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Find out moreWhether you are continuing your health journey or just beginning, our Mind & Body section will help you be better, at Mindfulness, Moving or managing each day more efficiently. Have a look through our collection and fulfil your potential today! Looking for more lifestyle literature? Check out our Lifestyle & Health selection.
Stress Less, Accomplish More is more than just a book (or audiobook) about meditation and mindfulness. It contains practical, common-sense advice on dealing with stress, sleeping well, boosting your brainpower and changing your lifestyle for the better. Emily Fletcher discusses how to ‘up-level’ yourself by raising your priorities and goals in life; making small, but purposeful adaptations to your daily schedule can change how you think and also how you perceive the world. The book concentrates on a particular technique called Ziva meditation, which involves just 15 minutes of meditation twice a day. The science behind the technique is explained well, along with real-life case studies to highlight its benefits. The narration is very clear, in a relaxing, chatty style, and it felt as though I was listening to a knowledgeable friend or professional counsellor. A big advantage of listening to an audiobook about meditation and mindfulness, rather than simply reading a print version, is that I could practise the exercises at the same time. I found myself listening with my eyes shut, which enabled me to concentrate more easily. Stress Less, Accomplish More provides an interesting way to think more positively and reduce your stress levels, particularly if (or when) you’re feeling overwhelmed by your hectic lifestyle. I’ll definitely be listening to audiobook again, several times, to practise the techniques.
How to describe this beautifully engaging and fascinating book… it is certainly a memoir, it is also a series of small interviews and chats with people coping with the different shocks and traumatic events that life can throw at you, and it’s a riveting foray into the literary and artistic world. Christina Patterson is a journalist and broadcaster, working for The Sunday Times and the Guardian and regularly commenting on radio and TV. I started reading and just soaked up the words, I felt as though Christina Patterson was sitting beside me, speaking directly to me, connecting with my own thoughts and feelings. I slowly began to discover her life (she reveals her own life events with a composed yet gentle thoughtfulness), I also found her humour, friendships, frustrations, fears, and love for bubbles and crisps. She offers the very opposite of a self-help book, yet I feel there is much to be found within these pages by those in need of a little comfort. As I finished reading, I wanted to applaud and also hug her with thanks for writing this compelling and fabulous read. Incredibly moving, The Art of Not Falling Apart touched me deeply, a huge surge of hope and optimism also lies within, just waiting to be discovered.
How to Retrain Your Appetite provides a ‘no nonsense’ approach to weight loss, based on science and psychology. Most diet books concentrate on what you should and shouldn’t eat and are filled with recipes and meal plans. How to Retrain Your Appetite takes a very different approach. This book isn’t about denying yourself the foods you love but concentrates on controlling your appetite, so you learn to eat only when you’re hungry and savour every mouthful. The science is explained simply and clearly, with plenty of self-help tips, real-life case studies and checklists, creating an interactive, practical workbook. This book isn’t a quick fix solution. It takes time to ditch unhelpful eating habits that have become a natural part of your daily life. Instead, it’s a book to read slowly, one step at a time, identifying your current habits, exploring why you eat when you’re not hungry and working out how to change your eating routine. This is also a book to read again and again, digesting the information until it becomes a natural part of your day. How to Retrain Your Appetite provides a fascinating insight into hunger, self-control and emotional eating – and could potentially help you to achieve permanent weight loss.
It took us 4 billion years to evolve to where we are now - completely brilliant and yet, some might say, emotionally dwarfed. The question is: can our more empathetic side catch up in time to save us and the world? I've got nothing against smarts, but it's smarts without emotional awareness that got us into this position of being able to nuke each other into oblivion and rape the earth for oil. With a little help from a monk (who tells us how our mind works) and a neuroscientist (who tells us how our brain works), Ruby Wax answers every question you've ever had about: evolution, thoughts, emotions, the body, addictions, relationships, sex, kids, the future and compassion. Filled with witty anecdotes from Ruby's own life, and backed up by smart science and practical mindfulness exercises, How to be Human is the only manual you need to help you upgrade your mind as much as you've upgraded your iphone.
The first veggie cookbook from the nation's favourite healthy cook and fitness sensation, Joe Wicks aka The Body Coach. Get ready for Joe's vegetarian take on Lean in 15: The Shift Plan, which is the bestselling diet book of all time. Inside are a hundred flavour-packed vegetarian recipes, many of which are also vegan, plus three exclusive Body Coach HIIT workouts and a bonus abs workout. From Smoky Sweet Potato Chilli to 'Creamy' Butternut Pasta, Veggie Lean in 15 features a fantastic range of meat-free dishes, all prepared in fifteen minutes flat. The recipes are ideal for full- and part-time veggies, as well as those wishing to cut down on eating meat in a healthy and delicious way. There are also plenty of make-ahead ideas to get you prepping like a boss in no time at all. Joe has more than four million followers on social media where fans share their personal journeys towards a leaner, fitter lifestyle. The Lean in 15 titles won platinum and gold awards at the Specsavers Nielsen book awards and all of his books have been non-fiction number one bestsellers.
Are YOU the ultimate map-reader? Do you know your trig points from your National Trails? Can you calculate using contours? And can you fathom exactly how far the footpath is from the free house? Track down hidden treasures, decipher geographical details and discover amazing facts as you work through this unique puzzle book based on 40 of the Ordnance Survey's best British maps. Explore the first ever OS map made in 1801, unearth the history of curious place names, encounter abandoned Medieval villages and search the site of the first tarmac road in the world. With hundreds of puzzles ranging from easy to mind-boggling, this mix of navigational tests, word games, code-crackers, anagrams and mathematical conundrums will put your friends and family through their paces on the path to becoming the ultimate map-master!
The bestselling author of Head Strong and The Bulletproof Diet answers the question 'How do I kick more ass?'-providing proven techniques for becoming happier, healthier, and smarter, culled from the wisdom and insight of world-class thought leaders and mavericks of science and business. When Dave Asprey started his Bulletproof Radio podcast more than five years ago, he sought out thought leaders and influencers in an array of disciplines, from biochemists to business titans to mediation masters. These folks were some of the top performing humans in the world, people who had changed their areas of study or even pioneered entirely new fields. Dave wanted to know: What did they have in common? What mattered most to them? What makes them so successful at what they do-and what makes them happiest? And so, at the end of each interview, Dave began asking the same question: 'What are your top three recommendations for people who want to kick more ass?' Combing through the recordings, looking for patterns and common threads, he found that the wisdom gleaned from these highly successful people can be distilled into three main categories: body, mind, and spirit. Game Changers is the culmination of Dave's years-long statistical analysis of these conversations, offering thirty-six science-backed, high performance 'laws' that are a virtual playbook for how to become not only more successful, but also happier and healthier. Each chapter of Game Changers is structured around one of these laws. Dave combines anecdotes from game changers like Daniel Amen, David Perlmutter, Arianna Huffington, Dan Harris, and Tim Ferris with his own research and practical advice that readers can put into action immediately. From practising gratitude and mindfulness to prioritising social connections and sex, taming fear and anxiety to optimising nutrition and movement, Dave brings together the wisdom of today's game-changers to help everyone optimise their lives....
We plan, as the old proverb says, and God laughs. But most of us don't find it all that funny when things go wrong. Most of us want love, a nice home, good work and happy children. Many of us grew up with parents who made these things look relatively easy and assumed we would get them, too. So what do you do if you don't? What do you do when you feel you've messed it all up and your friends seem to be doing just fine? For Christina Patterson, it was her job as a journalist that kept her going through the ups and downs of life. And then she lost that, too. Dreaming of revenge and irritated by self-help books, she decided to do the kind of interviews she had never done before. The resulting conversations are surprising, touching and often funny. There's Ken, the first person to be publicly fired from a FTSE-100 board. There's Winston, who fell through a ceiling onto a purple coffin. There's Louise, whose baby was seriously ill, but who still worried about being fat. And through it all, there's Christina, eating far too many crisps as she tries to pick up the pieces of her life. The Art of Not Falling Apart is a joyous, moving and sometimes shockingly honest celebration of life as an adventure, one where you ditch your expectations, raise a glass and prepare for a rocky ride.
Love, laughs, sexuality and secrets from LGBT superstar YouTube couple, Rose and Rosie.Rose and Rosie are known for their candid and hilarious YouTube videos... but now they are taking oversharing to a whole new level. Discussing sexuality, revealing secrets and empowering others, OVERSHARE is a book packed with Rose and Rosie's unique take on friendships, fame, mental health and LGBT issues. As visibly out members of the LGBT community, they open up about their own experiences, both together and as individuals, and have written this book in the hope that it gives strength to those who have faced similar difficulties. They are spreading a message of positivity and inclusivity, and want everyone to feel comfortable in their own skin, no matter what their sexuality. Delve deep into the unfiltered highs and lows of Rose and Rosie's life: family relationships, secrets of a happy marriage, struggles with OCD and anxiety, finding love and navigating the world as a gay couple. Get ready to laugh, cry, cringe and OVERSHARE.
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Find joy in the space around you When did you last feel joy? Changing your surroundings is the most easily accessible source in finding joy, says Ingrid Fetell Lee, former Design Director of IDEO New York. In Joyful, she explains it's time to open our eyes to the physical world. By making small but powerful changes to the things around us, we can live happier, healthier lives. Her TED talk has been viewed over 10 million times.
It's time for a different conversation about working and parenting. As our working days get ever longer and our phones keep so many of us glued to work, the needs of our children and the world of school and childcare has not changed at all. School summer holidays are still longer than our annual leave. Working mothers everywhere are tearing themselves apart, trying to meet the needs of their children, their relationships and their careers and too often feeling like they are failing. So is there a solution? When Christine Armstrong became a mother, it never occurred to her that she would want to give up her job. But the truth is, combining work and small kids is hard, and when Christine tried it, she found herself desolate with misery. Determined to find a way forward, she looked for answers by interviewing other working mums and found that she wasn't alone. The Mother of All Jobs brings together the wisdom of the women who opened up about everything (and we mean everything) into a manifesto for happy professional families. Ignoring the glossy lives presented on social media, this book shows that, while it's not always pretty, working parents can thrive if they have the knowledge others learnt the hard way.
A fascinating and practical guide from two New York Times bestselling authors, backed by state-of-the-art scientific research Drawing on cutting-edge research, friends and Harvard collaborators Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson expertly reveal what we can learn from a one-of-a-kind data pool that includes world-class meditators. They share for the first time remarkable findings that show how meditation - without drugs or high expense - can cultivate qualities such as selflessness, equanimity, love and compassion, and redesign our neural circuitry. Demonstrating two master thinkers at work, The Science of Meditation explains precisely how mind training benefits us. More than daily doses or sheer hours, we need smart practice, including crucial ingredients such as targeted feedback from a master teacher and a more spacious worldview. These two bestselling authors sweep away the misconceptions around these practices and show how smart practice can change our personal traits and even our genome for the better. Gripping in its storytelling and based on a lifetime of thought and action, this is one of those rare books that has the power to change us at the deepest level.
The world is messing with our minds. Rates of stress and anxiety are rising. A fast, nervous planet is creating fast and nervous lives. We are more connected yet feel more alone. And we are encouraged to worry about everything from world politics to our body mass index. How can we stay sane on a planet that makes us mad? How do we stay human in a technological world? How do we feel happy when we are encouraged to be anxious? After experiencing years of anxiety and panic attacks, these questions became urgent matters of life and death for Matt Haig. And he began to look for the link between what he felt and the world around him. Notes on a Nervous Planet is a personal and vital look at how to feel happy, human and whole in the 21st century.
Blending the tactics he learned from America's elite force with lessons from the Spartans, samurai, Apache scouts, and other great warrior traditions, Mark Divine has distilled the fundamentals of success into eight powerful principles that will transform you into the leader you always knew you could be. Learn to think like a SEAL and take charge of your destiny at work, at home, and at life. Want to be tough? Cool under fire? Able to sense danger before it's too late? In The Way of the SEAL, Updated and Expanded Edition, retired Navy SEAL Commander Mark Divine reveals exercises, meditations, and focusing techniques to train your mind for mental toughness, emotional resilience, and uncanny intuition. Along the way, you'll reaffirm your ultimate purpose, define your most important goals, and take concrete steps to make them happen. In this updated and expanded edition, timely new chapters apply the principles to leading in an ever-accelerating world and leading in teams. Plus, new key takeaways distill the principles in the book into easier-to-use chunks.
Shortlisted for The People's Book Prize| February 2018 Book of the Month. A perfectly formed absolute treat of a book, containing 300 aphorisms by Robert Eddison, journalist, playwright, public speaker, and aphorist. The foreword by Gyles Brandreth salutes the skill of Eddison. These pithy, witty, thoughtful one-liners at times burst onto my consciousness, while others made me think, ponder, consider. Two favourites of mine are “Deep thoughts take time to surface”, and “Throwaway remarks are not always caught”. This little book would make the perfect gift for anyone with an appreciation for words, written or spoken. It can be picked up and dipped into, become a topic of conversation, revisited and evaluated. Wisdom and Wordplay contains some wonderful one-liners, they tease, fence, pierce, creating a fabulous addition to any bookshelf. ~ Liz Robinson
Penguin presents the audiobook edition of 12 Rules for Life, written and read by Jordan B. Peterson. What are the most valuable things that everyone should know? Acclaimed clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson has influenced the modern understanding of personality, and now he has become one of the world's most popular public thinkers, with his lectures on topics from the Bible to romantic relationships to mythology drawing tens of millions of viewers. In an era of unprecedented change and polarizing politics, his frank and refreshing message about the value of individual responsibility and ancient wisdom has resonated around the world. In this book, he provides twelve profound and practical principles for how to live a meaningful life, from setting your house in order before criticising others to comparing yourself to who you were yesterday, not someone else today. Happiness is a pointless goal, he shows us. Instead we must search for meaning, not for its own sake, but as a defence against the suffering that is intrinsic to our existence. Drawing on vivid examples from his clinical practice and personal life, cutting edge psychology and philosophy, and lessons from humanity's oldest myths and stories, Peterson takes the reader on an intellectual journey like no other. Gripping, thought-provoking and deeply rewarding, 12 Rules for Life offers an antidote to the chaos in our lives: eternal truths applied to our modern problems....
A self-help book for our modern age, using boundaries to create a mentally and physically healthier you. In this 24/7 world, psychotherapist Jennie Miller and journalist Victoria Lambert have initiated a four step programme using boundaries to firstly focus on yourself, followed by the workplace, love, and family. Exercises, practical tips, and explanations sit side by side, supporting, and stimulating new thoughts and feelings. I found myself turning to the chapters that resonated most clearly with me, even those that didn’t connect to my personal situation, I still found fascinating. It is interesting to note in the conclusion, that Victoria found the writing of this book with Jennie, incredibly valuable and fulfilling. Boundaries just makes so much sense, it really is an encouraging read, teeming with practical, useful and helpful tips. ~ Liz Robinson
This book is in a word: brilliant. In many more words, Lost Connections is an insightful look into the causes of anxiety and depression. However, the book is not written by a preacher or self-help guru, but someone with the first-hand experience of anxiety and depression who is trying to work out his own place in and amongst all of the research. Lost Connections is partly a tale of Johann’s own journey of understanding about his mental health. It is also partly a summary of research that connects to depression and anxiety from experts in a wide range of fields. And finally, it is partly an attempt to offer effective solutions to those in despair. I was left astounded at a number of points in this book - mainly at the dates of the studies mentioned, and why I (and no doubt so many others) hadn’t heard that one of the most talked about “causes” of depression may not really be a cause at all. As someone who feels like they constantly have to manage anxious thoughts I found this book a breakthrough and I was enthralled from the first chapter, never wanting to put it down once I started reading. Johann Hari’s easy, almost colloquial writing would appeal to anyone with a professional or personal interest in psychology. It is a spectacular and groundbreaking look at two of today’s most significant mental health issues.
The Little Book of Happiness shows you how to live in the moment, flourish as an individual and improve your wellbeing. Through over 150 uplifting and practical tips, inspirational quotes and straight forward exercises, learn how to let go, find true bliss and reclaim your smile to help you to live a happier life.
Cats have the answers; we humans only have to watch – and learn. Life lessons in friendship, courage and responsibility or discovering how to improve your appearance and surroundings – Neil Somerville reminds us of what there is to learn…. I see he is not encouraging us to take up curtain climbing and the similar bad habits I could learn from my cats so we are talking ideal cats here, the ones who have had some training in mindfulness. ~ Sue Baker Like for Like Reading How it Works: The Ladybird Book of the Cat by Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris One Hundred Secret Thoughts Cats Have about Humans by Celia Haddon
From Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson a memoir that also shares some of the beliefs and teachings of his grandfather. Arun Gandhi believes that what his grandfather had to say about co-existence and tolerance is needed now more than ever. A deceptively simple book that has a powerful message about the level of inequality and unrest in the world today. ~ Sue Baker Like for Like Reading An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth by M K Ghandi The Life of Mahatma Gandhi by Louis Fischer
Think you've got what it takes to pit your wits against some of the brightest brains in Britain? Now you can take on the challenge with this ultimate quiz containing 2000 questions from the Brain of Britain archives.
Twenty-five fairy tales for adults, these narratives are a response to our times, informed by our world but not limited by it, imaginative, enchanting, haunting - both prescient and prophetic. Twenty-five original paintings, beautiful, playful, intimate, dreamlike, these works pull you in to a land of colour and vision. Who can say which came first, the word or image, when both grew together out of a long friendship and a creative symbiosis. What if Calvino and Magritte had combined inspiration? What if we could see our world again with a child's eyes? What if there really is a magic lamp?
A simple, clear book to help those suffering from anxiety and stress. Written by James Cowart, PhD, an American psychologist who specialises in treating depression and anxiety, this is a relatively short book, it feels safe to pick up, is easy to read and understand, and in particular the exercises feel achievable. While primarily for those suffering from anxiety and stress, this would also be suitable for their relations or friends. Anxiety touches nearly all of us in some way, the explanation of anxiety, and the coping mechanisms using cognitive behavioural therapy, should help create a greater understanding of anxiety and how it can be reduced or even stopped.
Quite simply, a go to book for anyone who would like to explore their potential. You do not have to consider yourself (or have been told that you are) a maverick, in order to connect to the thoughts on offer here. Thoughtful, encouraging, and bitingly realistic, Phil Beadle made me smile, nod, and have quite a few ahah! moments as I read. I found the layout a little unsettling to begin with, however soon got used to having the flow of the words interrupted for a second as my mind took in the alternative way of punctuating the highlights. Chapter 11 struck a particular chord with me and cemented my own thoughts on the subject. As I explored, as I reflected and ideas settled around me, I found my inner voice inspired to speak up and discuss the points on offer. While it occasionally gives your mind a jolly good shake, ’Rules for Mavericks’ is a perfectly placed spark of encouragement to explore your creative side. ~ Liz Robinson
'I want to wish all of you joy-because there is no better gift. Two spiritual masters, the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, share their wisdom in this uplifting book. I promise you, it's the best $26 you can spend.' Oprah Winfrey Nobel Peace Prize Laureates His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have survived more than fifty years of exile and the soul-crushing violence of oppression. Despite their hardships - or, as they would say, because of them - they are two of the most joyful people on the planet. In April 2015, Archbishop Tutu travelled to the Dalai Lama's home in Dharamsala, India, to celebrate His Holiness's eightieth birthday and to create this book as a gift for others. They looked back on their long lives to answer a single burning question: how do we find joy in the face of life's inevitable suffering? They traded intimate stories, teased each other continually, and shared their spiritual practices. By the end of a week filled with laughter and punctuated with tears, these two global heroes had stared into the abyss and despair of our times and revealed how to live a life brimming with joy. This book offers us a rare opportunity to experience their astonishing and unprecedented week together, from the first embrace to the final goodbye.
No matter who we are, or what stage of life we are at, we all long for similar things; to be happy, connected with others, in touch with a sense of calm and peace, vital, alive and joyful. And we long to be able to ride out the tough patches that hit all of us from time to time with some degree of grace and dignity. The good news is that we can fulfil these longings at any time, in any place. They are only a moment away, a breath away. We can learn how to be comfortable with our body, know and understand our mind, and love our heart. It isn't difficult, long-winded or time-consuming. In doing so you'll feel happier in your own skin, less stressed, more confident, more capable and more at ease with yourself and life. This is what Mindfulness for Women is about. It is a practical guide to coming home to yourself in each present moment. To finding the ledge behind the waterfall. To resting in the depths of the ocean rather than being tossed about by surface waves. Mindfulness is a potent antidote to anxiety, stress, depression, exhaustion and irritability. It leads to a greater sense of contentment and can also reduce addictive and self-destructive behavioural patterns. This book will enable you to experience the benefits for yourself. It's not designed as a lengthy course but is solutions-based. It's fast - evidence shows that a little bit of mindfulness goes a long way. It's also bespoke - you can read all of it cover to cover, or simply dip in and out, depending on what you want to focus on. You can listen to whichever meditation track suits you at any given time and you can run tracks together if you want to meditate for longer periods. It's designed to suit your life and priorities now and well into the future.
An essential guide to mindfulness, filled with tools and practices that can enhance our well-being. (Arianna Huffington). Be here now with exercises to challenge your powers of observation, investigation and cultivation and bring new awareness to your senses, thoughts and emotions. Practise meditation with the I am here now audio track, guided by internationally renowned mindfulness teacher Tara Brach. Use the field notes pages to record your findings and capture your insights. Mindfulness is a simple and very powerful practice of training our attention. It's simple in that it's really just about paying attention to what's happening here and now (i.e. sensations, thoughts, and emotions) in a non-judgemental way. It's powerful because it can interrupt the habit of getting lost in thoughts, mostly about the future or past, which often generates more stress on top of the real pressures of everyday life. (The Mindfulness Project).
Heal your relationship with food with mindfulness - techniques and recipes to eat your way to your perfect weight. Mindfulness is the new attitude to living. Taking an attitude of mindful awareness to eating will not only help you appreciate every mouthful, but reward you with a whole new way to eat that heals your food issues. If you've always wanted to eat better and manage your weight, The Mindful Diet is for you. There's no dieting, calorie-counting or fasting - by changing your approach to feeding yourself, you can tune in to your 'body wisdom' and begin to eat less of what you don't need, while filling up nourishing foods that help you reach the weight you'll be happy with for life. The recipes in this book are simple and nutritious, so you can cook fast, but eat slow, with appreciation and mindful awareness of every delicious bite. DISCOVER: * How to tune into your body and eat the foods you really needand achieve your best weight.* Freedom from cravings - how to beat emotional eating.* Mindful eating plans to keep you on track.* 70 quick and easy recipes - breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks.* The essential Mindfulness techniques that will transform your eating habits forever. Eat your way to your perfect weight!
The De-Stress Effect is a new revolution in eating, exercise and relaxation that will return you to vibrant health by gently bringing balance back to your body and your life. The fast pace of modern life and the constant pressure we put on ourselves to keep doing and achieving can keep us locked in patterns of giving in to food cravings, negative habits and self-criticism - keeping our minds and bodies on constant alert. This disruption to the natural rhythms of our body can lead to all kinds of complications that are hard to resolve, including anxiety, depression, insomnia, IBS, weight gain, fertility problems and skin issues. Presenting the latest research on how we can finally heal this damaging cycle, The De-Stress Effect will give you the space to truly feel what is right for your health and your life - realistically, intuitively and with compassion. With a low-stress preparation, six-week eating plan for optimum nutrition, mindfulness practices, yoga sequences and exercise routines, this book will soothe you back to a happier, healthier you, whatever your life's demands.
Mindfulness is the new attitude to living. Taking an attitude of mindful awareness to eating will not only help you appreciate every mouthful, but reward you with a whole new way to eat that heals your food issues. If you've always wanted to eat better and manage your weight, The Mindful Diet is for you. There's no dieting, calorie-counting or fasting - by changing your approach to feeding yourself, you can tune in to your 'body wisdom' and begin to eat less of what you don't need, while filling up nourishing foods that help you reach the weight you'll be happy with for life. The recipes in this book are simple and nutritious, so you can cook fast, but eat slow, with appreciation and mindful awareness of every delicious bite. DISCOVER: * How to tune in to your body and eat the foods you really need and achieve your best weight * Freedom from cravings - how to beat emotional eating * Mindful eating plans to keep you ontrack * 70 quick and easy recipes - breakfasts,lunches, dinners and snacks * The essential Mindfulness techniques that will transform your eating habits forever Eat your way to your perfect weight!
Mindfulness is a way of paying attention that originates in Eastern meditation traditions but is increasingly discussed and practiced in Western culture. It is usually defined as focusing one's complete attention on present-moment experiences in a nonjudgmental and accepting way. Buddhist traditions suggest that the cultivation of mindfulness through the practice of meditation reduces suffering and cultivates positive qualities, such as insight, wisdom, compassion, and equanimity. In recent years, the Western mental health community has adapted mindfulness meditation practices for use in medical and mental health settings, and several interventions based on mindfulness training are now widely available. Those with the best scientific support include mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). These treatments can be applied to a wide range of problems, disorders, and populations and the evidence increasingly supports their efficacy. Mindfulness Skills to Overcome Stress, Anxiety and Unhappiness is the first self-help book to integrate the wisdom, skills, and practices available from the four leading evidence-based mindfulness treatments (MBSR, MBCT, DBT, and ACT).
How do you solve the problem of human happiness? It's a subject that has occupied some of the greatest philosophers of all time, from Aristotle to Paul McKenna - but how do we sort the good ideas from the terrible ones? Over the past five years, Oliver Burkeman has travelled to some of the strangest outposts of the 'happiness industry' in an attempt to find out. In Help!, the first collection of his popular Guardian columns, Burkeman presents his findings. It's a witty and thought-provoking exploration that punctures many of self-help's most popular myths, while also offering clear-headed, practical and often counterintuitive advice on a range of subjects, from stress, procrastination and insomnia to wealth, laughter, time management and creativity. It doesn't claim to have solved the problem of human happiness. But it might just bring us one step closer.
A fantastic book based on the blog that Shauna Reid began when she decided to lose weight. The book charts her progress on losing half her body weight from 25 stone to 12 and a half. This isn’t a quick fix weight loss either, this is a 6 year progressive loss where Shauna changes her approach to food and exercise and finds herself a much happier, healthier person. Written with great humour and honesty this should be an inspiration to all those who think it’s too late to fight the battle of the bulge.
This is a fascinating collection of inspiring stories and ideas from a varied selection of individuals. Entrepreneurs to peace campaigners, environmentalist to civil rights lawyer, these stories are encouraging and motivating. The title of the book is from a quote by Gandhi “You must be the change you wish to see in the world” and hopefully these accounts will inspire and challenge you.
This is a wonderful 'feel good' book, a must for anyone whether you’re in a rocky relationship or one that’s incredibly happy and enduring. Just how those happy and enduring relationships remain so have never been documented but here at last Janet Reibstein, an internationally respected psychologist and relationship expert, has talked in depth to over 200 couples who talk candidly and profoundly about their lives together. Secrets, both large and small are revealed to show how couples can achieve life-long love if they really want it.
Not another diet book I heard myself say when this came across my path, but then I took a closer look and actually gave it the time of day. Crucially and unlike so many diet books this one is not about cutting carbohydrates or doing aerobics or using a tape measure constantly. Instead it’s straight-forward, no-nonsense realistic advice that will give you permanent weight-loss if you are prepared to take the time to better understand your body and what you need to do to maintain it at a realistic level.
If you have tried all kinds of diets and forms of exercise, to lose weight, and nothing works then maybe this is the book for you. This book concentrates more on your state of mind towards yourself and your attitude to food and exercise and through self-hypnosis Mark Stephens gives you the tools to finally change your thought processes to embrace a healthier lifestyle.
There are people who are enthusiastic about life and who always regard that a glass is half full rather than half empty. It’s those in the category of the former that will absolutely devour this brilliantly compiled, rather eccentric but often funny and very satisfying read. It’s a book that’s designed to be dipped into, possibly at times of low ebb as it’s sure to make you laugh, cheer you up and enlighten your view on many facets of life and indeed the world in which we live.
This essential and highly entertaining book gives the lowdown on some of the issues that time and time again confuse men and women. From channel-hopping to loo seats, communication to shopping, from emotional blackmail to the biggest mysteries about men, you are sure to improve your relationship if you’re more informed. So, to help you do just that, read this book. Like its sister books definitive The book of body language and why men don't listen and women can't read maps, they are all guaranteed to lift the human spirit.
A little out of the ordinary for Lovereading on the surface but as we all personally spend many hours sitting down reading or working at our computers we knew we would benefit from the book's advice. We also know many people who suffer daily agony from back pain. Barrie Savory is one of the country's most respected osteopaths and he believes that the world we have created for ourselves is the main cause of most of our back pain. His solution is to take charge of the situation and use the world around us as a ‘gym’ collecting points for small changes in our behaviour such as getting off the bus a stop early and walking or walking up the stairs, rather than squeeze in the lift! The book is chatty, easy to follow and as our office is on the 2nd floor of a building with lifts (that we don't use..) we are already 20 points up!
The author’s have created an incredibly informative yet highly entertaining read that will captivate your attention from beginning to end whilst at the same time help you interpret the all-important world of body language. All the answers to ‘What vibes am I sending out?’ and ‘what vibes is he giving me?’ provide wonderfully fresh insights into the self-evident truths about relationships between the sexes. All manner of emotions are touched upon and will make the reader think and render an experience to remember. Like its sister books why men don't have a clue and women always need more shoes and why men don't listen and women can't read maps, they are all guaranteed to lift the human spirit.
This delightful book is the latest in the series of Ladybird books which have been specially planned to help grown-ups with the world about them. The large clear script, the careful choice of words, the frequent repetition and the thoughtful matching of text with pictures all enable grown-ups to think they have taught themselves to cope. The subject of the book will greatly appeal to grown-ups. The eight books in the series feature original Ladybird artwork alongside brilliantly funny, brand new text. The other books in the series are: - The Ladybird Book of Dating - The Ladybird Book of Sheds - The Ladybird Book of The Hipster - The Ladybird Book of the Mid-Life Crisis - The Ladybird Book of the Hangover - How it Works: The Husband - How it Works: The Wife.
What a lovely, warm, kind and friendly book this is, Fearne Cotton writes about the state of calm, and how to find it in our modern, hectic lives. This isn’t just to read, it’s an interactive book too, encouraging you to make notes, to revisit thoughts and feelings. Fearne looks at everyday life, she also visits anxiety, trauma, and PTSD, she highlights breathing, living in the moment, and also introduces us to various friends and experts who have the ability to reach or teach a sense of calm. The book itself feels calm, the colours, font, and layout all help to soothe, to give you a hug as you read. While this could be read in order from beginning to end, I also feel you can dip in and out, take your time, visit when you have a moment. Calm is reassuring and revitalising, it’s the perfect helping hand for you to make some time for yourself, to reflect, and look for peace. ~ Liz Robinson
If you feel like a bit of a makeover is in order, but know that quick fixes never work, then our new Mind, Body and category could be perfect for you.
We have a selection of books that will give you the knowledge to make changes to your life physically, intellectually, and emotionally.
From books on better backs to coping better with relationship break ups all the books can help in some way, but please don’t expect any quick fixes or miracle cures!
