Tag: self-help

Improve Your Quality of Life With Our Self-Development Picks!

Each week, Bookstr scans bestseller lists across the Internet to learn what people are reading, buying, gifting, and talking about most — just so we can ensure consistent, high quality recommendations. This week’s nonfiction picks are self development picks to improve your quality of life! Dig in and enjoy!

 

 

5. ‘Coffee Bean’ by Jon Gordon

 

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The Coffee Bean by Jon Gordon is about dealing with the stresses of life. It can be often harsh, stressful, and the environments we find ourselves in can weaken or harden us. This is an inspiring tale that follows a man called Abe as he faces challenges, pressures, and stresses at school and home.

Abe discovers that instead of letting the environment change him for the worse, he can change the environment around him for the better. Wherever his life can take him, Abe takes it to heart to live life like a coffee bean and transform into something better. Are you an egg, a carrot, or a coffee bean?

 

4. ‘Run The mile you’re in’ by Ryan Hall

 

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Ryan Hall is an Olympic athlete and American record holder in the half marathon (59:43), but in his autobiography, Run The Mile You’re In, he reveals that as kid he hated running. He wanted nothing to do with the sport until one day, he felt compelled to run the 15 miles around his neighborhood lake. He was hooked.

Now a coach, speaker, and nonprofit partner, Ryan shares the powerful faith behind his athletic achievements and the lessons he learned that helped him push past limits, make space for relationships that enrich life on and off the running trails, and cultivate a positive mindset.

 

 

3. ‘Witchery’ by Juliet diaz 

 

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Witches by Juliet Diaz is about connecting with your inner witch and embracing it to make your life healthier. Third generation witch Diaz teaches you how to embrace your inner Magick through casting off what doesn’t make you happy, embracing inner athleticism, and becoming an embodiment of truth. And through it all, you’ll build the knowledge to craft spells of your own.

 

2. ‘I am love’ by Allowah Lani 

 

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I Am Love by Allowah Lani is a sequel to his 2016 book, Who Am I? Yoga, Psychedelics and the Quest for Enlightenment. In that earlier book, the author looked critically at the issue of the legitimacy of psychedelics on the spiritual journey, ultimately leaving the question unanswered. In I Am Love, the intention is to offer a more definitive statement and practical method for those using psychedelics as a tool for spiritual growth.

Can psychedelics like ayahuasca really and truly reveal the ultimate nature of reality? Exploring ayahuasca in the context of studying the modern spiritual classic A Course in Miracles, the author answers cautiously in the affirmative. Yes, they can, but there is much inner work to be done to get there, not to mention confronting our great fear of awakening. Are you up for the greatest challenge of your lifetime, of any lifetime? Are you ready?

 

1. ‘There’s no plan b for your A-Game’ by Bo Eason

 

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There’s No Plan B For Your A-Game by Bo Eason is a book by the acclaimed athlete showcasing how to plot the best course in your life. There’s No Plan B for Your A-Game explains how to develop the character, integrity, and commitment it takes to become the best. Bo Eason focuses on a winning four-step process that helps you attain the skill, maintain the effort, and persist through challenges: Declaration: What do you want to achieve? Preparation: How can you make it happen? Acceleration: Where will you find the stamina to reach your goal? Domination: Why do you take others with you?

With inspiring, specific, real-word guidance, There’s No Plan B for Your A-Game teaches the best practices that lead to the best results, in every walk of life.

 

 

 

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The 5 Step Survival Guide to Hollywood Adaptations

There is nothing more exciting and frightening than hearing your favorite book is going to be adapted by Hollywood.

We’ve all been there before. A book that we read and loved is receiving a well-deserved movie adaptation. However, it begs the question: will the movie be everything we dreamed, or will it have us rioting in the streets? We all know there are some pretty horrific adaptations out there, but there’s no reason for us to lose our heads.

Here are some tips tips to help you survive the ordeal of your favorite book heading for the big screen.

 

 

 

1. Be Open To Changes

 

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Image via Giphy

 

Changes are inevitable. To defend Hollywood movie makers, not everything can fit in a film. If screenwriters tried to fit every detail from the book, the movie would be hours long, thus, cuts must be made, often necessitating minor changes elsewhere in the script for it all to make sense. We must accept that movies are a different artform, and therefore will not be exactly the same as the book.

 

2. Movies rely on the visuals 

 

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Books are all about exposition, inner thoughts, and details, details, and more details. In film, simplicity and visual storytelling are key. There is also more focus on the outward expressions and actions of the characters involved, and most films don’t share the minute details in order to keep scenes engaging and entertaining for the audience.

Since books are meant to be read over time, having an abundance of detail fits. Films on the other hand ought to get to the point much quicker, so before you accuse an adapted film of “dumbing things down”, keep in mind, this is a different way to tell a story and experience one.

 

 

3. Talk About It With Those Who Have Not Read The Book

 

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More than likely, this will be the conversation you have with your fellow book nerds. | Image via Tea Time

 

As exciting as it is to read the book before the film, it can come at a cost. When you are watching a movie based on a book you love, it can be tough to look at it with fresh eyes. The temptation to hold on to what you believe is the best version can be unshakeable. This will stand in the way of enjoying what may be a fantastic and fun movie experience. Those who don’t read the book beforehand are the ones who will be able to purely judge the movie as it is – a tale with characters and ideas they have never seen before. In the way that you were awestruck by reading The Hunger Games or the Harry Potter books for the first time, your friends and family may feel the same way when they watch the movie adaptation.

 

 

4. Be Respectful Of Other People’s Opinions

 

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Please do not be that person to throw insults around, or anything else for that matter. It’s completely unnecessary. Even if you feel you’re justified by so called “common sense”, or believe you have the upper hand against someone who has never read the book be respectful!

No one is stupid for liking something you dislike. There is a reason why something was changed in the film from the book. The screenwriters saw the original content in a different light, they saw an opportunity to try something else, whatever the reason there will be other people to like it just as much as the filmmakers did. As mentioned before, we hold on to what we believe is best. Keeping an open mind may open your own eyes to something new, and more importantly, you’ll avoid being a total jerk.

 

 

5. Hollywood Needs To Make Money

 

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Surely they want money too, but honestly, who doesn’t. | Image via Giphy

 

Often angry fans seem to miss a major point about the filmmaking industry— movies cost money, a ridiculous amount of money at that!

Just to put things into perspective think about the cost of a movie versus a book. While book publishing involves paying the author, editor, and marketing team, Films involves teams of hundreds and hundreds of people. It can cost millions to create a film so they are going to want to bring back in as much money as they possibly can, and so they are going to go with the ideas that make them the most money.

 

 

And as a bonus for the most passionate of book-lovers…

 

 

6. Don’t Stay Mad Forever

 

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Image via Giphy

 

Some adaptations are just plain disappointing. Though there is a difference of opinion between people who’ve read the book and people who haven’t, that doesn’t mean you don’t have a right to a therapeutic rant. Once the film is over someone is bound to ask “what did you think?” This is your chance. Let it all out, without causing any public damages or hurt feelings of course. Once it’s all out take a deep breath and distract yourself with just about anything that won’t remind you of the catastrophe you just witnessed.

You have your whole life ahead of you, no need to be so mad about a bad film adaptation. You still have the original book in your heart.

 

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Image via Giphy

 

Hopefully these tips, and bonus tip, can help you to endure and/or recover from a book-based film that you weren’t too crazy about.

 

 

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Improve Your Lifestyle With Our Top Nonfiction Picks!

Each week, Bookstr scans bestseller lists across the Internet to learn what people are reading, buying, gifting, and talking about most — just to make sure you’re out there living your absolute best life. This week’s nonfiction picks center around the topic of self-development books, which showcase how you can improve your health, quality of life, and more with these great reads. Listen: we’re all trying to keep it together. But, with the right tools, staying on our game doesn’t have to be such a daunting task. Let’s dive into our picks and take a look!

 

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5. The Science of Self-empowerment by Gregg Braden

The Science of Self-Empowerment by Gregg Braden is about applying the advanced sense of awareness and spirituality that monks, nuns, and mystics have to our daily lives! Incorporating both scientific and philosophical perspectives, this book helps one achieve a form of spirituality that encourages true growth. Using real-world science to ground its claims, this self-help book that will find you rising to new heights and maybe even centering yourself like the worlds most spiritually-oriented people do.

 

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4. Do it Scared by Ruth Soukup 

Do It Scared by Ruth Soukup is for anyone who feels like they’re stuck in a rut or not taking the chances they really want to. The book helps you identify the source of your fears and tackle them with detailed, hands-on exercises. It lets you not only develop a plan but also, and perhaps more importantly, have the means and method to push yourself toward achieving your goals. This book contains the message that life is about taking chances and will absolutely help you take the first steps toward a better existence.

 

A man stands on a rock casting his hand into the darkness

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3. Turning Dreams into Reality by Yuval Tabib

Turning Dreams Into Reality by Yuval Tabib is based on experiences of the author and how Tabib made their dreams ‘truly’ come true. It’s hard work, but this book has a lot of answers that will make your existential problem-solving a more enjoyable experience. Drawing on theories from physics and Quantum Theory, this book has the answers to make you bend the world around you rather than let it control your life. Though actually achieving your dreams is certainly never an easy feat, purchasing this book certainly will be! Go out and go for it.

 

Paper origami birds fly off into the sky

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2. Life Admin by Elizabeth Emes 

Life Admin by Elizabeth Emes is about managing one’s life and keeping precious moments from slipping by. The author, Elizabeth Emes, is a working mother with two children who realizes one day that her life is being overwhelmed by all that she has to do. In a moment of epiphany, it dawns on her that she needs to take better control of her own time, and so she offers all her struggling readers tips of how she learned to manage it. This book explores labor and how it chokes our lives while also showing us how to reduce labor… or at least reduce its negative impact on our lives.

 

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1. Own your Everyday by Jordan Lee Dooley

Own Your Everyday by Jordan Lee Dooley is about sharing her life experiences. She’s accidentally started a small business; embarrassed herself onstage during talks; and, like most of us, has wasted time caught up in her own anxiety. She’s had a broad range of life experiences, both good and bad, and she’s become an inspiration to young people (especially women) the world over. Now, she shares tips for overcoming obstacles and redefining success, all based on concrete stories of her own experiences.

 

 

 

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Improve Your Quality of Life With Our Self-Development Nonfiction Picks!

Each week, Bookstr scans bestseller lists across the Internet to learn what people are reading, buying, gifting, and talking about most — just so we can ensure consistent, high-quality recommendations. This week’s nonfiction picks center around the theme of self development books, showcasing how you can improve your health, quality of life, and more with these great reads. What are they? Let’s dive in and take a look!

 

5. Girl Stop apologizing by Rachel Ellis

 

A woman runs a hand through her hair as she smugly faces the reader

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Girl Stop Apologizing is a wake up call to women: stop apologizing! In this groundbreaking book, Rachel Ellis asks women to stop defining themselves in terms of other people, making themselves subject to the whims of employees, bosses, and family. Instead, women should define themselves on their own terms and try to achieve what makes them truly happy. This book goes over the adjustments women need to make to. their lives and Rachel Ellis overs tips to get women toward a more ideal lifestyle.

 

4. Can’t Make this Stuff up by Susannah B. Lewis

 

A woman spreads his arms out on the backdrop of a green

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Can’t Make This Stuff Up by Susannah B. Lewis, who made her name online with her hysterical, up front videos that have a comedic, yet wise sensibility of the world. In this book, she recounts her absurd experiences to growing up in a small Tennessee town, recounting funny stories that helped shape her outlook on life. And through it all, Susannah kept her faith to God, learning to balance her beliefs with her life. This is a hilarious memoir with funny stories that showcase how to put a positive spin on life’s bad experiences and grow from them. It’ll teach you some lessons even while you’re cracking up.

 

3. A Walking Life by Antonia Malchik

 

A group of people wander around a blank field

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A Walking Life by Antonia Malchik is a book about using walking to reconnect with our world. Thanks to cars and modern technology, we spend more and more of our lives sedentary than ever before. But walking is what our species was designed for and we derive emotional connection from our spaces, the people around us, and our own mental health through the act of walking. Stimulating and satisfying, this book shows how essential walking is to our lives and how to incorporate it into your routine more often.

2. The Miracle Equation by Hal Elrod 

 

 

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The Miracle Equation by Hal Elrod uncovers a real life formula to help with success. The equation is Unwavering Faith + Extraordinary Effort = Miracles. By having faith in anything you desire then making great efforts to achieve that goal, you will never fail to reach your goals. With this book, you’ll learn how to manage your emotions, turn off your stress responses, and overall, be a more positive person that will help you gain true success in the real world. It’s not a magic equation but it works.

 

1. A Love letter to life by Jeremy And Audrey Roloff

 

A young couple embrace in a farm field

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A Love Letter to Life by Jeremy and Audrey Roloff share their experiences of falling in love and more importantly, learning to make that love work. By telling their own love story, they hope to showcase the challenges and joys of a young couple living together. They share stories leading up to the journey to their wedding day. It wasn’t easy, full of bumps and bad choices but the two showcase that they got through it all and now, they hope to inspire you to do the same when you find your soulmate.

 

 

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Top Nonfiction Books: Self-Development

Each week, Bookstr scans bestseller lists across the Internet to learn what people are reading, buying, gifting, and talking about most — just so we can ensure consistent, high-quality recommendations. This week’s nonfiction picks center around the theme of self development books, showcasing how you can improve your health, quality of life, and more with these great reads. What are they? Let’s dive in and take a look!

 

5. Maybe you should talk to someone by Lori Gottlieb

 

The cover to a self help book with a box of Kleenex

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Mental health is hard to stay on top of these days. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb. Gottlieb is a famous psychotherapist who one day has a complete mental breakdown and has to seek the help of another therapist, a quirky but helpful man named Wendell. As she struggles to understand her own life and those of her patients, she seeks Wendell’s aid behind the scenes of her own life, overcoming her inner struggles with warm, wit, and humor. This is a feel-good book that showcases the important of speaking to someone and showcasing how burying your mental troubles does nothing to help you.

 

4. Lessons from Lucy by Dave Barry

 

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Lessons From Lucy by Dave Barry showcases how to deal with the lessons of old age as Dave Barry deals with depression in old age by turning to his dog, Lucy, for help in living his best life. He learns lessons from her simplistic worldview to inform his own, such as “Making New Friends”, “Don’t Stop Having Fun”, and more. Dave makes his POV world very relatable, informative, and hilarious as he navigates the obstacles before him, always with his faithful companion by his side, with lessons to take for your own life.

 

3. Next Level Basic by Stassi Schroeder

 

A woman sips a bottle of soda against a blue backdrop

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Next Level Basic is the perfect self-help book for millennials, helping to define yourself as the person you are rather than someone who has to defend their own choices of style or interests. Publicly love yourself for the basic things you cherish, such as lattes, pugs, millennial style of clothes, hot dogs, and chick flicks. Embrace your basic side and don’t let anyone tell you you have to be something you’re not. Be basic and be proud!

 

2. Finding quiet: The story of overcoming anxiety and the practices that brought peace by J.P. MOreland

 

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Anxiety is a common problem plaguing us nowadays. This work tackles the difficult subject head on and centers around author J.P. Moreland. A prominent author, professor, and philosopher, he awoke one night to a severe panic attack. For more than decade, Moreland struggled with mental illness, battling panic attacks and depression throughout his life. Now, he’s managed to deal with his mental troubles and wants to help those who suffer from similar mental problems, calling upon his own methods that help calm himself to showcase to the reading audience. Sometimes brutally honest but always nurturing and helpful, this book offers solutions to managing mental illness and shows anyone suffering from it they aren’t alone.

 

1. Everything is F*cked: A book about hope by Mark Manson

 

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Hope is hard to find in today’s times. Everything seems to be falling apart, with the government failing, the planet’s changing climate, and the economy seems on the verge of collapse. Everyone is more connected than ever but we simply can’t get over the perpetual idea that society is failing. Everything seems doomed. Author Mark Manson tries to offer a guiding hand, defining our relationship to technology, our own flaws, and finding hope it what seems to be a dark world. Mixing his well educated, well researched erudite manner of speech with often blunt and crazy humor, Manson defies us to find hope in our time and challenges us to make changes to make us happier, even if it’s very hard. This is a blunt exploration of the world today and allows us to find happiness even with the craziness of modern life.

 

 

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