Reading

The Power of Now and A New Earth

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“Some people feel more alive when they travel and visit unfamiliar places or foreign countries because at those times sense perception-experiencing-takes up more of their consciousness than thinking.” 

I have finished two phenomenal books both by the author and renowned spiritual leader, Eckhart Tolle. I finished his first book, The Power of Now, several weeks ago and completed the sequel, A New Earth, just the other day over a bowl of noodles before work! Both books are so beautiful, inspiring and if you are open to the ideas can really transform the small and large concepts and moments in life. The second book took me longer to read as I wanted to soak in the words as much as I could. I have a notebook where I write down all the quotes I highlight while reading to refresh my brain on words that moved me and to keep them all tucked away. Both books are so powerful and I read them in the right time at my life. I can’t say that I would have been as receptive to the messages in the books at past moments in my life given my circumstances and state of mind.

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Latest Read: When Breath Becomes Air

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“Human knowledge is never contained in one person. It grows from the relationships we create between each other and the world, and still it is never complete.” 

One of my goals post-college and moving to Shanghai is to read more books. I have always loved reading, but college took it’s toll on my personal reading given I had dozens of books and textbooks to read every semester (especially when I had an English class which was often). The first week I was in Shanghai, I found a great foreign book store near People’s Square and have frequented it numerous times since. Sometimes I just go and read a book in the store, however I have splurged on four books so far, one of which I have completely finished and ADORE. The latest book that I finished is “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanith which is about Paul’s journey as neurosurgeon who is diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. Paul wrote this book as he was dying and it is filled with such profound lessons about life, love and following your passions. I had not doubt in my mind that I would move to China and teach English. However, I would recently learn that this decision I made would come with unexpected heartbreaks.

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Book Review: Start With Why

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“There are only two ways to influence human behavior: you can manipulate it or you can inspire it.”

Hello long-lost friends! It is often too easy to get caught up in the day-to-day, the routine we all can find ourselves settling into. I have neglected this blog much to my dismay! I wish I could blame it on a crazy schedule (true), need to use every spare moment to catch up on sleep (true) or a million other reasons, but excuses don’t really do much of good for anyone. It has been a crazy month since coming home from Bolivia almost a month ago and I still like I have barely had a moment to breathe and process it all. With a new job, another summer class and weekend excursions with friends, I have been one busy bee. I just got back from a weekend road trip back from Texas where I flew down to help a friend drive her car back to Boulder. We spent 48 hours straight together in a car in mostly the middle of nowhere and still are friends!

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Book Review: Carry On, Warrior

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“Life is Brutiful.”

I am not sure how I stumbled across the brilliant human that is Glennon Doyle Melton, however I know that my life has changed because of the words of this wise and wonderful woman. I know that I first watched her TED talk titled “Lessons from the Mental Hospital” and absolutely loved it. She is honest, real, hilarious and is one of those people you know that the world is better because of. She talks about being honest, leaving our shame at the door and how sharing our secrets and stories to the world is what possibly may change it forever. She is perhaps known best for starting her blog, momestary, which turned into a book Carry On, Warrior and it’s sequel that is on my list, Love Warrior. #IWantToBeGlennonWhenIGrowUp

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Life Lately

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“You change your life by changing your heart.”

-Max Lucado

I haven’t done a type of this post as often as I would like to; however there is no better time to start than the present! Life lately has been fairly wonderful. I know I have said this before…but there is something about this time of the year that is so magical, but with that magic also comes a lot of change.

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The Book of Secrets: Deepak Chopra

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“Sitting up in bed, I had the strange sensation that it was no longer important that a dream isn’t real. Being awake is more real than a dream only because we have agreed that it is.”

I recently finished a deeply insightful book called The Book of Secrets by Deepak Chopra. I loved every page and gave it to a dear friend to read it after I finished it. That is the beauty of a physical book (opposed to a Kindle), you can hold it in your hands, read it by the pool, in the bathtub and flip the pages one by one, savoring the text. This book reminded me a lot of Radical Acceptance (which I have yet to finish)…only way more enjoyable…hence I finished it. Everything is so connected in this life and this book helped put it all in perspective.

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Turning Over a New Leaf

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“I am so glad that I live in a world with Octobers”

-Anne of Green Gables 

I will keep repeating this for a long time…but October is my absolute favorite month and fall is my favorite time of the year. It is filled with pumpkin spice and everything nice and has some of the most gorgeous scenery. It is a very nurturing time of the year that I like to especially spend with friends and family, soaking in the fall leaves and new cycle as everything turns over. There is also something that seems to be in the air; a magical and whimsical wind that brings a smile to my face. This summer has been magical in its own right; starting off with such a personal transformation that was the best possible thing to happen to me. It transitioned to a fun month of new people, places and experiences that gave me lots of perspective on not only my life, but the infinite world we all live in. And as August crept up on me, I returned to school. This year had a very special energy like no other and set the tone for what I hope to be the best year yet. And as the weeks have gone and time has passed, I feel at peace more than I have in a while. Despite the ups and downs, the doubts and revelations we all have, I feel settled and am relishing in the ability to stay somewhere.

It turns out that staying is quite the adventure…

Happy October!

-Kaila

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