August’s Book To Live By

by on August 5, 2015

This month’s Books To Live By selection highlights the topic of our membership Inner Circle for August: It’s Never Too Late to Pursue Your Passion: The Life of Peggy Freydberg, age 106, A conversation with award-winning producer Laurie David and acclaimed writing coach Nancy Aronie.

Our August selection is….

Poems from the Pond: 107 Years of Words and Wisdom, The Writings of Peggy Freydberg, Edited by Laurie David

I have never been so blown away by a collection of poems than I was by those of Peggy Freydberg. And I must say, I’m not normally one to pick up a poetry book.

But after reading Nancy Aronie’s moving foreword and inhaling Peggy’s first poem, “Chorus of Cells,” I was hooked.

The poems are hauntingly beautiful, and every single piece radiates the courage, insight and love that Peggy had for life.

And the way the book came to be is almost as remarkable as Peggy’s desire to start writing poetry at age 90.

While flipping through this stunning book, you’ll learn about Peggy’s life, read touching excerpts from her family members and discover why editor Laurie David was inspired to bring Peggy’s words to the world.

Poems from the Pond is a true masterpiece that speaks to women of all ages. And even if poetry isn’t usually your first reading choice, this collection is an absolute inspiration that belongs on every woman’s bookshelf!

Lots of love~

P.S. I look forward to hearing what your favorite poems are. Let me know in the comment section below!

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July’s Book To Live By

by on July 6, 2015

This month’s Books To Live By selection highlights the theme of our membership Inner Circle for July: Finding Your “Sweet Spot” for Joy and Productivity, featuring Christine Carter, Ph.D., happiness expert, sociologist, speaker, author, blogger and mom.

Our July selection is….

 

The Sweet Spot: How to Find Your Groove at Home and Work  by Christine Carter, Ph.D.

If you’re overwhelmed, overscheduled, overflowing with stress and have a tendency to seek perfection over progress, order this book immediately. 🙂

Christine has crafted one of the most powerful and practical guides to seeking more balance and less “busyness” that I have ever read.

The Sweet Spot is full of down-to-earth strategies that don’t require you to embrace an entirely new way of living and thinking in order to see change take place. Instead you’ll find easy-to-implement little tweaks that allow you to form healthier habits, leading you to genuine happiness and ease.

Not only that, Christine shows you proven practices that will help you transform your daily stress into fuel for more productive, patient and creative energy. And who couldn’t use a little more oomph? 🙂

Whether you’ve only glimpsed your sweet spot or are in it but afraid you’ll lose it, or even if you doubt that you have a sweet spot, Christine will help you find what she calls your “place of greatest strength but also greatest ease” and make sure you know how to stay there!

Lots of love,

Debbie Signature

P.S. If you aren’t in our Women on Fire Inner Circle yet, I invite you to join us today for your chance to win a copy of The Sweet Spot on our inspiring live-stream master class and chat for members only on July 21, 2015.

I’ll be coaching you on the topic of Self Care. On the master class I’ll be sharing tons of tips and strategies on how you can strengthen your inner self and feed your soul!  Hope to see you there! 🙂

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June’s Book To Live By

by on June 5, 2015

This month’s Books To Live By selection highlights the theme of our membership Inner Circle for June: Embracing the Unpredictable: Discover the Rewards of Surprise, featuring LeeAnn Renninger, Ph.D., surprisologist, research psychologist, author and speaker.

Our June selection is….

Surprise: Embrace the Unpredictable and Engineer the Unexpected by Tania Luna and LeeAnn Renninger, Ph.D.

Whether you love or loathe surprises, this book will open your eyes to the unexpected benefits that come from allowing more unpredictability in your life.

Luna is the founder of Surprise Industries, the only company that specializes in surprise, and Renninger is one of the world’s leading surprisologists. Together they have created a fun and illuminating look at how surprise can lead to more growth, innovation and connection in all aspects of life.

This book is the perfect combination of entertainment and science, and it will inspire you to invite and engineer more surprises into your day-to-day routine. You’ll gain tons of strategies that will empower you to seek out surprises, and you’ll discover why this skill is absolutely vital to staying engaged and energized in your life.

Surprise is a truly fresh perspective on what it takes to have a positive and fulfilled life. You never know, adding more surprise to your life could be the key to propelling you further than you ever thought possible. 🙂

With lots of love~

Debbie Signature

P.S. If you aren’t in our Women on Fire Inner Circle yet, I invite you to join us today for your chance to win a copy ofSurprise on our inspiring live-stream master class and chat for members only on June 16, 2015. I’ll be coaching you ongrief relief and how to work through your losses to find peace and compassion.

Even if you are not actively grieving a loss right now, we all have them. It’s important and helpful to know how your losses might hold you back, as well as how to recognize when others are grieving and ways to help them. Hope to see you there! 🙂

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May’s Book To Live By

by on May 8, 2015

This month’s Books To Live By selection highlights the theme of our membership Inner Circle for May: Ignite Your Passion and Fall in Love with Your Life, featuring Gregg Levoy, an author, speaker, teacher and media expert.

Our May selection is….

Vital Signs: The Nature and Nurture of Passion by Gregg Levoy.

Gregg is a longtime friend of mine and the author of Callings, one of my favorite books about finding and trusting your true path. I couldn’t wait to share Vital Signs with you. This book is a work of art on the topic of following your passions, and it enables you to easily take Gregg’s invaluable insights and put them to work in your own life.

Throughout these pages, Gregg thoughtfully guides you on how to activate your spark from within. Whether you are looking to discover your passion for the first time or want to reclaim a long-forgotten dream, I can’t stress enough that this is the book for you!

You’ll be ignited in ways you never thought possible and gain tools that will empower you to re-engage with what you want most in your life.

I’ve never met a person who didn’t have a big dream stirring inside, and neither has Gregg. Vital Signs reminds us that our passions are possible. What could be more inspiring than that? Let me know your thoughts on this brilliant book in the comments section below!

With lots of love~

Debbie Signature

P.S. If you aren’t in our Women on Fire Inner Circle yet, I invite you to join us today for your chance to win a copy of Vital Signs on our inspiring live-stream master class and chat for members-only on May 12, 2015.

I’ll be coaching you on how to create the essential building blocks to grow your own business or to expand your big dream. We will look at how to develop a business and a life that serves you and your highest good, rather than allowing yourself to be overwhelmed by serving everyone in your path. Hope to see you there! 🙂

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November’s Book To Live By

by on November 7, 2014

This month’s Books To Live By selection is a perfect companion to brighten the impending change in seasons, the chaos of the holidays and those quiet winter nights.

From celebrated author and seasoned psychotherapist Gunilla Norris comes one of the best spiritual practice books of 2014.

Our November selection is….

Match: Bringing Heart and Will into Alignment by Gunilla Norris.

Gunilla guides you through a transformational 90-day journey that motivates you to commit to yourself and your inner light. The beauty of her prescribed practice lies within its simplicity and the profound aftereffects.

“For ninety consecutive days, light a match with purpose, a feeling or a desire in mind,” writes Norris. If you happen to miss a day, you simply restart the 90-day countdown. You’ll be inspired and encouraged to not only nurture, but also to fire up your inner most desires, truths and feelings.

As the author of some of my all-time, favorite self-improvement books, such as Inviting Silence: Universal Principles of Meditation and Sheltered in the Heart, I can attest to Gunilla’s expertise in stripping away external and internal barriers to help you get to the heart of whatever it is that you truly want.

Match makes a beautiful gift for the upcoming holiday season and an even better “just because” gift to yourself! Here’s to lighting the spark within this winter! 🙂

With lots of love~


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August’s Book To Live By

by on August 13, 2014

This month’s Books To Live By selection highlights the theme for our August membership program: From Tea Cart to Tea Empire: Leading a Purpose-Filled Life.

From a remarkable entrepreneur, life coach and women’s advocate, this truly inspirational story will speak to your heart and ignite your spirit with its soulful strategies for a life of unlimited happiness and success.

Our August selection is….

Life by the Cup: Ingredients for a Purpose-Filled Life of Bottomless Happiness and Limitless Success by Zhena Muzyka

Zhena Muzyka is the founder of Zhena’s Gypsy Tea Company, a nationally distributed tea brand, and her story tells of the struggles and setbacks as well as the hopes and opportunities she encountered along the way.

Muzyka’s journey began when she was a 24-year-old single mom with a critically ill child, but no money, no support, and no clear path to satisfy the powerful drive to save her family. Tapping into her gypsy heritage and her inner guiding light, she felt called to use her love and knowledge of tea for a greater purpose.

Now she stands as the founder of a multimillion-dollar company that has dedicated its efforts to fostering fair-trade practices and providing greater benefits for its international workers, all while protecting the environment. She’s a true visionary within the field.

And if you are already a Women on Fire monthly member, I’m sure you felt her tender heart and warm insights in the feature interview with her this month.

I invite you to join us on our monthly live video coaching call and chat in September for your chance to win a signed copy of Life by the Cup. Join us here today for your invitation to September’s Live Chat and access to all the uplifting benefits included with your Women on Fire membership.

I hope you enjoy this soulful story as much as I enjoyed “sipping” my way through it. 🙂

 With lots of love ~

 Debbie Signature

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June’s Book To Live By

by on June 11, 2014

This month’s Books To Live By selection highlights the theme for our June membership program: The Struggle and Triumph of Self-Acceptance.

From a powerful author, journalist and activist, hailed as the voice of a new generation for transgender rights, comes the New York Times best-selling memoir about her quest to find and claim her authentic self.

Our June selection is….


Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More by Janet Mock (Amazon link)

In this groundbreaking testimony to self-discovery, Mock shares a rare and honest look into the world of a trans woman maneuvering through life’s ups and downs.

You will follow Mock from a young age at home in Hawaii as she overcomes hurdle after devastating hurdle to travel halfway around the world for the surgery that changes her life at just 18.

The courage and conviction Mock displays throughout her journey are awe-inspiring; even in her darkest moments, she somehow finds a way to tune into her true self and move forward.

Beyond being a gripping memoir, it is also an important one. Mock’s story sheds light on the trans community in ways that celebrate the progress that has been made, while thoughtfully pointing out where we can do better.

If you are part of our membership program and have already to listened to the recent interview with Janet, you can expect the same warmth and power that she shared with us there.

Redefining Realness will move you to thinking you may never have considered before. Janet is an absolute Woman on Fire, and after you read her story, we know you’ll agree. 🙂

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May’s Book To Live By

by on May 8, 2014

This month’s Books To Live By selection highlights our May membership program theme: A Mother’s Day Appreciation.

From a celebrated American author and poet, hailed as one of the most influential voices of our time, comes this highly anticipated autobiography, a story of loss, love and discovery.

Our May selection is….

Women on Fire Book To Live By- MAY- Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou

Mom & Me & Mom (amazon link), by Maya Angelou

New York Times best-seller Mom & Me & Mom is a whole-hearted, honest recollection of Angelou’s complicated relationship with her mother. It offers a glimpse into the inspiration and backstory behind one of her most-loved titles, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

Angelou takes us to Stamps, Arkansas, where at three years old she was sent away by her mother, Vivian, to live with her grandmother. It was nearly a decade before Angelou would finally reconnect with her mother.

Angelou divulges the raw feelings of abandonment that pushed her to dark depths, and examines the delicate reconciliation that slowly took place to rebuild the broken relationship.

Mom & Me & Mom is one of the most authentic narratives that I’ve ever read. Angelou captures the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship so spot-on that it leaves you reflecting on your own experiences.

Angelou’s signature optimism and wit bring hope, healing and love to the story. It is a thoughtful reminder of the power of forgiveness, no matter how much time has elapsed.

I hope you enjoy Maya Angelou’s beautiful memoir as much as I did. Women on Fire book co-author Sarah Elizabeth Greer surprised me with my own copy – personally signed by Ms. Maya Angelou herself!

It remains one of my most precious treasures – and I believe you will really love this book, too.

Happy Mother’s Day weekend ahead. I encourage you to share with me here on the blog: What is your most powerful memory of being a daughter or mother? I look forward to reading your response! 🙂

With lots of love,

Debbie-Signature-

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March Book Of The Month

by on March 19, 2014

Welcome to Books To Live By! Our book choice for this month highlights one of our very own Women on Fire members.

Not only is this woman a beautiful writer and accomplished author, she is a dear friend and many of you know her.

In her newest book, Andrea Raynor will open up your heart and spirit to a new conversation between faith and identity that is sure to gratify your soul.

Our March selection is….

Incognito: Lost and Found at Harvard Divinity School (amazon link) by Andrea Raynor

Rev. Andrea Raynor received her Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School and was the Hospice chaplain at Ground Zero in the aftermath of September 11. She is a breast cancer survivor and also authored of one of my all-time favorite grief books— The Voice That Calls You Home: Inspiration For Life’s Journeys.

I’ve mentioned here before how Andie’s life and work has inspired my own journey, and her latest story has the power to do the same for you.

In this book, you’ll ride along with a bright young woman from Ohio as she embarks on a journey of faith that will take you back to the 80’s and behind the scenes at one of our most esteemed institutions in the country. Andie intimately shares her story of navigating the challenges, stereotypes and assumptions that follow women in the church.

With humor and penetrating awareness, she exposes the struggles she encountered with society’s beliefs, with dating, and with the religious institutions.

Incognito is a beautiful, coming-of-age story that will stay with you. Through Andie’s honest disclosures we are reminded that you don’t have to always know or have the right answers to lead your life in a deeply significant direction.

I hope reading Incognito rekindles your spirit as it did mine!

As always, I look forward to hearing about your own insights and awarenesses from exploring Incognito’s richness.

Happy reading!

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