In this collection of practical essays, 19 leading teachers explore the questions around self-acceptance—and investigate how we can overcome the difficulties of embracing who we are. Join them to learn where our self-critical voices come from, how we can find motivation to change and excel while still accepting ourselves as we are, and how we can best offer compassion and forgiveness toward ourselves and others.
Kristin Neff, Ph.D., says that it’s time to “stop beating yourself up and leave insecurity behind.” Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind offers expert advice on how to limit self-criticism and offset its negative effects, enabling you to achieve your highest potential and a more contented, fulfilled life. More and more, psychologists are turning away from an emphasis on self-esteem and moving toward self-compassion in the treatment of their patients—and Dr. Neff’s extraordinary book offers exercises and action plans for dealing with every emotionally debilitating struggle, be it parenting, weight loss, or any of the numerous trials of everyday living.
In our current times of global crises and spiking collective anxiety, Tara Brach’s transformative practice of Radical Acceptance offers a pathway to inner freedom and a more compassionate world. This classic work now features an insightful new introduction, an exclusive bonus chapter, and additional guided meditations. “Radical Acceptance offers us an invitation to embrace ourselves with all our pain, fear, and anxieties, and to step lightly yet firmly on the path of understanding and compassion.”—Thich Nhat Hanh “Believing that something is wrong with us is a deep and tenacious suffering,” says Tara Brach at the start of this illuminating book. This suffering emerges in crippling self-judgments and conflicts in our relationships, in addictions and perfectionism, in loneliness and overwork—all the forces that keep our lives constricted and unfulfilled. Radical Acceptance offers a path to freedom, including the day-to-day practical guidance developed over Dr. Brach’s forty years of work with therapy clients and Buddhist students. Writing with great warmth and clarity, Tara Brach brings her teachings alive through personal stories and case histories, fresh interpretations of Buddhist tales, and guided meditations. Step by step, she shows us how we can stop being at war with ourselves and begin to live fully every precious moment of our lives.
Discover tools to help you build self-confidence for a better life. From facing your fears to practicing acceptance and self-compassion, The Self-Confidence Workbook offers practical and effective strategies to help you bring out your best self. You'll learn how to guide yourself through having self-confidence in relationships, work, and health. With a goal-oriented approach, these proven strategies teach you to silence the self-critic within and help guide you toward living your best life with confidence. This self esteem workbook helps you vanquish self-doubt with: DEFINING CONFIDENCE: A guide to understanding self-confidence by defining what it means to be confident and helping you determine your starting level of self-esteem. STRATEGIES FOR SELF-ACCEPTANCE: This book entails a 5-step program that begins with setting goals and uses evidence-based strategies to foster acceptance, mindfulness, self-compassion, and more. INTERACTIVE EXERCISES: Discover reflections, checklists, and quizzes to help you internalize lessons and concepts. Improve self-confidence in all areas of your life to feel fully alive with this top choice in motivational books.
A radical day-by-day guide to redefining beauty and creating lasting self-esteem Every day, American women and girls are besieged by images and messages that suggest their beauty is inadequate, inflicting immeasurable harm upon their confidence and sense of wellbeing. In Beautiful You, author Rosie Molinary encourages women to feel wonderful about themselves -- even when today's media-saturated culture tells them not to. Drawing on tools for heightened self-awareness, creativity, and mind-body connections, Beautiful You incorporates practical techniques into a 365-day action plan that empowers women to embrace a healthy self-image, shore up self-confidence, break undermining habits of self-criticism, and champion their own emotional and physical wellbeing. Modern and meaningful, these doable, enjoyable daily actions encourage women and girls to manifest a healthy outlook on life, to live large, and to love themselves and others.
From the author of The Anxiety Toolkit, a guide to creating your own personalized productivity plan, using self-science to make systems that work for you. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all productivity plan. The tricks that work for your colleague may not work as well for you. Or perhaps they don’t work at all. The fact is that everyone has their own productivity quirks to make them work efficiently and effectively. They just don’t know how to crack them. Enter former clinical psychologist Alice Boyes. In this innovative guide, she will help you diagnose your unique productivity profile and give you the framework to formulate a powerhouse personalized system. Drawing on groundbreaking research, countless examples, and quizzes in every chapter, this book will help you be the most growth-oriented, most effective and efficient, and most creative and visionary version of yourself. If you’ve ever felt that you’re too much of a perfectionist to be productive, or if the prepackaged advice from experts just doesn’t work, this is the book for you. It will help you achieve more success and have the freedom to spend more of your time and energy on what’s most meaningful to you.
A new kind of style book with the inspiring and empowering message that “true style is self-acceptance,” profiling stylish influencers and celebrities who defy the cookie-cutter looks of today’s fashion magazines. The mother-daughter team behind the enormously popular websites StyleLikeU and What’s Underneath profile trendsetting artists and creatives of all ages, body types, races, and genders to embrace how self-expression and self-acceptance are the most important means of achieving personal style. Featuring people with original and creative style such as actress Lea DeLaria, who embraces her butch style with whimsy and humor; model and Miley Cyrus–muse Melanie Gaydos, who lives with a genetic disorder and who sees beauty as a state of being that she has achieved; designer Betsey Johnson, who continues to exert creative genius into her 70s; or Tallulah Willis, who has learned to keep a positive self-image in today’s negative tabloid culture. A wealth of photographs reflects each person’s unique look, while interviews reveal how their journey affects and informs their style. Throughout the book, the authors include inspiring manifestos such as: “Disentangle Style from Fashion”; “Dress to Express Your Inner Spirit”; “Beauty Is a State of Mind”; and “Turn Your Struggles Into Strengths”. By illustrating that personal style emanates from one’s comfort with oneself, this volume powerfully demonstrates that true style is what’s underneath.
'The worksheets...save valuable time for busy professionals. Overall, this package provides good value at £17.99' - British Journal of Special Education 'Teachers comfortable with developmental group-work, and able to adapt material and tailor it to pupils' responses, will find this a valuable resource' - Adrian King, Times Educational Supplement, Special Needs Extra 'The book with its CD-ROM is accessible and provides a structure for staff working in places such as learning support units, withdrawal groups in mainstream schools or special schools. It could also be valuable to youth workers and those working in children's services and CAMHS... this package provides good value as it includes photocopiable self-esteem assessment scales and worksheets as well as a programme structure' - British Journal of Special Education This is a programme to encourage positive self-esteem by recognising the 'me' in each individual. It is aimed at children aged 12 years and older. The book supports professionals working with young people who have demonstrated difficulties in achievement and behaviour by providing innovative and creative activities and exercises, which help to reduce behaviours common in those with low self-esteem. This practical programme uses Lucky Duck's B/G-steem self-esteem scale as an assessment tool to evaluate the success of the programme. All the activity sheets and assessment forms needed are supplied on a CD-rom. Anne works in association with schools and the Children's Fund project in Devon.
How do you cope when facing life-threatening illness, family conflict, faltering relationships, old trauma, obsessive thinking, overwhelming emotion, or inevitable loss? If you’re like most people, chances are you react with fear and confusion, falling back on timeworn strategies: anger, self-judgment, and addictive behaviors. Though these old, conditioned attempts to control our life may offer fleeting relief, ultimately they leave us feeling isolated and mired in pain. There is another way. Beneath the turbulence of our thoughts and emotions exists a profound stillness, a silent awareness capable of limitless love. Tara Brach, author of the award-winning Radical Acceptance, calls this awareness our true refuge, because it is available to every one of us, at any moment, no exceptions. In this book, Brach offers a practical guide to finding our inner sanctuary of peace and wisdom in the midst of difficulty. Based on a fresh interpretation of the three classic Buddhist gateways to freedom—truth, love, and awareness—True Refuge shows us the way not just to heal our suffering, but also to cultivate our capacity for genuine happiness. Through spiritual teachings, guided meditations, and inspirational stories of people who discovered loving presence during times of great struggle, Brach invites us to connect more deeply with our own inner life, one another, and the world around us. True Refuge is essential reading for anyone encountering hardship or crisis, anyone dedicated to a path of spiritual awakening. The book reminds us of our own innate intelligence and goodness, making possible an enduring trust in ourselves and our lives. We realize that what we seek is within us, and regardless of circumstances, “there is always a way to take refuge in a healing and liberating presence.” Praise for True Refuge “Drawing on the latest findings in neuroscience as well as ten more years of personal experience on the path of awakening, Tara Brach’s superb second book brings readers ever more deeply in touch with our true nature. This book is a precious gift, filled with insight, shared from heart to heart.”—Thich Nhat Hanh “True Refuge is a magnificent work of heart. For anyone interested in developing a deeper understanding of the mind and how to improve the quality of their life, this book offers unique insights and easily learned practices that literally can transform your life’s path. Read, explore, and enjoy!”—Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., author of No-Drama Discipline
An Instant New York Times Bestseller! This joyful and lyrical picture book from New York Times bestselling author Eva Chen and illustrator Sophie Diao is a moving ode to the immigrant experience, as well as a manifesto of self-love for Chinese American children. What do you see when you look in the mirror, Mei? Do you see beauty? We see eyes that point toward the sun, that give us the warmth and joy of a thousand rays when you smile. We see hair as inky black and smooth as a peaceful night sky. We see skin brushed with gold. Praise for I Am Golden: "[A] richly metaphoric celebration of Chinese American identity ... Luminous, gently textured digital art by Diao includes thoughtful, recognizably Chinese cues that add further dimension ... A loving, affecting tribute to how children of immigrants can serve as bridges and torchbearers for their communities." —Publishers Weekly, starred review "From the outset, this gorgeous picture book exudes joy and celebration of identity. Through dazzling illustrations, Diao brings to exuberant life best-selling Chinese American author Chen’s message of finding love and power in one’s differences. ... This powerful and uplifting story captures [Chinese] American joy and is a definite must-read." —Booklist, starred review
