Tag: nonfiction

Becoming Flawesome: The Key to Living an Imperfectly Authentic Life by Kristina Mand-Lakhiani Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Kristina Mand-Lakhiani shares the secrets to embracing our flaws and overcoming the need for perfection in the book “Becoming Flawesome: The Key to Living an Imperfectly Authentic Life”.

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The Synopsis

Overcome perfectionism and self-doubt by unapologetically embracing your fully awesome self—flaws and all—with the co-founder of Mindvalley, a global school that delivers transformational education for all ages.

It’s odd to think that we can simultaneously be living as ourselves without ourselves. As life happens, we fall in love with the idea of who we could be instead of with who we actually are—leaving parts of ourselves behind and losing sight of what and who is truly important within ourselves.

By sharing revelatory personal anecdotes and reflection prompts, Kristina Mand-Lakhiani, co-founder of Mind Valley, helps to guide you toward:

  • Finding your own truth despite the external and internal critics
  • Transforming from the Perfect You into the Real You
  • Embodying a life where no one needs fixing

Reclaim your happiness as your gift to the world and take the first steps to living truthfully within your flawesomely beautiful reflection.

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The Review

This was a memorable and well-developed self-help and motivational guide/book. The author does a remarkable job of writing in a way that readers can relate to as if the book is an ongoing conversation between the author and the reader. The relatability and pop culture references that the author uses in the book help elevate the core themes and messages that the author attempts to convey.

The author’s attention to detail and ability to inspire with her words is a true gift. The things that stood out to me were when the author spoke of self-love versus self-care, and how happiness was a skill we all had to learn. These spoke to me personally, as oftentimes self-care can feel like a chore rather than the love we need at the time, and speaks to the need for an inner dialogue with ourselves from time to time. The trait of happiness and the skill to utilize it also talked to me, as it takes a lot of work to find joy and hold onto it, and it doesn’t always just happen. The emphasis on hard work and yet reveling in the imperfections life throws our way was truly moving.

The Verdict

Memorable, well-written, and engaging, author Kristina Mand-Lakhiani’s “Becoming Flawesome” is a must-read nonfiction and self-help book you won’t want to put down. The heart and passion for which the author writes, and the use of reflection points at the end of each chapter allow the reader to put in the work to make use of the points they emphasized in each chapter. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Kristina Mänd-Lakhiani has been engaging in the personal transformation industry for over 15 years, collaborating and playing with leading thinkers and teachers in consciousness, relationships, human performance, and life optimisation. She started her career working for the government of Estonia before joining the non-profit sector and working for organisations such as the United Nations, Oxfam, and AIESEC. In 2003, she co-founded Mindvalley, a global school that delivers transformational education for all ages. Visit her at kristinamand.com.

https://www.instagram.com/kristinamand/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-mand-lakhiani-73168414/

https://www.facebook.com/kristinamand

The Indispensable Element by Micah Huggins Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Micah Huggins shares the tips and lessons that will help identify the things holding a person back from becoming their best selves in the book “The Indispensable Element”.

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The Synopsis

In The Indispensable Element, attorney, pastor and author Micah Huggins lays out the framework to be a better version of yourself. He teaches you how to identify the things that are holding you back and lays out a plan to step up and lead in your relationships, your work, and your personal life.  

If you are looking to become the leader God created you to be, great leadership starts with leading yourself.  

In The Indispensable Element, you will learn how to: 

•Naturally attract followers and supporters.  

•Strengthen your personal and professional relationships.  

•Position yourself for new and better career opportunities.  

•Break unproductive habits and develop habits that serve you.  

•Become confident enough to pursue your biggest dreams.  

Get ready to lead yourself to the life you desire today! 

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The Review

This was an intriguing and memorable read. The author found the perfect balance between personal anecdotes and teachable lessons that helped show the potential for leadership in everyone. The book was fast-paced and kept the reader invested in the personal stories of the author’s life that helped illustrate the lessons each chapter was illustrating, using a perfect blend of imagery and atmosphere to get their point across.

The two biggest talking points that will resonate with readers are faith and leadership. The author goes to great lengths to show how leadership potential resides within us all, and it is through hard work and nurturing those skills within us that we are able to become the leaders we can be. The author’s unique perspective comes from their strong belief in their faith, and this will appeal to many people in the business world who also hold a strong faith and wish to utilize their faith’s practices in how they approach business models and leadership roles both in business and in life altogether.

The Verdict

Resourceful, enlightening, and memorable, author Micah Huggins’s “The Indispensable Element” is a must-read nonfiction memoir and business/leadership book that will resonate with both religious and nonreligious readers. The straightforward lessons and the powerful experiences that drove those teachable moments in the author’s life resonate with the reader greatly and will help to drive home the lessons in the reader’s minds overall. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Micah E. Huggins is a dynamic leader, motivational speaker, and community leader with a passion for helping others discover and develop their leadership abilities. He firmly believes everyone has the innate ability to lead and anyone can step up and fulfill their potential with the right guidance and motivation.  

Micah is an accomplished attorney, holding a law degree from the prestigious University of North Carolina School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. As an attorney, he has been honored with numerous awards for his outstanding work in the field. The National Academy of Criminal Defense has recognized him as one of the “Top 10 Attorneys under 40” from the state of North Carolina, and he has also been recognized as one of the top three criminal defense lawyers in Greensboro.  

Micah’s unwavering dedication to helping others unlock their full potential sets him apart as an attorney and as a pastor. He has presented or served on panels at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Winston-Salem State University, Elon University School of Law, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, the University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill, and Duke University.  

Micah lives in North Carolina with his wife and 3 children. 

Box of Birds by Stephen Stowers M.D. Review

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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author and Dr. Stephen Stowers M.D. shares a lifetime of lessons and insights into the medical profession, and how changes to the American Medical Care System led him to find a new practice in another country in the book “Box of Birds”.

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The Synopsis

In this fascinating memoir, cardiologist Stephen Stowers eloquently captures the various changes that he has lived through over a lifetime spent as a caring and ethical medical professional. With sadness, he watched as a profession he loved became more and more focused on the bottom line, while working as a doctor in the United States. He unpacks for the reader exactly what has gone awry in American medicine, showing us how the misguided shift toward a more corporate mindset was ushered in by hospital administrators, leading even well-intentioned doctors astray, as they are encouraged to place costly interventions above equally effective less invasive therapies. He also shows how he found refuge in another country, where he was able to practice medicine in a more ethical fashion once again and explains to us the surprising truth that he discovered there: New Zealand has better patient outcomes yet spends less money on healthcare, compared with a country such as the US. How can this be true? Read this book to discover the astonishing answer, that doing more with less is actually often a better path for doctors, hospitals, and the patients they want to assist. Stowers writes highly readable memoir that explains in terms any reader can follow exactly why he wanted to pursue medicine in the first place, how he grew disillusioned with American hospitals, and the joy he found in New Zealand after relocating there. Doctors, nurses, medical professionals of all kinds, and anybody who has been a patient and wondered what has gone wrong in American medicine and how to help put things right again should read this book.

The Review

This was a well-written and captivating nonfiction read. The author found the perfect balance between personal memoir writing and education regarding the different medical systems in the United States versus that of New Zealand. The detail and personal nature of the author’s writing really gave readers a sense of the experiences that informed the author’s opinions on the medical establishment as a whole.

The intriguing nature of how corporate the United States medical field became over the years was something that really resonated with me as a reader. As someone who has numerous medical ailments and who has a family with similar situations, the frustrations that have been felt over the prioritization of money and insurance versus actual health care have been something that has frustrated me as well, and to have a medical professional confirm these suspicions is profound. The author’s contribution to the discovery of a new protocol regarding coronary calcification was also quite remarkable and added to both the author’s viewpoints regarding holistic healthcare and his medical knowledge as a whole. 

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The Verdict

Captivating, engaging, and thoughtfully written, author Stephen Stowers’s “Box of Birds” is a must-read nonfiction memoir that meets medical guide that readers won’t be able to put down. The personable writing style and strong imagery mixed with the valuable medical knowledge and skill the author demonstrated through their experiences made this a breathtaking read you won’t be able to put down. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating 10/10

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About the Author

Stephen Stowers is a skilled clinician who practiced cardiology for twenty-nine years in Florida and six and a half years on the North Island of New Zealand as a member of the

Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Dr. Stowers graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine. 

He completed his cardiology fellowship at the George Washington University Hospital. As a pioneering cardiologist, he was a leader in the development of acute imaging of chest pain patients in the emergency room. Dr. Stowers has published widely in medical literature and recently published an international study on coronary calcium and its potential contribution to the early detection and treatment of coronary artery disease. He has also written a popular blog about his life in New Zealand, kiwicardiology.com.

The Co-Regulation Revolution by Beth Dennison Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Beth Dennison shares some practices and a guide to help rewrite the nervous system to help deal with the pain of trauma, shame, and so much more in the book “The Co-Regulation Revolution”.

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The Synopsis

The Co-Regulation Revolution, from master somatic psychotherapist and author Beth Dennison, is both co-regulation theory and applied psychology (simple practices to use right away). It is the latest work in her life-long study of shame, healthy relationships, embodiment, and clinical trauma work. 

In therapy and in life, we can rewire our nervous systems for mutual regulation (co-regulation). This is essential for authentic, embodied relating, healing PTSD, effective collaboration, and building our capacity for social justice. 

With The Co-Regulation Revolution and Body Up Co-Regulation, Beth gives practitioners clear maps and concrete tools to:    

  • Heal from shame and developmental trauma with safe, appropriate, embodied connection. 
  • Build greater capacity for co-regulation and resilience at the nervous system level.   
  • Replace compulsive competition for status on the ladder of white supremacy culture with healthy, peer relationships.   
  • Prevent burnout – because co-regulation is only co-regulation when it is good for both people.  

The Review

This was a powerful and engaging read. The author does a great job of writing the book in a way that allows the reader to feel seen and heard as they recognize themselves in the author’s work, while also giving the reader a well-documented guide to helping to take the steps to a better mindset and workflow. The author’s educational value and inspiration give readers a unique atmosphere that lends itself to the reader’s need to learn and grow using the author’s work.

To me, the heart or biggest lesson that the author passes to the reader is the need to utilize this internal change to make an impact on a much grander, larger scale. The way the author connects the negative impact of things like wealth, privilege, and much more prominent today, white supremacy, and showcases how that negative impact hits not only the less wealthy or people of color but how those with wealth or white privilege (or faux superiority) are impacted as well, as it leaves them closed off and walled off from the actual impact on the world around them their negative actions have made this a powerful message and theme to weave into the guide that helps improve people to the point they can make great changes on a more social level.

The Verdict

Memorable, educational, and thought-provoking, author Beth Dennison’s “The Co-Regulation Revolution” is a must-read nonfiction and self-help guidebook that will keep readers invested in the author’s work. The evenly-paced read will have readers engaged with the author’s work, discovering the process the author has developed to help improve their lives internally so that they may help make great changes externally as well. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Beth Dennison is a master somatic psychotherapist, author, teacher, and the founder of Body Up Co-Regulation. She is a pioneer whose professional and personal life has positioned her to make a much-needed contribution to remedy the loneliness, isolation, dysregulation, compulsive competition, and failure to cooperate that plague modern Western culture.  

Beth brings 50 years of teaching, psychotherapy, and study of neuroscience to teaching and trauma therapy that rewire our brains for connection and co-regulation. Her background and education include Somatic Experiencing, Marriage and Family Therapy, Bodywork, and Peer Counseling. 

Beth earned master’s degrees in Educational Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy at Antioch New England. She trained in Somatic Experiencing with Peter Levine and serves as an advanced training assistant. She champions embodiment in relational space as the foundation of effective therapeutic relationships and healthy human interaction. 

Currently, Beth writes and leads the Center for Body Up Co-Regulation where she trains therapists, social workers, and mental health professionals.  She maintains a small private practice and provides professional supervision for practitioners.    

https://wecoregulate.com

Maybe You Should Give Up: 7 Ways to Get Out of Your Own Way and Take Control of Your Life by Byron Morrison Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Byron Morrison shares the tips and lessons he learned to stop himself from self-sabotaging in all aspects of his life and finally regain the control needed to move in a positive direction in life in the book “Maybe You Should Give Up”. 

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The Synopsis

The counter-intuitive guide to get out of your own way, stop sabotaging yourself and take control of your life.

Byron Morrison knows exactly how frustrating it can be to feel like you’re your own worst enemy. For years he’d sabotage everything from his health to his relationships and his professional success. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to change, if anything, he knew exactly what he needed to do to create the life he wanted. Yet he’d get stuck in a never-ending cycle of making some progress, only to then lose motivation, fall off track or do something that would undo all his hard work.

Eventually, he had enough, and he committed to figuring out what was actually going on. In doing so, he discovered that the biggest barrier in the way of his success…was himself. It was the sabotaging voice that caused him to overthink and doubt himself. All his thoughts and fears that kept him trapped in his own head. His patterns and behaviors that kept him stuck.

Tired of taking one step forward and two steps back, he realized he needed to do something different. So, he gave up. Not on his goals and dreams, but he gave up being controlled by fear. He gave up living in the past. He gave up comparing himself to others. He gave up on being so hard on himself. And he gave up putting off his happiness. 

And it worked. He was able to finally take his career to the next level, open himself up to more connected relationships, get into the best shape of his life and find happiness in himself.

Along the way, through extensive research and working with people in 15 countries, he discovered that there are seven mental barriers that all of us struggle with. It is these mental barriers that keep us stuck and stop us from taking the actions we know we need to take to create the life we want. 

‘Maybe You Should Give Up’ is going to help you identify and break through those seven mental barriers. You’ll discover cycle-breaking techniques that have been broken down into easy-to-follow steps that will empower you to get out of your own way and stop sabotaging yourself.

Maybe You Should Give Up is a book about empowerment. About helping you break through everything that is standing in the way of the life that you want.

The Review

Immediately I was struck by the author’s personable and engaging writing style. The voice the author found within the writing allowed the reader to feel more connected to the author’s message and oftentimes made it feel like a casual conversation rather than a book. So often self-help books will preach or speak at the reader rather than to the reader, and the author really did an amazing job of finding that balance between education and inspiration that this genre of book needs.

The overall emotional core of the book’s message resides in the embracing of failure. By accepting setbacks and the loss that comes from failure, the author shows how we can overcome our self-sabotaging ways, focusing instead on building ourselves up and clearing the mental barriers in our own minds to become our best selves, such as the barriers that form around our need to compare ourselves to others and their achievements or allowing our fears to control our actions.

The Verdict

Compelling, insightful, and empowering, author Byron Morrison’s “Maybe You Should Give Up” is a must-read nonfiction book for self-help and empowerment. The fast pace of the book and the detail the author goes into for each mental barrier to overcome made this a stellar book to get lost in. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating 10/10

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About the Author

Byron Morrison is a bestselling author and mindset and performance coach, specializing in helping people get out of their own way and take control of their lives. For the last 8+ years, he has worked with CEOs, entrepreneurs and business leaders from around the world to reach their full potential. His books and work have been featured on TV, as well as promoted on radio shows and podcasts globally. He resides out of Warwick in the UK, but to date has worked with clients in 14 different countries, primarily in the UK and North America.

https://www.byronmorrison.com/

But I Didn’t Say Goodbye: Helping Families After a Suicide by Barbara Rubel Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Barbara Rubel shares the journey to help a bereaved family overcome the tragic loss of a family member due to suicide in the book “But I Didn’t Say Goodbye: Helping Families After a Suicide”. 

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The Synopsis

But I Didn’t Say Goodbye: Helping Families After a Suicide tells the story of a bereaved family and how each member copes with their traumatic loss. As a suicide loss survivor, the author wrote the story with the entire family in mind. It is written through the eyes of a child, spouse, parents, siblings and friends. We are all impacted by suicide and the chapters explore how everyone grieves in their own way. You will understand how to make meaning in loss and ways to experience personal growth. The chapters focus on a family from the day of the suicide to the anniversary one year later. At the end of each chapter, there are follow-up questions to explore your own loss.

The Review

This is a compelling and heartbreaking revelation. The discussion surrounding the topic of suicide has not always been easy to communicate, and while our understanding of this heartbreaking event has evolved and grown as more information has come to light, the pain that comes with this turn of events does little to take away the pain and suffering that comes to those who are left to pick up the pieces afterward. The author’s connection to this topic and the emotional way she connects to the reader and the subjects of this book made this a gripping book to get lost in.

The balance of support and informational guidance that the book provides to readers was so remarkable to read about. The amount of research and insight that the author poured into the book helped to elevate the more emotional and inspiring moments to help families and loved ones overcome the tragedy and grief that this event brings with it. The relatability of the author’s own experiences and work allows the reader to feel connected and understood, as so many families feel lost or isolated in the wake of this tragedy, and the author does a remarkable job of making them feel heard. 

The Verdict

Memorable, heartfelt, and compelling, author Barbara Rubel’s “But I Didn’t Say Goodbye” is a must-read nonfiction book on grief and the pain of losing someone to suicide. The way the author tackles trauma and explores both sides of the conversation, the psychological aspect of what brought their loved one to that place so that family members could try to find closure and process the grief that they in turn endured, made this an engaging and well-written book that you won’t be able to put down. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Three weeks prior to Barbara Rubel giving birth to triplets, her father died by suicide. The story of his death was featured in the Emmy award-winning documentary, Fatal Mistakes: Families shattered by suicide, narrated by Mariette Hartley. As a thanatologist, Barbara wrote But I Didn’t Say Goodbye for suicide loss survivors, like herself. Barbara hopes that the 2020 third edition of her book brings survivors comfort and helps them see that they are not alone. She is truly sorry for your loss. Barbara received a BS in psychology and a MA in community health, with a concentration in thanatology. She is a board-certified expert in traumatic stress, and a diplomate with the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. Visit her website at griefworkcenter.com

Six Days in Detox by Dianne Corbeau Review

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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Dianne Corbeau shares an honest and painful story of her battle to regain her sobriety in the book “Six Days in Detox”. 

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The Synopsis

This memoir is a compelling story about a woman who picks up alcohol after twenty-six years of sobriety. And returns to a mental institution to begin her journey back into the beginnings of recovery. The story is a hard look at what goes on internally and externally inside of Dianne as she gives it her all to survive the battle for her life. The fast-paced read is relentless and unforgiving at times, yet it brings you the fragility of the human spirit.

The Review

This was a heartfelt and honest read that depicted the author’s internal struggle to find sobriety once again after relapsing after over two decades. The author not only shares her story with complete honesty and an almost poetic yet painful reality but balances her story out with the ways in which mental health and addiction can go hand in hand, one often leading to the other and the need to maintain both sobriety and clear mental health is vital to a person’s survival.

Yet the other half of this book rested in the author’s honest look at the practices of the medical center/rehab that she found herself in. The ways in which people approach both addiction and mental health are crucial to a person’s recovery, and the flippant and authoritative approach that some locations take with their patients is a detrimental path that leads to many painful experiences, all of which the author outlines in her book. The imagery and haunting nature of the book that the writing brings to life really captured the emotional and mentally draining nature of the author’s personal experiences.

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The Verdict

Chilling, emotional, and thoughtfully written, author Dianne Corbeau’s “Six Days in Detox” is a must-read memoir and nonfiction read. The fast-paced story and the gripping story of the author’s experiences both internally and externally were both shocking and engaging to read. The emotional weight of the author’s experiences and the open-ended ending to the author’s book will resonate with so many who are also struggling with sobriety and mental health struggles, and provide a desire to improve and engage with others to get the help they need. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Interview with Author Maria Liviero

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Interviews2 Comments

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I live in the UK near London with the many ups and downs of writing I am passionate to share how personal struggles can create an empty canvas to recreate your life because there is no end but a beginning. 

I feel passionate to show how suffering is an important part of life that must not be repressed or pushed aside by using a person, a thing, or a situation to relieve us from inner despair but take the experience to evolve emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. The message is that a mistake is never a mistake, it’s the human brain relearning.

How did I get here? 

That is a question. I left school with minimal qualifications, and my writing skills were less than average therefore I struggled with writing.  While in London, I worked as a lifeguard, a colleague planted a seed of return to education and during that time I was reading a renowned book “Road Less Travelled” by Scott Peck. The seed and one sentence from the book changed my life. I returned to studying, which I found challenging, and was diagnosed with dyslexia in the final year of my degree. During my studies, I realized my creative expression was in the form of writing, and in time my writing skills improved immensely. For me, creativity is a place of solace where I can connect with myself and feel alive. 

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What inspired you to write your book?

To cut a long story short, I had my own life challenges that forced me to look at myself and my dark side. During my time in therapy, I became conscious of my dark side meaning that I was aware of how negativity can take hold without you realising. Being self-aware so crucial because it’s the first step to knowing ourselves. Labeling our dark side as bad is likely to cause us to suppress those traits which causes more harm. Fundamentally, we must bring those parts of ourselves to awareness not only for ourselves but for the collective well-being as well. 

Once I reconnected to my authentic self, of course, I continue to work on myself, I began to sense something inside of me that I can only describe as a creative force that seem to have a life of its own.  As I write the story unfolds in front of my eyes – I even don’t know what’s going to happen next. I do believe in a higher force or energy that I call God, but not align with the religious God that has pushed me to write this book in spite of the obstacles and challenges – and there were tough ones that tested every part of me. 

What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Embrace and do not fear your dark side it’s there for you to transcend and be the person you meant to be without other people’s projections, transferences, negativity, and importantly your own destructive self-talk of blame, guilt, judgment, and shame, for example. 

What drew you into this particular genre?

I think it was a natural progression after completing a psychology degree, a Masters, and a psychotherapy diploma where the training emphasis was on transpersonal themes that seem to tap into my unconscious self. Plus therapy helped in tearing down my defenses and layers of the false self to connect with my authentic self which is also my soul qualities. I think when you surrender things just happen. 

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What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I actually don’t have any social media sites, for me I don’t have the knack for creating posts or the mind space to regularly or keep on top of social media. 

What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

For me, it was self-doubt whether I was good enough or if was it a fantasy that I could become an author. It was important to face the possibility that I may not have the aptitude for writing but I received positive editorial reviews and yours Anthony helped me to gain courage and self-belief that I have the skills to push this forward.  If the passion and desire are there any project requires consistency, discipline, and hard work. In spite of obstacles you must carry on even when it gets tough, and it will. 

On a practical level, I suggest finding yourself a good editor with credentials and a person who knows actually what they are doing when it comes to designing your cover and printing your book.  Because of my lack of experience, I managed to learn the hard way, nevertheless, the next book will be a lot easier to deal with.   I find marketing a challenge, no one told me how hard it can be to market your book requires a lot of time and resources so be aware. 

What does the future hold in store for you? Are any new books/projects on the horizon?

Continue where my passion lies which is writing, reflecting back I would have never imagined that I would be writing books as well as blogs.  Blogs were never for me but now I enjoy sharing my thoughts and experiences to hopefully support/help others.  I stepped out of my comfort zone and realized yes I CAN do this. 

My second book is currently with an editor, which may well be a series to Why We Make Bad Choices but the subtitle will be changed.  The thought came about a few days ago that the second book can be a continuum because it’s all about why we make bad choices. The first book was concerned with the collective unconscious and the second is related to how childhood experiences shape how we make choices later in adulthood.  This is told through relationships between criminals and their alibis. 

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About the Author

Maria Liviero, based in the UK, has received an award for her first book that had been in the planning for five years. With the many ups and downs of writing, and to share how personal struggles can create an empty canvas to recreate the reader’s life, because there is no end but a beginning.

She obtained a psychology degree, along with MSc and diploma in psychotherapy. In her experience, the dark side of human nature is of equal or even greater importance—without being conscious of our shadow we continue to live in fear, discord with ourselves and others. Maria believes to understand ourselves we must travel the path of self-discovery. This can mean transcending our false ego to live a fulfilling life without the shackles that we have created like the internet, social media, mobiles phones, addictions, relationships, negative thinking (and behaviours), and statements.

Liviero’s passion is to show how suffering is an important part of life that must not be repressed or pushed aside by using a person, a thing or a situation to relieve us from the inner despair but take the experience to evolve emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

https://www.maria-liviero.com/

Intentional Retention: The Essential Guide to Human Resources for Leaders by Sean Barnard Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Sean Barnard shares his personal experiences and teachable moments to show how managers and leaders should treat and interact with their employees in a time where turnover is a constant in the world of employment in the book “Intentional Retention: The Essential Guide to Human Resources for Leaders”.

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The Synopsis

National Bestseller!! The best employees don’t stick around just because they like your product, you, or their coworkers. Turnover is the pandemic of today in the world of employment and there don’t appear to be too many cures. Leadership is rarely taught and the pressure on untrained managers and owners leads to the pitfalls that come with a revolving door of new faces who don’t stick around long enough to earn an annual bonus. Or they do stay, and you sometimes wish they wouldn’t? Sean Barnard instinctively knows how to help leaders at any level get the most out of their team members and can show you innovative ways to increase retention from the first chapter. From a middle-class background in southern England to the C – Suite in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sean tells his story in a way that leaders at all levels can easily relate. His first book is a firsthand look inside every aspect of how to manage people. He understands what it’s like to be unmotivated as an hourly employee and what it takes to turn that into a loyal and happy team player who roots for the success of everyone around him, including the company he works for. Sharing a career that spans living in three countries, leading teams from Europe to the Caribbean and the United States, the reader will hear his story, with blunders, pitfalls to avoid and the huge wins that came along the way. With a genuine commitment to telling his story, readers will walk away knowing how they will be the leader they want to be and the leader their employees deserve.”

The Review

This was a fantastic blend of memoir-style storytelling and guided education on management and leadership skills in the modern world. The importance of taking the time to learn how to speak with your employees or your team members in our modern world not because it is required, but because it is the right thing to do becomes a cornerstone early on in the author’s book was truly moving to read about, as it sets the tone for the author’s experiences and lessons immediately.

To me, the author really was able to cover a wide range of topics under the banner of leadership. From establishing excellent communication early on to determining one’s core values and even the recruitment process, the book does a great job of detailing and showcasing each step easily. The balance of personal storytelling and education that each chapter boasts was a helpful tool in relating to the reader and showcasing how leaders can always grow and learn themselves as time goes on.

The Verdict

Memorable, engaging, and thoughtfully written, author Sean Barnard’s “Intentional Retention” is a must-read nonfiction book on business and leadership that you won’t be able to put down. The inspiring and enlightening nature of the author’s work and the captivating steps that readers can take to improve their leadership skills and how the author was able to relate it to our modern workforce made this a captivating read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Sean Barnard serves as Chief Operating Officer for privately held North Carolina based Smiles Ahead LLC. His role oversees 5 brands of dentistry that include Burrow Welchel & Culp, Orthodontics, White & Johnson Pediatrics, Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry, Signature Smiles Orthodontics and Dogwood Family Dentistry. His international career spans from Europe and the Caribbean to the U.S. and includes C-Level suite positions in gaming, hospitality, manufacturing, and healthcare.

Starting his career as a casino dealer in England in 1979, he moved into junior management before emigrating to the Bahamas in 1984. In 1991 Sean was recruited to join a management team opening one of the first casinos in North America to be built outside Las Vegas or Atlantic City.

Sean enjoyed several leadership positions within the gaming and hospitality industry and worked throughout the United States. As Senior Vice President of one of the largest casinos in the U.S., he was responsible for over a 1m sf resort with 1500 employees, close to $250,000,000 in annual revenues and over $85m in EBTIDA. Sean served as President of the Missouri Gaming Association and on several non-profit boards before ‘retiring’ in 2014.

In 2016, the introduction to Dr. Dustin Burleson led to Fifty-Eight LLC, a consultancy that grew in reputation and size with a range of clients across the US. Sean has been a keynote speaker with a presentation that challenges how we all think of HR and leadership.

• Sean is a Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional and Certified Kolbe Consultant.

https://www.sean-barnard.com/