Audible Book Reviews: UnF#ck Your Brain by Faith G. Harper & Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life by Bob Proctor

Before I get started, can I rant one second about how annoying the way Blogger photos are managed these days. They changed it months ago, and now every time I want to add a previously uploaded image into a post, I have to scroll through thousands of images all smashed together into one colorful yet unsightly and unmanageable mess. It takes forever. Okay, now that that's off my chest, let's get started.

Unf#ck Your Brain by Faith G. Harper, PhD, LPC-S, ACS is a resource for those seeking to understand the science of the brain from a layperson's perspective. With a heavy dose of humor and an abundance of curse words, Harper seeks to help you understand how your brain works and the advantage of storytelling to rewire your brain to get the results you want. 

Swearing doesn't bother me, but if one day sh*t, a**hole, motherf'er, and the F-bomb were all removed from the English language, I'm not sure how the author would communicate. The advice is sound and the book is filled with helpful information, but it's not like you haven't heard most of this before. If there was some groundbreaking enlightenment, then rushing out to buy this one and enduring all the cussing might make sense. 

I'm not sure if there was an issue with the audio. Other reviewers mentioned it, so don't think it's me. I had to crank up the volume to hear it. The author does a fine job as narrator despite the sound quality, and I feel it cements her style and approach with the reader so they know what to expect in her other books. I wouldn't go out of my way to read Harper again, but if this is your style, she is funny. 

Listening Length	3 hours and 39 minutes
Author	Faith G. Harper PhD LPC-S ACS ACN
Narrator	Faith G. Harper PhD LPC-S ACS ACN
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	March 20, 2018
Publisher	Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B07BBY85JY
Best Sellers Rank	#10,924 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #21 in Anxiety Disorders (Audible Books & Originals) #35 in Medical Neuropsychology #43 in Popular Neuropsychology

Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life by Bob Proctor provides the inspiration and motivation to change your life by using your mind to influence your future. Proctor was a high school dropout who became a millionaire. He then set out to help others accomplish their goals using the same philosophy.

This audiobook is an interview with Dan Strutzel guiding the conversation on topics that Proctor has spoken about for decades. This conversational style provides helpful insight into Proctor's philosophy, but it isn't a step-by-step guide. Proctor shares the reality we sometimes forget: the only thing in the universe we can change is ourselves. So we have to adapt, and changing our mindset can be hard. But, we are more than the challenges and obstacles we face, so as we adapt, we can change our lives. 

Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life explores numerous concepts, which Proctor is able to dive deeper into thanks to the conversation with Strutzel. There is also a helpful contribution by Proctor's business partner, Sandy Gallagher. 

I will be reading more books by Bob Proctor in the future. His philosophy truly resonated with me. 

Listening Length	5 hours and 20 minutes
Author	Bob Proctor
Narrator	Bob Proctor, Dan Strutzel
Audible.com Release Date	September 28, 2021
Publisher	Ascent Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B09G5132VW
Best Sellers Rank	#3,166 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #78 in Business Motivation & Self-Improvement (Audible Books & Originals) #111 in Business Motivation & Self-Improvement (Books) #126 in Personal Finance (Books)

I downloaded these books thanks to my Audible membership. These reviews contain my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - Feb 19

Welcome to It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday.   

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.   

Welcome back to Monday! Hope you had a great week. Here are a few pictures from my week, which included a real estate event, lots of good food, and animal antics.

Saw some friends at awards night. Took home the Gold for my sales and service. 

Made a slow cooker picadillo for the family.

Gift from a friend.

Theo is a Lamb Chop fan.

Can't open a closet around here. Do you see Travis' eyes?

Dwight wasn't fast enough to get away from the Lil' Diva.

For Lent, I am reading this book and two other devotionals. 

I started the next book in the Love Comes Softly series on Saturday because I can read it when I'm in the tub. All the others are e-books, and that might not end well.

I am also reading this one.

I finished this one yesterday. This is the Prairie Pages Book Club selection for March. A well-written novel, it is an emotional read. Look for my review soon. 

Next are these three. 

Upcoming virtual book tours:

• Civil Twilight by Anique Taylor - Feb 19 (interview)
• Universally Adored and Other One Dollar Stories by Elizabeth Bruce - Mar 12 (interview)
• It Will Have Been So Beautiful by Amanda Shaw - Apr 25 (review) 
• My Career Journal by CareerTuners - May 1 (review) 
• Be Resilient in Your Career by Dr. Helen Ofosu - May 16 (review)

At Christmas Year Round, I shared some of the Christmas fiction in my TBR Pile. You can see that list here.

 

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Nothing new this week. I needed to stop the book-buying binge, and I haven't made it to the library lately. 

Looking forward to visiting your blogs today. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - Jan 29

Welcome to It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday.   

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.   

Welcome to the last Monday in January. Can you believe it? I feel like this year will totally fly by. 

Sunday was snowy and wet. We actually had a pretty yucky weather week, but that's to be expected this time of year.

I've been using my time wisely, organizing my home office, cleaning out the bonus room (ugh), and putting some systems in place for my 2024 real estate business. I also edited all 23 chapters of Amelia's Mission. That is a historical middle grade novel that I swear I've been working on forever. Now that I have a good system in place for novel writing, I want to use that to complete it. 

In my reading world, I also had a productive week.

You can find the review of this one here. Enjoyed it better than I thought I would. 

My review of this one appeared here on Sunday. Highly recommended for lovers of Amish romance. 

I also snuck in this booklet that I snagged for free Sunday. My review is here.

I also continued with these two.

I need to read these next. 

Upcoming virtual book tours:

• The Location Shoot by Patricia Leavy - Jan 31 (interview)  
• Arresting Alan by Amber Daulton - Feb 1 (guest post)
• When the Red Bird Flies by Courtney Reames Haydell - Feb 5 (review at TC&TBC)
• Civil Twilight by Anique Taylor - Feb 19 (guest post)

At the Christmas Year Round blog last week

• After Christmas Sales
• Cutting Back on Christmas

 

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Another decent mailbox this week.

That's it for me today. I look forward to visiting your blogs to check out what your reading and you're new arrivals. Hope you have a blessed day.

Book Spotlight: Becoming Flawesome by Kristina Mand-Lakhiani #BecomingFlawesome

 

Being described as “10 years worth of therapy in one book,” Becoming Flawesome is a celebration of our whole selves, warts and all, and the glory that is to be found in living in our truth…

Title: Becoming Flawesome
Author: Kristina Mand-Lakhiani
Publisher: Hay House Publishing
Pages: 280
Genre: Nonfiction

Perfection. We all dream of living by it, feeling it, being it…

And it is in the name of perfection that we demonise our flaws, make ourselves ‘less-than,’ and render ourselves vulnerable to the shame of not being good enough.

We live in a society that subliminally encourages us to wear metaphorical masks, slay our inner sadness, and ignore our imperfections, or as Kristina refers to them, her ‘dragons.’ Even within the world of personal development and spirituality, toxic perfectionism lurks in the shadows.

In Kristina’s upcoming book Becoming Flawesome #BecomingFlawesome, she reflects on her own story, her battle against perfectionism, and what it took for her to return to what she now deems to be her most authentic self. Being described as “10 years worth of therapy in one book,” Becoming Flawsome is a celebration of our whole selves, warts and all, and the glory that is to be found in living in our truth.

Every chapter is closed with reflection points and exercises to encourage the readers to dive deep into the essence of who they truly are, what their values are, and how to navigate an oftentimes overwhelming world.

In this book, Kristina breaks the mould as she takes the reader on a journey through:

• The dark, controversial side of ‘personal growth,’ and the insecurities that thrive on it

• Self-care vs self-love, and why you need both

• What authenticity actually is, beyond the buzz

• The ‘Hermione Syndrome,’ and how to diagnose if you’re secretly suffering from it

• How to create aligned lifestyle habits that stick

• Why the more you judge others, the more you judge yourself

• Societal masks, and how to remove them from your psyche 

• Imposter syndrome in the world of high-flyers 

• Emotional literacy: how to cope with strong, painful emotions healthily 

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/mwtzj3jx 

Mind Valley Books: https://www.mindvalley.com/books/flawesome 

Book Excerpt  

The Key to Living an Imperfectly Authentic Life

Introduction

Let’s Begin

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a good book has to start with a proper introduction.

And by “proper” I mean that it has to prime the reader for the journey, raise excitement and set expectations, explain the process, and make reading the book an experience both profitable and smooth. After all, we are about to spend some time together on this journey.

Therefore, I was not surprised when on the first meeting with my publisher I was asked if I would consider writing a proper introduction to my book. You see—the original manuscript started with a story of me pondering my future book while standing in the shower, warm water running down my back, and my finger absentmindedly drawing random patterns on the fogged-up glass.

I started this book during the long years of successive COVID confinements, and I was planning to self-publish it because I wanted the freedom to make decisions about the book—how to write, what to write, what stories to include, what kind of experience to offer to my reader. So, naturally, it wasn’t following any universally acknowledged truths or conventions.

Yet, by the time I had to present my book-baby to the world, I felt that I wanted to give it the best possible future, and I had to face the big decision between my heart and my brain: Will it be self-published (heart), or will I work with a traditional publisher (brain)? Going the traditional way meant facing more choices between my quirky and obstinate self-expression and conventional ways of doing things.

This book is about finding your way back to yourself, about understanding who you really are, accepting your dents and scratches, your quirky uniqueness and even your flaws. It is about thriving in being unapologetically you, most flawesomely.

This book has been through the hands of several editors ever since I put the last stop on its original manuscript. This journey has been both emotional and transformative for me. I had to face my biggest dragon by far—my obstinate need for pure self-expression—over and over again.

When do you follow convention, and when do you stick to your own principles and values?

There is no simple answer to this question, except: you have to learn to balance.

If you follow all the rules that your peers expect you to follow, you bet all there is on a slim chance of the grand prize, but you do it at the price of your own unique self-expression. At times, I felt like I had to “sell my soul to the devil” for a chance at success.

But if you obstinately stick to your own unique quirks and principles, you might end up being unheard and misunderstood so universally that there is no point in writing a book. For it is the readers who make a writer. Without the readers, a book is just a private diary.

Reader, will you judge me if I tell you that this book is a delicate balance between convention and my own uniqueness? Of course, I want you to succeed. But I cannot give you the proper introduction to my book because every book is a journey. This book has been my journey, and

now it is yours. I walked my path to my true self, to understanding what makes me truly me . . .

and what of that unique quirkiness is simply noise. You see, your flaws and your dragons are there for a reason—they make you who you are, but they also hold the key to your biggest value, to your mightiest strengths, if you choose to look your dragons in the eye.

Now I am hoping that you will take this journey with me to your unique destination—to finding the path back to you. I will be your companion on this journey, but it is yours to take.

So why wouldn’t I tell you what’s ahead? Imagine if Gandalf told Bilbo Baggins that on his journey, he would encounter trolls, go through a perilous enchanted forest, and face a dragon in a far-away mountain. Wouldn’t that be a bit of a spoiler?

I want you to take this journey back to you without any spoilers, with an open heart, and trust that the destination is going to be worth your effort. Because becoming flawesome is the best gift you can give to yourself.

So, if you are ready, let’s begin!

Kristina Mand-Lakhiani is an international speaker, entrepreneur, artist, philanthropist, and mother of 2 kids. As a co-founder of Mindvalley, a leading publisher in the personal growth industry, Kristina dedicated the last 20 years of her career from teachers like Michael Beckwith, Bob Proctor, Lisa Nichols, and many more. 

She started her career in a government office in her native Estonia and, by her mid-20s, achieved a level of success mostly known to male politicians at the end of their careers. It was shortly after that Kristina and her then-husband Vishen founded Mindvalley. From a small meditation business operating out of the couple’s apartment in New York, the company quickly grew into a global educational organization offering top training for peak human performance to hundreds of thousands of students all around the world. 

Kristina believes life is too important to be taken seriously and makes sure to bring fun into every one of her roles: as a teacher, mother, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and world traveller. Kristina helps her students to virtually hack happiness by taking them through her unique framework - “Hacking happiness” - a unique framework of balancing your life, taking in every moment, and paying close attention to the small daily choices.  

Kristina is also the author of three transformational quests - "7 Days To Happiness", "Live By Your Own Rules.” and "The Art of Being Flawesome". Kristina talks about personal transformation, authenticity, understanding and accepting oneself, and a path to happiness.

In July 2023, with the help of Hay House Publishing, Kristina releases her very first book - "Becoming Flawesome" #BecomingFlawesome. In her book, Kristina shares her own journey from being on top of a personal growth empire like Mindvalley to stepping aside, conscious uncoupling from her husband, and walking her path towards being more honest with herself. 

Website: https://kristinamand.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristinamand

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-mand-lakhiani-73168414/

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - May 8

Welcome to It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday.   

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.       

Happy Monday from Wilmington, NC. This will be short and sweet since we are in the middle of packing up the Lil' Princess before the drive home. 

Here is what I've been reading.

My review of this one will appear at The Children's and Teens' Book Connection on May 29. 

I am also thinking of picking up journaling again. I haven't done it in almost two decades, but I am thinking I could manage once a week.  

Upcoming virtual book tours:

• The Not So True Adventures of Brandon, Josh and Adam by Barry M. Fellinger - May 1 (review at TC&TBC)
• Blake's Folly Romance Trilogy by J. Arlene Culiner - May 3 (guest post)
• Crossing A Fine Line by W. L. Brooks - May 9
• The Ghost Hunters Series Spotlight - May 22
• The Giving Back Tree by Tarky Lee - May 29 (review at TC&TBC)
• Ravage & Son by Jerome Charyn - Aug 21 (review)

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

This  book arrived for an August virtual book tour.

I should have anew Audible credit coming this week, so we will what I grab. 

Hope you have a great week!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2021

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

We are back to Tuesday again. This week's topic is a fun one--New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2021. Many of the new authors I discovered were in children's literature, but I did find some that I reviewed here as well. So, without further ado...

Top Ten New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2021