Category Archives: Self Care

Best Mindfulness Books on the Market 

2022, Inspiring, Personal development, Recommended, Self Care, Top Books, Wellbeing, , , , , , , , , ,

Continuing Booko’s August focus on self-care, this week we are looking at some recent releases on Mindfulness. Mindfulness is a form of meditation borne of Buddhist tradition – yet you don’t need to be spiritual or “the meditating type” to benefit from this practice. Mindfulness asks us to focus on the present moment without judgment, and can be as simple as focussing on our breathing for one minute. There is much evidence to show that mindfulness can improve our physical as well as mental wellbeing, helping to relief stress and anxiety, improving mental clarity, and helping us get more out of personal interactions. If you have ever felt too busy, overwhelmed, or distracted, then you may benefit from mindfulness practice – and here are some great guides to get you started:

Becoming Aware: a 21- Day Mindfulness Program for Reducing Anxiety and Cultivating Calm by Daniel J. Siegel

Cover for Becoming Aware by Daniel J. Siegel
Cover for Becoming Aware by Daniel J. Siegel

This companion to Daniel J. Siegel’s bestselling Aware offers a 21-day, step-by-step guide to adopting his Wheel of Awareness meditation practice. Siegel developed Wheel of Awareness after reviewing current scientific research, which shows that mindfulness offers physical as well as mental health benefits. Using a series of meditation instructions, practical exercises, and everyday tools and techniques, Becoming Aware enables readers, including children, to focus attention, open awareness, and develop compassion, leading to an enduring sense of calm and quiet.

The Resilience Project: Finding Happiness through Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness by Hugh van Cuylenburg

The Resilience Project is more of a memoir than an instruction manual, yet Hugh van Cuylenberg’s life stories are sure to inspire you to make a habit of the simple yet transformational practices of gratitude, empathy and mindfulness – behaviours that lead to resilience and happiness. With humour, poignancy and clear-eyed insight, Hugh van Cuylenberg shares the personal experiences – including his sister’s eating disorder, and his time volunteering in northern India – that has led to his discovery of the link between gratitude, empathy, mindfulness and happiness, which in turn has inspired him to work to help people live a happier and more fulfilling life.

Now Is the Way: Simple Mindfulness for Modern Times by Cory Allen

Cory Allen, host of the popular Astral Hustle podcast, adds author to his resume with this practical, highly readable guide to the why, what, and how of mindfulness. As in his podcasts, Now is the Way mixes mindfulness, neuroscience, philosophy and music; it includes a detailed review of current research; discussion of trends in the mindfulness movement; no-nonsense exercises such as deep breathing; as well as how to use “binaural beats”, a form of sound therapy. There is also a detailed bibliography for further exploration. Cory Allen thinks of mindfulness as “strength training for the brain” – it can help us take control of our thinking, stop merely reacting to life and start to live it the way we want.

How to Focus (Mindfulness Essentials) by Thich Nhat Hanh

The late Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh is best known in the West as the “Father of Mindfulness”. He also developed the concept socially-engaged Buddhism, and was an active proponent of nonviolent activism. The Mindfulness Essentials series is a pocket-sized collection of Thich Nhat Hanh’s writing that focuses on key elements of mindfulness practice. How to Focus offers a set of simple meditations, written with his characteristic kindness, that can help us overcome constant distraction and regain our powers of concentration, and thus foster the conditions that bring insight and understanding.

Gutsy: Mindfulness Practices for Everyday Bravery by Leah Katz

Dr Leah Katz is a clinical psychologist who uses a mix of behavioural therapies and mindfulness techniques in treating anxiety and depression. In Gutsy, she shows how mindfulness can be part of a broader toolkit that helps us make bolder, more fulfilling choices;
by adopting a mindset of joy, gratitude, and resilience, we can learn to identify what is holding us back, to overcome our fears, and move past society’s unrealistic and often harmful expectations to create the self-loving and compassionate life that we all deserve.

Attention Hijacked: Using Mindfulness to Reclaim Your Brain from Tech by Erica B. Marcus

Attention Hijacked offers invaluable advice to steer teens towards healthier tech-use habits, without resorting to “screentime is bad” scare tactics. Erica B. Marcus acknowledges that technology offers many benefits, including education, entertainment, social connection and personal expression; yet some technologies are designed to be addictive, and can interfere with cognitive abilities and mental and physical health. Attention Hijacked shows how mindfulness can help us reassess our technology use, leading to a more conscious, balanced approach. A great resource for teens as well as their caregivers and teachers.

Learning to relax; the top 6 books to show you how

2022, How to Guide, Ideas, Inspiring, Learning, leisure time, Lifestyle, meditation, New Release, Recommended, Self Care, spare time, Top Books, , ,

Taking time out to relax sounds ridiculously straightforward, a little indulgent and often something we only do if we have spare time. What has emerged from research is that it is critical to make time to relax due to its compounding health benefits – especially in the busy times we are experiencing in the world today. 

We have looked over that latest books hitting the market on self care and have found 6 that are a mix of effective relaxation methods, the reasoning behind the importance of self care and also practical how to guides that we can adopt at home, or even at work. 

The Relaxation Solution: The Secret to Stress-Free Living by Stephen Diamond

The Relaxation Solution is a guidebook to discovering how the modern world has taught us to make ourselves tense, and how we can stop it, let it all go, and truly relax.

Our environment today is dominated by stressful situations. Family life, financial trouble, illness and job demands are all significant sources of stress. People learn to respond to stress by tensing up. Originally a valuable self-protection mechanism, this habitual response is now making them anxious and ill. The Relaxation Solution provides a new approach to mindfulness, a set of exercises and meditations that gently and effortlessly guide the reader to experiencing freedom from tension. When practiced, these exercises reverse the habitual, unconscious tension response and instil a new habit of relaxation.

As a bonus, this little solution includes online access to 35 minutes of guided meditation audios.

The Joy of Self-Care by Becca Anderson

Self-care ideas are unique, they aren’t formulaic, but are personal and ever-changing. The Joy of Self-Care provides space for rest, catharsis, and healing, and brings value back into your cultivation of joy and embracing the joy of being you. What do you miss about yourself? Maybe it’s how you used to easily calm down following stress or enjoy your own company. Gain solace in the midst of chaos by reconnecting with yourself. Self-care isn’t a chore, an obligation, or emotionally exhausting work. It should be a fulfilment of your needs, a safe space, an act of joy. Full of self-care ideas, The Joy of Self-Care has something for everybody. 

Finding a personalised self-care routine can be daunting. The perfect addition to any self-care kit, this de-stress book is full of self-care ideas to help you get started-with the help of an expert. Author Becca Anderson specialises in personal growth and shepherds readers to their better selves with positive thinking and other self-care ideas.

Inside The Joy of Self-Care, you’ll find; Self-care ideas to help you physically, emotionally, and mentally recharge, a spirit of self-care and self-love and how to value calm, comfort, and rest.

How to Implement Effective Relaxation Techniques by Michael Robertson

One thing that we should understand is that stress is something we cannot avoid. The only thing you can do is to learn how to cope with it. After all, life is all about overcoming the challenges you face. Stress can take a huge toll on your life. It can bring out the worst state in you. Instead of approaching life with a sense of optimism, stress can make you feel lost and hopeless. Worst, it extinguishes the little motivation that would have ensured you remain productive.

In How to Implement Effective Relaxation Techniques you’ll discover the root cause of your stress and anxiety, how to relax your mind and body, and let go of worry. It’s through this understanding that you will take the right steps towards developing healthy habits to manage your everyday stressors. At the end of the day, a relaxed state of mind and body will allow you to spend less time worrying. Once you master the relaxation techniques detailed in this manual, you will organise your life to continuously strive to achieve more of the things that add value to your life.

The Power of Breathing Techniques by Lutz Schneider

We can survive for weeks without food and days without water, but only a few minutes without air. Would it not be justified to presume that the air, which is more important for human survival than food or water, should live up to basic standards? How much air do we need for ideal breathing? And how should we breathe? The amount of air that you breathe has the potential to change everything you believe about your body, your health and your performance. In this book, you will discover the fundamental relationship between oxygen and your body. Increasing your oxygen supply is not only healthy, it enables an increase in the intensity of your training and also reduces breathlessness. In short, you will notice an improvement in your health and more relaxation in your everyday life.

Sanctuary Of Your Own: Create a Haven Anywhere for Relaxation and Self-Renewal by Caroline Dow

Bring a sense of the sacred to your environment so not matter where you are, you can connect with spirit. This book shares ideas and techniques for transforming any space into a haven designed to bring balance, serenity, and joy into your life. By engaging your five senses and working with the power of intention, you can create a sacred space almost anywhere. A Sanctuary of Your Own shows you how to carve out a mini sanctuary at work, in your car, or even in your hotel room when you’re traveling. Author Caroline Dow also shares tips for creating your own altar, getting rid of clutter, and designing spaces to share with family and friends. Whether you want to facilitate a meditation practice or express your personal interests and cultural background, this accessible guide helps you take small steps that get big results. With examples from cultures around the world and helpful ideas for incorporating colors, fragrances, botanicals, gemstones, textiles, and even special numbers, A Sanctuary of Your Own helps you create a perfect space where they can feel safe, relax, and find some peace. 

Small Habits for a Big Life by Rebecca Ray

Change is not about grand statements and sweeping gestures. It is about chipping away, a bit at a time, at the edifices that hold us back. Dr Rebecca Ray knows about the power of small habits to make big changes. She has turned herself from regular clinical psychologist into one of Australia’s most effective communicators on matters of the mind by introducing small changes into her life. Rebecca has helped many members of her large online community and her clients do the same. In Small Habits for a Big Life Rebecca Ray breaks down the process for her reader. She explains how we can override the part of the brain that seeks pleasure and comfort (ice cream and wine) and activate the parts that tolerate some discomfort for the sake of long-term goals (an hour of study instead of an hour of Netflix). Small Habits for a Big Life clears the way for readers to embark on their own path to change and provides exactly the right amount of support along the way.

Enjoy!

The best six books exploring how exercise helps the mind.

2022, Change, Eating, Exercise, Fitness, Food, General Knowledge, Goals, Hobby, Ideas, life stories, Lifestyle, meditation, New Release, Personal development, Self Care, Sport, Top Books, Wellbeing, , , , , , , ,

We all know that exercise is good for us both mentally and physically and has numerous health benefits. That said, there are still days where we really don’t feel like getting out of bed and heading into the cold for a run (hello Melbourne Winter’s we’re talking about you). Thankfully, there are a growing  number of indoor options for those days we can’ face the cold but want still to get moving. For those that need a little more convincing, we have found six great books that not only explain what we can do, but why we need to. 

Brace yourself, you’ll be lacing up your runners at the end of this blog and reaching for your drink bottle as we know these are going to inspire you to get moving. 

Eat Like a Pig, Run Like a Horse by Anastacia Marx de Salcedo

There is no pill. There is no diet. Could it be that our underlying assumption, that what we’re eating is making us fat and sick, is just plain wrong? To address the nation’s bulging waistline and the disease states associated with it, scientists have conducted a whopping 500,000 studies of diet and 300,000 of obesity. Journalists have written 223,000,000 and 15,600,000 news articles respectively about the topics. Yet nothing seems to halt the epidemic. It’s clear a new approach is needed. Anastacia Marx de Salcedo’s Eat Like a Pig, Run Like a Horse, looks not just to data-driven science, but to animals and the natural world around us. What she finds will transform the national debate about the root causes of our most pervasive diseases and offer hope of dramatically reducing the number who suffer from these, no matter what we eat. She starts by chronicling her own medical miracle. She has multiple sclerosis, but discovered that daily exercise keeps it from progressing. And now, new research backs up her own experience. This revelation prompted her to ask what would happen if people with lifestyle illness put physical activity front and centre in their daily lives instead of diet? In a fascinating journey divided between personal profiles of patients, mad(ish) scientists, and beguiling animal stories (bats, who fly hundreds of miles weekly, are incredibly disease resistant, much like how aerobic exercise boosts our own immune system), Anastacia shows we need to move beyond our current diet-focused model to a new, dynamic concept of metabolism as regulated by exercise. Suddenly the answer to global good health is embarrassingly simple. Don’t worry about what you eat. Worry about how much you move.

Sweat: A History of Exercise by Bill Hayes

Exercise is our modern obsession, and we have the fancy workout gear and fads to prove it. Exercise, a form of physical activity distinct from sports, play, or athletics, was an ancient obsession, too, but as a chapter in human history, it’s been largely overlooked. In Sweat, Bill Hayes runs, jogs, swims, spins, walks, bikes, boxes, lifts, sweats, and downward-dogs his way through the origins of different forms of exercise, chronicling how they have evolved over time, and dissecting the dynamics of human movement. Hippocrates, Plato, Galen, Susan B. Anthony, Jack LaLanne, and Jane Fonda, among many others, make appearances in Sweat, but chief among the historical figures is Girolamo Mercuriale, a Renaissance-era Italian physician who aimed singlehandedly to revive the ancient Greek “art of exercising” through his 1569 book De arte gymnastica. In the pages of Sweat, Mercuriale and his illustrated treatise are vividly brought back to life. As Hayes ties his own personal experience to the cultural and scientific history of exercise, from ancient times to the present day, he gives us a new way to understand its place in our lives in the 21st century.

Yoga Happy: Simple Tools and Practices for Everyday Calm & Strength by Hannah Barrett

Yoga Happy is an essential companion to help you through life, whether you’re a complete yoga beginner or wanting to deepen your home practice. In this beautiful, full-colour book you will find everything you need to build your inner strength and resilience, enhance your yoga practice, and help you find calm, happiness and the resilience to navigate the modern world. Written by yoga and meditation teacher Hannah Barrett, who has helped hundreds of thousands of people both online and through her workshops and classes, Yoga Happy encourages you to incorporate key disciplines, thoughts and actions into your everyday life. No matter how little time or space you have, Hannah shows how you can find your energy, reduce stress at home or at work, get a good night’s sleep and learn to cope better with whatever life throws at you. This inspiring handbook will also guide you through short, illustrated yoga sequences adapted for all abilities, plus give you breathing techniques, meditations and other proven mindful practices that will help to nourish and support your mind and body.

The Truth of Yoga: A Comprehensive Guide to Yoga’s History, Texts, Philosophy, and Practices by Daniel Simpson

A succinct, approachable guide to the origins, development, key texts, concepts, and practices of yoga. Yoga is practiced by many millions of people worldwide and is celebrated for its mental, physical, and spiritual benefits. And yet, as Daniel Simpson reveals in The Truth of Yoga , much of what is said about yoga is misleading. For example, the word “yoga” does not always mean union. In fact, in perhaps the discipline’s most famous text, the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, its aim is described as separation: isolating consciousness from everything else. And yoga is not five thousand years old, as is commonly claimed; the earliest evidence of practice dates back about twenty-five hundred years. (Yoga may well be older, but no one can prove it.) The Truth of Yoga is a clear, concise, and accessible handbook for the lay reader that draws upon abundant recent scholarship. It outlines these new findings with practitioners in mind, highlighting ways to keep traditions alive in the twenty-first century.

Caged Lion: Joseph Pilates and His Legacy by John Howard Steel

Caged Kion is the surprising story of Pilates, the man and the method.

Part biography, part history, and part memoir, Caged Lion untangles for the first time Joseph Pilates’s opaque life story and the perilous journey of his exercise program known the world over as Pilates.

This is the story of Joseph Pilates, a gifted man who immigrated to the United States at forty-three with no assets or credentials. He not only invented an exercise regimen which today is practiced by more than ten million people, but in the process, reinvented himself.

John Howard Steel brings Joseph Pilates and his eponymous exercise regime to life from his unique perspective as a student, friend, and confidant. Joe’s influence profoundly changed Steel’s life; in turn, Steel was crucial for the survival of the Pilates Method and Joe’s legacy. Steel’s vivid account traces the expansion of Pilates from a small cadre of dedicated adherents, through two periods of near extinction, to the global sensation it is today. Steel describes Joseph Pilates’s years as a prisoner during World War I, Joe’s motivation to discover his system of exercises, his inspirational teaching technique, and the unique attraction of the Pilates Method. It’s quite a story.

Just Breathe by Dan Brule

Hailed by Tony Robbins as the “definitive breathwork handbook,” Just Breathe will teach you how to harness your breath to reduce stress, increase productivity, balance your health, and find the path to spiritual awakening. Big meeting jitters? Anxiety over a test or taxes? Hard time focusing? What if you could control your outcomes and change results simply by regulating your breath? In this simple and revolutionary guide, world-renowned pioneer of breathwork Dan Brul shares the Breath Mastery technique that has helped people in more than fifty countries reduce anxiety, improve their health, and tap infinite stores of energy. Just Breathe reveals the truth that elite athletes, champion martial artists, Navy SEAL warriors, first responders, and spiritual yogis have always known; when you regulate your breathing, you can moderate your state of well-being. So if you want to clear and calm your mind and spark peak performance, the secret is just a breath away. Breathwork gives you the tools to achieve benefits in a wide range of issues including: managing acute/chronic pain; helping with insomnia, weight loss, attention deficit, anxiety, depression, trauma, and grief; improving intuition, creativity, mindfulness, self-esteem, and leadership; and much more. Just Breathe will help you utilise your breath to benefit your body, mind, and spirit.

Enjoy!

Ted Talk: The Brain-Changing Benefits of Exercise

Exercise, Lifestyle, Personal development, Self Care, TedTalks

What’s the most transformative thing that you can do for your brain today? Exercise! says neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki. Get inspired to go to the gym as Suzuki discusses the science of how working out boosts your mood and memory and protects your brain against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.