It has been a while since I have updated this, I have STILL been running crazy the last month! I almost can't wait to go back to work for things to calm down! 😂
The first last book I read since the last time I updated is Atomic Habits by James Clear. I didn't realize I had put it on my Amazon Book List but Katie saw it and when she was looking for a birthday present for me she got it. Apparently everyone has heard of it, I just forgot how it ended up on my list! :) Nonetheless, it was a good read, but I got behind on my reading time when I decided to eat lunch with my friends at work instead of hiding in my office to read. And let's face it, even if it is a good non-fiction book, it's still going to take longer to read. I will say, however, it gave me several good ideas to work on some GOOD habits and get rid of BAD habits!
No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results. If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you'll get a proven system that can take you to new heights. Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, readers will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field.
Learn how to:
make time for new habits (even when life gets crazy);
overcome a lack of motivation and willpower;
design your environment to make success easier;
get back on track when you fall off course;
...and much more.
Atomic Habits will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits--whether you are a team looking to win a championship, an organization hoping to redefine an industry, or simply an individual who wishes to quit smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, or achieve any other goal. (picture and description at Amazon)
The last book I read was A Novel Proposal by Denise Hunter. Luckily it was a fairly quick read as I had four days before Book Club to read it! It had 40 short chapters, so my goal was to read 10 chapters every day. Mission accomplished!
When novelist Sadie Goodwin is forced to stop writing westerns and charged with penning a contemporary romance novel to rescue her lackluster sales, there’s only one tiny problem: She’s never been in love. Desperate to salvage her career, Sadie begins devouring romance novels. Knowing she must devote herself to this confounding genre, she accepts an invitation to hole up at her friend’s beach duplex for the summer. Where better to witness love in bloom than on the beautiful North Carolina shore? However, once ensconced in the charming ocean-front home with her sweet maltipoo Rio, she finds many ways to procrastinate. First there’s the beach, right outside her backdoor, with all its interesting visitors (research). Then there’s the free library she decides to build and set up by the back deck (She has to do something with all those romance novels). To say nothing of Sam Ford, the grumpy neighbor on the other side of the duplex . . . who she can’t seem to stop annoying. A social butterfly by nature, Sadie soon gets to know all the beach regulars—sunbathers, walkers, and surfers alike. The free books draw a crowd right up to the house for nice little book chats, which further irritates her reclusive neighbor, to break up her “writing.” But things take an unexpected turn when Sadie opens a recently-placed novel to find a secret compartment—and tucked inside is a beautiful engagement ring. To whom does the ring belong? Sadie is convinced she needs to find the owner and save the man’s proposal from certain doom. She draws a reluctant Sam into the project, and slowly their connection begins to develop. Are these weird fluttery feelings the first stirrings of love? Has Sadie managed to stumble upon the very subject about which she must write—and wouldn’t Sam make the perfect alpha hero? Will Sadie find the ring’s rightful owner? And will she manage to pen a career-saving romance novel by summer’s end? (picture and description at Amazon)
And of course we can't forget all the Bible books I've been reading as well! I have worked through Songs of Solomon, Proverbs, Deuteronomy, 1 Corinthians, Revelations and Acts (once again!).
Keep reading!
Melissa