘Now’. A deep and powerful book – if this book sounds interesting to you, be prepared to give it the time it deserves. One of the best and most powerful books I have ever read.

Social Intelligence – Daniel Goleman

The author of Emotional Intelligence brings us through a new level of intelligence – Social intelligence. A must read for anyone interested in human relationships and psychology. Here is what Amazon has to say about this remarkable book,

‘Far more than we are consciously aware, our daily encounters with parents, spouses, bosses, and even strangers shape our brains and affect cells throughout our bodies—down to the level of our genes—for good or ill. In Social Intelligence, Daniel Goleman explores an emerging new science with startling implications for our interpersonal world. Its most fundamental discovery: we are designed for sociability, constantly engaged in a “neural ballet” that connects us brain to brain with those around us.

Our reactions to others, and theirs to us, have a far-reaching biological impact, sending out cascades of hormones that regulate everything from our hearts to our immune systems, making good relationships act like vitamins—and bad relationships like poisons. We can “catch” other people’s emotions the way we catch a cold, and the consequences of isolation or relentless social stress can be life-shortening. Goleman explains the surprising accuracy of first impressions, the basis of charisma and emotional power, the complexity of sexual attraction, and how we detect lies.’

Platform (Get Noticed In A Noisy World) – Michael Hyatt

Platform is an extremely well written book on building and sustaining an audience online. It is jam packed with excellent advice from a man who really knows what he is talking about. Michael Hyatt has spent most of his career in the publishing world and now runs his highly successful blog where he shares his knowledge and wisdom generously.

If you are a blogger, writer or any type of business owner and want to know more about growing your blog, readership and business through social media, I highly recommend this book. It’s easy to read and the wisdom shared is easy to implement.

Money Master the Game – Tony Robbins

Tony is a master when it comes to finance and in this book, he not only shares his own wisdom but also leverages the wisdom of many of the world’s finest financial advisors to share their advice, insights and experience. Tony’s book is written in an easy to understand format for all levels of wealth which is why I liked it so much. The spectrum of financial guidance goes from the simple advice of ‘spend less, save more’ to investment advice in stocks and shares and hiring a fiduciary to help you with same. For anyone like me who doesn’t know much about stocks and shares, the guidance from Tony on ‘spending less and saving more’ are reason enough to read this book.

Other books I enjoyed in 2019 were,

Lean In – Sheryl Sandberg

The Universe Has Your Back – Gabrielle Bernstein

The Seat of the Soul, The Mind of the Soul & The Heart of the Soul – Gary Zukav

The Freedom Plan – Natalie Sisson

Alive at Work – Daniel M. Cable

Black Box Thinking – Matthew Syed

Power Moves – Adam Grant

The Man on the Mountain – Susan Trott

The Untethered Soul – Michael A. Singer

What were your favourite books of 2019?

Any recommendations for 2020?

Thanks for reading,

Siobhain

x x x

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The 9Rs to Eliminate Overwhelm

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Image Credit: Madhuri Gupta

The English Oxford dictionary describes overwhelm as the following

Give too much of something to; inundate – ‘they were overwhelmed by farewell messages’
Have a strong emotional effect on – ‘I was overwhelmed with guilt’
Be too strong for; overpower – ‘the Stilton doesn’t overwhelm the flavour of the trout’

Overwhelm to me is more of a feeling, a feeling of having taken on too much, of having too much to do, of not having space or time to organise, focus, and move forward.

My head feels fuzzy, murky, unclear and even the thoughts of facing another item on my ‘to do list’ makes me feel tired.

This is a familiar feeling to me and happens every now and again, not often enough to be a huge issue but often enough that I like to put a system in place to deal with it.

I am very mindful to watch out for and recognise overwhelm as it arrives and deal with it before it affects my physical, mental & emotional health.

These days when I start to feel overwhelmed, I take immediate action to stop it!.

Here are the 9R’s I use to manage and move forward from overwhelm of which should be priority in our lives at all times and not just when we start to feel overwhelmed or stressed,

1. Rest

Overwhelm and stress (if it has gone that far) is a signal to your mind and body that you need to slow down. One way of slowing down is to get more rest – rest more during your day, take regular breaks from work and keep these breaks device free. If you are taking breaks but using your phone to scroll social media/listen to podcasts/listen to or read books your mind isn’t really getting a break.

Your mind needs a total break from devices to switch off and recharge.

Not only is rest important, it’s quality rest with no electronic devices!!

Another way to slow down is to get more quality hours sleep. Research has shown that we don’t function optimally without sufficient sleep.

Sufficient sleep is a different number for everyone – I have always needed 8 hours sleep to function and I fully feel the effects when I don’t get those 8 hours. By adding ‘adequate sleep’ as a priority to your ‘to do list’ your physical, mental and emotional health will benefit.

2. Relax

How many hours in your day do you spend relaxing, really relaxing – away from social media and all electronics?

It’s so important to relax, – to stop going, to stop moving, to stop thinking and just breathe!

Whatever you do for relaxation, whether it’s reading, listening to music/podcasts, watching tv, meditating or just being – it is so important to schedule this into each and every day.

This will not only keep your mind and body healthy, it will also keep you sane! I’m a big fan of relaxing as I know how it supports me to get more done but I don’t relax as much as I would like to or need to. It’s something I definitely need to find more time for and not only when I feel overwhelmed.

3. Reconnect

Reconnecting with yourself and whoever/whatever you may have lost contact with that gives you joy will help you slow down and focus on the priorities in life and not just what makes it to the ‘to do list’.

This reconnection can be with people such as family, friends, colleagues, team mates or it can be with whatever or whomever you have a spiritual or religious connection with – God, Buddha, Allah, Source, Universe – whatever works for you.

For me, my connection with my boyfriend Mike, my family and my friends is essential for my happiness and well being. There is no easier way to enjoy yourself, slow down and take your mind off your ‘to do list’ than spending quality time (minus electronics!) with the people you love.

My connection to myself and my spiritual growth is the cornerstone on which everything else is built and is absolutely essential for my happiness and well being.

4. Replenish

Replenish your Mind, Body and Soul with what it needs – good food, regular exercise, time in nature, creative hobbies, sports, silence, crowds, prayer – whatever works for you.

Fill your surroundings with good thoughts and kind deeds, this will not only benefit you but those whom you spend time with.

Above all make sure the person you are kindest to is yourself.

For me, the following are the basics required to replenish my Mind, Body and Soul – quality time with Mike, family & friends, reading, writing, solitude, meditating, journaling and exercising.

5. Remove Clutter

Clutter can be physical, emotional or digital.

Physical clutter is stuff in our physical spaces that no longer serves us. Physical clutter also takes up space in our minds, a messy space is a messy mind. Start clearing physical clutter away and your mind will start to feel clearer.

Emotional clutter is all sorts of negative energy, thoughts and beliefs. These are not beneficial to our physical, mental & emotional well being and they do not serve us. Evaluating and replacing these negative energies with positive energies will remove what feels like physical weights from our shoulders.

Digital clutter seems to build up almost without us knowing. Photos on our phones, digital downloads, scanned documents, space consuming e-mails. If you work online, the amount of digital clutter is almost never ending. Digital clutter can also be scrolling time, time spend mindlessly scrolling and clicking through links online – this creates digital clutter in our brains!!

Removing all types of clutter will create the space to allow whatever you want in your life to manifest!

6. Reading

Reading is an excellent way of tuning out of this busy world into other worlds of whatever interests you.

Reading is for me one of the most relaxing things I can do. I love nothing more than sitting down with a great book, soaking up the wisdom and learning as I relax!

I also love listening to audiobooks while out and about, it’s a very efficient way of getting through books – most audiobooks are narrated by the author which is an added bonus!!

7. Writing

I know writing starts with W but phonetically it starts with R!

I love writing just as much as I love reading and also find it very relaxing.

Writing helps me gather my thoughts and clear my mind. I love all sorts of writing, writing in my journal, writing blog posts and writing e-books. You can download my first e-book ‘The A-Z of Effective Change’ at the end of this blog post.

I often say, if I could read and write for a living that would be my perfect job!

I updated this blog post to include the next 2 Rs as my great friend Tony Mc suggested them, thanks Tony!

8. Rush – no need to rush!

My friend Tony says ‘try not to rush, everyone is in a big rush today’.

This is so true, I find the speed at which we live our lives has increased.

Add our connection to social media and the online world where everything is instant & immediate and this makes for lives lived at a dizzying speed.

We all know that the busier we are the faster time seems to go, we also know that we can’t slow down time, the speed at which it passes is set.

We may not be able to slow down time, but what we can do is slow ourselves down – stop rushing from one thing to another, stop racing to and from activities, stop taking on too much, stop filling our calendars with things to do, stop filling our minds with things to process!

Being ‘crazy busy’ is not good for your Mind, Body or Soul. What is good for and what nurtures your Mind, Body and Soul is being more mindful, more intentional and more present, all can be achieved by slowing down.

Even reading the words mindful, intentional, present will slow down a bit.

9. Rewind & Reflect

My friend Tony says ‘rewind and take a step back’ of which I also totally agree.

If we continuously move forward without rewinding, taking a step back and reflecting on our experiences we are missing out on so much learning. We are our own greatest teachers yet we must invest the time to rewind, step back and reflect to bring our inner teachings into our lives.

I am a huge fan of reflection.

The wisdom gained from reflecting on your own experiences can be found nowhere else and is well worth the time it takes.

That’s it, the 9Rs to eliminate overwhelm.

I hope you are using some of these to eliminate overwhelm and avoid stress in your life.

What do you do to deal with overwhelm?

Do you use any of the 9Rs?

Can you suggest anything else to eliminate overwhelm?

Want to read more about Positive Change?

Download your free e-book ‘The A-Z of Effective Change’ below

Thanks for reading,

Siobhain

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My Top 10 Books of 2017

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Photo Credit – Thanks to Janko Ferlič from Unsplash

Reading is one of my favourite things to do and one of my goals for 2017 was to read/listen to a book every 2 weeks – 26 books in total for the year. I have set this same goal for the past few years and have yet to meet it!!! With all great goals, it’s a matter of ploughing on and trying harder next year. In saying that I did manage to read/listen to 22 books and enjoyed each and every one immensely.

Extreme Ownership (How U.S Navy SEALs Lead and Win) – Jocko Willink and Lieber Babin

This was by far my favourite book of 2017 and the best book on leadership I have read in a long time.

This is a story about how war can teach us the most valuable leadership lessons and how these leadership lessons can be used in all areas of our personal and professional lives.

Most of us don’t work in the extreme conditions of war in Iraq where this book is based and so we may think that what Jocko and Leif learned on the battlefield wouldn’t apply to our daily lives. This is so far from the truth.

What I loved most about this book is the fact that the leadership lessons that Jocko and Leif share through their incredible experiences are so simple. With all the complications, complexities and dangers of war, the lessons shared are ones we can all learn from and apply.

The leadership basics of solid, clear and consistent communication, keeping everything simple, effective teamwork, planning, planning and more planning, prioritisation, accountability and courage are woven into all of the fascinating true-life stories that Jocko and Leif tell.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough and if you’re a fan of audiobooks it’s narrated by the authors which is always a treat!

I Had To Survive (How a Plane Crash in the Andes Inspired My Calling to Save Lives) – Roberto Canessa

An incredible true story of survival, leadership, the strength of the human spirit and the will to live in the most difficult circumstances. A plane carrying a Uruguayan rugby team with friends and family crashes in the Andes in 1972. After living for two months in the wreckage of the plane the only hope of survival is to cross the Andes to find help. This story is told by Roberto Canessa, one of the rugby players who trekked for 10 days across the Andes to raise the alarm, saving himself, his trekking partner Nando Parrado and 14 of their friends. Roberto Canessa went on to become a paediatric cardiologist saving the lives of newborns with heart complications throughout his esteemed career. A true hero, an incredible story and a magnificent read.

The film documenting this incredible story and book of the same name ‘Alive’ are equally as enjoyable as Roberto’s book.

Start with Why (How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action) – Simon Sinek

Simon Sinek is one of my favourite thought leaders. Simon’s Ted Talk is one of the most viewed videos on YouTube. This book is an excellent follow on from this video as it dives deeper into the necessity and benefits from knowing your ‘WHY’ and starting with your ‘WHY. You can watch the video here,

The Personal MBA (Master The Art Of Business) – Josh Kaufman

In his remarkable book, Josh outlines everything you need to know to succeed in life and business in an easy to understand, simplistic approach. Josh’s understanding of business, psychology and systems ensures you have a lot more than the basics required to succeed on completing this book.

If you’re looking for more books of a similar calibre, here is Josh’s personal recommendation of the best 99 business books.

The Personal MBA Recommended Reading List: The 99 Best Business Books

The Remedy (Bringing Lean Thinking Out of the Factory to Transform the Entire Organization) – Pascal Dennis

Pascal Dennis is one of my favourite Lean authors and Lean thought leaders.

Having read and loved the other 2 books in Pascal’s trilogy ‘Andy and Me’ and ‘Andy and me and the Hospital’ I knew I was in for a treat on reading ‘The Remedy’ and was not disappointed.

Keeping the two much loved characters of the other 2 books, Tom Pappas and Andy Saito and introducing us to Rachel Armstrong, this book tells an excellent story of how Lean can be implemented across an entire business and not just on the manufacturing floor.

A must read (as is ‘Andy and Me’ and ‘Andy and me and the Hospital’) for anyone in business and interested in Lean.

Real Magic, The Power Of Intention, Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life – Dr Wayne Dyer (RIP)

I know this is 3 books but I have counted them as one as they are all from the same author. I am a huge fan of the late great Wayne Dyer and every single one of his books are as enjoyable as they are unique.

The following books also made it to my Top 10 in previous years, I have a habit of reading some great books time and time again, each reading bringing a deeper understanding of what the author is teaching,

Platform (Get Noticed In A Noisy World) – Michael Hyatt

I read ‘Platform’ a few times this year as I created, launched and marketed this new website. Platform is an extremely well written book on building and sustaining an audience online and jam packed with excellent advice from a man who really knows what he is talking about. Michael Hyatt has spent most of his career in the publishing world and now runs his highly successful blog where he shares his knowledge and wisdom generously.

If you are a blogger, writer or any type of business owner and want to know more about growing your blog, readership and business through social media, I highly recommend this book. It’s easy to read and the wisdom shared is easy to implement.

Money Master the Game (7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom) – Tony Robbins

Tony is a master when it comes to finance and in this book he not only shares his own wisdom but also leverages the wisdom of many of the world’s finest financial advisors to share their advice, insights and experience. Tony’s book is written in an easy to understand format for all levels of wealth which is why I liked it so much. The spectrum of financial guidance goes from the simple advice of ‘spend less, save more’ to investment advice in stocks and shares and hiring a fiduciary to help you with same.

For anyone like me who doesn’t know much about stocks and shares, the steps to assist with ‘spending less and saving more’ are reason enough to buy and read this book.

10% Happier (How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works – A True Story) – Dan Harris This is an insightful, uplifting and really funny book. In this book Dan Harris takes us through his journey to the top of his game in television and journalism which culminated in a nationally televised panic attack. The lifestyle changes Dan makes after this panic attack take him on a different journey, a more inward journey that leads him to a much happier place. Dan’s upbeat, honest and humorous personality is what makes this book such a pleasure to read.

The Power of Now (A Guide To Spiritual Enlightenment) – Eckhart Tolle

I have lost count of the number of times I have read ‘The Power Of Now’. The first time I read this book I didn’t really understand it, however what I did understand was that there was a very powerful message in the book. Each subsequent reading has brought a deeper understanding of the simple principle that Eckhart teaches. There is only the ‘Now’, there never was and never will be anything other than the ‘Now’. A deep and powerful book – if this book sounds interesting to you, be prepared to give it the time it deserves. One of the best and most powerful books I have ever read.

My Top 5 Books

My Favourite Books on Finance

Here’s my Top 10 books for 2019 in no particular order, all of them I read previously which is an indication of how much I love them!

Extreme Ownership is one of the best books on leadership I have ever read. You can read my review of Extreme Ownership here,

Most of us don’t work in the extreme conditions of war in Iraq where this book is based and so we may think that what Jocko and Leif learned on the battlefield wouldn’t apply to our daily lives – this is so far from the truth.

An incredible book that gives us a simple yet effective explanation of the two types of mindset – a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. From decades of research in her field of psychology, Carol explains the different outcomes of having the different types of mindset.

Guy Kawasaki’s review sums this book up – “If you manage people or are a parent (which is a form of managing people), drop everything and read Mindset.”—Guy Kawasaki (author of The Art of the Start 2.0).

Here is an excellent article on the highlights of this book, thanks to Brain Pickings.

You can read more about these 7 laws here on Deepak’s website.

I loved this book and have started to put it’s teaching into practise in our home. It’s a work in progress but it is totally worth the effort. A wonderful read for anyone who wants to banish clutter from their home (and mind) for good and spend less time tidying and organising!

The author of Emotional Intelligence brings us through a new level of intelligence – Social intelligence. A must read for anyone interested in human relationships and psychology. Here is what Amazon has to say about this remarkable book,

If you are a blogger, writer or any type of business owner and want to know more about growing your blog, readership and business through social media, I highly recommend this book. It’s easy to read and the wisdom shared is easy to implement.

Other books I enjoyed in 2019 were,

What were your favourite books of 2019?

Any recommendations for 2020?

Thanks for reading,

Siobhain

x x x

Image Credit: Madhuri Gupta

1. Rest

2. Relax

3. Reconnect

4. Replenish

5. Remove Clutter

6. Reading

7. Writing

8. Rush – no need to rush!

9. Rewind & Reflect

Want to read more about Positive Change?

Download your free e-book ‘The A-Z of Effective Change’ below

This was by far my favourite book of 2017 and the best book on leadership I have read in a long time.

This is a story about how war can teach us the most valuable leadership lessons and how these leadership lessons can be used in all areas of our personal and professional lives.

Most of us don’t work in the extreme conditions of war in Iraq where this book is based and so we may think that what Jocko and Leif learned on the battlefield wouldn’t apply to our daily lives. This is so far from the truth.

What I loved most about this book is the fact that the leadership lessons that Jocko and Leif share through their incredible experiences are so simple. With all the complications, complexities and dangers of war, the lessons shared are ones we can all learn from and apply.

The leadership basics of solid, clear and consistent communication, keeping everything simple, effective teamwork, planning, planning and more planning, prioritisation, accountability and courage are woven into all of the fascinating true-life stories that Jocko and Leif tell.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough and if you’re a fan of audiobooks it’s narrated by the authors which is always a treat!

The film documenting this incredible story and book of the same name ‘Alive’ are equally as enjoyable as Roberto’s book.

In his remarkable book, Josh outlines everything you need to know to succeed in life and business in an easy to understand, simplistic approach. Josh’s understanding of business, psychology and systems ensures you have a lot more than the basics required to succeed on completing this book.

If you’re looking for more books of a similar calibre, here is Josh’s personal recommendation of the best 99 business books.

Pascal Dennis is one of my favourite Lean authors and Lean thought leaders.

Having read and loved the other 2 books in Pascal’s trilogy ‘Andy and Me’ and ‘Andy and me and the Hospital’ I knew I was in for a treat on reading ‘The Remedy’ and was not disappointed.

Keeping the two much loved characters of the other 2 books, Tom Pappas and Andy Saito and introducing us to Rachel Armstrong, this book tells an excellent story of how Lean can be implemented across an entire business and not just on the manufacturing floor.

A must read (as is ‘Andy and Me’ and ‘Andy and me and the Hospital’) for anyone in business and interested in Lean.

Real Magic, The Power Of Intention, Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life – Dr Wayne Dyer (RIP)

I know this is 3 books but I have counted them as one as they are all from the same author. I am a huge fan of the late great Wayne Dyer and every single one of his books are as enjoyable as they are unique.

The following books also made it to my Top 10 in previous years, I have a habit of reading some great books time and time again, each reading bringing a deeper understanding of what the author is teaching,

If you are a blogger, writer or any type of business owner and want to know more about growing your blog, readership and business through social media, I highly recommend this book. It’s easy to read and the wisdom shared is easy to implement.

For anyone like me who doesn’t know much about stocks and shares, the steps to assist with ‘spending less and saving more’ are reason enough to buy and read this book.

Other books I read/listened to and thoroughly enjoyed in 2017 are,

What were your favourite books of 2017?

What is on your reading list for 2018?

Keeping it Simple,

Siobhain

x x x