With the new year fast approaching, many people take a look back on the past year and think about what aspects of their life went great, and where life needs a bit of improving.
I think that most people look upon a new year with hope and optimism. It’s a new year – a fresh start. A time to put the past behind us and look forward to our future.
Sometimes we need a little inspiration, especially if you are feeling a bit “defeated.” Personally, I have been feeling very “down” lately. I often feel like my life resembles the film Groundhog’s Day, where Bill Murray’s character relives the same day over and over and over again. I get up early, blog, clean, go to work, come home and make dinner, watch TV, struggle to fall asleep and do the same thing again the next day. It seems like I am just going through the motions. I hardly ever do anything fun anymore. I don’t have time to read, I don’t have time to do a hobby, all my friends live far away… sigh…
To add to the mix our teenage daughter would rather spend every waking moment with her boyfriend than with us. This was the first Christmas we hardly saw her. They came to Christmas Eve dinner with us, and her boyfriend came home with us and stayed for a few hours. The next day (Christmas morning) she was with us when we opened presents, then we headed upstate to have dinner with the grandparents and she spent the day with her boyfriend’s family. The day after he picked her up early and that night she slept over a friend’s house. It’s been rough trying to adjust to all of these changes.
I’ll admit that I have read “self help” books in the past. I try and keep it a lighthearted read. I’m not one to read “deep,” serious books. And I stay away from books that cite medical findings and things along those lines.
Having time off from work (yeah!), I have been able to FINALLY get some reading done. One of the books I read (I read it in two days) is called “Life is Good: How to Live with Purpose and Enjoy The Ride.”
According to the publisher:
Life is Good: The Book- How to Live with Purpose and Enjoy The Ride will be your ultimate guide to embracing and growing the good in your life. This entertaining and profound book shares wisdom from Life is Good founders and brothers Bert and John Jacobs, celebrating the power of optimism and chronicles their journey from their scrappy upbringing to the unlikely success of their $100 million socially conscious clothing and lifestyle brand.
Takeaways:
Overcome obstacles
Embrace opportunities
Empowering stories (may need a few tissues for this one!)
Understand rejection
Be a source for good
Most importantly, live the best life
I was able to read this book in two days (I read it off and on during the course of two days).
I like that this book can not only help you to live a happier life, but it can also be worked into building a successful business (if you have one). For me, I plan on applying some of the things I learned from this book towards my blog. While it does show you how to overcome obstacles to make a business a success – this is not a “business book.”
The book tells the story of the Jacob brothers humble beginning, and the things they learned from their mom about life. They talk about how they took their business from next to nothing to a million dollar brand – however talk about their business success does not take prescient in this book. This book is more about doing what you love in life, and love what you do.
The book is broken up into ten “super powers.”
- Openness
- Courage
- Simplicity
- Humor
- Gratitude
- Fun
- Compassion
- Creativity
- Authenticity
- Love
The brothers provide you with practical, easy to understand ways you can incorporate these things into your life.
What I liked most about this book is that it was written for the “average Joe.” They don’t use big words, cite medical findings, refer to psychologists work… but rather they “talk” to you (the reader) as if you were sitting with them having coffee and cake. They don’t shove things down your throat. They speak to you (in the book) in a very “down to Earth” manner, which I found to be very refreshing.
Nothing they share with you in the book is “new.” It’s mostly common sense stuff that we often forget about in our daily lives. This book served as a gentle reminder to the things we often overlook and forget about.
The book is also filled with interesting illustrations, suggested playlists and more. It’s a book and then some.
With the start of a brand new year fast approaching, a book like Life is Good: How to Live with Purpose and Enjoy The Ride would be an ideal book to enjoy so that you can start the fresh new year full of hope and optimism.
The book would also make a great gift for friends and loved ones.
Look for Life is Good: How to Live with Purpose and Enjoy The Ride where ever books are sold. You can also find the book on the Life is Good website where a percentage of the sales goes to charity to help kids in need.
To learn more visit LifeisGood.com. While you are there check out their “Stories of Gratitude” section. The Life is Good brand can also be found on social media. All of the links are found on the bottom right of their website.
Kimberly
*I received a free copy in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.