… are free, right? And they are not, as the saying goes, things at all.
The best parts of life are “things” like family and friendship, and living with intention and purpose.
What could be better than that?
Well, right now there is a beautiful convergence, a holy trinity of BOOKS AND E-COURSES ABOUT THE AWESOME “THINGS” IN LIFE + FREE OFFERS + COUPON CODES. Which equals READING AND LEARNING ABOUT MAKING LIFE MORE AMAZING!!
The HerStories Project
Today is Launch Day for The HerStories Project: Women Explore the Joy, Pain, and Power of Female Friendship. I am proud to announce that I am one of 50 contributors to this fantastic new anthology, which includes a foreword from Jill Smokler of Scary Mommy!
Our friendships tell a story: they help define us, and contain important parts of our personal history. The friendships in our lives can serve as mirrors, reflecting who we were, how we have changed, who we are, and what we need and desire.
In this book, 50 women writers paint real pictures of friendship. They share their stories of making and losing friends, nurturing bonds from childhood, navigating the transition to motherhood, and renegotiating the role of friendship in their adult lives.
Can you tell how excited I am about being in a book?
I am super excited about this book for so many reasons! The story I share in the book is about my dear friend Jenni {you can find her sharing her awesomeness at Mamahhh…} and how my friendship with her sustained me in the difficult months of new motherhood. This book is published and edited by two of my dearest bloggy friends, Stephanie Sprenger and Jessica Smock. I never envisioned when I started this blog last spring that I would make so many deep connections with other women, and actually have the chance to meet many of them in real life! There are just too many amazing women in this book to mention them all by name, but many are among my favorite bloggers and are women I am honored to call friends.
Me with editor/contributor, and friend, Stephanie Sprenger
This project has also reminded me of what a small, connected world we live in. Contributor Nina Badzin {whom I’ve also met in real life} is the sister-in-law of my former gymnastics teammate. On Friday, when my mom emailed her girlfriends to share this book with them, she discovered that her dear friend and sorority sister’s daughter-in-law, Jessica Vealitzek, is also a contributor to the book! {My mom actually hosted Jess’s wedding shower!}
For me, this book is not only an exploration of the power of female friendship, but a tribute to my own friends, old and new.
Here’s the awesome part: through Wednesday, December 4, you can download the Kindle version of the book for FREE! You can also purchase the paperback version on Amazon, or at Create Space (using code XE5DVUKQ for a $2.00 discount!) and I will make a small commission from the sale and actually earn money from being in a book!
Heart-Centred Living: With Intention, Grace and Growth
I am also excited to announce that I am a contributor to Heart-Centred Living, an e-book about living with intention and purpose. Starting this afternoon {Monday, December 2} you can download a FREE copy of the ebook from Home Life Simplified! This book features essays from 19 writers, sharing advice about being open to change, finding your path and passion, practicing self-care and self-compassion, living mindfully, and celebrating the beauty in each day. My essay is entitled “This Is It,” about living in the moment and being present in our lives. As we enter what can be a crazybusy time for many people, I think you will treasure this collection of essays about slowing down and focusing on what really matters. {You can also access the book here ~ this book will continue to be available as a free download. No expiration!}
Project Light Year
Another great part of blogging has been reconnecting with my friend Liv Lane, whom I have known since I was 5! I took her blogging e-course in the spring, and I have now signed up for her year-long e-course Project Light Year. The course kicks off with defining your intentions for the year, and explores topics including living with joy, gratitude, purpose, and compassion, and creating light, abundance, and sacred space. And through midnight tonight {12/2, central time} you can save 20% off your enrollment with the code SHOP20. That’s a full year of awesome living and inspiration for less than $80! I hope you’ll be joining me in the course ~ click the links to learn more! {These links are my affiliate links ~ you can learn more about them here.}
In Gratitude
Normally, my Monday posts are about gratitude. Today I am thankful for the wonderful opportunities to share my writing with others. I am also grateful for giving myself a week-long break from blogging and social media. I am returning to blogging this week with new energy and new ideas.
And I have decided on a change. I know many of you have shared that you enjoy the weekly gratitude posts, but they have become a bit overwhelming for me. {It was getting hard to write them among my many other weekend responsibilities, and I had a hard time keeping up with comments on a Monday. I want to focus my precious writing time on topical posts.} Instead, we will celebrate our Mondays with gratitude on the Left Brain Buddha Facebook page ~ I’ll share my thankful moments, and perhaps an inspiring quote, and invite you to share your moments of gratitude as well. It’s a great way to start the week!
I had time to write, to rest, to read, to clean, and to play over the long holiday weekend, and I hope you did too. I hope you enjoy these resources celebrating the amazing parts of our lives. I am so thankful for my friendships that have brought these opportunities to me.
And I am so thankful for all my readers! 🙂
Top photo credit: ginnerobot via photopin cc
- A Mindful Approach to New Year’s Resolutions - January 13, 2020
- Just This Next Step - December 16, 2019
- WAIT: A Mindfulness Practice for Waiting in Line - December 9, 2019
