The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer
This book is highly recommended by a lot of podcasts, and I figured it might be a useful read since I've always had trouble both asking for and accepting help. The book comprises a series of vignettes from Amanda Palmer's life and many of them resonated with me. The vignettes were interesting, well written, and insightful. While I enjoyed the book, and I understood where the author was coming from, I'm not sure I'm any more comfortable seeking or receiving help in my own life. Maybe I will start to make some gradual shifts now that I'm aware of how resistant I am to even admitting that I need help. I may want to re-read this book 6 months from now, after I've sat with the insights for a while.
Soulful Simplicity by Courtney Carver
I'll be reading this book next and will update this blog post once I'm done.
Update (Oct 4/18): I enjoyed this book. It was written in a very easy to read and conversational style, and I found it to be a very candid account of Courtney Carver's journey. She provides information in a very humble and non-prescriptive way, which is in line with how I like to receive information. I agreed with a lot of what she wrote in the book, and I have experienced a lot of it myself via the process of simplifying life. There were also portions of the book that gave me a different perspective, which made me think and reassess. I won't be putting into practice everything that she recommends, but I think this is a worthwhile read for anyone looking to live a more soulful and simple existence.
Victory Lap Retirement by Mike Drak & Jonathan Chevreau
I'm attending a talk by one of the authors at the end of November, so I plan to read this book by then at the very latest... but hopefully I'll be done way before that!
Update (Oct 4/18): I sailed through this book! I agreed with so many points in the book, and it was pretty much a reflection of my thoughts. I've been reassessing my definition of retirement, as I used to believe it was sitting around and doing nothing or lounging on a beach somewhere. I've realized in the past year or so that retirement doesn't have to be defined that way. Ironically, I wouldn't have learned about this book unless I had quit my job; however, I would have gained so much insight if I had read this book before quitting my job. This book reinforced my decision to make a change, and I can't wait for the talk at the end of November.
Also, my current 101 in 1001 will be ending on Sep 14/18, so I'll be posting a new list on the 15th! I'm excited to think through what I would like to get done in the next 2.74 years, especially since I have a lot more free time now. I'm not sure if the full list will be ready by Saturday, but I plan to post whatever I have at that point in time. I'm eager to see a change in the types of things I want to do, in light of my new journey. I have a feeling books will play a much more significant role, whereas going to new restaurants will likely take a backseat. Anyway, I wanted to give you a heads up that my new list will be coming in a few days in case you would like to make a list of your own! :)
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