The Mind-Body Method: How Moving Your Body Can Stop You Losing Your Mind

 #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book 

 In Latin the saying goes a healthy mind in a healthy body and so this book was focused on a something that I grew up with in my family. You keep your body healthy and your mind will function so much better. 

The author Dr. Anders Hansen proposes as a simple yet effective method to improve your life "Exercise".  Regular exercise can reduce stress and anxiety, boost memory and slow down the aging process. Pretty good impact for something that does not require a lot of money or significant time commitment. The emphasis is on regular - you need to be persistent, but you do not need to be a marathon runner or reach prime athlete levels of achievement. The most improvement will be seen if you exercise daily and a walk through the neighborhood or some basic pilates or yoga is sufficient.  This book goes into specific detail such as what are the best types of exercise and the duration needed to improve your attention span, memory, and overall mood.

So let's start moving and improve our mind!

available on amazon.com

 

Would You Rather? Sports Edition: Play Ball with a Hilarious Game of Slam Dunk Scenarios

 

#partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book 

This is another installment in the Would you rather ... series of books to help you keep kids and adults entertained on long drives. The concept of the books is simple. On a specific topic, in this case Sports, start discussing which is two options you would prefer. From the US-specific questions such as select March Madness or NASCAR racing as your favorite participant experience or more global appeal questions such as prefer a win at a national level versus losing at the Olympics, but participate in them nevertheless. 

The age range is for kids 8 to 12 years of age, but that does not preclude adults or older kids from participating. The books also includes a tiebraker session for determining the overall winner of the game for each section - consistent with the sports theme. A judge, who reads the questions, determines the best answer to each selected choice and in the end, you can even score an overall winner. Overall, a fun book that is very affordable and can certainly long hours in the car or in a plane move faster. Even a rainy day can be fun and not be seen as more than being stuck inside with a fun would you rather question and answer game. 

Highly recommend this book and it is so affordable and so easy to participate whenever time does not move fast enough.

available on amazon

How to Be Less Socially Anxious: Practical Skills to Stop Overthinking, Be Confident, and Thrive in Social Situations

Available on amazon

 #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book!

 

We all have been in socially uncomfortable situations. We find ourselves at a party and without a plu1, we are lost. Maybe we know the host and can talk with them about hobbies or admire their house. But the host has a lot of guests and cannot spend the whole evening with us. So how to find interactions without seeming forced.

This book can be your guidance for this. The author provides a mix of worksheets to analyze your behavior and problems and then follows that up with a number of advice checklists to appear more confident and make interactions a natural aspect of your person rather than the forced desperate act of an introvert that just wants to disappear in a hole in the wall. 

The book helps you identify things like social cues and addresses common situations like work life, parties and dating. The book is written in simple, straightforward language that is presented in small enough chunks that you can easily read them during a break. 

So if you feel uneasy about starting conversations and want a low key, easy to digest approach to improve your social anxiety, this is a book I can highly recommend.

 

 

 

Review - I Graduated: Now What?: An Essential Guide to Adulting and Life Skills

  #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book

I read this book with great interest. I was firtunate to have a mother that really prepared me for living on my own. I was taught about budgeting, taxes, shopping, contracts and other boring items when I was a teenager. What seemed really boring as a 13 year old, proved to be very helpful when I was on my own starting at age 18. I knew about credit rating and how to open bank accounts. I could budget my student income and knew how to sign a contract. 

The author structures this book to cover the main topics that a young adult on their own for the first time needs to consider and also learn to be familiar with to make intelligent decisions. 

Starting with living on your own, going shopping cooking and maintaining your own little place. Moving over a job versus your own business to financial wisdom such as how to maintain a budget that works for you. This first part is covering all the basic and should be a must read for anyone starting out on their own for the first time.

 

                                                    The book is available on amazon.com

The next part is more a focus on life balance. Figure out what is important to you and whoat you want to achieve and then achieve a balance that works for you. This, I may add, can change over time. What was my balance in my 20s has changed now that I am almost retired. But you only live once, so you need to figure out what is important for you and makes you happy, while acknowledging that most of us have to work to earn a living and achieve our goals towards happiness. 

Overall, a well written book that comprehensively address adulting, while being concise enough that you can have a quick peak if you need guidance as an adult.

Review - Would You Rather? Junior: Super Silly Edition!: Goofy Questions to Make You Giggle

  #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book

 This is a fun book to keep kids occupied on car tides or play with them on a rainy day at home. Using the approach of would you rather - the author then provides more than 120 pages of options. A good way to have your child understand choices, articulate a decision and have a conversation about life and where is should go. But the approach is light hearted, while the child is still learning to think and consider. 

This book is available on amazon.com

Age appropriate for the range of 5 to 8, this book is something I would certainly take on vacation, especially if the trip involves plane rides or being cooped up in the car for several hours. 

You can debate such fun questions as to whether you prefer a superhero cape or mask? Alternatively, maybe you prefer to wake up in a comic or a fairy tale. Both adults and kids can enjoy debating these questions together.

Review - Guided Numerology Workbook: A Beginner's Guide: Understand Yourself and Unleash Your Potential through Your Numbers (Guided Metaphysical Readings)

  #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book

This is a good introductory book to teach the reader about the power of numbers.  Using hands-on lessons, the author is doing a very good job to show the reader how numbers can be obtained for each person and then used to tell us something about that person. Using information that most people will be willing to share, the author first teaches the reader how to use that information to obtain a specific number about the person meaningful in numerology. Then building on that initial number, the reader will then learn what that number can tell you about a specific person.

                                                        This book is available on amazon.com

I was really fascinated by this approach. My great-grandmother used to have a side-gig as a fortuneteller about a 100 years ago. But she used dreams and  tea leaves for her craft. So this is a related, but very different approach to generate knowledge about people.

Review = Science Magic Tricks for Kids: 50 Amazing Experiments That Explode, Change Color, Glow, and More!

  #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book

 If you have a budding scientist that wants to expand these principles into an area that can be entertaining for others, this book is perfect. Who does not enjoy some cool magic tricks? Most kids do and this book is the perfect combination between science and magic. The book has 50 experiments that work like magic by showing such phenomena as a flame seemingly moving through the air from candle to candle. Adult supervision is recommended, but the tricks are perfect for home use since no specific laboratory equipment etc is required.

The recommended age for kids is 8 through 12 years of age and magic tricks can be done using regular household materials. Not only are these tricks fun, but they are also useful to reinforce the scientific principles learned in school by using them in tricks. The instructions are easy, can be followed and understood by kids of this age group and the author has even included some questions so that the budding magician can talk with the audience during the magic show. This last part is great to also help shy kids overcome some of the fear of talking in public. Providing guidance on what to talk with the audience during the magic show can teach these kids that being in front of an audience is nothing to. be scared about.

Overall, a very entertaining book that is also good for teaching sciences in its practical applications.

This book is available on amazon.com and is currently available for a discounted price.