On a day when we honor Martin Luther King, Jr., a man who risked his own life to make his dream of equal rights for all a reality, I’ve chosen to read many of the words he spoke during his lifetime. What a visionary. One of my favorite places to read quotes and sayings is www.brainyquote.com. You can search by topic or person and you’ll find a wealth of cool data.

One of my favorite quotes of Dr. King’s is this:

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase. “

Exactly one year ago, I had a dream … to FINALLY get clear about my path in life and business. To finally get clear about who I serve, the magic I offer, and the legacy I want to leave in the world.

You see, I had been in business for myself for 3 years at that point. Things were going well, but I have a confession to make: I felt a bit lost, a bit muddy, a bit scattered. Yup, me the woman and coach who may seem uber-confident and “put together” on the outside was swimming around in a sea of confusion. Ugh.

To help paint a picture, my business and personal life had transformed a lot during that time … I stepped away from freelance conference production work and leading in-person moms support groups and truly embraced my global coaching and information marketing business … I fine-tuned my niche a few times to best represent the types of women I wanted to serve … I had a child and was pregnant with baby #2 … I moved from the bright lights of New York City to the cultured country of the Berkshires … and I let go of some relationships that sucked me dry (that’s what energy vampires will do if you let them) to focus on spending time with people who fueled me and got me.

So in January of last year, I wanted to ensure that what I was creating in the world was still in line with the evolved vision I had for my life. I’d fallen in the trap of doing work in the past that robbed me of my top values of freedom, flexibility and family … and you’d better believe that I wasn’t going back there. It sucks.

Because I believe in getting HELP from experts, teachers and guides (the best investment you can make is on your own education and growth), I hired a top mentor to guide me on this quest: Fabienne Fredrickson of www.clientattraction.com.

Me + Fabienne after my "hot seat". What an experience!

It was faith over fear that allowed me to fork over $2,000 for the chance to spend the day with her and a handful of other heart-centered entrepreneurs for our coaching intensive meeting. Gulp.

Of course there was a massive snowstorm the day before our meeting, so much so that my mom (who flew up from Florida to watch my son) suggested that perhaps the meeting would be cancelled. But I wouldn’t be derailed. Your dreams have a way of pushing you like that once you’ve tapped into what those dreams are.

So off I went for my 3-hour drive to Stamford, Connecticut, 6 months pregnant and all. The roads were full of snow, but I enjoyed the ride, drove slow and steady, and stayed focused on my quest.

The day with Fabienne and the others was spectacular. It was there, while I was up in the “hot seat,” that I got clear about so many things:

• My message: “Find Your Path. Leave a Legacy. Enjoy the Ride.”
• My legacy: Empowering women (you!) to be gutsy leaders in sharing your gift with the world
• My next “big” move that will change everything: Writing my book
• Clarity around who I am: A lightworker
• How to share my big work with the world without losing my connection to my family or to myself
• How to think bigger and break through fear
• Why holding myself back hurts more than just me
• Why being coached by someone whose walked the road I want to walk shortens my learning curve and makes my life a ton easier and more fun

I immediately went home and started hosting this transformative days for my clients (how could I hold back something as transformative as what I had experienced?!), only I designed them as private VIP days for one client and myself … and they were spectacular. (You can read more about those days here).

Well, fast forward one year and here I am, about to host one of these days in New York City (my former home) for a handful of smart, savvy ladies who are ready to break free from a blah life, from a life that looks good on the outside, but is painfully not “you” anymore (or was it ever?) on the inside.

It’s the VIP Coaching Intensive, it’s happening in 11 days, and it’s freakin’ amazing. (And it’s priced very affordably at a lot less than $2,000!)

And if you’ve been considering it, but have been afraid to take the leap, well it’s time to learn from Dr. King and take that step even IF you can’t see the whole staircase. That’s exactly what one of the gals who has stepped up to join me has done.

Read her words …

“Dear Jenny,

I don’t have ANY money and I didn’t hesitate for one second. I will be living the next few months on CREDIT with an abundance mindset and after I pay my income taxes there will be money left over to pay off my accrued credit card debt! Can I put a price on my sanity or having a great 11 months? Nope and if I could I’m sure it would be a lot more than I paid! I remembered “JFDI” from the first phone call I listened to of yours. Plus, I missed the Retreat for Goddesses this past summer and planned on going this summer so to me it’s like getting NYC FREE and the 3-day Retreat at a great price!” – Julia Slike, Independent Senior Director of Thirty-One Gifts

You’ll notice Julia mentioned that she scored a complimentary registration to the Retreat for Goddesses. She’s a smart cookie! Well, in the spirit of wanting you to experience the transformation that awaits you at BOTH the VIP Coaching Intensive this month AND the Retreat for Goddesses this summer, I’ve decided to offer you this chance to score your complimentary registration to the retreat (your travel and lodging costs are additional) when you apply and are accepted into the VIP Coaching Intensive … but this offer DISAPPEARS midnight tomorrow, January 17.

You’re not going to want to miss either experience. I promise.

Get all the details here and put your faith in action.

I’ll sign off today with another fantastic quote by Dr. King. Let it sink in … there is so much truth in it, it brings me to tears …

“If a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.”

Sending you love, faith and purpose in abundant measures.

xoxo

Jenny

P.S. If you’re wondering, “JFDI” means: “Just freakin’ do it.”

P.P.S. It’s okay if you share this with a friend. Sure, the offer I laid out above can be transferred, but only until TOMORROW at midnight Eastern.

Guest Post by Dawn Falcone

*This is the third guest post in our series by members of the Gutsy Goddess Society. Members were given the opportunity to share their holiday and New Year’s traditions and rituals with the Zen Jenny community. Enjoy!

My family has been eating lentil soup on New Year’s Day for as long as I can remember. I was told that I had to eat it to ensure prosperity in the upcoming year. For the longest time, I thought it was just some weird Italian superstition, but I found out that Brazilians & Spaniards also believe in it.

When I lived in Rhode Island, my entire family and I used to go to my Aunt Chickie’s house for her soup on New Year’s Day. For some reason, my family believed that her soup would guarantee even more wealth than my mother or grandmother’s version. Our family was so large that we came and ate in shifts. Everyone had to consume at least three spoonfuls of lentils. I think that’s some Catholic thing, representing the Holy Trinity.

Aunt Chickie’s real name was Frances. She was no taller than 4’5″ even in her gold high-heeled slippers. She had short, blonde, fuzzy hair and a cute little laugh, so maybe that’s how she got her nickname. She was feisty! She smoked, swore like a sailor and played a mean game of cards. I always associated Aunt Chickie with the summertime. We spent many a day in her backyard playing in her pool.

Chickie taught generations of kids to swim and dive. Her enthusiasm and encouraging words not only contagious but needed to conquer our swimming fears.

I continue the lentil soup tradition today in New York City in Aunt Chickie’s honor. On the first morning of 2012, I threw some lentils, diced carrots, celery, stock and lots of garlic into a crock-pot and waited for the wonderful aroma to overtake my home.

This year I decided that I want to spread the wealth, so I made an extra large batch of this family recipe and delivered it to some inspiring women in my life. It’s my small way of letting these friends and neighbors know that I cherish their gifts and look forward to watching 2012 unfold.

**How about you? What did you do to welcome in 2012? Please share in the Comments section below!**

Dawn Falcone is an organizing and design expert and the owner of Dawn Falcone Lifestyles, the leader in transforming your home into a personal paradise. She’s also a stellar member of the Gutsy Goddess Society – Rebel tier.

Guest Post by Julia Slike + her 5-year-old daughter Lexie

*This is the second guest post in our series by members of the Gutsy Goddess Society. Members were given the opportunity to share their holiday and New Year’s traditions and rituals with the Zen Jenny community. Enjoy!

I asked my daughter who is 5 what her favorite Christmas traditions are. Afterall, isn’t what we do as a parent to create wonderful childhood memories for our children as we help weave the fabric of their life? Here is what she said and my commentary …

1. Ice skating
Hmmm, her third Christmas we all got ice skates to use on our pond, which we let freeze over. The following spring we had what my husband called “dead fish soup.” Yup, ALL the fish in our pond died when we cut off the spring feeding to let it freeze over. Oops! That was the first and last winter we skated on the pond, but we did get a great family photo – one with my husband smiling, which is rare!

2. Decorating the tree
Honestly this does nothing for me, but my daughter LOVES to do the tree so I leave it all to her. This year we even strung popcorn (for two straight hours) to make garland — that was fun, a new tradition for sure!

3. Telling Santa what I want for Christmas
Every year we go to Bass Pro Shop to sit on Santa’s lap. And not just one of the “helper” Santas, “The Real Santa” … ya know the one from the North Pole! It is the same exact Santa every year. I hope he doesn’t retire anytime soon! This year she told him she wanted a Pink Red Ryder BB Gun. Then she asked Daddy, “why would Santa tell me I’d shoot my eye out?” (Editor’s note: love this! “Christmas Story” is a classic.)

4. Looking at Christmas cards
I know this was a favorite tradition of my mom’s when her dad would sit around the table and open the cards received that day. I’m glad my daughter enjoys it too. Might help that I am Christmas card designer. I design the cards for us and other families every year. What was once a career for me is now simply a tradition!

5. Opening presents
‘nuf said.

6. Putting the decorations up
See #2.

7. Matching jammies for me and my doll
A new tradition started by my mom this year. Lexie has never been one of those girls to carry a doll baby everywhere (which is why Santa brought her a LeapPad instead of an American Girl doll) and wouldn’t you know she now takes this doll everywhere with her!

8. My mom’s socks she wears on Christmas Day
I got a pair of red/white striped knee-high stockings with white fur at the top to wear every Christmas morning. Ya know so when my daughter looks back at pictures she’s like, “there’s mom and her goofy Christmas socks.” This year when I put them on, she exclaimed, “Mom! I remember those!”

9. We got Daddy an apron for Christmas that says “Cafe Daddy”
Daddy cooks very yummy dinners! One family beach vacation we decided that Daddy’s cooking “in” was better than eating any dinner “out” and we gave him the nickname “Cafe Daddy.” Christmas Day he cooks an herb-stuffed turkey with all the trimmings.

10. Mom makes the best cheese souffle for Christmas morning! Now give them the recipe …
The three of us can eat almost the entire pan in one sitting. If you are a family of four or more you will want to make a double batch!

Cheese Souffle Recipe
6 eggs
2 C. Milk
1/4 C. Melted butter
1 tsp. Onion salt
Salt & pepper to taste
2 C. Shredded sharp cheddar
8 slices Pepperidge Farm white bread
1 lb. Bacon (I use Hormel Black Label)

Grease 9×9 pan (I use a Pampered Chef square baker)
Cube bread and lay in bottom of pan
Sprinkle cheese over top the bread layer
Mix all remaining ingrediants and pour evenly over cheese
Top with bacon (I cook bacon half way first then cut up with scissors and put on top)

Preheat oven to 325 and bake for 45min till golden.

Julia Slike is an Independent Senior Director of Thirty-One Gifts and a member of the Gutsy Goddess Society – Rebel tier. She’s starting 2012 on a powerful foot by joining Jenny Fenig and other female leaders at the transformative VIP Coaching Intensive in New York City on January 27. Woo hoo!

Guest Post by Maria Rainier

For years now, yoga has been a go to physical activity for those wishing to gain a healthier lifestyle physically, mentally, and spiritually. While there are numerous different styles of yoga, nearly all yoga styles are focused on developing control of your body and mind through different physical poses.

While all yoga styles aim to balance your body, mind and spirit, each different yoga style goes about it in a different way and with a different focus. Yoga poses work to elongate and strengthen your muscles while also building on your balance and stability. These different yoga styles and techniques focus on specific areas of your physical or mental health, so that you can choose the one that will most benefit your being.

Vinyasa: Fluid Yoga

This is a very popular style of yoga that is known for its fluid, movement-intensive practices. In vinyasa classes, teachers will choreograph their classes to smoothly transition from one pose to another. These classes often focus on a variety of different physical and mental things, varying in every class and with every instructor.

Vinyasa is typically fast-paced, providing strengthening poses, deep stretching poses, awakening poses, and meditative poses. With so much variety available from one class to another, vinyasa is a very popular choice for students wishing to gain a full yoga experience. Other than almost certainly including Sun Salutations, no two classes will be the same. Vinyasa is style of yoga that is often translated and embedded within other yoga styles.

Ananda: Meditation Yoga

This yoga style focuses primarily on breath awareness, affirmations, and posture. Through these three focuses, ananda takes an individual from body awareness through energy awareness and finally to inner awareness. It is this inner awareness that makes ananda yoga’s primary focus meditation.

Affirmations are a long standing tradition in yoga and one of the central focuses of ananda yoga. In yoga, affirmations are a form of positive self talk that is repeated over and over as one performs a yoga position. Anada meditative yoga is a wonderful way to find balance in your life both physically and mentally.

Ashtanga: Power Yoga

Ashtanga is known as power yoga, concentrating on providing a serious workout in a fast-paced setting. This form of yoga combines sequential poses performed one after the other. This fast-paced posing creates a physically demanding workout that challenges the lungs and heart. Ashtanga yoga provides a wonderful way to build strength, flexibility, and stamina.

Bikram: Hot Yoga

A fairly new form of yoga, Bikram yoga has become a popular trend among yoga goers everywhere. Bikram yoga is practiced in a room that is 95 to 100 degrees warm, making for a sweaty workout. This heated room enables your tight muscles to loosen up significantly more than traditional yoga does. Also, the profuse sweating that you do during Bikram is thought to be a form of cleansing. Bikram yoga focuses primarily on stretching out muscles and promoting flexibility.

Iyengar: Symmetry and Alignment

Developed over 60 years ago, Iyengar yoga promotes strength, flexibility, endurance, and balance through careful breathing exercises and poses that require precise body alignment. This style of yoga tends to stress holding poses for a longer duration of time so that individuals can focus on correct body positioning.

While many styles of yoga encourage flow, moving from one position to another rather quickly, Iyengar is much slower paced. Iyengar emphasizes holding a pose for a long time so that you can find the position that provides the greatest benefits and avoids potential injury. Oftentimes, Iyengar yoga will use different props such as yoga blankets, straps, and blocks to help bring your body into the right alignment.

Kundalini: Awakening Energy

This style of yoga was at one time kept secret in India as a special power the public could not possess. Today, people perform Kundalini yoga to awaken the energy that is believed to be at the base of their spine. By drawing this power upward, individuals can find more strength and alignment in their minds and body. Kundalini combines breathing exercises, postures, chanting, and meditation all in one. While all asana yoga practices focus controlling your breath, Kundalini explores the effects controlling your breath has on different postures.

As we welcome in a New Year, which style of yoga is calling out to you?

Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education where she writes about education, online colleges and online degrees. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

Guest Post by Sandra Wapniarski, Creator of www.bewomensnetwork.com

*This is the first guest post in our series by members of the Gutsy Goddess Society. Members were given the opportunity to share their holiday and New Year’s traditions and rituals with the Zen Jenny community. Enjoy!

What a life, what a journey. 2011 was a year of growth for my family. 2010 was a year of devastation; we cried, we experienced anguish, we prayed for positivity so deeply. As I look back on what I then considered devastation, I realize in retrospect, that it was such a very necessary step; a blessing. God burdened us with the hardships so that we could make the changes quickly and fiercely. The hardships triggered out strength; sink or swim.  We ALL chose to swim and changed the course of 2011.

I remember Christmas 2010, I felt so alone. Family and celebration were no where to be found. I could feel the negative in the air; no remote sense of celebration at all. We felt not one reason to celebrate. We felt disappointment really; at what 2010 had delivered to us, at what hardships we had faced throughout the year individually and as a family. We just wanted this crazy turmoil to be over.  I could actually see and feel the bad taste in my daughter’s eyes. I sensed disillusionment not celebration.

There were no gifts under the tree. There was no tree.  We did not feel the whimsical magic that usually overtook our house. The warmth was replaced by cold.  The turkey was not basting in the oven, there were no people. There were no decorations. There was nothing. There was no hot chocolate on Christmas Day as we un-wrapped the Christmas gifts. There were no gifts. Or so we thought.

As 2011 came without a whisper, with no advanced notice or warning, the deliberate Divine triggered devastation clearly became the catalyst to my family’s reactive growth and success. What a gift that turned out to be.

It may not have been clear at the time as 2010 formally exited, but it quickly became clear that God was giving us the greatest gift of all. The pain and sorrow of 2010 turned to happiness, gratefulness, success, joy, health and peace for 2011. The cup was no longer EMPTY it was completely FULL.

I was an observer this past year. I observed miracles; sometimes from afar, sometimes I was smack in the middle. I observed growth; spiritual growth and personal growth of myself, of others, of my children.  I connected with myself this year. I grew into myself, I held my own. I made my way. I continue to make my way.  As a person, as a woman, I changed. I am not the same woman I was in 2010. I connected with so many amazing people. I discovered my true purpose.

One decision I made this year was to join the Gutsy Goddess Society (GGS); a network of women, pursuing their dreams, together – a Mastermind group; infinite intelligence. Formed and led by Jenny Fenig. Jenny, with a dream and in pursuit of her purpose, manifested the Gutsy Goddess Society. Created to realize her calling and to bring women together to support each other in life; creating a fabulous life, a life without limits. This for me was a leap of faith, a testament to my taking my life and running fast, hard and deliberately; a testament to my growth; A celebration of my life and my present. GGS supports me. GGS helps me realize my dreams. GGS drives me to pursue my desires, my purpose. I am grateful.

With a renewed sense of GRATITUDE, I can safely say that on the morn of Chrismukkah 2011, my house was FULL; full of people, full of gifts, full of hope, happiness, peace and joy as we raise our CUPS OF HOT CHOCOLATE once again.

Many, many blessings to you!

Sandra Wapniarski is a life passion and motivational coach, speaker and leader. You can find out more about Sandra and her new “Clear and Release” program (it rocks!) at www.bewomensnetwork.com.

My yoga teacher shared something with our class this week. A poem that stirred up a lot. Now I share it with you …

When you read it, really let the words penetrate deep into your soul, okay?

The Invitation
by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it, or fade it, or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand at the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, ‘Yes.’

It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

**************

xoxo
Jenny

P.S. I’m looking for 6 more amazing, spirited women who are ready to get gutsy. Who are ready to … take chances. Boost your self-worth. Boost your net worth. Say no. Push back. Open up to the flow. Flex your courage. Up your confidence. Uncover what lies inside. Are you ready to step forward?

The VIP Coaching Intensive is waiting for you. Apply by next Friday, Dec. 23 to save $500 AND score a complimentary registration to the 2012 Retreat for Goddesses. You will NOT want to miss any of this. Promise. Get all the details and request your application to transformation and awesome-ness here.

Question: Got any ideas for self-help type books that can help me snuff out the negative chatter? - Alli, New York, NY

Jenny says: Oh Alli, do I! Ya, the negative chatter is something I know all too well. Sounds like you are ready to quiet the monkey mind and tell the inner critic to take a hike. Good for you.

Definitely take a look at Louise Hay’s work. She’s all about affirmations and healing yourself. Her seminal work is “You Can Heal Your Life.” Also look at Cheryl Richardson’s “The Art of Extreme Self-Care.” Love her and her message about loving yourself all over. Don Miguel Ruiz’s “The Mastery of Love” is hugely helpful, too. It will totally shift your perspective on relationships. Finally, check out Debbie Ford’s “The Dark Side of the Light Chasers.” You’ll learn to embrace your shadow. Powerful stuff.

Start with these and you’ll be good to go! Since you are a reader, I invite you to check out my recent blog post dedicated to some of my all-time fave books. Enjoy.

Guest Post by Sidney Fenig, M.D.

Hi! Iʼm Sidney and I woke up one day, and realized that Iʼm now 81 years old. How and when this happened is an enigma to me! You see, Iʼm still not sure about the whole thing.

I remember being a little boy, in Newburgh, New York, the last of 4 children of Fanny and Samuel, both immigrants from Poland, unfamiliar with the language spoken around them, unfamiliar with the customs around them, and unfamiliar with the new world they found themselves in.

My dad was a window washer, abused and mistreated by the wealthy clients who took advantage of his illiteracy. My mom was a housewife. Education and goals for the 4 children were not their concern. Putting food on the table was! And religion was the backbone of their existence. Saturday was spent at the Schul. A day of rest and quiet.

My education was mediocre … I didnʼt excel in anything. In fact, I graduated with a commercial diploma, told by my guidance counselor to learn a trade! Ah yes, and what a trade I chose.

I loaded Coca-Cola into trucks! My downfall with that company happened when I tried to organize the workers to demand more money … and was fired! Not that that mattered much. There were other such jobs available in those days.

My sister Claireʼs husband, Harry, suggested I take the entrance exam to City College, as, for a reason I truly do not understand, he believed I was smart and needed to try to make something of myself! I took it, passed, and so began my new life.

I entered as an education major, but soon found the classes boring. I changed my major to pre-med. And, the new Sidney Fenig came into being.

I graduated with honors, Magna Cum Laude, and went on to apply to medical school. Being a City College graduate in those days, made this decision impossible … no medical school wanted us. So, undaunted in my new “psyche”, I applied to Brandeis University, and went on to get a masters degree in organic chemistry. Then, I was accepted into the Albert Einstein School of Medicine, newly founded that year!

So, the child of immigrant parents, a poor student with absolutely no goal in life … is now, a medical doctor.

And here I am, now 81 years old, reflecting on what I have accomplished in those astounding number of years! I think back about my parents. How fortunate I was to have been loved and cared for. How fortunate I am to have wonderful memories of days helping my Poppy wash windows with a Phi Beta Kappa key attached to my belt. How I wish he had lived to know how I succeeded.

I remember how my mother, in her unsophisticated, quiet way, was proud of her Sidney, telling all her friends about her son.

And I remember how, once I had earned my first few dollars, I went back to the store in Newburgh where my Poppy had washed windows, and bought my first new suit!

One reaches what we call “old age,” and we are left with the thought of those things we wish we had done. I have those thoughts also, but as I reflect on my life, I am in awe of where I started and where I am now!

The young people today spend much on the education of their children, offering them all kinds of classes and activities to increase their intellectual capacity and curiosity. I envy them, both parent and child. For those days are so precious and so fleeting. But, in my heart I know, that what was given to me by the quiet and often unexpressed love from my parents, made me the man I am today…

So, at the ripe old age of 81, I think of my Poppy and my mother, and know that I am blessed! And I think of my wonderful grandchildren, blessed by parents who give them the love only a parent can give. And I think of the days I have spent with them, hoping that the memories of those days live past me. For, as it says in the prayer book I read at Temple, “the acts of goodness live on in the hearts of those who cherish their memory.”

A wonderful thought at 81!

Sidney Fenig, M.D., is a loving husband, father, grandfather, friend and cardiologist.

Father-in-law to Jenny Fenig, the publisher of this blog, Sid has taught her the meaning of generosity, grace and quiet wisdom.

I love books! I consider them important messengers on the journey of life. Here are 7 of my all-time faves …



“Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky: This was a high school read for me. It was the book that woke me up. I kind of breezed through high school. Didn’t apply myself fully academically until junior and senior years. Having a full social life was more important to me. I robbed myself of reading fantastic books (read Cliff’s Notes instead!) until this book came along. Something about it really resonated. The themes of morality and justice and living with your actions and your conscience spoke to me. Life is a series of choices. Want a good life? Make smart choices for the greatest good of all people. After reading this book, I started appreciating writing, books and novels a whole lot more. Thank you, Dostoevsky.



“The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger: I can’t recall the first time I read this book (college I think?!), but I do know what a huge impact it had on me. The protagonist Holden Caulfield really stood out in my mind. He was the original rebel. Did his own thing. Marched to the beat of his own drummer. Didn’t care what others thought of him. Plus he lived in New York, a place I had yet to visit (and would later call home for over a decade). The writing style of Salinger was right up my alley. Succinct, clear, powerful, raw, edgy. There’s a reason this book is a classic. It kicks ass. If you haven’t read it yet, do yourself a favor and read it. Now.



“On the Road” by Jack Kerouac: I definitely read this book in college … on my summer break after freshman year. I remember that time in my life as hugely introspective. I was curious about so much. I wanted to explore, have adventures, grow and learn. Realizing there was a huge world out there ripe for seeing, tasting, feeling was a lightbulb moment. I learned about the Beat Generation in my freshman history class at the University of Florida. These beatniks sounded really freakin’ cool. I also was a fan of 10,000 Maniacs and their song “Hey Jack Kerouac.” Something about it was mysterious to me. So I picked up this significant work of Kerouac. Loved how adventurous he and his buddies were in seeing the world and figuring out who they were in the process. The message of this book has been hugely influential in my life.



“She’s Come Undone” by Wally Lamb: This book took my breath away, especially because the author (a man!) wrote in first-person from a female’s perspective. He knew women and this character SO well. I don’t remember all of the details of this book, but I do know how much it spoke to my heart. The protagonist was so beat down, so raw, so vulnerable that she finally realizes that the only way to go is UP. It takes her a while. She has to come undone before she can put herself back together again, better, stronger, different. My takeaway? The breakdown leads to the breakthrough.



“The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold: Discovered this book in my early 20s. Holy crap. The whole premise of the book – a young girl narrating the whole story after her death, from heaven – really called out to me. Since my little sister Julie died at 12 (I was 16), I had done a lot of soul searching about life, death, grief, peace. This book nailed it for me. The description of heaven made me cry with its beauty, light and laughter. When the movie came out years later I was a bit nervous that it wouldn’t do justice to the book. But it did. Both book and movie are works for art. Read it. See it. You’ll be glad you did.



“Eat Pray Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert: Whoa. Another biggie. Read this one at the age of 30 during my final months being employed in the corporate world. I was seeking, searching, yearning for more meaning. This book filled the void. I loved how Liz just picked up and totally changed EVERYTHING in her life to find her own personal truth. What a renegade! And it wasn’t all easy for her … at all. It was excruciatingly painful, but she did it anyway. Then she made her journey through Italy, India and Indonesia into a new life and a runaway bestseller. Nothing sweeter than that. The point = listen to your inner voice.



The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Swami Satchidananda’s translation): Read this one during my yoga teacher training in 2007. Was reading it right before and right after I quit my last corporate job. It was a huge support to me during a time of great transition and confusion. I was grieving the life I was leaving behind and celebrating my new life where I was my own boss, charting my own course. It was not the life I imagined when I was just starting my career. I thought I would be CEO of a big public relations agency. Realized early on that wasn’t my path. This book helped my find and walk my path towards the truth, towards my soul, towards allowing my spirit to run free in the world. I call it the Bible of yoga. It contains universal truths about living well, about managing the monkeys in your mind, about being healthy, about being yourself. After reading this book, I then spent time at an ashram (a yogic community) created by Swami Satchidananda called Yogaville in Virginia. To say this book was pivotal on my journey is an understatement. If you’re seeking for a simpler, more fulfilling way to life, read this!