Ever since Einstein's study of Brownian Motion, scientists have understood that a little disorder can actually make systems more effective. But most people still shun disorder-or suffer guilt over the mess they can't avoid. No longer! With a spectacular array of true stories and case studies of the hidden benefits of mess, A Perfect Mess overturns the accepted wisdom that tight schedules, organization, neatness, and consistency are the keys to success. Drawing on examples from business, parenting, cooking, the war on terrorism, retail, and even the meteoric career of Arnold Schwarzenegger, coauthors Abrahmson and Freedman demonstrate that moderately messy systems use resources more efficiently, yield better solutions, and are harder to break than neat ones.Applying this idea on scales both large (government, society) and small (desktops, garages), A Perfect Mess uncovers all the ways messiness can trump neatness, and will help you assess the right amount of disorder for any system. Whether it's your company's management plan or your hallway closet that bedevils you, this book will show you why to say yes to mess.
The New York Times bestselling author of the Beauty Detox series, nutritionist, and personal development expert Kimberly Snyder offers us a powerful new guide to help us feel good, eat well, dispel insecurities, and increase our love of life. Feeling good is not about having a picture-perfect life with a flawless body, job, and family. We can have those things and still feel deeply unhappy. Joy and true confidence come by finding a level of inner peace in our messy, perfectly imperfect lives. In this beautiful, inspirational, and highly anticipated new book, Kimberly Snyder shares not only her amazing new food recipes but also practical tips for living a happy and fulfilling life. As Snyder teaches, the key is to live beyond labels, heal body shame, and move past self-judgment. By embracing life's ups and downs and learning to tune into our intuition, we can ultimately claim our right to feel good, just as we are. With dozens of life lessons and more than 100 plant-based recipes for smoothies, soups, snacks, and entrées, Recipes for Your Perfectly Imperfect Life invites us to find inner peace and acceptance, and teaches us how a healthier mind and body can give us strength to thrive in all parts of our lives.
There is no magic pill. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to your problems. There is no guru coming to save you. The remarkable truth you are about to discover—one that you already know deep down in your bones—is that the idea of perfection can’t bring you the joy, passion, and purpose you are craving. What you are looking for, as author and Women For One founder Kelly McNelis will show you, is your messy brilliance. It’s the part of you that’s perfectly imperfect and that contains your wholeness: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Your Messy Brilliance offers an engaging, customizable roadmap to the authentic you. In this book, you will learn to: Reclaim your true brilliance by embracing your flaws as the key to unlocking your deepest truth Understand how your stories shape your life—and harness your power to transform the stories you tell yourself and others Consciously move past shame and self-judgment, and develop a stronger relationship to your body, mind, and spirit Connect with your feminine power to find presence, peace, and clarity Make conscious, effective choices that enable you to make your life happen, on your own terms Embody limitless possibility so that you can create the life you have always dreamed about Commit to a life of radical openness, authenticity, and courage—so that you transform yourself and your world With a combination of personal experience, relatable stories from everyday women, and practical wisdom that can be found in every culture and doctrine, Kelly will guide you into the most important journey you will ever take as a woman: the journey back home to your messy brilliance...and your ultimate truth!
In this inspirational autobiography, world-famous chef and owner of Red Rooster Harlem, Marcus Samuelsson tells his extraordinary story and encourages young people to embrace their mistakes and follow their dreams. Based on his highly praised adult memoir, Yes, Chef, this young adult edition includes an 8-page black-and-white family photo insert. Marcus Samuelsson’s life and his journey to the top of the food world have been anything but typical. Orphaned in Ethiopia, he was adopted by a loving couple in Sweden, where his new grandmother taught him to cook and inspired in him a lifelong passion for food. In time, that passion would lead him to train and cook in some of the finest, most demanding kitchens in Europe. Samuelsson’s talent and ambition eventually led him to fulfill his dream of opening his own restaurant in New York City: Red Rooster Harlem, a highly acclaimed, multicultural dining room, where presidents rub elbows with jazz musicians, aspiring artists, and bus drivers. A place where anyone can feel at home. "'Step up to the challenge; don't avoid it. Win or lose, take the shot.' Samuelsson neatly serves up inspiration and food for thought."--Kirkus Reviews "The perfect book for teen foodies and a great choice for others, thanks to its . . . compelling story . . . and sound advice."--VOYA "A delightful read. . . .Samuelsson effectively connects his love of food to his personal journey."--School Library Journal
On those days when French fries litter the floor of your minivan, when you think bad words about other drivers, when your smile hides an anxious heart–in those moments when you fall short of all you’d hoped to be–what does God see when He looks at you? In your less-than-lovely moments, God sees a precious daughter in need of His perfect love. In this liberating look at how God adores and transforms imperfect people, Bible teacher Lisa Harper weaves poignant stories of her own personal foibles with a fresh take on selected Psalms to reveal a loving Father who remains your greatest champion even when you don’t feel anywhere close to holy. Join Lisa in discovering what happens when we stop trying to hide our inadequacies and doubts and instead trust God with our anger, frustrations, flaws, and regrets. As you accept God’s loving invitation to exchange your junk for His joy, you’ll find the imperfect pieces of your life shaped into a glorious pattern of divine grace.
Despite God's call on our lives, most of us spend a fair amount of time running in the other direction, chasing after our own plans and desires. Like Jonah, however, we eventually discover we've made a mess of things; we're rowing against the storms God is using to pull us back on course. In Glorious Mess, Mike Howerton shows how God's relentless grace extends into all the messes we make in our lives, that God clearly reveals his love for imperfect people no matter how far we've strayed. He shows readers how to hear God's voice, how to embrace God's calling on their lives, how to get out of their messes, and how to see God working. The result is not just forgiveness and direction for life, but also encouragement and inspiration to be our best selves before God and others. Includes discussion questions for group or personal use.
For all those who choose to live "imperfectly" with the messy things they love, this book shows how to do so creatively, happily, and with considerable style ideas from leading designers. A beautiful and inspiring volume, A Perfectly Kept House is the Sign of A Misspent Life focuses on living well with everything that makes a house a home. If you have been influenced by the picturesquely cluttered studios of Pablo Picasso or Alexander Calder, or by the art- and book-filled house of Vanessa Bell, this unique style book will stimulate you with its creative ideas.This volume explores how real-life tastemakers (photographers, textile designers, fashion designers, writers, artists) integrate their life and interiors to live well with their passions, histories, conveniences, and inconveniences. In inspiring essays, Mary Randolph Carter muses on such key housekeeping concerns as clutter versus mess; open windows; and unmade beds. Combining practical tips with liberating philosophy—"Don’t scrub the soul out of your home"; "Make room for what you love"—this volume celebrates living beautifully and happily, not messily. Lavishly illustrated with intimate photographs of different living spaces, Carter exalts in the beauty of imperfection and in living perfectly in our "imperfect" homes. Life isn’t perfect—why should your house be?
Create the home--and life--you've always wanted with the help of popular blogger and author of Cozy Minimalist Home Myquillyn Smith (The Nester) as she helps you free yourself to take risks and find beauty in imperfection. Myquillyn Smith is all about embracing reality--especially when it comes to decorating a home bursting with kids, pets, and all the unpredictable messes of life. In The Nesting Place, Myquillyn shares the secrets of decorating for real people--and it has nothing to do with creating a flawless look to wow your guests and everything to do with making peace with the natural imperfection and joy of daily living. Drawing on her years of experience creating beauty in her 13 different homes and countless seasons of life, Myquillyn will show you how to think differently about the true purpose of your home, and simply and creatively tailor it to reflect you and your unique style--without breaking the bank. Full of simple steps, practical advice, and beautiful, full-color photos, The Nesting Place gives you the tools you need to: Cultivate a home that works for you and your family Transform your home into a place that's inviting and warm for family and friends Discover your own personal style There is beauty in embracing the lived-in, loved-on, and just-about-used-up aspects of our homes and our daily lives--let Myquillyn show you how. Praise for The Nesting Place: "This book made me look at every room in my house differently, with a new lens of creativity and beauty and possibility. It inspired me to reclaim my home as sacred space, ripe with opportunities to celebrate and create memories and moments." --Shauna Niequist, New York Times bestselling author of Present Over Perfect and I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet "This highly personal account about embracing imperfection and finding contentment in your home is like sitting down with a good friend and talking about the stuff that really matters. The Nesting Place is full of approachable ideas, encouragement, and a whole lot of heart." --Sherry Petersik, home blogger; bestselling author of Young House Love
A priceless inheritance leads an imperfect family on a life-changing pursuit of the truth in a “compassionate, thoughtful, and surprisingly moving” novel (Booklist). Estranged siblings Beck, Ashley and Jake Miller are forced to reunite when their eccentric matriarch, Helen, passes away. But in between airing old resentments, they find a secret inheritance hidden among her possessions: the Florentine Diamond, a 137-carat yellow gemstone that went missing from the Austrian Empire a century ago. Desperate to learn how one of the world’s most elusive diamonds ended up in Helen’s bedroom, the Millers suddenly realize how little they know about their grandmother. As they race to determine whether they are the rightful heirs to the diamond and the fortune it promises, they uncover a past more tragic and powerful than they ever could have imagined. Inspired by the true story of the real, still-missing Florentine Diamond, The Imperfects illuminates the sacrifices we make for family, and how discovering our past can be the key to a better the future.
About Be Perfectly Imperfect by Vyoma Nupur Be Perfectly Imperfect” is a collection of short essays on how to live a better and happy life – with love, laughter and finding the recipe for happiness. Essays include “Be Perfectly Imperfect”, “You Become What You Think”, “The Art of Letting Go”, which encourage us to monitor our thoughts more, learn how to let go of the negativity we collect and become more spontaneous in our life, releasing any judgmental attitudes we may hold toward others. Essays such as “Labels Are for Milk Bottles, Not People” elucidate the value of accepting people, as they are –multidimensional beings of different shades – and not trying to package them in neatly labeled simplistic personality models. Life is about being fearless and living each day more consciously. Life is about looking inward into our hearts and finding peace there. “Life is Breaching the Fearsome Walls of What-Ifs” and “Life Is a Symphony of Silence” are opening oneself to the inner possibilities of fearlessness and moving beyond the outer and inner chatter to a state of profound peace and silence. How to be much happier in our daily lives, making it richer by embracing the small jewels of priceless moments that happen and laughing open heartedly – are the central themes of “The Recipe For Happiness Is Not Gourmet”, “Laughing With Life” and “Little Things Matter The Most”. “Why Am I Here, Again” and “Am I Good Enough?” are about reflective self-understanding. Whatever I feel has flown from my heart onto these pages, spontaneously in an unconventional, flowery and poetic way –culminating into these short writings. This book has a voice that is conversational and blog-like. It invites the reader to participate back with their views. It draws examples from their daily life. The examples and feelings can be related to, by everyone, whichever cultural orientation or nationality they may belong to. There are dashes of whimsical reflection, poetic hope, introspective musing, humor and a serious vein all together varying from essay to essay. Men or women, in every walk of life – whether the carefree teenager growing into a careworn adult, suddenly beset with worries and uncertainties, whether an adult seeking hope and laughter, whether mature individuals who strive for peace and silence – these essays would in part – or in totality – appeal to all folks, in all stages of life. People interested in a fun, conversational read in the self-help, inspirational category will enjoy this book.
