November DIY + Creative Business Book Club 2015
Winter is here and I couldn’t be more excited. I’m sad to let go of afternoons at the river or the beach but I can’t wait until it is just a few degrees colder so I can throw some logs in the fireplace, mix up a Manhattan and start planning for day trips to the snow. One of my favorite things about colder weather is sinking into a steaming bathtub with a good book.
This week I took my first bath of the winter and read a few articles my friend Meighan O’Toole sent my way. The first is an interview with Michael Bennett and Sarah Bennett the authors/father-daughter team who wrote the book F*ck Feelings. Michael is a psychiatrist and Sarah is a comedy writer. The gist of the book according to the article I read in The Atlantic is “that life is kind of terrible, so you should value your actions over your emotions.” At first the concept can seem a bit harsh. Are we supposed to ignore all the bad stuff that happened to us in our childhood and the bad stuff that happens to us now? The short answer is no. They don’t suggest you ignore your feelings but rather overcome the obstacles of your life by accepting that sh*t happens and move forward by doing the best that you can. They urge you to be realistic about your future and move towards achievable goals. Pretty much everyone I know (including me) had at least one detrimentally crappy thing happen to them in their childhood and countless similar things happen to them after puberty. I know it’s hard to let those things go but they urge you to do just that. I haven’t read the book yet however the interview made me order it.
The second article Meighan sent my way was Screw Finding Your Passion by Mark Manson. It’s hard for me to even start praising my love of this piece. Mark begins by asking us to, “remember back when you were a kid? You would just do things. You never thought to yourself, “What are the relative merits of learning baseball versus football?” You just ran around the playground and played baseball and football. You built sand castles and played tag and asked silly questions and looked for bugs and dug up grass and pretended you were a sewer monster.
Nobody told you to do it, you just did it. You were led merely by your curiosity and excitement.
And the beautiful thing was, if you hated baseball, you just stopped playing it. There was no guilt involved. There was no arguing or debate. You either liked it, or you didn’t.”
He continues and talks about how people write to him asking what they should do with their lives. How is he supposed to know what a stranger who reads his work should commit their lives to? He argues that we already know what we’re meant to do on this planet but we’re too busy ignoring it to make it a reality. This is a MUST-READ for all of you creatives ESPECIALLY if you’re considering a career change or wondering what your purpose or passion is.
Once you make it through those two reads I urge you to check out the picks in our DIY + Creative Business Book Club this month. Looking to get through an artistic slump? Check out Creative Block. Have a wicked case of impostor syndrome or feel like you can’t recover from a setback? Pick up Brene Brown’s Rising Strong. Need a creative boost and want to learn something new? Check out Luxury Yarn One Skein Wonders and The Modern Natural Dyer. I have all four of these lovely books in my queue for my bath. To get you started on your winter reading we’re giving away three of these books The Modern Natural Dyer, Creative Block and Luxury Yarn One Skein Wonders. Check out the details below to enter the giveaway.
-Nicole S.
To enter the contest:
If you want to win three of these books The Modern Natural Dyer, Creative Block and Luxury Yarn One Skein Wonders just leave a comment on this post telling us about your favorite thing about winter. Post your comment by November 18th at midnight to be entered to win. Make sure to include your email address so we can get your address if you win and ship you some lovely things to read.
The Contest is now closed. Congrats to Lindsay!!
I love bundling up in sweaters and blankets. And I love boots! Winter fashion is the best. 🙂
Seriously!! The. Best!
My favourite thing about winter is the Danish concept of Hygge. Think about your perfect winter day – going out for a walk in the snow, then coming back to a roaring fire, hot chocolate and chunky sweaters – that’s all hygge 🙂
In case you’re interested, here’s a BBC article about it – https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34345791
Thanks for sharing this! I’ve never heard of this concept before, but it is indeed what I love about colder months. There is a desire to bundle up and have more warm, cosy mornings & evenings in with or without friends. Now I have a sexy word for it!
Cozy mornings and evening are awesome!
I love snow days with my kids!
I love making a hot beverage, bundling up, and taking walks around my neighborhood with my husband – especially when it’s snowing!
curling up with blankets and kittens with some delicious hot cocoa on the side table while I revisit some of my favorite books
I love coming home to a tiny warm house after being outside in the PNW pouring rain! And reading a good book in a warm bath with a hot mug of tea!
What I love about winter is not feeling guilty for staying indoors totally immersed in my projects.
I live in North Dakota, so the arrival of winter is not something we typically celebrate 🙂 However, I do like having an excuse to drink spiked hot chocolate more often than is socially acceptable.
Lol! That’s a great “bright side”!
Central, NY winters are nortiously cold and snowy but I love winter nonetheless. My favorite part of winter is watching new fallen snow gather on leafless branches and blanket the ground. Winters firm grip also provides a cozy backdrop for curling up with a good book and a mug of hot chocolate with a dollop of Fluff. Thank for the opportunity to win these fabulous books!
sounds perfect!
I love how the air changes in winter. I love cozy Christmas lights and home made hot toddies. I love being together with family.
Such great things!
hoping this is open worldwide 🙂
Winter is the best for finally wearing all my hand knits and hiding under a plaid reading all the books and drinking all the teas <3
Its totally book catch up time!
My favorite thing about winter is a good hot cocktail – buttered rum, hot toddies, and cider. YUM!
Cider is one of my favorite things!
kitten snuggles and cold noses
so cute!
My favorite winter thing is going to bed early, puting on woolen socks my 90 year old grandma made me, drinking hot cocoa and reading a good book.
Woolen socks in bed sounds super cozy!
I love Candy Cane Joe-Joes from Trader Joe’s, and drinking hot cider. Thanks!
I’m a BIG fan of Trader Joe’s white chocolate pretzels with bits of candy cane 🙂
Winter for me typically means more time for family. We don’t have all the activities that come with the warmer months, and there is time off for holiday and school breaks. Plus my littlest birthday is in winter, which is always fun. These books look great! Thanks for the chance!
I love cozy winter time with family!
Holidays…the sights, sounds and smells…time off with family…connecting in celebration…I could go on I just love this season so much!
Its really an amazing time!
Tough question! Curling up inside wearing flannel & sweaters while cuddling, reading or knitting & drinking hot chocolate + Cabot Trail Maple Cream might be my fav. Alternatively, I love being able to snowshoe, skate, ski or snowmobile!
Thanks for the chance to try to win some books to curl up with this winter!
Sounds perfect!