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I Promise It Won't Always Hurt Like This: 18 Assurances on Grief
by Clare MackintoshNew York Times and international bestselling mystery author Clare Mackintosh makes her nonfiction debut with this deeply felt memoir of unfathomable loss, and infinite hope. "Grief has run through my life like thread through fabric; at times gossamer-thin and barely there, other times weaving thick, clumsy darns across the rips. In my grief I am a mother, a child, a sister, a wife, a woman, a friend. I am also a writer."When Clare Mackintosh lost her five-week-old son, she soon discovered there are no neat, labeled stages of grief like so many books insist. The shape of each loss is different; when a parent, relative, or friend passes, we grieve the person in all their beauty, their humanity, their imperfections. For Clare, there was no preparing for the anger and excruciating ache of knowing her child's life would remain unlived. This is the book she needed then. Inspired by a viral Twitter thread Clare wrote on the anniversary of her son's death, this deeply honest, compassionate memoir will bring solace and encouragement to anyone who finds themselves walking with grief, whether for a season or for several years. It is for those who need a little voice saying: I Promise It Won't Always Hurt Like This, for the people who love them, and those who understand that great loss can be a window through which we see how powerful, and unending, love can be.
I Quit!
by Geri Scazzero Peter ScazzeroGeri Scazzero knew there was something desperately wrong with how they were doing their life and ministry. She finally told her husband, "I quit," and left the thriving church he pastored, beginning a journey that transformed her, her marriage, and her church. Geri quit being afraid of what others think. She quit lying. She quit denying her anger and sadness. She quit living someone else's life. I Quit provides you a way out of an inauthentic, superficial spirituality to genuine freedom in Christ. I Quit is for every person who thinks, 'I can't keep pretending everything is fine!" Biblical quitting goes hand in hand with choosing. When we quit those things that are damaging to our souls or the souls of others, we are freed up to choose other ways of being and relating that are rooted in love and lead to life. When we quit fear of what others think, we choose freedom. When we quit lies, we choose truth. When we quit blaming, we choose to take responsibility. When we quit faulty thinking, we choose to live in reality. When we quit for the right reasons, quitting changes us. Something breaks inside of us when we finally say, "No more. " But it must be done for the right reasons, at the right time, and in the right way. That's what this ebook is about.
I Really Didn't Think This Through: Tales from My So-Called Adult Life
by Beth EvansLike Mindy Kaling meets Hyperbole and a Half, I Really Didn’t Think This Through gets at the heart of what makes life both so challenging and so joyful—figuring out how to be a person in the world. Did you ever wish your best friend—the person you would trust with your innermost secrets, the person whose wisdom and comfort you seek in times of stress or self-doubt—could draw?Armed with her beloved illustrations, popular Instagram artist Beth Evans tackles a range of issues—from whimsical musings to deeply personal struggles—in this imaginative anti-guide to being your own person.This book is a compendium of Beth’s collected wisdom and stories, interwoven with her tremendously popular and loveable illustrations. The book is a wonderful mix of fun (playful meditations on the band Rush and international pen-pals) and thoughtful (Beth delves into her personal history with obsessive compulsive disorder and depression while commiserating on topics like dating and credit card shame) all with a simple candor that anyone from a teen to their grandparent can relate to. Through all of her experiences, Beth manages to extract valuable lessons, and the book is replete with friendly advice about caring for yourself, getting help no matter what your problems are, and embracing what makes you happy. Beth is a compelling storyteller, her drawings picking up where her words leave off, creating an approachable and immersive experience for the reader. Beth’s work feels like a hug from your best friend. And like a best friend, she’s here to say “You got this!”
I Really Needed This Today: Words to Live By
by Hoda KotbFrom New York Times bestselling author and beloved Today show co-host Hoda Kotb comes an inspiring collection of quotes--drawn from her own personal favorites featured on her enormously popular Instagram account--that offer wisdom, courage, and hope.Several years ago, Today show co-host Hoda Kotb began posting a variety of quotes on her Instagram page. Some were penned by a favorite writer; others offered a dose of love or laughter. She thought the quotes were meaningful only to her, but soon a funny thing started happening - reactions poured in from thousands of people who were just as moved. The quotes weren't only providing inspiration to Hoda, they were comforting and connecting people. So many of their comments read, "I really needed this today," a phrase that inspired the book's title. In I Really Needed This Today, Hoda not only shares 365 sayings and quotes, she writes about the people and experiences that have pushed her to challenge boundaries, embrace change, and explore relationships to their fullest. Written with her signature wit and warmth, this book is the ideal companion to tuck beside your bed or to bring with you on-the-go to keep you motivated, recharged, and inspired each day.
I Remember Running: The Year I Got Everything I Ever Wanted -- and ALS
by Darcy WakefieldDarcy Wakefield was a single, 33-year-old, athletic, workaholic English professor who was diagnosed with ALS. I Remember Running is Darcy's story of change and loss and challenges during her first year with ALS, as she struggles to make sense of her diagnosis and redefine herself in the face of this terminal illness. This book will move readers to see the world in a different light and proves that it is possible to live a rich, meaningful life after being diagnosed with a terminal illness.
I Respectfully Disagree: How to Have Difficult Conversations in a Divided World
by Justin Jones-FosuStart building bridges instead of barriers! This essential guide offers a simple 5-part framework that will help you have honest and enlightening conversations despite deep and fundamental disagreements.Divisions are on the rise around the world, and 2024 may well be a peak year. We're losing the ability to disagree without dehumanizing. There is a deep need for this practical and accessible guide to having challenging conversations in any situation, from the workplace to the classroom to the dinner table.It's not about saying the right words at the right time but something vastly deeper. In this book, you'll discover the 5 pillars of respectfully disagreeing: Challenge your perspective Be the student Cultivate your curiosity Seek the gray Agree to respectBut this is not a weighty tome. Each chapter features a cartoon, and Justin Jones-Fosu tackles this serious subject with a playful and compassionate tone. For example, he writes I have become more and more intentional in my desire to respectfully disagree with others (except those who think putting ketchup on eggs is wrongthere is no hope for respect there).With a wide range of examples and exercises throughout, this is a timely and reader-friendly handbook to disagreeing with someone's ideology while passionately pursuing their humanity.
I Saw Him in Your Eyes: Everyday People Making Extraordinary Impact
by Ace CollinsThis collection of moving stories reveals the power of ordinary people to shape the lives of others in unexpected, sometimes astonishing ways. Bestselling author Ace Collins presents the inspiring recollections of some of America’s best-loved leaders. These uplifting personal accounts reveal the life-changing impact of a simple kind act, of a good word spoken at the right time, of an everyday life whose unassuming character makes all the difference in someone else’s world.A young woman on a harrowing mission encounters her greatest inspiration during her most fearful time through a humble, seemingly helpless stranger. Today, her organization brings hope to thousands across the world.Mired in a life of addiction, a young man meets three amazing people at key times on his journey to recovery. Today, this award-winning singer and songwriter touches the hearts of thousands through his music.These and other real-life stories will encourage you, uplift you, and fill you with gratitude for those who have touched your own life. And they will cause you to consider your purpose and potential. Today may be the day when your own ordinary life influences someone else in an extraordinary way.
I Saw the Lord: A Wake-up Call for Your Heart
by Anne Graham LotzChristians who feel they are missing something will wake up to how much Jesus loves them and passionately desires to revive their lives through a fresh commitment to holiness. A revived faith means a life totally dedicated to God and totally committed to the Word of God. Relationship with God takes first priority; service and mission flow from this deepened, intimate, personal relationship with God.
I Say Unto You
by Osho Osho International FoundationWhat if Jesus were not a supernatural being conceived by a virgin, but a real human being who had experienced the awakening of consciousness known as "enlightenment" in the East? This extraordinary line-by-line commentary on selected Gospels from Matthew and John tests the hypothesis that Jesus was a mystic, not a miracle worker of supernatural origin. Osho convincingly makes the case that the stories of Jesus' life were never meant to be a factual record of history, but rather are teaching parables designed to provide ongoing spiritual guidance for generations to come.I Say Unto You introduces us to a dynamic, compassionate, intelligent, loving Jesus, who speaks in a plain and simple way that everyone can understand. This is not the long-faced, sad and tortured man often depicted down the centuries.Osho looks with a crystal-clear perception at Jesus' work, inviting us to see the parables and miracles as metaphors of the inner world. He gives insight into Jesus' own search, and his journeys to the ancient mystery schools of Egypt, Kashmir, and Tibet that transformed him into one of the most evolved masters of the paths of love and meditation, with insights that are still relevant for today's world.
I See You, Survivor: Life Inside (and Outside) the Totally F*cked-Up Troubled Teen Industry
by Liz Ianelli"A must read for anyone concerned about teenage mental health." -- Maia Szalavitz, NYT bestselilng author of Unbroken Brain co-author of The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog A survivor of the Troubled Teen Industry exposes the truth about the dark side of a billion-dollar industry's institutionalized abuse—and shares the story of her own fight for justice. Liz Ianelli, known around the world as Survivor993, spent years at the Family Foundation—labeled an &“institution for troubled teens.&” The children who went through The Family School like her were good people. They had potential and dreams, but they came out with lifelong trauma: anxious, angry, paranoid, self-hating and in pain. Most of them have suffered lives of hardship, unable to integrate back into society. Hundreds have died, mostly by overdose and suicide.I See You, Survivor is about what really happened at The Family and what continues to happen at thousands of facilities like it. Beyond the trauma, this book is about triumph, resilience, and an effort to help others, and it conveys Liz&’s critical message for every survivor she sees:&“You are not broken. You are not unlovable. And you are not alone. There are millions of us. And I come with a message, for you, for them, for everyone: They act strong, but we are stronger. We are worthy. We are not alone. Speak, and we will be there for you. Speak, because there is power in your testimony. Speak, and we will win.&” This is a book first and foremost for survivors who can find support and community in these stories. It is also for parents, counselors, law makers and others to expose this industry for what it is: child abuse. And how that abuse has consequences for all of us.
I See Your Dream Job: A Career Intuitive Shows You How to Discover What You Were Put on Earth to Do
by Sue FrederickFor anyone in a dead-end job, stuck in a rut, or out of work, this timely and ground-breaking book is the solution! Have you ever wondered what you were truly meant to do in life? Have you ever felt that you have a higher calling? Let career intuitive Sue Frederick show you the way. In this first-ever book to combine ancient mystical teachings with current career knowledge, Sue reveals how to read destiny clues (the way she reads them for clients) and create a practical plan for moving forward. She illuminates the negative patterns stopping you in your tracks and teaches you to remove them. You walk away with a fresh perspective on your life's direction, and a realization of how powerful you truly are. I See Your Dream Job is a book for anyone who: - Feels stuck in a job - Feels unfulfilled at work - Questions if they're on the right track - Yearns to do something more creative - Dreams of a different path - Has been fired - Has been downsized - Is underpaid and underappreciated - Simply wants something different."A must read for everyone who would like a step-by-step approach to discovering their life's purpose." - Leslie Gail author of a Life Simplified
I segreti della vita
by Bernard Levine Simona TrapaniL'ispirazione che non dimenticherete mai! Toccare un cuore Cambiare una vita
I Should Be Writing: A Writer's Workshop
by Mur Lafferty“Equal parts motivation and inspiration . . . Bite-size, easy-to-read chapters coach new writers through everything from imposter syndrome to writer’s block.” —The WriterI Should Be Writing is everything you’d hope to find in a writing workshop, condensed into one highly effective journal. It’s time to stop dreaming about what you want to write and finally do it!Let award-winning podcaster Mur Lafferty, who in the past has interviewed authors including John Scalzi, Neil Gaiman, Gail Carriger, Adam Christopher, and Kameron Hurley, guide you through the nuts-and-bolts process of honing your craft, including which writing myths to ignore, how to refine your creative process, listening to your inner muse while ignoring your inner bully, and more. This book also contains writing exercises that will help the blossoming writer strengthen the writer’s muscle of writing every day. These include everything from situational writer’s prompts to lists of ideas writers should try to jot down between writing sessions.With this helpful guide, you can make the phrase, “I’ve always wanted to write a story . . .” a thing of the past. Because you should be writing!
I Shouldn't Be Telling You This: Success Secrets Every Gutsy Girl Should Know
by Kate WhiteNew York Times bestselling author Kate White is the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, the #1 young women’s magazine in the world, and a hugely successful businesswoman. In I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This, she shares her secrets to success. A witty, wise, straight-talking career guide for women, I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This is the perfect book for the current economic climate, whether you’re just starting out, re-entering the workforce after maternity leave, or simply looking for a career change; essential tips and bold strategies from a gutsy innovator who helped increase Cosmo’s circulation by half a million copies per month.
I Shouldn't Feel This Way: Name What’s Hard, Tame Your Guilt, and Transform Self-Sabotage into Brave Action
by Alison Cook, PhDYou can find emotional freedom. Learn to see through the haze of conflicted feelings and move forward in your life with confidence. Licensed therapist and bestselling author Dr. Alison Cook guides you through a groundbreaking 3-step process to find the freedom you crave.When you're tangled up inside, it's hard to find clarity. Yet so many of us guilt-trip or gaslight ourselves instead of working our way through complicated feelings….I should be a good friend, even though I feel hurt by past betrayals.I should be content, even though I feel lonely or unfulfilled.I should just have faith, even though I feel discouraged by unanswered prayers. This jumbled-up knot is a cry for gentle care and patient attention, but most of us haven't been given the tools required to unravel it.I Shouldn't Feel This Way is your guide out of the chaos and into the calm and clarity you need to face life's challenges. Drawing from over twenty years of research and clinical practice, Dr. Alison Cook guides you through a groundbreaking 3-step process that has helped tens of thousands of people find emotional freedom and surprisingly simple breakthroughs. Dr. Alison shows you how to:identify guilt and know what to do with it,trade feeling stuck in your head for clarity,move from comfortable numbing to courageous conversations, andmake decisions that break cycles of defeat. Change starts when you finally stop beating yourself up for the way that you feel. I Shouldn't Feel This Way is your pathway to emotional freedom. It is time to finally work through your complicated feelings so you can start living with the clarity and confidence you crave.
I Sit Listening to the Wind
by Judith DuerekCompanion to the beloved bestselling classic Circle of Stones, I Sit Listening to the Wind invites women everywhere to tap into the powers of interiority, regain the sacred, and create communities of support -- in the process reimagining and remaking the modern world. Without coming to terms and seeking balance with their masculine side, Judith Duerk says, women can never reach the full potential of their feminine side. For those seeking balance between the masculine urge to do and the feminine desire to be, Duerk's mixture of prose, poetry, and reflective questions creates a model for integration. Includes a reading group guide.
I, Steve: Steve Jobs in His Own Words
by George BeahmThe quotes in "I, Steve" encapsulate everything I learned while I was at Apple: Paying attention to little details (because they matter). Relentless simplification. Knowing what to say 'no' to. These principles can apply to many aspects of business and reading them in Steve's words are an excellent reminder that we don't have to settle for mediocrity. This is not a biography, nor is it an exploitation of the man's death, as this book has been scheduled for publication for many months now. This book is an essential tool for how to think about the problems you wrestle with at work. Bring a copy to your office. Start off every meeting reading a random quote. See what happens.
I Suck at Relationships So You Don't Have To: 10 Rules for Not Screwing Up Your Happily Ever After
by Bethenny FrankelBethenny Frankel, five-time New York Times bestselling author, self-made businesswoman, and media maven, shares her ten rules for relationship success and takes us on an empowering journey to learn how to say yes to love.From running her Skinnygirl business to being a mom and a TV star, Bethenny Frankel appears to have it all. But when it comes to relationships, she is the first to admit that she has failed—a lot. In fact, Bethenny has made every mistake, from calling when she shouldn’t have to misreading signals to staying with a guy for all the wrong reasons. In working through the mistakes, she has gained insight and wisdom about what matters most. Filled with personal stories and the no-nonsense advice she’s known for, New York Times bestseller I Suck at Relationships So You Don’t Have To is the next step on Bethenny’s A Place of Yes journey. She offers an unflinching but ultimately hopeful look at what it takes to find real love including tips on dating, how to trust your gut, avoiding self-sabotage, and much more. It’s easy to give up on romance, to expect the worst, and to doubt yourself, but you shouldn’t be satisfied with a relationship that is mediocre—your relationship can and should be incredible. Using Bethenny’s “A Place of Yes” attitude, you too can find love and a relationship that is more successful, fulfilling, and happier than ever before.
I Survived Capitalism and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt: Everything I Wish I Never Had to Learn About Money
by Madeline PendletonNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A big-hearted, no-bullshit memoir from the TikTok superstar about her journey from living paycheck to paycheck to creating a multi-million-dollar business that offers a compassionate alternative to capitalism • Includes no-nonsense life and money advice, from negotiating pay and building credit to putting home ownership within reach"Madeline's life is unique yet wildly relatable...Readers will be thoroughly engaged, as every hardship comes with a lesson that Madeline skillfully shares with us. A thought-provoking, mind-tingling reading experience."—Mercury Stardust, the Trans Handy Ma&’am and author of Safe and SoundImagine a job where you work four days a week and earn as much as the CEO. You also get full benefits, a gym membership, free lunch, and unlimited time off, no questions asked. Hard-won profits don&’t just end up in the CEO&’s pocket—they&’re distributed equally among all employees. The company even buys you your very own car. It sounds too good to be true, but this is the reality at Tunnel Vision, the clothing company that Madeline Pendleton built from the ground up.Like so many Americans, Madeline used to struggle to make ends meet. Raised by a punk dad and a goth mom in Fresno, California, she spent her teens intermittently homeless, relying on the kindness and spare couches of the local punk community to get by. By her twenties, she was drowning in student loans and credit card debt, working long hours and sick of her bosses treating her as disposable. Then her boyfriend, struggling with financial stress, died by suicide. Capitalism was literally killing her loved ones—she knew there must be a better way.Madeline decided to study the rules of capitalism, the game everyone is forced to play. She used what she learned to build a new kind of business, one rooted in an ethos of community care.Millennials and Gen Zers like Madeline are facing an unprecedented financial reality: Stagnant wages, skyrocketing housing costs, a student debt crisis. I Survived Capitalism is essential reading for anyone searching for hope and stability in an unjust world.
I Swear I'll Make It Up To You: A Life On The Low Road
by Mishka ShubalyAn odyssey of family, heartbreak, violence, punk rock, brokenness, broke-ness, sex, love, loss, drinking, drinking, drinking, and an unlikely savior: distance running. A misfit kid at the best of times, Mishka Shubaly had his world shattered when, in a twenty-four-hour span in 1992, he survived a mass shooting on his school’s campus, then learned that his parents were getting divorced. His father, a prominent rocket scientist, abandoned the family and their home was lost to foreclosure. Shubaly swore to avenge the wrongs against his mother, but instead plunged into a magnificently toxic love affair with alcohol. Almost two decades later, Shubaly’s life changed again when a fateful five-mile run after a bar fight inspired him to clean up his life. And when he finally reconnected with his estranged father, he discovered the story of his childhood was radically different from what he thought he knew. In this fiercely honest, emotional, and self-laceratingly witty book, Shubaly relives his mistakes, misfortunes, and infrequent good decisions: the disastrous events that fractured his life; his incendiary romances; his hot-and-cold career as a rock musician; meeting his newborn nephew while out of his gourd on cough syrup. I Swear I’ll Make It Up to You is an apology for choices Shubaly never thought he’d live long enough to regret, a journey so far down the low road that it took him years of running to claw his way back.
I Think I Might Be Autistic: A Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis and Self-Discovery for Adults
by Cynthia KimWhat if instead of being weird, shy, geeky or introverted, your brain is wired differently? For adults with undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is often an "aha!" moment--when you realize that ASD just might be the explanation for why you've always felt so different. "I Think I Might Be Autistic: A Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis and Self-Discovery for Adults" begins from that "aha!' moment, addressing the many questions that follow. What do the symptoms of ASD look like in adults? Is getting a diagnosis worth it? What does an assessment consist of and how can you prepare for it? Cynthia Kim shares the information, insights, tips, suggestions and resources she gathered as part of her own journey from "aha!" to finally being diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome in her forties. This concise guide also addresses important aspects of living with ASD as a late-diagnosed adult, including coping with the emotional impact of discovering that you're autistic and deciding who to share your diagnosis with and how.
I (Think) I Want Out: What to Do When One of You Wants to End Your Marriage
by Becky WhetstoneI (Think) I Want Out is an essential couples guide that provides comprehensive information, answers, and guidance on how to navigate a marriage crisis.Among the 600,000 annual divorces that transpire within the United States, almost all of them begin with a marriage crisis. Whether your partner told you they want to leave the marriage, or you are wondering how to break the news that you want out, this breaking point can be filled with overwhelming emotions, worry about children becoming collateral damage, and ill-advised counseling that make navigating this process more frightening and confusing than it has to be. These heartbreaking times can propel couples into a state of fear, panic, and uncertainty about what steps they should take, sometimes leading them to divorce when reconciliation might have been possible. Known as the &“Marriage Crisis Manager,&” marriage and family therapist Becky Whetstone fills in these gaps by speaking to both partners on how to manage themselves and their relationship in the healthiest of ways, regardless of the eventual outcome. In I (Think) I Want Out, Whetstone&’s coaching offers clear understanding on why everyone feels crazy and overwhelmed during one of life&’s most difficult experiences. By promoting peacefulness and self-care, she emphasizes the importance of both partners slowing down throughout the process. With engaging exercises and worksheets, Whetstone organizes an intelligent plan so all parties can successfully manage the crisis in a way where smart, rational decision-making can take place, and mistakes are minimized. Some of the many useful strategies and insight Whetstone provides help couples understand: How the marriage crisis happened in the first place The stages of marital deterioration and how to diagnose the severity of the marriage crisis How our nervous system impacts the way we feel and influences our actions What factors to consider: mental and physical health, abuse, and addiction When it&’s time to separate and how to do it peacefully in a way that avoids separation limbo and moves the couple forward toward the end goal of a definitive decision How to manage the crisis and possible divorce amicably, ensuring the best outcome for the children With the inclusion of useful templates that show couples how to separate in a way that encourages reconciliation and offer a plan for families whose intended divorce is done in a respectful way that encourages a good co-parenting relationship moving forward, this useful guide helps is an invaluable tool for any dissolution of a marriage.
I Think, Therefore I Draw: Understanding Philosophy Through Cartoons
by Daniel Klein Thomas CathcartWhat makes you think you know what you think you know? What if your right is my wrong? Is it now yet? Like the best comedians, the best cartoonists address philosophy&’s Big Questions. Covering topics as diverse as religion, gender, knowledge, morality and the meaning of life (or the lack thereof), I Think, Therefore I Draw is a joyous introduction to the major debates in philosophy through history and the present. Wittgenstein once said that a serious and good philosophical work could be written that would consist entirely of jokes. Let&’s put that to the test…
I Think You're Wrong (But I'm Listening): A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversations
by Sarah Stewart Holland Beth SilversMore than ever, politics seem to be driven by discord. People sitting together in pews every Sunday feel like strangers and loved ones at the dinner table feel like enemies. Toxic political dialogue, hate-filled rants on social media, and agenda-driven news stories have become the new norm. But it doesn't have to be this way.In I Think You're Wrong (But I'm Listening), two working moms from opposite ends of the political spectrum teach us that politics don't have to divide us. Instead, we can bring the same care and respect to policy discussions that we bring to the rest of our lives.Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers, co-hosts of Pantsuit Politics, recently named an Apple Podcasts Show of the Year, give you all of the tools you need to:Respect the dignity of every personRecognize that issues are nuanced and can't be reduced to political talking pointsListen in order to understandLead with grace and patienceJoin Sarah from the left and Beth from the right as they teach you that people from opposing political perspectives truly can have calm, grace-filled conversations with one another.Praise for I Think You're Wrong (But I'm Listening):"Sarah and Beth are an absolute gift to our culture right now. Not only do they offer balanced perspectives from each political ideology, but they teach us how to dialogue well, without sacrificing our humanity."--Jen Hatmaker, New York Times bestselling author and speaker"Sarah from the left and Beth from the right serve as our guides through conflict and complexity, delivering us into connection. I wish every person living in the United States would read this compelling book, from the youngest voter to those holding the highest office."--Emily P. Freeman, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Next Right Thing
I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn't): Telling the Truth About Perfectionism, Inadequacy, and Power
by Brené BrownResearcher and thought leader Dr. Brené Brown offers a liberating study on the importance of our imperfections--both to our relationships and to our own sense of self. The quest for perfection is exhausting and unrelenting. There is a constant barrage of social expectations that teach us that being imperfect is synonymous with being inadequate. Everywhere we turn, there are messages that tell us who, what and how we're supposed to be. So, we learn to hide our struggles and protect ourselves from shame, judgment, criticism and blame by seeking safety in pretending and perfection. Dr. Brené Brown, Ph.D., LMSW, is the leading authority on the power of vulnerability, and has inspired thousands through her top-selling book The Gifts of Imperfection, wildly popular TEDx talk, and a PBS special. Based on seven years of her ground-breaking research and hundreds of interviews, I Thought It Was Just Me shines a long-overdue light on an important truth: Our imperfections are what connect us to each other and to our humanity. Our vulnerabilities are not weaknesses; they are powerful reminders to keep our hearts and minds open to the reality that we're all in this together. Dr. Brown writes, "We need our lives back. It's time to reclaim the gifts of imperfection--the courage to be real, the compassion we need to love ourselves and others, and the connection that gives true purpose and meaning to life. These are the gifts that bring love, laughter, gratitude, empathy and joy into our lives."