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Excessively Obsessed: Find your passion, build your business, learn your limits, love your life
by Natasha OakleyModern and practical business lessons from Natasha Oakley, co-founder of Monday Swimwear and The Pilates Class Do you have an idea for a business, but no clue where to start? Is there a product or service you're sure you could sell, if only you knew how to file the paperwork or fund the company or build the marketing plan? Do you have an inkling that you'll want to start a business one day - and you can't stop wondering if you have what it takes? Then you have come to the right place.In this empowering guide, Natasha gives an honest account of the blood, sweat and tears that goes into creating a successful business, from registering your company and opening a bank account, all the way to building your team and scaling for growth. Removing the glamour of #hustleculture and the illusion of how easy it might look on social media, Natasha will detail how she bartered jobs and co-founded Monday Swimwear in her living room with her best friend and grew that business (and others) to a multi-million dollar empire. And she will explain how, no matter what your idea, if you are Excessively Obsessed with it, you can do the same. In her book, she will show readers how to: - Harness your idea to create a viable business that has longevity- Know when to leave your job, how to fund your start-up and whether you need a business partner - Generate and grow a huge following - Build contacts when no one knows who you are- Rise above pressures of social media to use it powerfully and with purpose- Create work/life balance to avoid burnout and take care of yourself Excessively Obsessed is for anyone who has ever wondered: should I start my own business? (Spoiler alert: There's no right answer!) And whether you decide to get started tomorrow or give it more time, you'll close this book with a reignited sense of passion and purpose in your career. Through her own story, Natasha will inspire readers to tap into their own unique potential, because when you find your calling, it's worth becoming obsessed.
Excuse Me: Cartoons, Complaints, and Notes to Self
by Liana FinckA razor-sharp collection from the acclaimed New Yorker cartoonist and Instagram sensation whom Vulture recently called &“a remarkable young talent&”With her trademark, scratchy style and keen eye for the absurd, Liana Finck has amassed a large, devoted following who love the deeply insightful, delightfully odd way she describes how we all experience the world.Excuse Me assembles more than 500 of her most loved cartoons from Instagram and The New Yorker over the past few years, in such distinctive chapters as: Love & Dating; Gender & Other Politics; Animals; Art & Myth-Making; Humanity; Time, Space, and How to Navigate Them; Strangeness, Shyness, Sadness; and Notes to Self.Melancholy and hilarious, relatable and surreal, intensely personal yet surprisingly universal, Excuse Me brings together the best work so far by one of the most talented young comics artists working today.
Excuse Me: The Survival Guide to Modern Business Etiquette
by Rosanne J. ThomasBlending different generations, genders, and cultures brings energy and fresh perspectives to the workplace. But the flip side is an environment ripe for confusion and social blunders. Mix in increasingly open-plan workplaces and constant connectivity, and the chance that we?ll unintentionally annoy or offend others increases exponentially.Exactly what are the rules these days? Is it acceptable to text your boss at home? What is the polite way to ask a colleague to take a distracting conversation behind closed doors? What about the use of smartphones in meetings? Merging classic rules of behavior with new realities of modern business, Excuse Me spotlights dozens of puzzling situations, with suggestions for bridging divides. The book untangles the nuances of: Meeting etiquetteInterview expectationsProper office attireElectronic mannersPrivacy in tight spacesEye contact and nonverbal cuesSmall talkBusiness diningSocial media useWorking remotely and flexiblyAnd more.While the youngest employees might seem unruly, the oldest can seem rigid. Good manners create an atmosphere of respect, and smooth the way for everyone to succeed.
"Excuse Me, But I Was Next..."
by Peggy PostHave you ever been annoyed by cell phone yakkers, line cutters, or movie chatterers? Been confused about who pays at a restaurant? Received a gift you hated? Fumed over how to respond to a nosy question? America's etiquette expert Peggy Post comes to the rescue in this concise, readable handbook devoted to the top 100 etiquette issues everyone wonders about. You'll learn how to politely say "no" to difficult requests, how to introduce someone if you've forgotten his or her name, how to perform damage control for e-mail bloopers, and countless other strategies for handling life's awkward moments. Additional highlights include: Ten Conversational Blunders . . . Five Introduction Goofs . . . Top Dinner-Table Manners Goofs . . . Tipping Guidelines . . . A Family Gathering Survival Guide . . . How to Spot a Dud on the First Date . . . Playdate Etiquette . . . How to Be a Welcome Houseguest . . . How to Simplify Gift Giving . . . Dispelling Wedding Myths . . . and much more. In "Excuse Me, But I Was Next . . . ," Peggy Post distills the essence of etiquette for today's world into the perfect portable book.
Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting
by Lynn GrabhornWe all know how strong our emotions can be - but do we really appreciate that they can actually help us to achieve what we want?We sometimes disregard our feelings and carry on living life the way we have always lived it - but our emotions are in fact the key to finding a life that is the way we always dreamt it would be. Top life coach and author Lynn Grabhorn helps us to realise how negative feelings create negative energy and events, then presents the techniques we can use to recognise these negative emotions, change them into positive ones - and watch the transformation begin.Written in a clear, friendly, direct style and with real-life anecdotes as examples, this book uncovers the real strength behind our emotions - and will help everyone who has ever wanted to turn their life around to achieve their true desires.
Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting
by Lynn GrabhornBestselling US life coach tells us how to achieve our life dreams through the astonishing power of positive feelings.We all know how strong our emotions can be - but do we really appreciate that they can actually help us to achieve what we want?We sometimes disregard our feelings and carry on living life the way we have always lived it - but our emotions are in fact the key to finding a life that is the way we always dreamt it would be. Top life coach and author Lynn Grabhorn helps us to realise how negative feelings create negative energy and events, then presents the techniques we can use to recognise these negative emotions, change them into positive ones - and watch the transformation begin.Written in a clear, friendly, direct style and with real-life anecdotes as examples, this book uncovers the real strength behind our emotions - and will help everyone who has ever wanted to turn their life around to achieve their true desires.(P) 2021 Hampton Roads Publishing
Excuses Begone!: How To Change Lifelong, Self-defeating Thinking Habits
by Wayne W. DyerIn Excuses Begone! Dr. Wayne W. Dyer reveals how to change lifelong, self-defeating thinking patterns that prevent you from living at the highest levels of success, happiness, and health. You may know what to think but find it terribly difficult to change thinking habits that have been with you since childhood. This business of changing habituated thinking patterns is really the business of eliminating the same old tired excuses. People are forever using excuses and defending those excuse patterns as if they were actually true. Such statements as It would be very difficult for me to change . . . If I changed, it would create family dramas . . . I’m too old or too young to change . . . I’ve always been this way . . . It’s in my DNA so I can’t change . . . I can’t afford the things I truly want and I’ve always been this way are all excuses that are used regularly without challenging the truth of these thinking habits. When you eliminate excuses that explain your shortcomings or failures, you’ll awaken to your infinite possibilities. Removing the excuses involves examining these thinking habits under a new and truthful light. In this groundbreaking work, Wayne presents a compendium of conscious and subconscious excuses employed by virtually everyone, along with a new paradigm that guides you to put those excuses to rest once and for all. You’ll learn to apply specific questions to any excuse, and then proceed through the steps of the Excuses Begone! paradigm. The old habituated ways of thinking will melt away as you experience the joy of releasing excuses and the absurdity of hanging on to them. There are no excuses worth defending ever, even if they’ve always been part of your life. This book represents Wayne’s effort to help anyone whose self-defeating thoughts are persistently present, learn how to discard those old thinking habits, and discover the infinite possibilities of life!
Executive Coaching for Results: The Definitive Guide to Developing Organizational Leaders
by Brian O. Underhill John J. Koriath Kimcee McanallyOffering practical learning, best practices, and illuminating case studies, Executive Coaching for Results is the first definitive guide to the effective use of executive coaching in the corporate environment. In contrast to the soft,academic, or sometimes scattershot resources currently available, Executive Coaching for Results draws on rigorous and extensive research of those now using coaching to positive, quantifiable results. The content and inspiration for the book grew from a 2005 Rapid Cycle Research project conducted by Executive Development Associates, Inc. The project brought Fortune 1000 and Global 500 companies together in a research consortium that examined the coaching industry from the perspectives of organizations, leaders being coached, and coaches, resulting in a rich mixture of qualitative and quantitative data. Forty-five in-depth interviews were conducted across the three perspectives (19 organizations, 13 leaders, 13 executive coaches). A web-based survey achieved breadth, being completed by 48 organizations, 86 leaders (from 25 companies) and 152 coaches. As a result, the book features illuminating research and best practices from many name-brand organizations, like Dell, Sony, Wal-Mart, Intel, BP, Unilever, General Mills, and Fidelity Investments.
Executive Functioning Workbook for Adults: Exercises to Help You Get Organized, Stay Focused, and Achieve Your Goals
by Blythe Grossberg PsyDTake charge of your future with sharper executive functioning skills Executive functioning is the ability to get organized, plan ahead, and stay focused. If your executive functioning skills could use a boost, this workbook is the perfect place to start! No matter your job or lifestyle, the simple strategies inside will help you feel more in control so you can thrive. Get started right away—Find in-depth information about how executive functioning works, along with self-assessments, advice for breaking bad habits, worksheets to keep you on track, and more. Take it one step at a time—This book breaks down each aspect of executive function and offers step-by-step guidance that's easy to understand and stick with for long-term results. Target nine essential skills—Explore exercises designed to improve: attention and focus, organization, task initiation, planning and prioritization, self-monitoring, working memory, flexible thinking, emotional control, and impulse control. Get the tools you need to feel more productive and achieve your goals with the Executive Functioning Workbook for Adults.
Executive Intelligence: What All Great Leaders Have
by Justin MenkesThe final word on what traits make for highly successful managers - and a detailed explanation of how to identify potential standout performers. "Executive Intelligence" is about the substance behind great leadership. Inspired by the work of Peter Drucker and Jim Collins, Justin Menkes set out to isolate the qualities that make for the 'right' people. Drawing on his background in psychology and bolstered by interviews with accomplished CEOs, Menkes paints the portrait of the ideal executive.
Executive Presence: The Missing Link Between Merit and Success
by Sylvia Ann HewlettDo you exude confidence and credibility? Can you command a room? Sylvia Ann Hewlett, one of the world's most influential business thinkers, cracks the code of Executive Presence (EP) for men and women intent on winning the next plum assignment and doing something extraordinary with their lives.You might have the qualifications to be considered for your dream job, but you won't get far unless you can signal that you're "leadership material" and that you "have what it takes." Professionals are judged on presence as well as on performance. Using a wealth of hard data--including a new nationwide survey and dozens of focus groups--Hewlett reveals EP to be a dynamic mix of three things: how you act (gravitas), how you speak (communication), and how you look (appearance). She also draws on in-depth interviews with a wide selection of admired leaders to reveal how they embody and deploy key elements of EP. This book is immensely practical. Hewlett teases out tactics that can help you raise your game and close the gap between merit and success. She offers the unvarnished advice you won't get from supportive friends and tackles head-on such touchy subjects as too-tight clothing and too-shrill voices. She shows how the standards for EP vary for men, women, multicultural, and LGBT employees, and she shares how to get meaningful feedback from politically correct bosses intent on avoiding the real issues. The good news is that EP is eminently teachable. You can learn how to "show teeth" while remaining likable, and you can teach yourself how to dress appropriately while staying true to yourself. You don't have to be born with the voice of James Earl Jones or the looks of Angelina Jolie to hurdle the EP bar. With hard facts and vivid examples, Hewlett shows you how to ace EP and fully realize your unique potential--no matter who you are, no matter where you work.
Executive Presence for the Modern Leader: A Guide to Cultivating Success and Thriving in the Workplace
by D.A. BentonReach your professional goals with strategies for building executive presenceWhether you want to land a new job, succeed in your current role, secure a promotion, or change career paths, having up-to-date leadership skills is essential. Executive Presence for the Modern Leader is full of expert guidance and actionable steps for progressing in your career. You'll build the skills necessary to be more memorable, credible, and confident in the workplace.A breakdown of executive presence—Learn what executive presence entails, and explore the importance of emotional intelligence, communication, and authenticity.An exploration of leadership—Find straightforward explanations of different leadership styles, and take assessments to see which one you identify with so you can cultivate the leadership traits you want.Skill-building exercises—Strengthen your executive presence with thought-provoking writing prompts, business etiquette exercises, and more.A modern, inclusive approach—Read real stories about diverse leaders who embody executive presence at different stages of their careers.Take your leadership skills to the next level and thrive at work.
Executive’s Guide to Understanding People
by Abraham ZaleznikZaleznik takes managers into Freud's world of psychoanalysis and shows managers what they need to know about themselves and their employees to better motivate and lead. He discusses a variety of things relevant to today's top leaders including Freud's origin of psychoanalysis, the unconscious, neuroses, organizations and change.
Exercices de concentration mentale: Trajectoires de l'attention
by Apo HalmyrisUne approche pratique des techniques de concentration. L'auteur de "Méditation et Créativité" nous offre ici une nouvelle série de leçons sur les techniques de concentration. Cet ouvrage s'adresse à nos contemporains en recherche, en conservant les concepts classiques validés par l'expérience.
Exercises for Perfect Posture: Stand Tall Program for Better Health Through Good Posture (Exercises for #16)
by William Smith Keith Burns Christopher Volgraf Wazim BukshExercises for Perfect Posture is the complete guide to achieving healthy posture, providing everything from fitness programs and exercises designed to realign your spine and strengthen your shoulders, neck and back as well as guidance on how to redesign your work space to be more ergonomic. Good posture is foundational to good health. Poor posture can lead to shoulder discomfort, neck pain, and even chronic conditions such as carpel tunnel syndrome if left uncorrected. Yet the modern lifestyle and the modern workplace together make it very difficult to maintain healthy, natural posture throughout the day. Humans were not meant to spend all their time sitting down, and the “disease of inactivity” has reached near-epidemic proportions. Exercises for Perfect Posture corrects deficiencies in your posture through resistance exercises, flexibility, and cardiovascular activities that will fit any schedule. Exercises for Perfect Posture also includes: · A detailed overview of how exercise can improve your posture · Clear, informative pictures of safe, effective exercises · Detailed instructions on how to perform each movement · A complete fitness approach to restoring posture · A training log to track your progress Featuring expert-approved fitness techniques, with options ranging from resistance training to mobility movements, Exercises for Perfect Posture is the all-in-one resource for anyone looking to stand up straight and face life head-on!Exercise can improve your posture and health. With more and more people finding themselves working desk jobs and other largely seated, sedentary positions, the issues resulting from poor posture are only becoming more prevalent. The downsides of improper posture set the stage for health and mobility risks later on in life. Exercises for Perfect Posture provides the physical and preventative education necessary to improve posture and health through a comprehensive fitness program for all ages.
Exhala: Todo va a estar bien… si tú lo decides
by Gaby VargasTomé la decisión de no convertir mi dolor en sufrimiento, sino en aprendizaje y gratitud. La pérdida de un ser querido representa una de las cosas más difíciles de enfrentar, y es algo que, tarde o temprano, nos toca vivir. Gaby Vargas ofrece en este libro luminoso y propositivo una serie de reflexiones profundas a partir de la pérdida de Pablo, el amor de su vida; entrelaza su proceso de duelo con su historiade amor, y rescata enseñanzas y lecciones de vida para entender la enfermedad, aceptar el desenlace y, poco a poco, volver a llenar tus días de luz.Exhala es un testimonio inolvidable que apuesta por una nueva vida donde se retoma la contemplación de la naturaleza conrenovado asombro, la posibilidad de reconstruirse para aceptar la promesa de otros viajes a lugares donde florezca laalegría o las travesías espirituales. Estas páginas son una invitación a permitir la ayuda de quienes nos aman, a convertir el duelo en un ritual de recuerdos hermosos, a desintoxicarnos, renacer, vibrar con la música; correr por el campo, gozar el milagro de estar en el agua y volar con la imaginación, volver a creer, danzar, sonreír… ¡exhalar!
Exhale: 40 Breathwork Exercises to Help You Find Your Calm, Supercharge Your Health, and Perform at Your Best
by Richie BostockMore than forty simple breathing exercises to help you transform your physical and mental health and improve performance and emotional well-beingWe take between seventeen to twenty-nine thousand breaths per day. Yet most of us aren't aware we're breathing incorrectly, and in the process are increasing our chances of fatigue, headaches, digestive issues, sleep disorders, chronic stress, and anxiety. However, having more energy, sleeping better, and performing at your best can be as simple as taking some breaths in certain ways. Breathing is the secret weapon you never knew you had!In Exhale, Breathwork coach Richie Bostock shares more than forty exercises to use your breath to feel and perform at your best. With strategies researched in the lab, along with practices employed by ancient cultures as well as Navy SEALs, Exhale will show you how to find a solution to many of life's everyday challenges. Whether you're hoping to reduce stress and anxiety, increase energy levels, improve sleep, rejuvenate creativity, tackle a hangover, or boost athletic performance, the easy-to-master conscious breathing techniques you'll learn in Exhale are the ultimate tools to transform your well-being.A PENGUIN LIFE TITLE
The Exhaustion Cure: Up Your Energy from Low to Go in 21 Days
by Laura StackFeeling fatigued? Wish you could have more get-up-and-go? If you're like millions of Americans, you get home from a long day with barely enough energy to lift the remote control. But with Laura Stack's comprehensive plan, you can regain your vitality in just three weeks. Let The Productivity Pro® help you eliminate the "energy bandits" from all aspects of your life--from your diet and your work schedule to your environment and your relationships--so you can start living in a way that will boost your energy. Focusing on simple changes that make a huge difference, The Exhaustion Cure presents manageable ways to: Cut down on "energy bandits" and fill up on "energy boosters. " Stop relying on caffeine, cigarettes and other substances to keep you going. Avoid letting negative situations or people control your thoughts and actions. Sneak in time for fitness during the busiest days. Accomplish your goals and find more time to devote to your family. LAURA STACK, MBA, CSP, is a personal productivity expert and the author of Leave the Office Earlier and Find More Time. As a professional speaker, she helps workers Leave the Office Earlier® with Maximum Results in Minimum TimeTM. Laura is the president of The Productivity Pro®, Inc., an international time management company whose clients include Microsoft, GM, Time Warner, Lockheed Martin, and Bank of America.
¿Existe la felicidad?: Del running al sofathlón: cómo escapar del negocio de la felicidad para alcanzar el bienestar.
by Toño FraguasEn un mundo en el que nos bombardean con la receta para ser feliz, Toño Fraguas desmonta con humor, ironía y la dosis justa de erudición, los tópicos contemporáneos en torno a la felicidad, y demuestra que el camino para alcanzarla, si es que existe, es personal e intransferible. ¿Cansado de comer alimentos macrobióticos?, ¿de destrozarte las rodillas todas las mañanas corriendo por el asfalto?, ¿de perseguir el liderazgo en tu empresa cuando no consigues ni hacerte escuchar en la reunión de la comunidad?, ¿de ligar poco a pesar de matarte en el gimnasio?, ¿de hacer viajes eternos en los que se supone que te vas a encontrar contigo mismo y lo único que consigues es gastarte una pasta, que te pierdan la maleta y volver con diarrea? En definitiva, ¿estás cansado de buscar la felicidad? ¿No será que a lo mejor la estás buscando en los sitios equivocados? ¿Y si tu felicidad consistiera en comer lo que quieres, viajar donde quieres y estar tirado en el sofá cuando tú quieres? Running, coaching, mindfulness, travelling, crafting, escaping... Del nutricionismo a la vida rural, de los gurús «inspiracionales» a los líderes de las redes sociales, del yoga a los yogures L. Casei Inmunitas, es evidente que la felicidad es un negocio. Y, además, está de moda. En un mundo en el que nos bombardean constantemente con la receta para ser feliz, como si fuera obligatorio serlo las veinticuatro horas del día, Toño Fraguas desmonta con humor, ironía y las justas dosis de erudición los tópicos contemporáneos en torno a la felicidad, y a la vez demuestra que el camino para alcanzarla, si es que existe, es personal e intransferible. Índice Preámbulo: (O lo que va antes de echarse a andar).Capítulo 1: El harakiri en tres sencillos pasos (O el inexistente camino de la felicidad).Capítulo 2: Filósofos griegos en una TED Conference (Los vendemotos).Capítulo 3: El running, esa droga de la felicidad (De la cinta del gimnasio a la rueda del hámster).Capítulo 4: Un neojipi llamado Fray Luis de León (O de los complicadísima que es una vida sencilla).Capítulo 5: Mochileros y aventureros, estáis perdidos (O dicho de otra manera: ¿hace falta huir?).Capítulo 6: Leche sin leche, hamburguesas sin carne y la diosa quinoa (¿Es comestible la felicidad?).Capítulo 7: Yoga, pilates... cuerpos, mentes y mindfulness (Hacia la felicidad por la flexibilidad).Capítulo 8: Hacer cosas con estas manitas (¿Se puede «fabricar» la felicidad?).Capítulo 9: Bueno, si a él le ayuda... (Sugestión, auto-engaño y el colmo: síndrome de Estocolmo).Epílogo: La Ecuación de la Felicidad (Un epílogo erótico-festivo).
Existence Is Not Just Matter
by Osho Osho International FoundationThis eBook is a beautiful example and a fascinating insight into the work of a master with his audience of seekers. Osho responds to questions coming from his audience. A variety of questions and Osho's responses give a taste of Osho's insights and teachings on subjects of intelligence, the compulsion for power, questions re the personal experience of Osho and the ongoing game of questions and answers between the audience and Osho itself.
The Existential Importance of the Penis: A Guide to Understanding Male Sexuality
by Daniel N. WatterThe first of its kind, this book applies existential principles to sexual problems, providing clinicians with the tools to understand male sexuality more deeply. Alighting from the existential psychotherapy tenets of Irvin D. Yalom, Watter introduces the notion that the penis is a conduit for male emotion, and hence regulates their ability to form and experience intimate relationships. Subsequent chapters explore an existential view of male sexual dysfunction, non-sexual trauma, hypersexuality, changing bodies through illness, age, and injury, and examines badly behaved men to understand the meaning of certain behaviors. This book will be an invaluable resource for sex therapists, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, and social workers in practice and in training, assisting them to develop the therapeutic skills that will improve their understanding of men’s psychological experience.
The Existential Toolkit for Climate Justice Educators: How to Teach in a Burning World
by Jennifer Atkinson Sarah Jaquette RayAn easy-to-use field guide for teaching on climate injustice and building resilience in your students—and yourself—in an age of crisis. As feelings of eco-grief and climate anxiety grow, educators are grappling with how to help students learn about the violent systems causing climate change while simultaneously navigating the emotions this knowledge elicits. This book provides resources for developing emotional and existential tenacity in college classrooms so that students can stay engaged. Featuring insights from scholars, educators, activists, artists, game designers, and others who are integrating emotional wisdom into climate justice education, this user-friendly guide offers a robust menu of interdisciplinary, plug-and-play teaching strategies, lesson plans, and activities to support student transformation and build resilience. The book also includes reflections from students who have taken classes that incorporate their emotions in the curricula. Galvanizing and practical, The Existential Toolkit for Climate Justice Educators will equip both educators and their students with tools for advancing climate justice.
The Existentialist's Survival Guide: How to Live Authentically in an Inauthentic Age
by Gordon Marino“When it comes to living, there’s no getting out alive. But books can help us survive, so to speak, by passing on what is most important about being human before we perish. In The Existentialist’s Survival Guide, Marino has produced an honest and moving book of self-help for readers generally disposed to loathe the genre.” —The Wall Street JournalSophisticated self-help for the 21st century—when every crisis feels like an existential crisisSoren Kierkegaard, Frederick Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and other towering figures of existentialism grasped that human beings are, at heart, moody creatures, susceptible to an array of psychological setbacks, crises of faith, flights of fancy, and other emotional ups and downs. Rather than understanding moods—good and bad alike—as afflictions to be treated with pharmaceuticals, this swashbuckling group of thinkers generally known as existentialists believed that such feelings not only offer enduring lessons about living a life of integrity, but also help us discern an inner spark that can inspire spiritual development and personal transformation. To listen to Kierkegaard and company, how we grapple with these feelings shapes who we are, how we act, and, ultimately, the kind of lives we lead. In The Existentialist's Survival Guide, Gordon Marino, director of the Hong Kierkegaard Library at St. Olaf College and boxing correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, recasts the practical takeaways existentialism offers for the twenty-first century. From negotiating angst, depression, despair, and death to practicing faith, morality, and love, Marino dispenses wisdom on how to face existence head-on while keeping our hearts intact, especially when the universe feels like it’s working against us and nothing seems to matter. What emerges are life-altering and, in some cases, lifesaving epiphanies—existential prescriptions for living with integrity, courage, and authenticity in an increasingly chaotic, uncertain, and inauthentic age.
Exit: The Endings That Set Us Free
by Sara Lawrence-LightfootFrom a renowned sociologist, the wisdom of saying goodbyeSara Lawrence-Lightfoot is enthralled by exits: long farewells, quick goodbyes, sudden endings, the ordinary and the extraordinary. There's a relationship, she attests, between small goodbyes and our ability "to master and mark the larger farewells."In Exit, her tenth book, she explores the ways we leave one thing and move on to the next; how we anticipate, define, and reflect on our departures; our epiphanies that something is over and done with. Lawrence-Lightfoot, a sociologist and a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has interviewed more than a dozen women and men in states of major change, and she paints their portraits with sympathy and insight: a gay man who finds home and wholeness after coming out; a sixteen-year-old boy forced to leave Iran in the midst of the violent civil war; a Catholic priest who leaves the church he has always been devoted to, he life he has loved, and the work that has been deeply fulfilling; an anthropologist who carefully stages her departure from he "field" after four years of research; and many more.Too often, Lawrence-Lightfoot believes, we exalt new beginnings at the expense of learning from our goodbyes. Exit finds wisdom and perspective in the possibility of moving on and marks the start of a new conversation, to help us discover how we might make our exits with purpose and dignity.
Exit Laughing
by Victoria ZackheimExit Laughing is more than a collection of twenty-four personal stories, written by some of our country's finest authors, on the subject of death and humor. It's a reminder that all of us approach death in very different ways. Whether we face our death or the death of a loved one with fear, sorrow, joy, or confusion, and whether or not we believe in an afterlife, we cannot deny that death happens. Exit Laughing reminds us that in death there is a place for humor. Ellen Sussman writes of flying home her mother's body and watching her mother's burial wardrobe spill out on the baggage carousel. Kathi Kamen Goldmark regales us with memories of playing the kazoo at Jessica Mitford's funeral. Broadway and television actor Richard McKenzie shares the riotous story of a funeral procession led by a lost hearse. Bonnie Garvin writes about her parents' double suicide attempt (and yes, it's funny!). Joshua Braff recalls a death in an upstairs bedroom during his childhood, Roadrunner cartoons included. L.A. Law star and author Michael Tucker describes his last visit with his dying friend, Cleavon Little, and how they said goodbye. International bestselling novelist Jacquelyn Mitchard writes about her husband's untimely death, and how his three best friends ended up held in a psychiatric hospital after the wake. These stories, along with seventeen other memorable essays, constitute a book whose purpose is to remind readers that when dealing with illness, dying, and death, there is an important place for laugh-out-loud humor.