Hi everyone!
Welcome back to Lavendaire.
So it's the beginning of the year and a lot of you are asking me about book
recommendations, so today I wanted to compile a short list
of books that I highly recommend you read in 2018.
These are all books that have highly impacted my life
or changed my life in some positive way.
I'm also gonna share my reading list for this year.
It's not the complete reading list but just the immediate five or six books
that I'm planning to read next.
And I'm gonna include audiobooks as well, because that's been my new favorite thing:
listening to books and reading them at the same time.
I mean, different books, but you know what I mean.
So the first book that I highly recommend you read is a classic.
It is this one.
It's called "The Success Principles" by Jack Canfield.
Jack Canfield is the co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul,
the really popular series of books.
And yes, it's kind of big.
And to be honest, guys, I've only finished 70% of it.
It's on my list to finish this book.
But you know, reading most of this book has already changed my life so much.
I read this book, I think, in 2013, 2014.
This is really the book that helped change my mindset on how to be successful,
how to build these new habits, how to build my mind, make my mind stronger
that I can be able to persevere in my journey.
It just gives you so much good insight on what makes people achievers
and what makes people succeed.
It's definitely one to pick up if you're looking to create your dream life,
because so much of creating this life that you want and chasing your dreams is mental.
So much of it is stamina.
How strong is your mind?
How patient can you be?
How positive can you be?
How optimistic can you be?
All of those things that are mentioned in this book.
The next books I don't have a physical copy of because I read
mostly on my iPad using iBooks and now I use the Kindle app more.
The second book that I'm highly recommending is called "The Slight Edge"
by Jeff Olson.
This is a book that you want to read if you want to learn how to be
consistent in life, whether it's consistent with building positive habits
or consistent at making YouTube videos or consistent at whatever it is
that you want to focus on this year.
This book really paints the picture of the power of small actions taken every
day, because baby steps taken every day can add up to huge change and huge difference
over a course of years.
So it talks about compounding, which is related to investing.
But it also talks about compounding in terms of compounding your actions.
It's definitely a book that changed my life and set the tone for my work ethic
with YouTube and my career.
I've definitely recommended this book before, but I think it's worth mentioning again because
it's such a good one.
The next book I recommend is for creatives, anyone who's on a creative journey.
It's called "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield.
I feel like this is one of those classic books that all artists should read.
The other classic book is "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert.
And I recommend that all the time, but I recommended that last year
so I wanted to switch it up and recommend The War of Art.
This book is just one that will teach you how to get over resistance.
Resistance is the thing that keeps you from doing your work.
I've talked about it in my procrastination videos.
It's basically what makes you procrastinate and not be as productive, not face the work.
It's fear, basically.
It teaches you what resistance is, and how to beat it.
The next book that I want to recommend is an audiobook.
It's "The Power of Vulnerability" by Brene Brown.
This is not really a traditional book.
It's more of a series of lectures.
I think they're actually live lectures held by Brene Brown.
And Brene Brown, she's had the TED talk also called The Power
of Vulnerability, I believe, which is really good so you should watch that.
But this is a long lecture over multiple days where she just goes really
in-depth about vulnerability and shame.
And it's just one that I found myself listening to and getting so many feels
and so many new insights on emotions and human beings, how we are
and how there is power in being vulnerable.
So that book, that audiobook, inspired me to be more of myself and step
forward and open up and be more vulnerable in everyday life, with
my family, friends, and on YouTube, because that's how we make genuine human connection,
is when we're vulnerable.
And if you don’t have Audible, then I have a link down below
where you can get a free trial for 30 days.
But if you don't want to listen to this audiobook and you're looking
for a physical book to read, then any other book by Brene Brown, I would
recommend as well.
The last book I want to recommend is a cute one, and it's a quick read.
It's "The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up".
So I've already recommended The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up so many
times.
I've read that book maybe two years ago.
So my friend gave this to me as a gift.
It's basically a comic book version, a storyline version of Konmari
coming in to consult this messy woman.
And it's a really cute comic.
I read this in two nights.
So it's a fun refresher if you read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.
If you haven't read that book, then this is like the quick read version of
it.
I think it teaches you the basics of the Konmari system, and if you
have any friends who don't really like to read but you kind
of want to give them an idea of Konmari, how to tidy, how to declutter, then I would
recommend gifting them this book.
I've already had two friends who asked to borrow this book,
and I might just buy extra copies for them, because I know they won't return it
if I give it to them.
But anyway, if you've gone through the Konmari journey,
then this book is a great refresher and it will inspire you to want to
tidy through your things again because it's been quite some time since I did a major tidy.
Even though she says you don’t have to do it again, since I'm moving in a couple weeks,
I'm gonna be excited to do it again as I move into a new space.
Now I'm gonna share some books that I plan to read this year,
and I'm gonna share some audiobooks as well.
So my first book that I'm gonna pick up next after I finish
reading my current book, which is "Girl Code" by Cara Alwill Leyba.
The next book is called "Everybody Lies".
And this is a book that my brother read and recommended to me
because he really loved it.
He said that there was a lot of things that blew his mind.
So it's a book about data and internet searches, and how you can find out a lot
about human behavior and human interests by seeing what people search on Google.
So I'm interested to see all the random facts and stories in that book.
And then the next book that I want to read is one that I was recommended
by a friend, Cyrus, at Global Creator Camp.
He's also a YouTuber, from France.
He talks about philosophy.
He recommended the book, "Sapiens", and this is a book
that says it's a brief history of human evolution.
So I'm interested in just learning more about humans, human behavior.
I don't know, everything related to that.
Another book that I want to read this year is called "The Storyteller's Secret".
And this one is written by someone who wrote another book
called "Talk Like Ted".
His books are about public speaking, how to tell a story,
and I want to read that book just so that I can learn how to tell stories
because it affects my videos and my podcast.
So how to improve my craft in that way.
Another book that I'm excited to read this year is "Creating Magic:
10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies From a Life at Disney".
I'm not sure if that's the title, because the title's pretty long.
But it's written by a guy who worked at Disney for decades, and he teaches
their leadership strategies, how they keep their team motivated
and how Disney has such a positive culture.
So I'm looking to learn how to be a better leader, how to lead a team,
how to create a positive culture with Lavendaire and stuff, as well.
I have to shout out to Niki from our Mastermind group because she recommended
that book to me.
And I think this author wrote a ton of other books related to Disney,
management.
There's one called "Time Management Magic" that,
if I like this Disney book, I might read that one as well.
And the last one I'll mention is one that's been on my reading list
for over a year, I'm sure.
It's called "In the Company of Women", by Grace Bonney.
I first saw Grace Bonney on an interview on Marie Forleo's channel,
which is amazing by the way.
If you guys don't know Marie Forleo, check her out.
But I've read so many great things about this book.
It's basically a bunch of interviews with women entrepreneurs, and I don't know.
I heard it's really inspiring.
It makes you feel empowered as a woman and a businessperson.
So I'm looking forward to just get inspired by that.
I really do think that 2018 is the year of females, if not last year
it was already ramping up, but this year is the year that females are
dominating.
We have the #TimesUp thing going on, we have just girl bosses stepping
up and I feel so powerful.
I feel like it's the best time to be a woman right now.
Lastly I'll share some audiobooks, because they're my new favorite way
to consume books.
I love listening to audiobooks while I drive.
So I'm currently listening to "Light is the New Black" by Rebecca Campbell.
I got recommended this book by my friend Lynette.
I've been loving it.
It's definitely very heady.
And it definitely inspires me in terms of light
and consciousness and spirituality and stuff.
I think, for a first-time listener, if you're not used to these terms, it might
kind of throw you off, but I don't know, I really like it.
Next up on my audiobooks list are: The Untethered Soul.
I have this book downloaded already, so after I'm done with Light is the New Black,
I'm gonna listen to that one because I've heard so many great things about
it.
I'm not sure if it's best to listen to that book or read that book,
but I guess I'll find out by listening to it.
And then after that, I plan to listen to "Judgment Detox",
which is Gabrielle Bernstein's new book.
So that's what's on my audiobook list so far.
I do have a wish list which, after I'm done with a book, I usually just look at my wish
list and see if I want anything or just look at
what's new and see if I want to listen to anything new.
Definitely let me know if you have recommendations on must-read books
and must-listen audiobooks this year.
I've super excited about finding new things, learning new things.
And as you might be able to tell, I'm kind of reading books
outside of self help and personal growth because the books that I recommend,
related to that, I feel like I read them two or three years ago.
And any newer books, I feel like they don't have as strong as an
impact on me as the first books that I read.
I think because, when you first read these books, you're like mind-blown
and it's so inspiring and really changes your life.
But after you've implemented things you've learned from those first few books,
then any new books you read are kind of like the cherry on top, and it
doesn't feel as transformational.
So that's why I always feel like I recommend older books, vs. the newer books
that I've read.
Not to say that the newer books are not as good.
It's just, personally, I felt more impacted by the early books that
I've read.
But anyway, I'm just looking to continue expanding my mind in different areas,
continue learning for the rest of my life.
I love learning, I love just reading about new things, discovering new things.
So yes, any recommendations are greatly appreciated, not just in self
help but in everything else too.
Alright, have a beautiful day.
Don't forget to subscribe if you haven't already.
And I hope you do some reading tonight.
Alright, bye!