Here are some of the resources I highly recommend for helping you get your bounce back.
One thing you should know about me: I never recommend something unless I’ve looked at it myself and know it to be helpful and valuable.
I’m convinced you’ll be able to find something to meet your needs in the variety of resources available here.
Contents:
Work with me
Courses
Books
Work with me
If you’re ready to not only bounce back but forward in your life, I’m ready to help you get there.
You can work one-to-one with me via my Personal Guidance Programs and lead the rich, meaningful life you’ve always wanted. Click here for more information.
Please note: I am licensed in the state of California as a Marriage and Family Therapist, license number MFC31270. The guidance provided in the Personal Guidance Packages and MBTI services is NOT psychotherapy and in no way should be construed as such. Therefore, I am not acting in my capacity as a psychotherapist during the course of your Personal Guidance Program. If we determine together that psychotherapy may be appropriate for you, I will help you find the best therapist for you.
Courses
As I mentioned above, I’m picky about what I recommend to my readers. Really picky.
That’s why I’ve turned down most of the courses that have been pitched to me by other bloggers. Some of these bloggers are good friends of mine, but I still turned them down because, while their courses are good, they’re just not right for Bounce readers.
However, I am very pleased to recommend a course by Brendan Baker at TheStartofHappiness.com.
The Launch Your Life Academy is the course that is closest to the philosophy here at Bounce: find your highest values and determine how to live your life most closely aligned with them. Doing so will help you lead the purposeful life you’ve always wanted.
And, with Brendan’s help, you can use your values-based lifestyle to find meaningful employment or perhaps start your own fulfilling business.
Click the red ‘enter’ button below for more information and to get started.
Books
As mentioned above, I only recommend items that I’ve looked at myself. This section presents books I’ve read that I think are the best and the brightest in helping you bounce back in life.
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are
Brene Brown is a professor and researcher at the University of Houston. Her topic? Shame and vulnerability. We all deal with shame whether we’re conscious of it or not. The Gifts of Imperfection teaches you about 10 guideposts on the way to Wholehearted Living. It’s written mostly for women, but men can certainly benefit from it as well.
Tear Soup: A Recipe for Healing After Loss
This is my hands-down favorite book about the path of grief for people of all ages. Grandy, an “old and somewhat wise woman” has just suffered a big loss. This is the story of how Grandy faces her loss by making tear soup. Sometimes alone and sometimes with the help of her friend, Midge, and her grandson, Chester, Grandy makes her soup slowly over the days and learns what makes her soup uniquely hers. She also has the help of her dog, a constant companion who is with Grandy on almost every page. Make sure you keep an eye on him to see what sweet things he is up to. (Sometimes he cries along with Grandy.) There are excellent “cooking tips” in the back of Tear Soup if you’re the cook, if your friend is the one making tear soup, soup making and time, if a child is the cook, if you are a male chef, and if two of you are cooking. A comprehensive list of resources concludes the book.
Touchingly written by Pat Schwiebert and Chuck DeKlyen and stunningly illustrated by Taylor Bills, Tear Soup is a must-have book for those who are grieving and/or anticipating a loss.
Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself
Kristen Neff, PhD, has written the book that shows why we should be compassionate toward ourselves and how to do so. Based on a decade of research, Neff shows us how self-compassion trumps self-esteem, the three essential components of self-compassion, and how to become emotionally resilient. This book is a core piece of my personal library.
The Art of Resilience: 100 Paths to Wisdom and Strength in an Uncertain World
The Art of Resilience is organized into 10 stages which are in a progression, from the initial shock of impact, through both short-and long-term stages of recovery. Within each stage, Orsborn draws on wisdom from the stories of ordinary people, herself, and ancient philosophers to illustrate a path toward resiliency. It is an easy read and one immediately feels that Orsborn is a kindred spirit; she understands at the bone level the devastation which loss and adversity brings.
The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living: A Guide to ACT
Physician and therapist Russ Harris has written the best, most practical application of the essential parts of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT.) Many of the posts I’ve written for Bounce are based on ACT principles and you’ll find that The Happiness Trap will help you escape the treadmill of constantly seeking happiness by instead developing a life full of meaning and purpose.
A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative
Now why would I recommend a book on creativity? Because learning to be open to your own creativity allows you to widen your imagination when it comes to problem-solving and bouncing back in life. This classic by Roger von Oech is fun, interesting, and sure to stimulate your creative juices (even if you think you don’t have any.)
The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have
I don’t like daily-reading books. Except for this one. Mark Nepo’s words are poetic, inspirational, and healing. If you want to start your day off in a gentle, thoughtful, resilient way, try The Book of Awakening.
The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking
Oliver Burkeman’s somewhat irreverent, evidence-based book is for happiness grumps like me who are tired of the self-help industry’s constant message that we should always be happy, now and forever. Burkeman teaches us “the negative path” toward happiness, one that is much more meaningful and long-lasting than popular happiness ‘fixes.’ I wrote a complete review here.
A Time to Grieve: Meditations for Healing After the Death of a Loved One
This book was one of my main sources of comfort during my most difficult times of grief. Broken into very small, thoughtful pieces, A Time to Grieve allows you to pick and choose what you need in the moment. (Use Amazon’s ‘Look Inside’ feature to see what I mean.) Along with Tear Soup, this gentle book is my most highly recommended resource for people who are grieving.
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
Do you have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset? Stanford professor Carol Dweck shares her research about people who see life as flexible and a learning opportunity (growth mindset) and those who view life as static and unchangeable (fixed mindset.) Guess which one relates to resiliency? For those of us with a fixed mindset, Dweck has some practical recommendations for becoming more growth-oriented.
Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation
Parker Palmer is an educator, peace activist, and gentle mentor and guide. Part of being resilient is knowing yourself and what your purpose and calling (the origin of the word ‘vocation’) is. This little book has had a profound influence on my life. It will take you less than a day to read; how small a price to find one’s true gift and calling.