Tag Archive | Stacy Loves

Top 10 Inspiring Books I Read in 2015

Dec29

top 10 inspirational books 2015 jtcw

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” ~Dr. Seuss

Reading is something I am passionate about.  I never leave the house without a book.  You never know when you will have to wait, and I find that a book always comes in handy during those times.  There are so many interesting things to learn in life, and reading books is one of my favorite ways to keep life exciting and learn about those things I am interested in.  As 2015 comes to a close, I am reviewing the books I have read this year and reflecting on all the wonderful and exciting things I have learned.

I use Goodreads to keep a list of the books I would like to read as well as to rate, review, and keep track of books as I read them.  At the beginning of 2015, I had set a goal for myself to read 26 books.  I only finished 18 books this year, but I also wrote a book, The 31-Day Self-Love Challenge, so I’m not going to beat myself up for not reaching my goal.  Of the 18 books I read this year, here are my Top 10 Recommendations.  They are listed in no particular order.  Click on the hyperlink or the book image for my review of each.

  1.  A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson

Marianne Williamson shares her reflections on A Course in Miracles and her insights on the application of love in the search for inner peace.  I loved this book!  Marianne is filled with wisdom about life and love, and I truly enjoyed reading it.  There is so much information in here about every aspect of life!  I absolutely recommend it to anyone who is open to hearing the messages in it.  It is the type of book that will appear in your life when you are ready for it.

A Return to Love Marianne Williamson

 

 

 

 

 

2.  One Month to Live by Kerry & Chris Shook

What if you only had one month to live?  How would you make each day meaningful?  How would you relate to others differently?  What would you do to make the rest of your life really matter?  This book helped me to realize the importance of living intentionally so I may make the most of my time, fulfill my purpose on this earth, and make the difference I was sent here to make.  This book reinforces what really matters in life:  relationships.  Relationships are eternal, but everything else is temporary.

One Month to Live

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.  The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

“Creativity is God’s gift to us.  Using our creativity is our gift back to God.”  That was a very powerful quote from the book that spoke to me.  We are ALL artists.    We were created to create.  This book will help you to unleash your inner artist and reclaim that creativity that you may have hidden deep down.  This is the book that gave me the push and the tools to help me write my own book, The 31-Day Self-Love Challenge, which was published this year.

The Artists Way

4.  Rachel’s Tears by Beth Nimmo and Darrell Scott with Steve Rabey

“The Columbine tragedy in April 1999 pierced the heart of our country. We later learned that the teenage killers specifically targeted Rachel Scott and mocked her Christian faith on their chilling, homemade videotapes. Rachel Scott died for her faith. Now her parents talk about Rachel’s life and how they have found meaning in their daughter’s martyrdom in the aftermath of the school shooting.”  This book had a huge impact on my life.  Rachel’s spirituality inspired me greatly.  After my first reading of the book several years ago, I began writing letters to God in my journal just as she had.  My letters to God have brought me to a whole new level spiritually, and it is all because of the influence of this authentic 17-year-old girl who just wanted God to use her to make a difference in the world.  She sure made a difference in my life, and I’m sure she has inspired countless others as well.  Her parents also inspire me through their positive attitude, their willingness to forgive, and their belief that God used the Columbine tragedy for the good of the world.

To anyone who has any interest in deepening their spirituality, I certainly recommend this book.

Rachel's Tears

5.  The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman

I loved this book!  I would highly recommend it to EVERYONE.  It may have initially been written to help improve marriages, but the concepts in the book can apply to any relationship.  Once we recognize the love language of our partner, friend, child, etc., we will be better able to show them we care and help to improve that relationship.

The Five Love Languages

6.  The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware

I loved this book and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in living a happy and authentic life and having no regrets when they get to the end of it.  Sadly, death is a subject many people fear and they do not want to think about it until it is too late and they are forced to.  We are all going to die someday.  The sooner we accept that truth, the sooner we will be able to set our own priorities and live a life focused on the things that are really important to us.

The Top Five Regrets of the Dying

7.  There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem by Wayne Dyer

I love the teachings of Wayne Dyer!  If I had to describe this book in one word, I would say it is about LOVE.  Wayne Dyer passed away this year, but he knew about love and being connected to everyone and everything, and I’m so grateful he is going to live on through his books and teachings so we can all learn to do the same.  I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is open to embracing their spirituality and connecting more with everyone and everything in the universe.

There's a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem

8.  Weekends with Daisy by Sharron Kahn Luttrell

I would recommend this book to readers of all ages!  It kept my interest the entire time, and it was a fairly quick and easy read at just over 300 pages.  Whether you are currently a dog-lover or not, you will finish this book with a new appreciation for dogs.

Weekends with Daisy

9.  What Color is Your Parachute by Richard Bolles (Review not available)

After being a stay-at-home mom for 12 years, I went back to work for the first time this year, and I wish I had read this book before I tackled my resume and went on my first job interview in over 17 years.  I did get through it and found the perfect job for me (actually, two of them — both part time).  This book is filled with current resources and tips that can be helpful to anyone in search of a job.  This book goes further than general tips as it asks you to really get to know yourself and find out what you are really looking for in a job.  I especially enjoyed Appendix A: Finding Your Mission in Life.  A must read for those in search of a job.

What Color is Your Parachute 2015

10.  The Julian Chapter by RJ Palacio

Wonder and 365 Days of Wonder, both by R.J. Palacio, were both very inspiring to me.  They are some of my all-time favorite books.  The Julian Chapter is the final book that completes the story, and I love this one as well!

The Julian Chapter

For more inspiring books, here are the top 10 books I read in 2014.

Which books have inspired you this year?  Please let me know in the comments below.

2015 February Acts of Kindness Challenge

Jan28

The February Acts of Kindness Challenge is a challenge I began on this blog last year to help spread kindness during the entire month of February.  It was such a rewarding experience for me and my family, we have decided to do it again this year!  I invite you to join us and many others in spreading love and kindness all month!  The guidelines are below.

aesopactofkindness

When I think of the month of February, the first thing that comes into my mind is Valentine’s Day.  And when I think of Valentine’s Day, I am reminded of love.  So I thought it might be fun to challenge myself and my family to spread our love this month by performing at least one act of kindness each day.  When I suggested the idea to my family, they were all really excited.  I’m sure their excitement probably had something to do with me mentioning a reward at the end if we were able to complete it, but I know the real reward will be in the experience itself.

Act of Kindness Challenge Guidelines:

1.  I  have made this February Acts of Kindness Log  for each member of my family to record our acts of kindness throughout the month.  I printed it out for each family member and put it on the refrigerator.  Feel free to download and print it out as well if you would like to keep a record of your progress. 🙂

2.  Each day in February, perform at least one act of kindness and write it down on the log.  My definition of an Act of Kindness is: any action you take to brighten someone’s day without expecting anything in return.

3.  Share your acts of kindness with your loved ones who are also participating in the challenge, or share your ideas and inspiration on February Acts of Kindness Challenge so we can continue to support and encourage each other.

4.  When the month is over, share what you learned with each other.

5.  REWARD YOURSELF!!  This is the most important step off all!  If you are taking the challenge with others, take a vote to see how you want to reward yourselves!

I invite you to join us in this challenge and spread your love.  It only takes a small act to make a big impact.  Let’s make a difference together!  “Like” the Facebook page February Acts of Kindness Challenge or join the Facebook support group at February Acts of Kindness Challenge to share your ideas and inspiration. 🙂

Feel free to do more than one Act of Kindness a day.  Don’t be afraid to write them all down.  You may already do several acts of kindness each day without even realizing it.  The point here is to become aware of all the good things you already do and realize the impact it has on others.  You may also want to try to take it a step further and do some things you normally wouldn’t do.  When we make a small effort to brighten someone’s day out of love (not obligation), we are rewarded with happiness.  Anything done out of obligation is not an act of love and will only cause you to feel resentment.  It doesn’t matter whether your acts of kindness are random or intentional, but to honor your own self-care, please make sure they are performed out of love.

As you perform more acts of kindness, you may also notice yourself becoming the recipient of more acts of kindness.  Learn to accept these gifts with gratitude.  Many times it is more challenging for us to receive than it is to give.  We may resist acts of kindness toward us because we may feel like we will owe the other person, but when you let people do nice things for you, you are actually giving them a gift.

RESOURCES

Check out this link for some great Random Acts of Kindness ideas!

Check out this inspiring 5 minute video to see how one small act of kindness can make a big impact.

“Like” the Facebook Page The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation.

Check out the inspiring movie, The Letter Writer.  It is a great reminder of the impact our actions have on others, and the difference one act of kindness can make.

Don’t forget Random Acts of Kindness week is February 9-15, 2015.

kindness mark twain

If you’re stuck for ideas, a simple way to make someone’s day is to download a Care Card from You Matter.   #YouMatter is a grassroots movement that aims to promote positive mental health through acts of caring. Telling someone they matter can have a greater impact than we may know! 

There are four easy steps to participate in #YouMatter:

1) Download a Care Card from the MSW@USC blog.

2) Write a message of caring, friendship or appreciation.

3) Snap a picture of your card and share on social media using the hashtag #youmatter and tag us @youmatterbc to inspire others.

4) Give the Care Card to someone and make that person’s day!

Do YOU have any kindness ideas, quotes, videos, or inspiration you would like to share?  Feel free to leave them in a comment below or share them on the February Acts of Kindness Challenge Facebook support group.  Thank you! 🙂

The “Thank You” Game

Nov19

Note:  I originally posted this last year, but it is such a fun and rewarding game, I thought it was deserving of another post this year.  I hope you will play along! 🙂

feeling gratitude

One of the books that has had the greatest influence on my life so far is the book “Life Makeovers” by Cheryl Richardson.  This book is broken up into 52 weeks, and each week she focuses on a specific topic and gives advice and tips on ways to improve your life in that area. (Find out more about the book and how it has changed my life here.)

I have followed along with this book each week for the past 7 years, and my favorite piece of advice in the book comes from this week before Thanksgiving, Week 47.  The title of Week 47 is called The “Thank You” Game.  Cheryl suggests thanking one person a day for the next week.  It can be a teacher, bus driver, librarian, friend, spouse, child, a parent, postal worker, doctor, etc.  It can be anyone you come into contact with regularly that you would like to thank.  You can thank them by simply writing an unexpected note or e-mail, or by attaching a small gift like a box of chocolates or flowers or anything they might like.

We have been doing this for several years now, and it has become one of my favorite traditions!  I love this exercise because it is being done out of sincere gratitude, not obligation.  The recipient is usually not expecting anything, so they are usually very appreciative of the gesture.  It is a win-win situation on both sides.  We all love to feel appreciated, and it’s a great feeling to know your small gesture brightened someone’s day.

During the next 7 days, I am going to choose at least one person a day to thank.  Help me spread the gratitude and love this week by playing along with Cheryl Richardson’s “Thank You” game!  Who are you going to thank this week?

Meister Eckhart Thank You sunset4

Visual Quote on Gratitude

Nov6

Meister Eckhart If the only prayer you ever say is thank you, it will be enough.

October Unprocessed: Days 30 – 31 and Final Results

Nov5

October Unprocessed is Complete!!

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to stay away from the Halloween candy as I was hoping to do.  This is what I ate during the final 2 days of the challenge:

Day 30:  Thursday, October 30

For breakfast, I had homemade granola, a hard-boiled egg, and freshly juiced apple juice.

Homemade Granola

For lunch, I had leftover haddock and mashed potatoes.

I had a Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Muffin for a snack.  It was a recipe I had been wanting to try for a while.  I finally got all the ingredients, but unfortunately they tasted too plain for my taste.  One of my daughters enjoyed them, but the others did not like them at all, so I most likely will not be making them again.

October 31, 2014 007 crop

Day 31:  Friday, October 31 (Halloween)

For breakfast, I had homemade granola with yogurt, freshly juiced apple juice, and a slice of turkey.

For lunch, I had the rest of the leftover haddock and mashed potatoes.

For dinner, I made homemade pizza dough topped with homemade tomato sauce (using yellow tomatoes) and freshly shredded mozzarella cheese.

October 31, 2014 025 crop

Friday night, I went with my daughters trick-or-treating.  Unfortunately I couldn’t resist all the chocolate, so I had to have a few pieces.

Results and Thoughts

Unfortunately, this year I wasn’t into the challenge as much as I was last year.  I didn’t take it as seriously, so it felt like I cheated more often than I should have.

Last year, reading labels was all new to me.  I had a lot to learn and a lot of new, healthy foods and recipes to try.  I feel like I gained a lot of knowledge regarding foods and nutrition over the past year and it changed the way my family eats.  This year during the challenge, I feel like I just ate normal (which is MUCH healthier than we used to eat.)

While weight loss was NOT a goal for me during this challenge, last year I lost 7 pounds in October.  This year, I didn’t lose any.

Going Forward

October Unprocessed 2014 may be over, but I intend to continue to eat healthy and unprocessed foods whenever possible.

Unfortunately, it hasn’t been easy to do lately.  We have buckets of Halloween candy laying around the house, and it’s just not easy to ignore all that chocolate that is so readily available.  And since sugar is so addictive, I can’t just stop at one piece.  My daughter also just had a birthday 2 days ago, so we have ice cream cake readily available as well.  Chocolate and ice cream are 2 things I cannot resist!

Aside from the temptation of chocolate and ice cream, I continue to eat healthy.  I try not to buy anything that is packaged, I try to have an ample supply of fruits, vegetables, and nuts at all times, and my drink of choice is always water.

I do plan to join the challenge again next year, and I hope you will join with me!

In the meantime, feel free to join me in my November challenge:  30 Days of Thankful!

Inspiration Friday: What REALLY matters?

Sep26

Happy Friday!

Here is a beautiful reminder of what REALLY matters in life.  You can focus your time and energy on acquiring money, fame, or possessions, but they will not make you happy and will only leave you wanting more.  In the end, we must ask ourselves, “What REALLY matters?” and spend our time and energy on those things.  If you can’t see the video below, check it out here.

Life IS Good…here is the proof:

Sep4

I’m really excited!  I just started a new blog called STACY LOVES…!  It is a blog devoted to gratitude and looking for the good all around us.  I hope to share all the good things I have discovered in life…my favorite quotes, recipes, foods, products, craft ideas, books, movies, and stories that inspire me (and hopefully you, too!).  STACY LOVES… will be similar to Journey to Complete Wellness, only it will not be restricted to Health & Wellness topics.  I hope you will check it out and follow along with me as I discover more good things in life!  Check it out HERE!!

I strongly believe that the secret to happiness is gratitude.  We must all learn to be content with what we have and recognize the blessings that are continuously surrounding us each and every day!  Life IS good!!

gratitudehappiness

What are YOU thankful for today?