My 2019 Book List

I’m not big in to New Year’s resolutions. I always feel like a failure with them.

In the past I’ve dreamed really big about the person I wanted to be and set myself up with goals and certain ways I was going to make it happen. I was committing to habits I had only written down and not actually done, and you can just about imagine how that went.

I would set myself up with a list, longer than my weekly grocery receipt, of little goals and checkboxes to tick off. I would get about a quarter of the way through ticking and then somehow lose my pen. And when a person loses a pen, it’s all over.

So now I steer clear of the New Year’s Resolutions and instead focus on my one word. You can read all about it in this blog post. The one word idea is where you pick one word (or two, or three) to be the theme of your year. It’s the word you want your year to be about. A way for you to focus and put your energy toward becoming the person you want to be. It’s a way for you to say “Ok, I want my life and my year to be more of this. Is what I’m choosing to do today helping me be that?”

It’s fun to look back on my years with the one word theme and see how much of an impact they had on my year and really my life.

2016: Go. Do.

2017: Focus.

2018: Create.

For 2019, I thought I had it nailed down. I felt good about it, excited. And then one day Scott and I were out doing something and suddenly I said, “I think in this moment right here, I just changed my 2019 word.” That’s when you know you’ve got it my friend.

All of this being said, there is one resolution I try to keep. One that has withstood my stubborn stand against them and the only one that I can stray from and get back on track without beating myself up.

My New Year’s resolution is to read 1 book a month, 12 books a year.

Ok, ok bookworms and even non bookworms, I know what you’re thinking here. That’s a no brainer. It’s pretty simple huh? Not for me. See, I love to read. I enjoy it, get lost in it, and even think it’s important for learning and growing in life. However, somehow, even with all of that, I don’t prioritize it.

And so, for me, 1 book a month works. It’s doable. It has a beginning and an end and I actually achieve (and hopefully learn) something every time I read a new one.

In 2018 I read 10 books. I’m happy with that. For 2019, I have 19 on my list. Ambitious I know. More like I couldn’t choose which ones to eliminate.

I’ve started to recognize the impact reading has on me. It’s a chance for my mind to settle, which is hard for me to do. It forces me to sit and be still and do something for myself, no one else. It helps me grow and think and write differently. They say one of the best ways to learn how to write is to read.

And so, I’ve committed to making it a part of my everyday. I’ll be the first to admit it’s not everyday, but it’s darn close. I read a minimum of 10 pages a day. It’s a doable daily goal that also helps chip away at the story. It generally happens in the morning somewhere between washing the dishes and finalizing my list for the day. If not, then at night, right before bed.

And so, I present to you my 2019 book list. Some are ones I’ve found on my own, some suggestions from friends, and some are specific to helping me become a better writer and the business.

The first one To Shake the Sleeping Self is by Jedidiah Jenkins, the man featured in the video from my last blog.

To Shake The Sleeping Self - Jedidiah Jenkins

Big Magic - Elizabeth Gilbert

Girl Wash Your Face - Rachel Hollis

Thirst - Scott Harrison

Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers

You Are a Badass - Jen Sincero

Dare to Lead - Brené Brown

Love Warrior - Glennon Doyle

Chasing Slow - Erin Loechner (my favorite writer!)

Uninvited - Lysa TerKeurst

Everybody Always - Bob Goff

The Road Back to You - Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile

Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

The Memoir Project - Marion Roach Smith

Becoming - Michelle Obama

Bird by Bird - Anne Lamott

Present Over Perfect - Shauna Niequist

Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Robert T. Kiyosaki

This is Marketing - Seth Godin

Tell me friends, what books would you add or recommend? I’m currently accepting ideas for 2020. Also Amazon gift cards because these books aren’t cheap. Kidding. Kind of, it is the #1 thing on my Christmas list.

Oh and maybe even more than the books, what’s your one word looking like? I promise you’ll live a more intentional year if you try it.

Live boldly,

Steph

PS: Here’s a list of my 2018 books.

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto - Mitch Albom

The Ant and the Elephant - Vince Poscente

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck - Mark Manson

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman

Blue Like Jazz - Donald Miller

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry - Fredrik Backman

All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr