Mental health is just as important as physical fitness. There are two sides to mental health, and both are equally important: what weighs heavily on your mind and what puts wind in your sails.

Many of us share common mental stressors – time, money, work, emotions, and relationships. Ironically it can be too little or too much of each of these that causes stress. While we are never going to eliminate stress, we can address what do we do to manage it and its affect on our health.

As many humans as exist in the world, there exists as many combinations of answers to mental health concerns. For most diagnosis, medication and talk therapy has been proven to be the best practice. I am not trained as a mental health professional in any way. The information provided here is simply to be a resource for conversations about what has worked to help manage the stressors above to bring joy and lightness to my life and to hear what works for other. To make the daily grind something not just palatable, but something we can look forward too. Some of these ideas might be meditation, learning, or hobbies.

Top 10 Favorite Books

Let me tell you about my 10 favorite books! Reading is one of my favorite hobbies and hobbies are component of the Mental Well-being pillar of Sustainable Productivity. As the holidays approach, maybe you will find some pockets of time to pick up one of these to relax. I encourage you now to plan for those pockets of time. Add it to your calendar. Leave the house if you need to – park the car somewhere and read for 20 minutes. Small changes like this add up!

One of my favorite podcasters is also a book fiend. After listening to her for a few years, I know Laura and I have similar reading preferences so when she does a reading episode on her podcast, I make sure to take notes. Laura also does a monthly “10 on the 10th” social media challenge. On Nov 10, she called for us to share our 10 favorite books. I am a smidge late to the party because it has taken a week to murder my darlings and only pick 10.

I am embracing “done is better than perfect” these days. As demonstrated by posting my 10 things on the 10th on the 17th. Whatevs…

What Didn’t Make the Cut

The list I am going to share with you is books I have read in the last few years (with the exception of Poisonwood Bible). What this list leaves out are books I loved growing up like Encyclopedia Brown, The Boxcar Children, Little House on the Prairie, and the Cherry Ames series. As an adult I have favorite authors like Fredrik Backman and Jodi Picoult that I read everything they write (sometimes to my dismay). Although I am basically an anti-fan of the author, I return to the Harry Potter series as one of the few where I actually reread. Generally I feel like there are too many books in the world for me to spend time re-reading. But each time I read (or listen, or follow along to a podcast), I have a slightly different experience.

Without further ado, here is my list of my 10 favorite books – in alphabetical order by genre.

Fiction

  • A Dog’s Purpose. I read this book on a road trip with My People. Here is what I know – I was crying so hard while reading this that my teenage daughter actually noticed – AND COMMENTED ON IT. When I watched the movie – same response. Shocker.
  • Beartown. As mentioned before, I would read the farm report if Fredrik Backman wrote it. But this book was devastating and unputdownable at the same time. I listened to Beartown on audiobook, and the narration was impeccable. If you read this you will know: BAM. BAM. BAM
  • City of Girls. When I finished this book I gently laid down my Kindle and was devastated because I could never read this book again for the first time. While I enjoyed other books by Elizabeth Gilbert, this one is something special.
  • Defending Jacob. My sister in law warned me about a big plot twist to this one. I was still not prepared. When I got to it, I shouted out in a room full of my in laws at the beach. My sister in law looked up from the puzzle, “You got to the plot twist, huh?!” The Apple TV mini-series is entertaining, but they mess up the plot twist.
  • Poisonwood Bible. I read this book in my early 30s. Probably because Oprah told me to. It was the first multiple narrator novel I remember reading. I remember being confused at first, but once I got the voice of the characters, seeing the same events from different eyes was a game changer in my reading life. Multiple perspectives is one of my favorite types of reads.
  • The Martian. I was skeptical of such a science-ladened book, but it was SO DANG FUNNY. I encouraged my Enneagram 5 non-reader spouse to pick this one up and he LOVED it. The movie was a let down.
  • Verity. This is the only book where after I read it I joined a Facebook group to discuss it. Plot twists and unreliable narrators abound.

Non-Fiction

  • Code Name Helene. OK so the book itself is historical fiction, but Nancy Wake was a REAL PERSON. I wish she were alive so she could be my friend.
  • Sacred Rest. This should be a must read in all school curriculum at the high school and college level. Our driven society is killing us and this book gives us the blue print to change that.
  • Untamed. There were times when I was reading this book that I had to put it down because I felt like I could not breathe. It challenges current thinking – about ourselves and each other and what we are in this life to do.

Now You!

What are you reading these days? Have you read any of these? What are your top 10 books? Reply here or let’s connect on social media to talk books!

By |2020-11-13T11:21:42-05:00November 17th, 2020|Mental Well-being|0 Comments

Suggestions When You’ve Got 1 of THOSE Days

Anyone else have 1 of those days lately? And by lately I mean ALL OF 2020?! I have a couple suggestions for you to convert 1 of those days to something more sustainably productive.

Let It Go

Between last Tuesday at noon and Saturday morning, I refreshed my newsfeed approximately a ZILLION times. I was frazzled, distracted, scattered, and more than a little grumpy. I was bemoaning this fact with some friends Saturday morning and heard this message loud and clear: You are not in charge of the outcome, let it go.

When I got off the phone, I hopped on my bike and went for a ride. When I got back a couple hours later, Bixby met me at the garage door to tell me there was a projected winner. Regardless of our politics, at least a decision has been reached and we know what our next steps are.

Sometimes rest looks like riding 35 miles with a 15% grade tossed in for fun.

The unknown is exhausting, frightening, and unsettling. Once you have taken the next right step, let go of the outcome. Literally remove yourself from the scene if you need to.

Convert to a Soft Day

Even if it is not a foggy day filled with mizzle, you can convert any day to a soft day when you need to. How the edges get softened for each of us might be different, but keep reading for ideas that might resonate with you.

A soft day

Soft days for me means extra cups of coffee or tea – restorative, warm drinks. It means a cozy blanket and the softest clothes I can find. Think pajamas while it is still light out. Naps, fiction reads, dim lights, soft sounds… Be gentle on your senses. Be soft on what enters your surroundings. Let good enough be just that.

What about you? How are you doing, truly? What strategies are you deploying lately to deal with 1 of those days?

By |2020-12-28T10:37:42-05:00November 10th, 2020|Mental Well-being|0 Comments

Sustainable Productivity on Election Day

Today in America we take to the polls, and I want to take a moment to encourage you to maintain sustainable productivity on Election Day. According to the BBC, as of Friday, Oct 30th “more than 85 million Americans had voted early – either by post or in person. This is already more than the total number of early votes cast in the 2016 election.”

It is clear the country is more engaged than ever. But we are also more divided than ever.

Some people may say this has nothing to do with productivity. They say I should stay in my lane, but hear me out. Managing stress and healthy relationships are part of a sustainably productive life. Politics seems sort of like refereeing – no matter the call, half the crowd will be mad.

How can you set yourself up to be true to who you are so your insides match up to your outsides? To defend our position in a way to feel as if we delivered the message that rings true and yet staying open to hear a differing opinion.

I will be honest with you – boundaries and grey area are not my jam. I have been working on this intensely for about three years. Unfortunately, I usually only see the right path after I am lost in a mess. I have come across this quote from Roshi Joan Halifax, a Zen Buddhist, several times. Coincidence, serendipity, message from the Universe or God. Whatever you call it, it is not a mistake that it keeps showing up.

I thought it would be helpful for you today. A day where we fiercely protect what we believe in. Where what is valued to each of us deeply is threatened.

I hope this helps you find strength and peace in the middle.

“All too often our so-called strength comes from fear not love; instead of having a strong back, many of us have a defended front shielding a weak spine. In other words, we walk around brittle and defensive, trying to conceal our lack of confidence. If we strengthen our backs, metaphorically speaking, and develop a spine that’s flexible but sturdy, then we can risk having a front that’s soft and open, representing choiceless compassion. The place in your body where these two meet — strong back and soft front — is the brave, tender ground in which to root our caring deeply.”

Strong Back Soft Front

By |2020-12-28T10:38:11-05:00November 3rd, 2020|Mental Well-being|0 Comments

What Should I Read?! Get Book Recommendations Sent to Your Inbox

The question I get asked most often is, “What should I read?” I always have a stack of books on my literal and digital To Be Read (TBR) list. Here is a peek at the stack on my desk:

Do you ask yourself what to read? I want to deliver the answer to your inbox.

If you sign up for Sustainable Sue’s Bookmobile, every time I finish a 5-star read I will send the review to you within 24 hours, including a link to purchase online from an indie book store local to you. It is so simple – just add your email address to this link, and you are all set!

This is a perfect time to jump start a reading habit – the weather is cooler so there is usually less to do outside. Holidays have not ramped up full force yet. Plus we are all staying home more because of Covid.

There are mental and physical health benefits to reading, which makes it a great hobby to pick up. Research shows that regular reading:

  • improves brain connectivity.
  • increases your vocabulary and comprehension.
  • empowers you to empathize with other people.
  • aids in sleep readiness.
  • reduces stress.
  • lowers blood pressure and heart rate.
  • fights depression symptoms.
  • prevents cognitive decline as you age.
Click here for original source.

Still not convinced? Let me sweeten the pot! Everyone who signs up for the Bookmobile is eligible to win a new copy of All Things Reconsidered by Knox McCoy. This is a drawing only open to Sustainable Sue blog followers – this offer will not be posted to social media.

But wait! There’s more! Do you know book lovers who might want 5-star reads in their inbox or a chance to win a free book? If you send them this post and they sign up for the Bookmobile, just have them comment on this post to let me know you referred them and you will get a second chance at winning All Things Reconsidered!

You really cannot go wrong! Enter now – I will draw the winner at 8:00 pm on Halloween.

Let’s read more this fall and winter!

By |2020-10-26T17:27:22-04:00October 27th, 2020|Mental Well-being|0 Comments

A Gift to Give You

I have a gift to give you. Are you ready for it?

Is this you?

I am looking at you, burned out mom trying to help your school aged kids learn remotely while trying to maintain your own productivity working from home.

I am looking at you, woman who returned to work in the office, but has high schoolers doing the remote learning thing home alone.

I am looking at you, mom who thought she was thriving as an empty nester, but your kids came back after college.

Do any of these sound familiar? You cannot get traction on projects you thought you would be doing right now? Finding time to “get it all done” seems elusive. You cannot remember when you last did something you wanted to do – as opposed to what someone else wanted you to do or what you thought you should do.

If any of this resonates with you, I have a gift for you.

Your gift

I give you permission to rest. To just be. To let things fall through the cracks for a hot minute – or longer. To just be human. To stop trying to be superhuman.

Gift for you

Now is not a great time

Oh, I hear your resistance. There is a list of people and their reasons why you cannot take a break right now. And I want you to consider this: If you don’t take this time to rest now, your body will claim it later.

If you are a teacher or have teachers in your life, think about Winter Break and Spring Break. You have hung on for so long, then spent extra hours to wrap things up to be able to enjoy your break. Only to be sick the whole vacation. That is because your body tried to be good to you by keeping you healthy while the stress was on. Then once you relaxed, so did your immune system. Boom. Down for the count.

By taking time to rest now, you will keep yourself healthier – physically and mentally.

One of the best productivity books I have ever read is about disengaging. Yes – NOT working. It is called The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr.

The gist of the book is that if you never fully DISengage, you can never fully BE engaged. If you never fully step away from the office (i.e. checking work email while at the beach), you cannot relax and therefore you are returning with only a partially filled tank.

Gift of disengagement

But often women do not feel allowed to step back and claim time to relax. Or you fit in relaxation when it is convenient for everyone else. Stop settling for crumbs. Don’t put yourself last anymore. I have a gift to give you, and that is the permission to take a break. And I want you to take the gift and get yourself a rest.

By |2020-10-18T13:23:47-04:00October 20th, 2020|Mental Well-being|0 Comments

Crafts Make You Calm

The headline is true – crafts can make you calm. In fact, not only do crafts make you calm, but hobbies in general are good for your health! Let’s discuss.

When life is unsustainable

Burnout is a real thing. It is not something you can manage through or toughen up against. Think about what is happening in your life right now. Maybe you feel like you are withdrawing from friends and responsibilities – isolating yourself. Or after months of battling stress at work, you find yourself procrastinating on completing projects and tasks. Are you going in late or leaving early? In general are you short tempered with those around you at work and / or home?

But there is a difference between stress and burnout. Think of stress as overwhelm and burnout as a drain. Stress is the piling on. Demands on you may look like taking care of kids and parents or covering another person’s job during a hiring freeze. Or the pressure of weeks of daily carpooling that never lets you have a moment to yourself. With stress, you still feel there is hope to find a system, route, or process that can improve things.

Burnout, on the other hand, is empty of that hope. It is the drain of mental exhaustion. Often people who are burned out don’t always notice when it happens.

Here is a snapshot of the differences between stress and burnout:

Crafts make you calm, help deal with burnout

Source: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/burnout-prevention-and-recovery.htm

The good news is that hobbies can aid recovery from both stress and burnout. Let me show you how.

How hobbies make for sustainable productivity

It does not have to be crafts that make you calm. Maybe it is music or gardening or coin collecting or movies. Let’s define hobbies as small pockets of respite where you can literally heal and restore your mental and physical self. When you partake in a hobby of any kind, you are improving various aspects of your mental well-being. Here are just a few:

  • Higher levels of positive psycho-social states
  • Increased life satisfaction
  • Improved life engagement
  • Better quality of sleep
  • Enhanced exercise outcomes

I hear what you are saying – you don’t have time for a hobby. But consider me your wise older sister as I bluntly ask you this: Sure, but do you have time for the illness that all that stress is going to cause you?

Because that is where too much stress and too little leisure will take you. Here are some of the ways hobbies can impact your physical well-being:

  • Lower blood pressure
  • Reduce total cortisol
  • Smaller waist circumference
  • Decreased body mass index

Taking up a hobby does not have to be a huge investment of time and money. If you want to pick up a potentially life saving hobby, keep reading.

Where to go from here

 Here are three suggestions of where you can start today.

  1. Start small. Make a list of what you might like to do. A simple list on the notes app on your phone will do. If you see your neighbor rolling out for a bike ride, and you think that might be fun, add it to the list. While sitting in your car during your child is at dance lessons, you see a notice for an adult dance class. If this sounds interesting, add it to your list. You don’t have to sign up, just make your list.
  2. Notice what you notice. I believe the universe (God, your Higher Power, whatever name you choose), will put things in your path to make good decisions easier. If you see guitar lessons advertised three different places maybe that is something that you should pay attention to. If you get invited to a Zoom painting class with your girlfriends right after you put “Learn to paint” on your list, it is not a coincidence. Notice what you start to notice. And notice how it makes you feel.
  3. Take stock of what you already have. I had a client who started taking online piano lessons because her kids’ abandoned keyboard was sitting in the corner of the living room. She had been frustrated for years at their lack of playing and considered the keyboard clutter. When we were exploring what she might like to do for a hobby, music kept coming up. I could see the light bulb go on when she realized the “junk” in the corner was actually useful! Look around – there are probably art supplies, fabric leftovers, sporting goods, random canned goods you could make into a creative recipe, and more.

Take time to notice and make your list. Let me know how it goes. We can connect on social media or in the comments below to celebrate successes or trouble shoot where you might be stuck. Let’s work together on creating a life you don’t need to escape.

 

By |2020-09-27T13:46:06-04:00September 29th, 2020|Mental Well-being|0 Comments

Your Diet is More Than What You Eat

I think we all agree that it is important to consume healthy food to have a healthy life, but your diet is more than what you eat. Let’s look at how what we consume can impact whether or not we have healthy relationships.

Similar to the way nutrients from food fuel your body’s functions, the messages from the media and people you surround yourself with fuel your mental, emotional, and spiritual functions. Here are three examples, plus some questions to ask yourself to see if you might need to make some adjustments in your consumption.

Social media

Your diet is more than what you eat – it is the media you consume. Social media is the first part. Many studies have explored whether more frequent use of social media is associated with various mental health concerns, including depression, body image concerns / disordered eating, and externalizing problems. Reportedly almost half of teens admitted to using their mobile device within five minutes of going to sleep, and 36% report checking their devices at least once in the middle of the night. This does not lead to productive sleep.

Adults are not much better – when is the last time you went more than an hour without checking your device? Do you pick up your phone to greet the day before greeting your spouse? This pattern is not sustainable.

Healthy relationships are a component of Mental Well-being, a pillar of Sustainable Productivity. Connection is a key to healthy relationships and you cannot connect if you are buried in your device. Look up, look around, look your friends and family in the eye and have a conversation. You might be surprised at what you find and how things improve.

What we consume impacts our healthy relationships

Regular media

The second part is traditional media. Network and cable TV, podcasts, radio shows, streaming services, newspapers, tabloid magazine… not to mention the “news” channels. The amount of media content today is staggering. We complain about not having time for hobbies, self-care, or other priorities and healthy habits, yet we do seem to have time to spend on media. Especially as we age. The average American watches almost 4 1/2 hours of TV each day. This almost doubles in the 65+ age range.

too much TV can have a negative impact on healthy relationships

Source: https://www.statista.com/chart/15224/daily-tv-consumption-by-us-adults/

Are you spending 270 minutes each day watching content that feeds your soul? Is that sustainable for you? Are you satisfied with how much media you are consuming in a day? How does that impact your mental health?

It might be time to make a list of what you could do instead. Read, sports/exercise, craft, garden, take online lectures or see what your library offers, organize your home, play games/cards – the list is really endless. Start with a literal list on paper (or your phone or computer) of a few ideas. As you hear about interesting classes / concerts / ideas – jot them down. You can create a menu of choices to pick from when you feel yourself turning to the TV.

People

Your diet is more than what you eat – it is who you spend your time with. As mentioned before, healthy relationships are a component of Mental Well-being, a pillar of Sustainable Productivity. But let me give you some tough love – some people in your world are energy vampires. There are other people you spend time with because you feel like you should, or you always have. It doesn’t have to be like that. If the people in your life are not feeding your soul, consider why it is that you feel you need to continue spending time with that person.

Do you feel drained when you come home from spending time with a certain person? Are there relationships where you feel like you are making more of an effort than the other person? During quarantine, have you been relieved you have not had to interact with certain people?

It might be time to let these relationships go. Different relationships are in our lives for different seasons. If the season has ended consider if this is time to move on.

What small adjustment are you willing to make today related to consumption?

Sources:

McCrae N, Gettings S, Purssell E. Social media and depressive symptoms in childhood and adolescence: A systematic review. Ado-lesc Res Rev. 2017;2(4):315-330. 12.

Holland G, Tiggemann M. A systematic review of the impact of the use of social networking sites on body image and disordered eating outcomes. Body Image. 2016;17:100-110. doi: 10.1016/j.body-im.2016.02.008

Rideout V, Robb MB. Social Media, Social Life. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense Media; 2018. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/uploads/research/2018_cs_socialmedia-sociallife_executivesummary-final-release_3_lowres.pdf. Published 2018.

By |2020-09-22T06:45:54-04:00September 22nd, 2020|Mental Well-being|0 Comments

Restoration in Progress

I recently traveled back to NC after spending a month-ish in Indiana for a family medical emergency. During a pandemic. While my oldest was going to college for the first time. And I was job hunting. Plus creating new features and programs to release to you this fall.  

Friends, I am tired. I am going to practice what I preach and take a rest. Please enjoy the beautiful photo above from a backpacking trip through Grayson Highlands several years ago. 

One of the books I read in July is life changing – Sacred Rest. I promise to talk about it more, but for now I just want to leave you with this snippet:

“You have to decide to turn your energy back toward restoration (or to keep it simple, back toward rest).”

Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith

By |2020-08-31T18:53:31-04:00September 1st, 2020|Mental Well-being|0 Comments

Three 5-Star Reads to Kick Start Your Reading Life

There is a special treat for you today! Three 5-star reads to kick start your reading – all in one post! If this is the sort of good news you want to make sure lands in your inbox every time I read a 5-star book, subscribe here. A few things about all three of these books:

  • Each a different topic and tone to them, but I think there is something for everyone
  • I was a launch team member for each book
  • All three books can be purchased through Amazon so it will be easy to have them here for the long Labor Day weekend

The Apple of My Eye: Trusting God’s Guidance When We Can’t See by Amy Beth Pederson

The first 5-star book to kick start your reading wrecked me at times, I won’t lie. Amy’s husband, Seth, died of eye cancer in March of 2020, and she narrates the path from diagnosis to death in her book The Apple of My Eye. It made me think of the cancer struggles my friends and loved ones had and that was not easy to relive, even vicariously. I felt the mind numbing boredom of hours of tests and waiting Amy described. I felt the helplessness of dealing with the American healthcare system. I felt the heart ache of goodbye.

I met Amy through my Hope*Writers membership and was honored to help her launch this gift into the world. This book is a heartfelt way for her to honor Seth’s life and legacy.

Apple of My Eye

Learning to Roar by Melissa Dyer

The next book to kick start your reading is for any woman who “knows she’s not living as the hero of her own story” and is uplifting and inspiring. I also met Melissa through my membership in Hope*Writers. What a privilege it was to help Melissa launch this book! For years I have stuffed my feelings and words down – I so related to the stories in her book. As I am finding my voice, I can only dream of roaring, but I truly want to surround myself with a group of women I can learn from.

One of the neat things that Melissa did with her book is to create a Courage Persona quiz to go with the book. My Courage Persona is “Perseverance.” I am sure you are not surprised.

Learning to Roar

The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn’t, and Get Stuff Done by Kendra Adachi

I have been a fan of Kendra’s since I started listening to her podcast. And honestly, I really love to get stuff done so why would I NOT get a book that talked about just this thing?! Let me tell you, this book does NOT disappoint.

I have always felt ridiculous trying to make seemingly mundane chores faster/ better/easier. Now I actually have a name and a system for this thinking! Not to mention I think the Lazy Genius is my Petronus.

This book is good for those who love systems as well as those who resist them. It is a book to reference, read all the way through or come back to repeatedly like I plan to!

Lazy Genius Way

What are you reading now? Do you have any books cued up to knock out over the long weekend? Tell me all about your TBR – I never get tired of talking books!

By |2020-08-24T14:15:06-04:00August 25th, 2020|Mental Well-being|0 Comments

2 Quick Tips for Fellow Bookworms

I am a bookworm for sure. I wear this moniker proudly and love to give quick reading tips to fellow bookworms. A friend of mine gave me a sticker that declares this, and I have proudly posted this on my monitor in my office. I recently came across a Tweet with names for bookworms in other countries and it is FANTASTIC.

Quick tips for bookworms

One of my favorite questions to ask when making small talk is, “What are you reading right now?” Yes, this is what happens when you invite an Enneagram 1 Introvert to a party. We’re a barrel of laughs.

I met Bixby on Match.com and one of the questions that is on the profile is, “What is the last book you read?” Bixby’s response was, “Practical C++ Programming: Programming Style Guidelines.” I winked at him anyway thinking it was a joke. Alas, Dear Reader, it was not. But at least he reads SOMETHING.

If you don’t feel like you have time to read, check out how one of my favorite podcasters, Laura Tremaine, finds time to read. Also, you may have to adjust expectations in different seasons of life.

Quick tips for bookworms

Here is the stack of books I brought with me to read while in Indiana taking care of my dad. My brain is generally not in the space to read most of these. Luckily my mom was a voracious reader so I am rolling through all the books she has squirreled away all over the house and reading what the library sends my way via Kindle.

Many of you already do find time and ask for reading recommendations. Generally I get 2 different questions from readers that I wanted to answer today and help provide two quick tips for fellow bookworms.

Where do you get your book recommendations from?

I get book recommendations from all kinds of places – books, magazines, podcasts, blogs, newsletters, word of mouth, and in non-pandemic times, wandering around garage sales and used book sales. Here are a few tips.

Podcasts

My 2 favorite podcasts to get recommendations from are The Popcast with Knox and Jamie and 10 Things to Tell You. The Popcast gives green lights at the end of each episode and often includes a book recommendation. You can see a summary of their green lights on their website here.  Laura Tremaine is an avid reader and regularly brings book recommendations to her podcast, 10 Things to Tell You.

Blogs

I used to listen to the podcast What Should I Read Next, but something about Anne Bogel’s voice does not agree with me. I struggled through it for awhile because I have the same reading taste she does so I generally love her recommendations. But alas, that was not sustainable. So I changed to subscribing to the blog. Now her recommendations arrive in my inbox, and I read them in my head with my own grating voice.

Anti-recommendations

Just as important as recognizing a recommendation source is having an anti-recommendation source. There was a reading podcast that I listened to for about 6 months, but I noticed every time I read a book they recommended, I HATED it. Although I have no shame quitting a book (more on DNFing here), it sure saves time in virtual line at the library when I can just skip the ones I don’t like. What this looks like today is that I no longer listen to the podcast, but if I am on the fence about reading a book, I will check this podcast’s website. If they recommend it, I do not read it. This is nothing against the podcast. There are no bad books, just books that are not for me.

What books do you recommend I read?

The other quick tip for fellow bookworms is what books I recommend for you.

Goodreads

Goodreads is a website with a mobile app where you can keep track of what you want to read, have read, and are currently reading. You can see more about how to use Goodreads on this post. You can see all of my Goodreads shelves here and follow me to get a weekly notice from Goodreads about what I have added.

5-Star Reads

Some of you don’t want to sift through the 900+ books that I have reviewed on Goodreads. To make it easy to get 5-star recommendations delivered to your mailbox, click here. When I read a book that I give 5 stars, I will send you an email about it, including links to purchase the book if you want. I am an aggressive user of my local library and encourage you to do the same, but sometimes you don’t want to wait 6 months for the best book ever (I’m looking at you, City of Girls). Also, there is value to supporting the arts and part of that is buying books.

Your turn, fellow Ink Drinkers! Reply back to this email and tell me what you are reading or where you get your recommendations!

By |2020-08-17T09:29:45-04:00August 18th, 2020|Mental Well-being|0 Comments
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