I was married several years before I realized my aversion to affection and physical touch was more than a personality trait. As I researched why affection - both giving and receiving - was so difficult, I discovered psychological research linking physical touch with fear of intimacy... emotional intimacy. Ultimately, my struggle with affection was a struggle with fear. Fear of being rejected. Fear of being vulnerable. Fear of being known and not wanted. I began a journey with God to grow in fearlessness, and through this, learned to show affection even when it didn't come naturally.In this 30 day devotional, I'm challenging you to dive into the "why" behind your own affection struggle. You'll ask some hard questions, seek the Lord in prayer, and take some bold steps of action. I kept it short so it wouldn't be overwhelming!Facing my fear has improved my relationships with family, friends, my kids, and my spouse. Are you with me?
Thunder cracks. Lightning flashes. The lights go out. But Mommy, Daddy, Grandma and Grandpa help a young girl feel safe. What makes you feel safe? The storm is very scary! Then Grandma lights candles, Grandpa plays his guitar, Mommy makes cocoa, Daddy brings out some biscuits . . . and hugs are shared by all. But where are the cats, Frankie and JoJo? Have they run out of the house and into the storm?. The family searches high and low and in and out. When hope is gone, the cats emerge from their hiding place. All are safe. The last sentence in the book asks, “What makes YOU feel safe?” inviting caregivers and children to a conversation about coping with fears. David McPhail is a beloved author-illustrator of best-selling children's books and winner of a New York Times Best Illustrated Award. Pouring his heart and soul into the illustrations for this book, David McPhail has created a dozen ink-and-watercolor mini-masterpieces in jewel-like tones. The character in this story was inspired by David McPhail’s stepchild, whom he has always wanted to keep safe.
Celebrate feelings in all their shapes and sizes in this New York Times bestselling picture book from the Growing Hearts series! Happiness, sadness, bravery, anger, shyness . . . our hearts can feel so many feelings! Some make us feel as light as a balloon, others as heavy as an elephant. In My Heart explores a full range of emotions, describing how they feel physically, inside, with language that is lyrical but also direct to empower readers to practice articulating and identifying their own emotions. With whimsical illustrations and an irresistible die-cut heart that extends through each spread, this gorgeously packaged and unique feelings book is sure to become a storytime favorite.
This book is the first practical, hands-on guide that shows how leaders can build psychological safety in their organizations, creating an environment where employees feel included, fully engaged, and encouraged to contribute their best efforts and ideas. Fear has a profoundly negative impact on engagement, learning efficacy, productivity, and innovation, but until now there has been a lack of practical information on how to make employees feel safe about speaking up and contributing. Timothy Clark, a social scientist and an organizational consultant, provides a framework to move people through successive stages of psychological safety. The first stage is member safety-the team accepts you and grants you shared identity. Learner safety, the second stage, indicates that you feel safe to ask questions, experiment, and even make mistakes. Next is the third stage of contributor safety, where you feel comfortable participating as an active and full-fledged member of the team. Finally, the fourth stage of challenger safety allows you to take on the status quo without repercussion, reprisal, or the risk of tarnishing your personal standing and reputation. This is a blueprint for how any leader can build positive, supportive, and encouraging cultures in any setting.
"God, I don't have to be scared because you are always with me. From the top of the tallest mountain--to the bottom of the deepest ocean, you're there! (And everywhere in between!)" God, You Make Me Feel Safe is the third book in the "God, You Make Me Feel" series of sweet conversations between children and God. In candid, grateful expressions of how God makes them feel, children hear whispers from Scripture confirming His abundant love for them. With colorful pictures and fun prose, God, You Make Me Feel Safe is a wonderful way to connect a child to the greatest source of love beyond yours: their Heavenly Father.
Jealousy can have an enormous impact on some people, so it is no surprise that people (especially those who practice consensual non-monogamy) think, talk, and write about it quite a bit. In "Jealousy Survival Guide", Kitty Chambliss does the homework for you and collects the best tidbits on life and emotions to give you inspiration and provide tools to gain and practice new skills. Combining her own life experience with these pearls of wisdom, Kitty focuses on jealousy in consensually non-monogamous relationships, what it is, how it expresses, and specific ways to manage it. Kitty's frank discussion of her own struggles with jealousy and focus on specific skills and techniques - without a shred of blame - makes "Jealousy Survival Guide" a delightfully useful read for anyone struggling with jealousy or consensually non-monogamous relationships and polyamory. This is a comprehensive guidebook and step-by-step template for recognizing feelings of jealousy and insecurity as they come up with effective tools for sorting through those emotions, and when, if, and how to bring up challenging or potentially emotionally charged conversations with loved ones. What People are Saying about "Jealousy Survival Guide""I'm only a few chapters into Kitty's 'Jealousy Survival Guide' but have already felt the positive impact her book has had on me personally. Her book has helped me recognize some of the reasons I am the person I am today and areas of my personality which can use improvement. This book covers so much more than jealousy and relationships. It allows for the discovery of oneself and helps pave an optimistic path for growth. I look forward to what the remaining chapters have in store for me and the journey ahead!"- Tina C., Relationship Coaching ClientNote: Kindle version also available. Audible coming soon.
Inner bonding is the process of connecting our adult thoughts with our instinctual, gut feelings—the feelings of the "inner child"—so that we can minimize painful conflict within ourselves. Free of inner conflict, we feel peaceful, open to joy, and open to giving and receiving love. Margaret Paul, coauthor of Healing Your Aloneness, explores how abandonment of the inner child leads to increasingly negative and destructive feelings of low self-worth, codepenclence, addiction, shame, powerlessness, and withdrawal from relationships. Her breakthrough inner bonding process teaches us to heal past wounds through reparenting and clearly demonstrates how we can learn to parent in the present. Real-life examples illustrate the dynamics of the healing process and show the benefits we can expect in every facet of our lives and in all our relationships. Inner Bonding provides the tools we need to forge and maintain the inner unity that makes our family, sexual, work, and social relationships productive, honest, and joyful.
Teach toddlers safe ways to express big feelings Toddlers are still learning how to speak, socialize, and understand their emotions. It's common for them to react with their hands when they get frustrated—but hitting is never okay. What to Do When You Feel Like Hitting helps toddlers understand why hitting is not allowed and shows them how to react to their feelings with actions that are safe and kind. This illustrated entry into no hitting books for toddlers features: Alternatives to hitting—Kids will learn how to use "gentle hands" to squeeze a stuffed animal when they feel upset, scribble a picture to get out their frustration, and practice taking deep breaths to calm down. A light touch—The language is kid-friendly and positive, encouraging toddlers to understand and communicate their feelings, not just keep their hands to themselves. Engaging illustrations—Big, beautiful pictures help kids see the ideas in action and keep their attention on the page. Get the best in no hitting books for toddlers with a storybook that helps them learn empathy and compassion.
Conquer the most essential adaptation to the knowledge economy The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth offers practical guidance for teams and organizations who are serious about success in the modern economy. With so much riding on innovation, creativity, and spark, it is essential to attract and retain quality talent—but what good does this talent do if no one is able to speak their mind? The traditional culture of "fitting in" and "going along" spells doom in the knowledge economy. Success requires a continuous influx of new ideas, new challenges, and critical thought, and the interpersonal climate must not suppress, silence, ridicule or intimidate. Not every idea is good, and yes there are stupid questions, and yes dissent can slow things down, but talking through these things is an essential part of the creative process. People must be allowed to voice half-finished thoughts, ask questions from left field, and brainstorm out loud; it creates a culture in which a minor flub or momentary lapse is no big deal, and where actual mistakes are owned and corrected, and where the next left-field idea could be the next big thing. This book explores this culture of psychological safety, and provides a blueprint for bringing it to life. The road is sometimes bumpy, but succinct and informative scenario-based explanations provide a clear path forward to constant learning and healthy innovation. Explore the link between psychological safety and high performance Create a culture where it’s “safe” to express ideas, ask questions, and admit mistakes Nurture the level of engagement and candor required in today’s knowledge economy Follow a step-by-step framework for establishing psychological safety in your team or organization Shed the "yes-men" approach and step into real performance. Fertilize creativity, clarify goals, achieve accountability, redefine leadership, and much more. The Fearless Organization helps you bring about this most critical transformation.
Parenting isn’t easy. Showing up is. Your greatest impact begins right where you are. Now the bestselling authors of The Whole-Brain Child and No-Drama Discipline explain what this means over the course of childhood. “There is parenting magic in this book.”—Michael Thompson, Ph.D., co-author of the New York Times bestselling classic Raising Cain One of the very best scientific predictors for how any child turns out—in terms of happiness, academic success, leadership skills, and meaningful relationships—is whether at least one adult in their life has consistently shown up for them. In an age of scheduling demands and digital distractions, showing up for your child might sound like a tall order. But as bestselling authors Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson reassuringly explain, it doesn’t take a lot of time, energy, or money. Instead, showing up means offering a quality of presence. And it’s simple to provide once you understand the four building blocks of a child’s healthy development. Every child needs to feel what Siegel and Bryson call the Four S’s: • Safe: We can’t always insulate a child from injury or avoid doing something that leads to hurt feelings. But when we give a child a sense of safe harbor, she will be able to take the needed risks for growth and change. • Seen: Truly seeing a child means we pay attention to his emotions—both positive and negative—and strive to attune to what’s happening in his mind beneath his behavior. • Soothed: Soothing isn’t about providing a life of ease; it’s about teaching your child how to cope when life gets hard, and showing him that you’ll be there with him along the way. A soothed child knows that he’ll never have to suffer alone. • Secure: When a child knows she can count on you, time and again, to show up—when you reliably provide safety, focus on seeing her, and soothe her in times of need, she will trust in a feeling of secure attachment. And thrive! Based on the latest brain and attachment research, The Power of Showing Up shares stories, scripts, simple strategies, illustrations, and tips for honoring the Four S’s effectively in all kinds of situations—when our kids are struggling or when they are enjoying success; when we are consoling, disciplining, or arguing with them; and even when we are apologizing for the times we don’t show up for them. Demonstrating that mistakes and missteps are repairable and that it’s never too late to mend broken trust, this book is a powerful guide to cultivating your child’s healthy emotional landscape.
