Ted Talks And Other Resources
Aislynn’s “Top 5” TED TALKS to Inspire You!
- Andrew Solomon: How the Worst Moments in Our Lives Make Us Who We Are
- Brené Brown: The Power of Vulnerability
- Ken Robinson: “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” 2006, And “Bring on the Learning Revolution” 2010
- Tony Robbins: Why We Do What We Do
- Elizabeth Gilbert: Your Elusive Creative Genius
Books
Eleven-year-old Isabella’s blended family is more divided than ever in this thoughtful story about divorce and racial identity from the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Out of My Mind, Sharon M. Draper.
Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
Every school year, Leigh Botts writes a letter to his favorite author, Boyd Henshaw. In the 6th grade, Leigh’s class has an assignment to write letters to their favorite authors. Leigh includes all the questions he was given as a numbered list. Mr. Henshaw writes back, teases Leigh for not doing research, and includes more questions for the boy to answer. Leigh is angry and at first refuses to answer. When Leigh’s mother finds out, she demands he show Mr. Henshaw the courtesy of a reply. Through his answers to Mr. Henshaw, Leigh’s concerns and conflicts are revealed. He struggles with his parents’ divorce, being the new kid in school, his relationship with a neglectful father, and a school lunch thief. In a later letter, Mr. Henshaw encourages him to keep a diary of his thoughts and feelings. Writing becomes a positive way for Leigh to work through his struggles and to grow up.
Are You In A Toxic Relationship?: How To Let Go And Move On With Your Life by D.C. Johnson
There are toxic people in our lives who have done us emotional harm and are holding us back from who we can and want to be. Toxic people all have characteristics in common. It is crucial we recognize them and learn to deal with them. Toxic people are manipulative, controlling, self-centered, destructive and insecure. Their insecurity drives them to put others down. They shame us and fill us with guilt if we don’t support them or criticize them. They can never be wrong. Which means, we are always in the wrong. Toxic people are born narcissists. It’s important to learn what drives toxic people and how to not become their victim.
Kids are Nondivorceable by Sara Bonkowski, PhD
This ‘workbook’ is great for parents and their children. It has exercises for kids and advice for parents going through a divorce.
A little boy searches for a pot of parent glue to paste his mom and dad’s marriage back together. He soon realizes that even though his parents’ marriage is broken, their love for him remains as strong as ever. Divorce is an unhappy fact that affects many children’s lives, and the story told in this book was written for those little boys and girls. Its message can help soothe their feelings and make them understand that their parents’ separation is in no way their fault. Parents who are divorcing will also value Mom and Dad Glue, By Kes Gray, as a story they can read to their children and help them realize that although their parents’ marriage has not worked out, Mom and Dad love them today, as they always have and always will. Illustrations by Lee Wildish. Appropriate for ages 3-7 years old.
The Power of Letting Go – How to Drop Everything That’s Holding You Back by John Purkiss
In The Power of Letting Go, John Purkiss explains why we should let go and how we can do it, using proven techniques to make things happen. When you let go, you live intuitively. Everything flows, because you are no longer attached to things being a certain way, to being a certain person or always being right. What a relief. The irony is that when you feel stuck in any area of your life – career, relationships, purpose, health or money – letting go can seem very hard. You cling on for dear life just at the moment you need to take the leap. The stages of letting go:
- Be present and enjoy each moment
- Let go of the thoughts that keep you stuck
- Let go of the pain that runs your life
- Surrender and tune in to something far more intelligent than your brain