I set myself a challenge for 2020 – to ‘read’ 50 books – audiobooks are included. 50 personal development or nuggets of wisdom books… I’m reset the counter and had another shot in 2021 where I actually read less than the previous year, now it’s time to see what 2022 brings.☺️
- Fearne Cotton – Speak Your Truth (Audible)
- Betty Dodson – Sex for One
- Kamal Ravikant – Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on it
- Jon Gordon – The Energy Bus
- Warren Berger – A More Beautiful Question
- Richard E Grant – A Pocketful of Happiness
- Gabby Logan – The First Half
- Ross Edgley – The Art of Resilience
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1. Fearne Cotton – Speak Your Truth
I spotted this whilst perusing Audible and it resonated. At the end of last year I was at a retreat day (Aka gong bashing day as my PIC so lovingly refers to them, it is genuine affection embracing our differences rather than him having a pop) and whilst in meditation had a ‘I need to find my voice’ thought pop into my head. I take these thoughts or voices as messages from the universe. Might sound bonkers but it’s my belief… anyways I’m digressing, I’m not sure whether I had that in my subconcious whilst perusing audible or if I was shown the book but the two things feel linked. So I downloaded it and started pretty much straight away which is unusual for me. I have lists of books I’ve bought and not yet listened too!
I’ve always kinda liked Fearne Cotton and have some of her other books, but I’m not a die hard follower who buys / reads / listens to every offering. We share a birthday, one year apart and I’ve often felt we have similarities, but she’s way cooler than me. Interestingly a topic she talks about in the book, not my opinion of her, but the perception of cool 😎
At the start of the book she talks about how she’s facing some medical issues associated with her throat, on reading up on the subject (how the physical and emotional bodies are linked, see Louise Hays work on healing your body) it relates to a lack of having a voice, speaking your truth, hence the following book. Interesingly I go through periods of having a sore throat. Yes, that’s sometimes linked to a cold starting out in my body in which case just a physical symptom of a virus. At times though, it’s just a sore throat and it got me wondering. Has my body been trying to tell me something off an on for a while now and Ive just not listened? Something to contemplate.
I’ve enjoyed this book, it’s made me think about some stuff and I’m glad I bought and listened to it straight away.
End of Year Review
Ok – so two things – one I didn’t read much this year and two I made less of an effort to write about the few books I did read. Honestly – it was a busy year and certain things slipped down my priority list. I can’t remember some of the earlier books in sufficient detail to write about them now.
I listened to Richard E Grant’s book after hearing him on Fearne Cottons podcast talking about his life and book. The book documents his experience with his wife just prior to, and after she received a terminal cancer diagnosis. Grant, weaves in stories from their past into what becomes a beautiful, emotionally charged story.
I was looking for some inspiration at the end of the year so started listening to Ross Edgely’s book. He swam around the British Isles which is pretty amazing. Whilst I really enjoyed listening to his experience I was definitely not inspired to give it a go, which is probably a good thing! Some interesting points on resilliance and what it takes to keep going when others give up, woven into the book though.