Self Help in Your Life and in Your Career
Finding Your Ruby Slippers – Transformative Life Lessons from the Therapist’s Couch
Author: Lisa Ferentz
Lord knows I have spent much of my life conferring with therapists and I have always considered it the biggest gift I can give myself: a way to learn about myself and open myself up to new ways to position my world, reframe old messages, learn and find tools to communicate better, stop self-destructive behavior – I love to learn, so therapy to me is a great tool.
In Finding Your Ruby Slippers, many of the topics are ones I ponder constantly and I found Ruby Slippers easy to read and eloquent on these topics, such as:
- Overcoming Obstacles
- Relationships
- Being in the Present
- Growth and Change
- Self Compassion
Ferentz herself states: “I’ve worked in the field of trauma for 33 years and have witnessed the resiliency and inner strengths of countless people who’ve been able to transcend their trauma. This is a book that provides hope, inspiration and concrete strategies for enhanced self-esteem, self-awareness and self-compassion, key ingredients to promote change and growth.”
In my family, mistakes were reason to berate, and punish, but in the real world, mistakes are a wonderful learning tool – the only one that can teach us to reach out and try different things. Given where I came from, my family did their best – but it’s my choice to wholeheartedly unlearn the things I was taught that hold me back and to learn how to effectively live a joyous life. This is an especially easy to read book that I found wonderfully helpful, in both ease of language and in presentation. I am not a big self-help person, but Ruby Slippers presented itself effectively and comprehensively.
Each section comprised prolems that we all have encountered and solid ways to increase our power and self assertion and love. Rather than being verbose, Ferentz is solid in her suggestions and ideas and concrete in how to go about achieving your needs. I found this a great book for learning, and for me, that is the name of the game!
Fearless and Free – How Smart Women Pivot – and Relaunch – Their Careers
Author: Wendy Sachs
As we work on ourselves as women, we have to carry those lessons into our workplace, whether we are working for someone or working for ourselves. In Fearless and Free, Sachs reveals the many ways that women hold themselves back – perfectionism, and fear of failure – the way we constantly murmur “sorry” to counter being heard as aggressive – and other ways we present our valid and powerful opinions. Even the way we hold our bodies reveals power – or non-power. Beautifully written, Fearless and Free offers women a model from the Silicon Valley startups that have been so successful: fail fast, fail often, and brainstorm ideas. As we learn the patterns and themes for success by trying different things instead of trying for perfection, Sachs provides a workable model for women to succeed without draining their power. Flexible – being able to pivot from one thing to the next, to change arenas without fear, to network and create innovative opportunities for ourselves, to go for it – Sachs gives examples of women who have done just that. Some of the lessons learned are:
- Being comfortable with being uncomfortable
- Branding ourselves with confidence not arrogance
- Selling your resume and yourself online
- Creating and keeping professional networks that are fruitful
- Keeping serendipity in our lives
- Letting setbacks roll off our backs
- Competing with the digital generation
- Keeping momentum at all times
- Pivoting to a new career and finding the adventure a challenge
Timely and wonderfully effective, Sachs is her own role model for the concept of pivoting. A great read and one all women should keep by their bedsides!
We received these books from the publisher to review. All opinions are strictly our own.
You can pick these books up at your local bookstore or on Amazon.com
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