Your New Year

Each January, many of us decide to change our lives. There are the usual things we want to do:

       

Eat healthier: 

• Culinary Intelligence: The Art of Eating Healthy (and Really Well) by Peter Kaminsky
• Everyday Happy Herbivore: Over 175 Quick-and-easy Fat-free and Low-fat Vegan Recipes by Lindsay S. Nixon
• Hungry For Change: Ditch the Diets, Conquer the Cravings, and Eat Your Way to Lifelong Health by James Colquhoun and Laurentine ten Bosch

End bad habits:

• The Procrastination Equation: How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done by Piers Steel
• Smoke Free in 30 Days: The Pain-free, Permanent Way to Quit by Daniel F. Seidman
• Would It Kill You to Stop Doing That?: A Modern Guide to Manners by Henry Alford

Handle money better:

• All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan by Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi
• The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money by Carl Richards
• Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties by Beth Kobliner

Work out and lose weight:

• The Big Book of Health and Fitness: A Practical Guide to Diet, Exercise, Healthy Aging, Illness Prevention, and Sexual Well-being by Philip Maffetone
• Body by You: The You are Your Own Gym Guide to Total Fitness for Women by Mark Lauren with Joshua Clark
• Chubster: A Hipster’s Guide to Losing Weight While Staying Cool by Martin Cizmar

These are all good things to focus on, but here are some ideas for other changes you could make.

       

Add some creativity to your life:

• The Book of Doing: Everyday Activities to Unlock Your Creativity and Joy by Allison Arden
• The Flavor Thesaurus: A Compendium of Pairings, Recipes, and Ideas for the Creative Cook by Niki Segnit
• How to Write Songs on Guitar by Rikky Rooksby

Forgive someone:

• Beyond Revenge: The Evolution of the Forgiveness Instinct by Michael E. McCullough
• Finding Forgiveness: A 7-step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness by Eileen Borris-Dunchunstang
• Unconditional Forgiveness: A Simple and Proven Method to Forgive Everyone and Everything by Mary Hayes-Grieco

Make it yourself:

• Artisan Cheese Making at Home: Techniques & Recipes for Mastering World-class Cheeses by Mary Karlin
• Green Beauty Recipes: Easy Homemade Recipes to Make Your Own Natural and Organic Skincare, Hair Care, and Body Care Products by Julie Gabriel
• How to Make Your Own Brewskis: –The Go-to Guide for Craft Brew Enthusiasts by Mark Murphy & Jordan St. John

Show gratitude:

• 365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life by John Kralik
• Focus on the Good Stuff: The Power of Appreciation by Mike Robbins
• Living Life as a Thank You: The Transformative Power of Daily Gratitude by Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammons

Whatever you choose to do with your new year, I hope you have a wonderful one.

–Aisha

Thankful Reading

Tis the season to be thankful! Maybe you already have a list going of things to be thankful for. Maybe you’ve been posting your 30 Days of Thanks on your social networking site of choice. But rest assured, there’s something else to be thankful for that you just haven’t remembered yet.

Here’s a selection of items from the library to stimulate your thankful muscle.

Prayers of Thanks – Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott

Ways to Give Thanks – A Grateful Heart: 365 Ways to Give Thanks at Mealtime by edited by M.J. Ryan

Thanks for Our Past – Giving Thanks: And More Stories to Celebrate American Heritage (DVD)

Fictional Thanks – Thanks for the Memories by Cecelia Ahern

Thanks for Writers – Thanks, but This Isn’t for Us: A (Sort of) Compassionate Guide to Why Your Writing Is Being Rejected by Jessica Page Morrell

Kids Can Be Thankful Too (Or Not!) – Thanks a Lot, Emily Post! by Jennifer LaRue Huget

How to Be Thankful – The Gift of Thanks: The Roots and Rituals of Gratitude by Margaret Visser

Thanks to a President – Thanks and Have Fun Running the Country: Kids’ Letters to President Obama edited by Jory John

Thanks for Health – Thanks to My Wife … I Just Had a Rectal Exam: Answers to Questions All Men Should Be Asking Their Doctor by Robert Corish

Thanks for Relationships Gone Wrong & Right – Thanks for Nothing, Nick Maxwell by Debbie Carbin

Thanks for What History Has Taught Us – Thanks for the Memories: Love, Sex, and World War II by Jane Mersky Leder

Thanks to Our Military – A Million Thanks: My Campaign to Send One Million Letters to Our Troops by Shauna Fleming

Thanks for Food – Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving Recipes and History from Pilgrims to Pumpkin Pie by Kathleen Curtin, Sandra L. Oliver, and the Plimoth Plantation

Thanks for Music – No Thanks!: The ’70s Punk Rebellion (CD)

I hope everyone has a happy, safe, and fun Thanksgiving holiday.

Thankfully Yours,
Melissa M.