So, I previously mentioned that when I found out I got pregnant, I fiscally got my shit together. Or, at least started in the right direction. In addition to listening to Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover, since the girls have been born, I've listened to Gary John Bishop's Unfu*k Yourself, quite a few times. This is the book to read/listen to when you need a swift kick in the ass, a reminder to keep moving forward and let the bullshit fall to the side.
Unfu*k Yourself is brutally honest, sobering and enlightening. None of the information is new, but the delivery is what get's you. Gary John Bishop doesn't hold any punches, he tells it like it is. Whether it's the small(ish) goal of losing some vanity weight, or a lofty goal of making a career path switch, he reminds us that life is too short. Tomorrow isn't promised. We shouldn't worry about making time to seize the day, we need to unabashedly seize each and every moment.
As you noticed, the title of this post references three life coaches. My third go to is Marie Kondo. I started reading about the KonMari method back when the whole country was crazed with it in January of 2019. What feels like decades before our current politically charged-pandemic laden-burning to the ground-world came to be.
I, like most, was introduced to Marie Kondo via Netflix. I binged the entire series in one sitting and got to work in my closet. I donated so much. And like for most, that satisfied a temporary itch and I moved on. At least in the practice in purging my home (let's be real, I'm not a minimalist, I'm an artistic hoarder). I was still conceptually in awe of her methodology and bought and binged her books.
Her underlying theme, of "does this item spark joy", "does this item make me feel like I'm holding a puppy" has stayed with me in an invaluable way of impacting how I shop. Before I buy anything, whether it's a t-shirt for myself, or a canister of sprinkles from the baking aisle, I ask myself "where will this live?" and "will I actually make use of this item?". I apply these questions to both in person and digital shopping, along with the puppy question. This, coupled with Dave Ramsey acting as my personal financial Jiminy Cricket, has truly impacted the way I spend.
Ultimately, between the three, I'm constantly listening to or reading any of the aforementioned books. They've all taught me keep mindfulness in my actions. I'll likely continue to listen/read their works repeatedly, long after I achieve my goals, for many of these themes become easy to ignore if not consistently applied.
Do you have a favorite inspirational author or book? Let me know in the comments, I'm always looking to expand my library.
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