Book Review: 101 Tips for Surviving in a Pandemic, by Kate Battaglia

101 Tips for Surviving in a Pandemic, by Kate Battaglia, is subtitled ‘A Generation Z Guidebook.’ The author of 101 Tips is still in high school! But the tips included within apply to all, whether you’re considered a Generation Z, Generation X, a Millennial, or a ‘Boomer’ like I am.

While many tips refer to different apps or websites, such as #6 Watch and Review Movies, not all relate to technology. In fact, #34 advises ‘Take a break from social media.’

Many tips are time tested truths that apply to living a good life, regardless of the year, or whether we’re in the midst of a pandemic.

• #3 Bikes Rides
• #7 Read
• #30 Forgive

Many tips related to things that have been around even longer than us Boomers.

• #12 Mediate
• #18 Take up gardening
• #40 Knit
• #50 Press flowers

I really enjoyed seeing how many tips relate to creative pursuits.

• #10 Sit down and paint
• #36 Redecorate your room
• #45 Make friendship  bracelets
• #77 Learn calligraphy

What filled my heart even more was seeing some of the items that related to a sustainable lifestyle and a hope for a good earth for many years to come. It was refreshing seeing such wisdom coming from one so young.

• #11 Decorate old shoes
• #42 Thrift
• #43 Support sustainable stores
• #87 Pick up litter

I wholeheartedly recommend 101 Tips for Surviving in a Pandemic – to people of all ages, who can use these tips at any time of their life, to learn new things and introduce pursuits that will broaden our lives.

This is a quick and easy read and is something that can be referred to many times.

Great job, Kate! I mean…Kate Paris III.

I know that sometimes the ‘older generation’ can grumble about the ‘younger generation’. Kate Battaglia has done a lot here to dispel the negative myths of the ‘younger generation.’ She shows wisdom, insight, compassion, and maturity – along with a desire for a full and well-balanced life. I applaud her in this, her first book. I foresee many more in her future.

Book Review: Shifting Bravely, by Holli Kenley

I don’t believe in accidents or coincidences. Usually, these fortuitous happenings occur with events or people that cross our path in our life journey. Occasionally, the ‘happy accident’ happens when a book lands in our life.

That is what happened when I got Holli Kenley’s book – Shifting Bravely: A Path to Growth, Healing, Transformation.

I wouldn’t have said that my life needed transformation due to horrific patterns of abuse, betrayal, or trauma. And while the family dynamics in our immediate and extended family aren’t perfect – only because none of us as individuals are perfect – I feel we have a happy and blessed family with no dysfunctional situations that need addressed.

But as the author is quick to point out in the first chapter (A Shift Lies Dormant), we can end up camouflaging the seeds that lie dormant waiting to sprout and bloom into glorious life.

She writes: “One common form of camouflage is stagnation and settling. Many of us have come to accept that getting by is good enough, even if we feel stuck or unsatisfied. Others of us, who know we are not living up to our potential or pursuing our dreams, feel trapped and resigned to predetermined destinies. Day after day, our growth is stunted by settling for a degree of security and stagnating in mundane routines. How does this happen?”

Ouch!

This was hitting a little closer to home than I liked.

When I got to the Exercises at the end of Chapter One, (Practical and useful exercises follow the end of each chapter.) there were even more examples that made me cringe more than I like to admit.

• Living my someone else’s expectations
• Bound or oppressed by societal or cultural norms
• Stuck in circumstances beyond your control
• Feeling this is all you deserve

While reading Shifting Bravely, I saw that Holli Kenley is not one to dispense advice from atop a marble column where she resides in her perfection. She shares stories from her own experiences where she shows how she has applied this wisdom to her own life. She also includes examples where others have applied this advice to improve and transform their lives.

The phrase that comes to mind as I read how she has grown and healed herself is that the author is one “who walks her talk.”

I read Shifting Bravely at a much slower rate than I’d first anticipated as I spent more time working through the exercises with sometimes days of introspection in between each chapter and phase of learning. This is not a ‘read one time and put on the bookshelf’ book. To get the most from this, I believe it’s a book that is most beneficial to be re-read several times for a deeper and more relevant transformation.

Towards the end, in Chapter 7: A Shift is Sustainable, the Holli Kenley shares a poem by an unknown author that outlines five representations that show when a shift in our life is sustained.

“As you are shifting, you will begin to realize you are not the same person you used to be.

The things you used to tolerate have become intolerable.

When you once remained quiet, you are now speaking your truth.

Where you once battled and argued, you are now choosing to remain silent.

You are beginning to understand the value of your voice and there are some situations which no longer deserve your time, energy, and focus.

Author Unknown

Kenley writes: “I believe of the five areas of organic representation, beginning to realize we are not the same person we used to be, is one of the most remarkable and meaningful internal rewards of our journey.”

After reading Shifting Bravely and working through the exercises, I am not the same person I was when I began reading. And I know as I continue on my path of shifting, that the person I will be a year from now is not the person I am today. I look forward to this journey of growth and transformation with joyous anticipation

I highly recommend Shifting Bravely to anyone wanting to better their life. I only have one warning – grab a pen before you start, this is a book you’ll want to mark up!

4 Steps to Being More Intentional With Your Time — SHE MAKES HER OWN ADVENTURE

Do you ever feel like you’re constantly busy? Your schedule is full and it doesn’t feel like you have any down time? That you’ve committed to so many things that at the end of the day you’re emotionally and physically spent? I’m going to let you in on a secret. It doesn’t have to be […]

4 Steps to Being More Intentional With Your Time — SHE MAKES HER OWN ADVENTURE

Is this normal? — SHE MAKES HER OWN ADVENTURE

I’ve seen things on social media that talk about that we are entering a “new normal” and others saying that “this isn’t normal, so let us not pretend that it is”. I’ve seen information saying we are not “homeschooling” our children but rather helping educate them during a quarantine. I’ve seen posts encouraging people to […]

via Is this normal? — SHE MAKES HER OWN ADVENTURE

The Five Essentials Getting Us Through Lockdown —

Self-isolating, social distancing, lockdown or quarantine – whatever situation you are currently in it is likely to involve little more than yourself, your home and the occasional foray in to the outside world for exercise and a supermarket trip. Getting through these strange days requires patience and fortitude, but here are a few of the…

via The Five Essentials Getting Us Through Lockdown —

Forget the Glass Celling. Shatter the Walls

STUNNINGLY STRONG

It was a beautiful day and I ended up at the park with our youngest daughter. She ran to the swings and triumphantly jumped onto the empty seat. As she got going, after a push from me, she would pump her legs then stick them straight out, using the muscles in her abs and quads to propel her forward reaching towards the sky. Coming back down, she would straighten her legs again to gain maximum lift while going the opposite direction. As I watched her and the intense look she had on her face I thought about the proverbial glass celling.

Shattering the glass celling is a phrase I’ve heard often. Its trendy and meant to tell us we can do and be anything; all we have to do is shatter that celling. I understand the idea, the concept. I want our girls to live a life where they know…

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Zest

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