Five Books to Read This Summer | Self Care for Creatives

A friend of mine asked me a very simple question earlier this summer and it knocked sideways. “What are you reading right now?”. I’m pretty sure my mouth gaped open, and I had that fish outta water thing going for me for a moment. It’s a simple question, and yet, I had let my self care slip so badly that the closest I’d come to reading a book as of late was skimming through Like Water For Chocolate and a book of Robert W. Service poems that sits next to my bed.

How the hell did I get to this point? I LOVE to read. All caps, Nat King Cole & Natalie Cole style L.O.V.E. reading, and as I racked my brain, I couldn’t remember when I last picked up a book for fun.  Well, crap.

As I’ve picked up some of my Nora Roberts favorites again, to wind down after a day focused solely on business, website servers, client proposals, meetings, studio time styling shoots, getting my camera and gear out solely for the sake of being creative, don’t forget laundry, and keeping the house clean (you know, the never ending to do list that is adulthood as well as owning a couple of business’), the question got me thinking.  What else do I want to read. What have I ordered from Amazon that I haven’t made the time to get around to reading? What does that list look like?  The more I thought about it, and tossed it around in my head, I realized that if I was tossing in reading for fun aaaaaand business, that there’s probably a whole bunch of other creatives out there who are in the same boat.

Join me this summer, let’s read together, apart.

[[A quick note (ahem*fine print*ahem) the Amazon links below are affiliate links. What that means to you is this | I’ll receive a small commission should you choose to purchase through them. There is no additionally cost to you, in any way. Questions? Hit me up. I’m happy to answer them, or, click HERE for our terms and conditions]]

The Millennial’s Guide To Changing The World

Allison Lea Sher’s number one Amazon seller Millennial’s Guide To Changing The World crossed my desk when I was reviewing it through Brand Backer, and there was SOOOO much awesome in it, that while I’m exactly a millennial, I’m a HUGE advocate for anyone, at any stage in life picking this one up.

Alison Lea Sher’s Millennials Guide to Changing the World will lead a generation in doing just that. Reading her words is like having a conversation with your big sister over a cup of coffee in your favorite coffee shop. She tackles hard issues head on, with compassion, wit, and humor.

If you yourself are a millennial, you know someone who is, or if you have children of your own, this is a must read.

Blogging Brilliantly for Your Business

I first heard Christine Tremoulet a couple WPPI’s ago, when I sat in on her class, and y’all. MINDBLOWING. In the  change the way you think about doing business and life and what not. She’s a force of nature, in the best way, and oh man does she know her stuff.

 I’ve read her book multiple times, and like all other books that I go back to time and again, I get something different out of it. This summer, as I delve deeeeeeply into teaching my intern, Colby, how to start his brand (and blog) from the ground up, I know that I’ll be approaching Christine’s book with a perspective that I have not before, and I’m real stoked.

Join Her Facebook Group [HERE]

Let It Out, A Journey Through Journaling

According to my mom, I’ve been keeping a journal since loooooong before I could write. When I’d get into trouble for whatever it was that I’d done to deserve being sent to my room, she’d poke her head in the door and there I’d be, scribbling away furiously in whatever journal I was using at that point in time.  I’ve kept journals consistently through out my life, once one is filled, it goes into a big plastic storage tote that to this day, lives at my mom’s house.

 I met and photographed author Katie Dalebout when she was a part of The Wine & Shine’s first annual live podcast event at The Wonder Jam, and like with Christine, this chick is passionate, and big time inspiring.

I bought her book on the spot, and with that whole not making time to read for myself thing, have yet to pick it up and dive into it. Hence it’s place on my summer reading list.  The sections that I’ve read through however, have been hugely motivating in the inspirational way, and I’m jazzed to kick back with a frosty something or other and get reading.

Faster Than Normal

A friend of mine, who is also a photographer & creative (and fellow ADHD gal), sent me the link to a list of gift ideas for those of us who deal with our brains working faster than our bodies can keep up with, and while I’ve lost the link itself, I did order Peter Shankman’s book on the spot.

The absolute importance of self care has been brought into sharp relief as of late, and for me, that means reading Shankman’s book.

Sooner rather than later.

Light is The New Black

This one speaks for itself. If you’re meant to read it, you will.

 

Want to work with me? Hello@khalifestylephotography.com