Resources
Want to enhance your own personal development or learn more about coaching? Then check out these valuable resources.
Books:
Creativity
The
Nine Modern Day Muses and a Bodyguard: 10 Guides to Creative Inspiration for Artists, Poets, Lovers, and Other Mortals Wanting to Live a Dazzling
Existence
by Jill Bodansky — This fun and whimsical book gives
practical tips to tap into your creativity. She updates the ancient muses, giving us inspiration to take risks, be bold and have lots of laughs.
A
Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future
by Daniel Pink — A look at how right-brain
skills such as design, empathy, story telling and play are crucial to succeeding in an increasingly globalized economy.
Creative
Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life
by Shakti Gawain — A classic self-development book that describes how to manifest your goals and desires through
focusing your intentions using simple, yet powerful exercises and visualizations.
Explore
Yourself Through Art: Creative Projects to Help You Achieve Personal Insight & Growth & Promote Problem Solving
by Vicky Barber — A colorful and practical guide for using art exercises to tap into your creative side and to
achieve deeper personal insight. Get ready to get messy! I sure did when I was inspired by some of the exercises to let loose and "dance the
colors."
The
Creative License: Giving Yourself Permission to be the Artist You Truly Are
by Danny Gregory — A feast for the eyes and soul, Danny's expressive and humorous illustrated book guides you through a process of
reconnecting with your own creative spark. This book was so compelling that it inspired me to whip out my watercolors on a trip to Hawaii and paint in my
journal!
The 12
Secrets of Highly Creative Women: A Portable Mentor
by Gail McMeekin — The author interviewed more
than 45 successful, creative women and shares their approaches for nourishing your inner muse. Great insights and lessons learned from seasoned women representing a variety of fields from
visual arts to the Corporate America.
The
Soul's Palette: Drawing on Art's Transformative Powers
by Cathy Malchiodi — The author, an art
therapist, discusses how creativity is a pathway to inner wisdom and
healing. She includes many activities and anecdotes about how art has
positively impacted her clients' lives.
Living Your
Joy: A Practical Guide to Happiness
by Suzanne Falter-Barns — An accessible, practical read on how to get your creative juices flowing
and live the life of your dreams.
SoulCollage:
An Intuitive Collage Process for Individuals and Groups
by Seena B. Frost — Outlines a creative,
spiritual process for connecting to your intuition through creating a unique and personal deck of cards.
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Coaching
Taming Your
Gremlin (Revised Edition): A Surprisingly Simple Method for Getting Out of Your Own Way
by Richard Carson — Don't let the whimsical title and illustrations fool you! This quick and
easy read packs a powerful message about noticing your self-defeating behaviors, playing with options and choosing to live a full life.
Co-Active
Coaching, 2nd Edition: New Skills for Coaching People Toward Success in Work and, Life
by Laura Whitworth, Karen Kimsey-House, Henry Kimsey-House, Phil Sandahl — An accessible toolkit of coaching skills
from the leaders of the Coaches Training Institute.
The
Portable Coach: 28 Sure Fire Strategies For Business And Personal Success
by Thomas J. Leonard — The father of personal coaching outlines 28
principles to living a more satisfying and effective life. Some of his suggestions are quite extreme and the point is to really take a look at the
life you're living and to evaluate if it's what you want. Lots of self-assessment tools included.
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Communication
Difficult
Conversations: How to Discuss what Matters Most
by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, Sheila Heen and Roger Fisher
— This well-researched book from the Harvard Law School's project on negotiation breaks down the different levels of a
difficult conversation and provides an approach for getting the results you want.
Crucial
Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High
by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler
— Another book on how to handle uncomfortable encounters with a more accessible, practical framework.
Messages:
The Communication Skills Book
by Patrick Fanning, et. al. — Improve your personal effectiveness through clear
communication and active listening.
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Mind/Body/Soul
Wherever
You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life
by Jon Kabat-Zinn — A simple, accessible guide
to incorporating meditation and spiritual grounding into your daily living. Great read on "being" skills.
The
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Commentary on the Raja Yoga Sutras by Sri Swami Satchidananda
by Sri S. Satchidananda — Yoga is not just a physical practice. It's a mental and spiritual one, too. This
translation of the ancient Raja Yoga Sutras provides pearls of wisdom for quieting your inner critic and connecting with your inner teacher.
Although the original text is at least 4,000 years old, the lessons about being human are universal and timeless.
Eastern
Body, Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to the Self
by Anodea Judith — An in-depth yet
accessible book on balancing chakras through the lens of western psychology. A
great resource for increasing your mind/body connection.
Ashtanga Out of the Box — San Francisco It's Yoga Studio founder
Larry Shultz and his stellar team of yogis have created a comprehensive suite of Ashtanga yoga instruction materials used in their teacher training
program. Larry's down-to-earth approach, humor and passion for yoga provide the inspiration and information needed to develop your own personal
practice.
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Other Helpful and/or Inspirational Reads
One
Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way
by Robert Maurer — The UCLA med school
psychologist/author offers simple bite-size suggestions for taking action toward your larger goal. Kaizen is a Japanese technique for getting
lasting results through small, steady steps.
Smart
Choices: A Practical Guide to Making Better Decisions
by John S. Hammond, Ralph L. Keeney and Howard Raiffa — A
systematic approach to decision-making based on solid research and simple common sense. Eliminate confusion, overwhelm and paralysis through a
comprehensive process of assessing objectives, creating alternatives, understanding consequences and making trade-offs.
This
Time I Dance!: Creating the Work You Love
by Tama J. Kieves — An ex-Harvard educated lawyer recounts her
personal story of leaving the rat race to pursue her dreams. Her frank, humorous style will inspire you to take the leap toward your passions.
Leadership
and Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box
by The Arbinger Institute — A powerful parable about personal
leadership and how to relate to people in a different, more productive way.
You Can
Do It!: The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown-Up Girls
by Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas — A fun, sassy and
informative guide to exploring all those wild and crazy things you've always wanted to do but have never made the time for. You know, like starting
your own business, learning to act, or even fire walking! Has great tips and resources from experts and comes with clever "badges" á la the Girl
Scouts to proudly celebrate when you've completed each goal. Also, the story behind the book is extremely touching. The author perished in the 9/11 Flight 93 crash. In memory of Lauren, her
sisters brought her vision to fruition and created a foundation in her honor.
Improv
Wisdom: Don't Prepare, Just Show Up
by Patricia Ryan Madson — A fun, quick read on how improv skills can
help us be more effective, authentic and most importantly, playful and out-of-the-box!
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Websites:
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