Summer Reading

I never liked to read as a kid. I dreaded the annual summer reading list and would’ve been perfectly happy wasting most of my summer away staring at my beloved little pink television. Thankfully nature usually called me away and I ended up spending most of my days in a wet bathing suit “saving” frogs from the gutters in our pool. But reading? Nah… pass.

Fast forward to the present where I literally day dream about reading time.

There is a constant stack of books on my night stand and I rarely leave home with at least one book or notebook in my bag – sometimes it’s a copy of my own book, but I’ll often grab one of the books I’m reading to share with my team, or to provide inspiration for my work day.

Sitting down and opening up a real book feels like the ultimate luxury – something that indicates I have free time on my hands and my brain can simultaneously devour information and release. It’s the best.

I’ve made an effort the last few months to make more time to read. It’s been part of my intention to spend a little less time online (see this blog post for how you can have more time to read too!) and fuel the wellness and self improvement junkie that lives inside me.

Since it’s a holiday week here in the US, I thought it would be the perfect time to share my summer reading list. Whether you’re on vacation this week or in your everyday routine, I hope these reads will inspire your own summer reading pleasure. But maybe in a dry bathing suit this time.

My summer reading list:

Body Belief  by Aimee Raupp

As more and more people are being diagnosed with autoimmune illness daily, I am so thankful to have my inspiring friend, Aimee adding to the important conversation of what it means to heal on every level. I also appreciate that like me, Aimee covers both the practical (meal plan, shopping lists, DIY beauty product recipes) and the more spiritual (meditations, mantras, etc!) within this book. Plus our eating philosophies are VERY similar, just from different backgrounds. Love that. 

The Archetype Diet by Dana James 

Dana is another dear friend of mine and I’m honored that one of my recipes (the Lemony Lentil Soup from Go with Your Gut) is featured in her new book. In The Archetype Diet, Dana explains how your body type, or your archetype, impacts how and where you store fat, and what type of diet will work best to help you feel more powerful, beautiful and (my favorite) more intuitive.

How to Break Up With Your Phone by Catherine Price

Like I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, I did a little social media detox on my family vacation inspired by this book. It not only explains how to set boundaries with your phone but gives action steps on how to create more peace in your life and a shift in perspective around the ways in which we can all reclaim our time and focus. This was the first thing I read about phone detoxing that didn’t make me feel like it was all hopeless or feel bad about myself and my habits! Huge win! 

The Mommy Mojo Makeover: 28 Tools to Reclaim Yourself & Reignite Your Relationship by Dana B. Myers

Dana was a guest expert in my Rockstar Coaching Collective program a few weeks ago and the ladies LOVED her spot on tips for feeling sexy and confident both as a busy mama or single gal navigating the online dating world. Dana’s newest book, The Mommy Mojo Makeover, is specifically for my fellow mamas who are looking to reclaim their sex drive and reignite their relationship post baby. I definitely have a more than a few pages bookmarked myself 😉 

​A Return To Love by Marianne Williamson

A Return to Love is a classic, but I recently picked it back up again. Marianne’s teachings are so powerful, and I find something new that resonates each time I read this book. It’s a true gem that will provide you with inspiration and hope no matter where you are in life. My highlighted parts are totally taking over my non-highlighted parts at this point! 

Kintsugi Wellness by Candice Kumai

I love Candice, and love how she’s a modern gal who brings her heritage into all that she teaches. Kintsugi Wellness is the Japanese art of nourishing, mind, body and spirit, and you can tell that Candice put exactly that into this beautiful book. Plus her recipes are AMAZING. 

Ask and It Is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires by Esther and Jerry Hicks

​If you have ever wondered about the Law of Attraction or what it means to manifest, this is the book for you. Reading it will help you go with the positive flow of life, something I’m focusing on a lot this summer.

What’s on your summer reading list? Leave a comment below and let me know!