April Book Reviews!

Most of April was very heavy with school work, so it was lighter with outside reading... (lighter in the quantity of books, not their quality).  I spent more time on podcasts than usual, and this was the second month where I naturally gravitated toward audiobooks written and read by great female authors!

1.  The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents by Dr. Lisa Damour

Lots of good insight here.  I found Dr. Damour through The Holderness Family Podcast, and I was drawn to this book for future parenting purposes, as well as aunthood concerns.  She writes about the biggest myths when it comes to teenage emotions, offering advice on helping teens express their feelings and regain emotional control, and how to interpret certain behaviors.  There is also a section on gender differences and how to navigate aggression, anger, harassment, and self-esteem issues.  My biggest takeaways are to stay emotionally regulated and consistent, to make sure teens know you care about them and believe in them, to speak up when you have concerns about potential suicidal thoughts or self-harm, and to recognize that there is value in going through hard things and emotional pain (to support them without stepping in to rescue them, allowing them to be sad/distressed rather than pretending all is well or numbing their pain).

Favorite Quote:  “People stop maturing at the point when they start abusing substances... Feeling the emotional impact of difficult experiences helps us to grow up.  Think of a boy who gets dumped by his girlfriend.  He may be devastated, struggle to get out of bed, and live under a cloud for days.  But if his misery inspires him to seek and accept support from good friends, reflect on what worked in the relationship and what didn't, and discover that he can weather more psychological discomfort than he realized, the breakup can become a growth-giving if still profoundly unwanted experience.  When substances come into the mix, however, maturation halts.  Whatever else can be said about drugs and alcohol, they are very good at blocking emotional pain, and therefore, the maturation that comes with it."

2.  Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

Loved this one - surprised I haven't read it before.  Angela spent years researching grit and developed the 10-question "Grit Scale" (HERE).  She talks about the importance of consistent effort over natural talent, how to grow our own grit from the inside out, how to raise children with grit, and how to create a culture of grit in the workplace.  She expresses the value of a growth mindset and a sense of purpose/passion that helps us press through hard things.  This book increased my desire to grow, to press into gritty friendships, and to create a specific, high-level goal that inspires unwavering passion and perseverance!

Favorite Quote:  “What we accomplish in the marathon of life depends tremendously on our grit - our passion and perseverance for long-term goals...  Grit depends on a different kind of hope.  It rests on the expectation that our own efforts can improve our future.  'I have a feeling tomorrow will be better' is different from 'I resolve to make tomorrow better.'  The hope that gritty people have has nothing to do with luck and everything to do with getting up again."

3.  Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory by Deena Kastor and Michelle Hamilton

This was recommended by a FB friend who is a runner.  I knew nothing about Deena going in, but I loved the title of this book enough to buy it on Audible.  To be honest, I'm about 3/4ths of the way through now, but really enjoying it so far!  Deena is an Olympic medalist and a national champion long-distance runner, and this book tells her story and how she worked to build the mental endurance and optimism (aka gritty passion and perseverance) to keep improving and pursuing her goals, one step at a time!  I'm reminded of my own past jogging experiences - anything long distance really is a challenging mental game with lots of metaphors that apply in other areas of life.  And I love that she shares how she overcame her fears and self-doubt and how her coaches and teammates helped to shape her thinking and increase her inner and outer strength and endurance!

Favorite Quote: "I like who I am.  I like who I'm becoming... With a simple shift in perspective, I had changed the outcome of the summer, and myself. I was stronger, more enduring, flexible, and independent. And I knew now that whatever I needed I had within me... Competitors can know your times and places.  They can learn and guess at your race tactics.  But your inner strength is where you gain a real advantage.  And I felt mine growing.”

And that's my book reviews for April.  I'm so grateful that this week has been a legit break from school and regular work routines.  I am fully caught up at work, as of yesterday.  It won't last long, but it's a treat to have a blogging and TV-watching Friday with nothing else pressing! =)

I have lost 36 pounds over the past 2.5 months, but I'll confess that this week has also been a 'break' from my WW consistency - it's alarmingly easy to slip back into old habits and defeated mindsets.  But it's a marathon not a sprint, and I am back on track today and determined to keep pressing forward!  These books all reinforce the idea that our thoughts hold great power and that there is value in consistently getting up again and pressing through setbacks.  Gritty thinking leads to victory... I believe that.  And I believe more and more that real, lasting change is possible for me in several areas, and that's exciting!  One step at a time, one meal at a time, moving forward with passion and perseverance!!