I don’t want to sound all somber, but happiness is an elusive thing sometimes… especially for entrepreneurs who usually work at home on their own (solopreneurs!) for most of the day. I heard about this book through one of my idols, Karena (one of the two amazing trainers who founded Tone It Up) and it was on my list of to-reads for a long time. When I did read this it took me SO long to get through… I think this was one of the best/hardest books to read for me.
Key takeaways:
There is only NOW. By shifting your focus to now, you’re shifting your mindset away from stress-thinking (about the past or future) and BEING and enjoying this moment. For me, obviously that’s this moment of writing these words on Beach Babe Stock. If you think back to when you were a kid, really… weren’t those some of the happiest days you’ve experienced? It’s because you weren’t thinking about future goals or worrying about past mistakes. You were LIVING your life in the moment.
If you’re an entrepreneur who struggles with (let’s be honest) those totally normal stresses that come with being a business owner, then I highly recommend you read this book to help you shift your mindset into the NOW being.
Worth the read score – It’s a hard read… 10/10.
Favourite quotes / ideas :
There is literally only now. Righ now, this very second. As soon as it’s passed, it’s gone, it’s in the past and what’s going to happen tomorrow or one year from now, hasn’t happened yet (and it might not… I mean, just look at this covid situation we’re all in right now… who actually had plans for this?), so there’s no point thinking too much about it and worrying y.ourself for now reason.
If you’re afraid of missed opportunities, of not living your life to it’s fullest there’s SUCH an easy fix. Be in the NOW. When you master this technique, nothing is missed. No moment is taken for granted or passed over as your body is physically in one place and mind in another.
Have you read The Power of Now? If you have, what were your favourite parts and key takeaways? Let me know in the comments!
*Beach Babe Stock only refers certain products we 100% love and adore and want you to try. This means that we receive a small commission from each sale (at no additional cost to you).
I read this book a couple of years ago and the ideas have just stayed with me. It’s one of those books that you will read and go back to re-read. I am so inspired by the ideas in this book, and Elizabeth’s ability to paint such a gorgeous picture for us about something as abstract as an *idea*.
Key takeaways:
The moment I read this book I could feel in my body that I believe everything Elizabeth wrote with all of my being… maybe even before I’d read it in this book and become aware of the idea around it. If you’re a creative of ANY kind and find yourself questioning your work, art and therefore your worth… you need to read this.
Worth the read score – 10/10.
PLEASE go and borrow it from your local library or buy it now (here’s the link on amazon).. you need to hear this if you’re a creative entrepreneur who struggles with putting your art out there.
Favourite quotes / ideas :
Ideas find (and CHOOSE) you, not the other way around.
The *idea* only stays with you (and doesn’t get created by someone else) as long as it believes you’re going to take action on it and that you’re the right person to bring it out into the world… and do it justice, pretty much. (Crazy in a woo / spiritual way, but oh… SO COOL when you think about it).
Each time you let fear hold you back from creating… you’re holding yourself back one step further, (and further, and further) back from your BEST creation.
Have you read Big Magic? If you have, what were your favourite parts and key takeaways? Let me know in the comments!
*Beach Babe Stock only refers certain products we 100% love and adore and want you to try. This means that we receive a small commission from each sale (at no additional cost to you).
I wanted to start a series on one of my personal favourite things to do… read!
I’ve been a book lover since I was gifted the first 3 Harry Potter books in a box set by my older siblings when I was 8 or so. I didn’t learn to read (in English) until I was 9 years old and of course it was Harry Potter that became my first love + obsession.
These days I still love reading fiction for fun of course. I love anything girly, light and fun. The more stitches I get from laughing out loud as I read – yes I am aware this makes me look crazy, and no, I don’t care – the better! Some of my favourite authors are Melanie LaBrooy, Samantha Young, Helen Hoang. I also used to LOVE reading heaps of action/crime books like the Alex Rider series & Dan Brown’s novels.
However as my passion and work-life revolves around business, naturally, I love business / self improvement books even more. I try to implement the things I’ve learned from each book and so I usually “water them down” with a fiction book in between to give my brain a bit of a break.
Anyway – on with book no. 1 of this series (I’m thinking of writing one of these blog posts a month, let me know what you think and if I should write these more often)…
I don’t think I had heard about this book before it came to me (I mean that literally) it got sent to my house as a gift from a business group I’d recently joined, alongside The E-Myth (that’s a book review for another day though).
If you’ve ever felt a bit frazzled, disorganised, or like you’re lacking a clear direction (or even being pulled in a million different directions) in your business or life in general… this book can totally help you with that.
See, the idea is that you need to need to become an “essentialist”. Doesn’t that sound oh-so poetic and spiritual, and perfect? Well, I’m human and I don’t ever dream of getting there (clearly a skeptic)… but I’ll try, ok, so I read it.
Key takeaways:
There are some really (really) great ideas in this book about how to run your business, and improve your life and basically simplify things a whole lot so that you actually end up getting more out of life. I’m all for it!
Favourite quotes / ideas (literally – from pages I’ve folded or paragraphs gone over with a highlighter):
“Motivation and cooperation deteriorate when there is a lack of purpose.”
The idea of an “Essential Intent”. “…is both inspirational and concrete, both meaningful and measurable. …an essential intent is one decision that settles one thousand later decisions.”
“It’s mind-bending to consider that in practical terms we only ever have now… Yet only here and now can we actually execute on the things that really matter”
Have you read this book? If you haven’t, I highly recommend that you do! If you have, what were your favourite parts and key takeaways? Let me know in the comments!
*Beach Babe Stock only refers certain products we 100% love and adore and want you to try. This means that we receive a small commission from each sale (at no additional cost to you).
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Hey, I'm Cherry. The creator + photographer behind Beach Babe Stock. I'm a puppy mum to two adorable dogs (it's been verified and apparently I'm not biased, they are cute!) and live in Thailand with my fiance. I love all things tropical, travelling, making new friends and adventures.
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