I was listening to comedian Ali Wong last weekend, and she said, “You know you’re getting older when your Kindle library is full of self-help books.”

Umm, GUILTY! That is totally me right now. For the past year, Kendrick and I have been committed to reading self-development books together. It seems like every week I find another Amazon box on our doorstep, with that telltale rectangular shape only meaning one thing…Kendrick has ordered another book.

It started out as a challenge of his last summer…to read 50 self-development books in one year. The more he shared with me, the more I could see how excited he was about what he was learning. I started reading the books too, and that’s when it became really fun, because we were able to discuss the material together.

Reading together this past year has been one of the most beneficial things for our marriage. We’ve not only been able to grow as individuals, but we’ve been able to grow together as a couple. As we move into parenthood, I believe 100% that this is preparing us for that journey. We could read all the parenting and baby books out there, but if we weren’t taking care of ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually first, then it would be pretty hard to put what we were reading into practice. Children learn by example, and I want to set the best example for my children as I can. The best way to prepare myself for that is by educating and aligning myself first. If they witness us taking care of ourselves in these 3 categories, then they will be more likely to carry out the same actions themselves.

Kendrick and I recently finished reading Deepak Chopra’s “The 7 Spiritual Laws of Success”. It was a quick, easy read with a lot of great takeaways. Personally, my favorite law was The Law of Giving which we’ve implemented at our personal training studio, Studio K-Fit.  One of the things Deepak says is that, “If you want affluence; give affluence. If you want money; give money. If you want love; give love.” My thinking growing up was that, “Once I become financially successful, THEN I can give more to others.” Instead of realizing that I was already incredibly blessed, I thought I had to have an extraordinary amount of money before I could make a difference. Ever since starting the Rowing For Meals initiative a couple years ago (you can read my blog post on that here), Kendrick and I have witnessed so many more blessings pour out than we could have ever imagined. We went from sponsoring the meals on our own, to having our clients match the meals with us! What a true testament to Deepak’s words.

If you haven’t read this book, I highly suggest picking it up.

I have a little challenge for you to kick-off September. I will be participating in this challenge myself, and want to encourage you to put one of these 7 laws into practice starting today!

September 1– The Law of Pure Potentiality

• Practice non-judgment today. Begin your day with the statement, “Today I shall judge nothing that occurs” and through-out the day remind yourself not to judge.

September 2– The Law of Giving

• Today, give a gift to one person you will encounter; this could be a compliment or a flower.  If someone gives you a gift, gratefully receive it. Keep wealth circulating by giving and receiving care, affection, appreciation and love.

September 3– The Law of Karma

• Today, perform a random act of kindness. Every action generates a force of energy that returns to us in like kind. Showing others happiness and success ensures the flow of happiness and success to you.

September 4– The Law of Least Effort

• Practice acceptance today. “Today I will accept people, situations, events, and circumstances as they occur. I will take responsibility for my situation and for all those events I see as problems. I know that taking responsibility means not blaming anyone or anything, including myself.”

September 5– The Law of Intention and Desire

• Today, make a list of all your desires. Carry this list with you wherever you go. Look at it before you go to sleep at night. Finally, surrender your desires and trust that when things don’t go your way, there is a plan much greater than you could have ever imagined.

September 6– The Law of Detachment

• Today, commit yourself to detachment. Allow yourself and those around you the freedom to be as they are. Do not rigidly impose your idea of how things should be. Do not force solutions on problems. Participate in everything with detached involvement.

September 7– The Law of Dharma (aka Purpose in Life)

• Today, make a list of your unique talents. Then, ask yourself, “How can I serve?” and “How can I help?” You have a purpose on this earth, and your unique talents are meant to be shared with humanity.

 

What’s your favorite self-help book? We’re always looking for new recommendations! Feel free to share in the comments below 😉