Book Reviews
The Pivot Year
Are you seeking to make positive changes in 2024? If so, I have a new book recommendation for you — "The Pivot Year" by Brianna Wiest.
If you find yourself in a pivotal period in your life and are looking to make changes in the New Year, this book can serve as a guide to help keep you focused.
Whether you are contemplating a significant shift in your daily routine or considering a career change, Wiest asserts that who you are meant to be is already inside you. She insists that it's about convincing your mind to act consistently and stay focused on your goals because deep down, your heart already knows what it wants to do.
Wiest provides 365 daily meditations to help guide you from where you are to where you'd like to be.
Whether you're contemplating a significant change or just aiming to live a more intentional life, I highly recommend this book and give it a 5/5-star rating.
Muse with Mol Cliffs Notes
Must-Read Sections
No Cliffs Notes are required for this book.
The readings are short— a page or less per day for 365 days. It's designed to be a daily reading and meditation, so it should only take a few minutes to complete each day. I recommend doing this first thing in the morning over a cup of coffee or tea or after a morning workout to optimize your focus.
I combine my daily reading with a journal entry to stay focused on the topic at hand after my morning workout.
The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage Into Self-Mastery
If you're seeking to make positive changes but find yourself consistently sabotaging the new goals you've set for yourself, this book is for you.
Author Brianna Wiest uses a mountain as a metaphor to describe the challenges we often create in our own lives—things we do, both consciously and subconsciously, that hold us back and make our goals feel insurmountable.
So often, the mountains we create in our lives stem from past trauma. Overcoming this trauma requires deep internal work to build resilience and adjust how we show up in life for the climb that is our journey.
Wiest provides a roadmap to guide you from self-sabotage to self-mastery.
Whether you're contemplating a significant life change or simply aiming to live a more intentional life, I highly recommend this book and give it a 5/5-star rating.
Muse with Mol Cliffs Notes
Must-Read Sections
If you're looking to turn your self-sabotage into self-mastery, I recommend reading this book from cover to cover. However, there are a few chapters and sections that stand out:
Self-sabotage comes from belief systems — page 18
Self-sabotage defined / what it looks like — starts on page 28
Limited emotional processing skills — starts on page 38
Building emotional intelligence — starts on page 103
Releasing the past— starts on page 137
Building a new future — starts on page 175
From self-sabotage to self-mastery — starts on page 207
The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion
We encounter crossroads repeatedly in our lives, and each day presents an opportunity to choose a path forward. When faced with a crossroads, it is customary and comforting to adhere to the current path, but life can, at times, thrust us into pivotal moments where the discomfort of our present situation demands a choice for change. In The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion, author Elle Luna provides a roadmap for exploring the space between "should" and "must" through exercises that serve as a guiding light. Luna encourages readers to embrace the inherent power within themselves to shape their destinies and choose the path that aligns with their true passions and potential arguing that “must” creates ripples that extend far beyond each individual. This inspirational gift book transcends its pages, resonating with recent graduates stepping into the uncharted territories of adulthood, artists seeking to expand their creativity, seekers navigating the winding paths of personal growth, and individuals in the midst of a career change. Luna's book stands as a beacon of hope, reminding us that at every crossroad, the power to shape our destiny lies within our hands, and our "must" is just waiting to be embraced with courage and conviction.
I highly recommend this book! It was a quick read with helpful exercises throughout.
Muse with Mol Cliffs Notes
Must-Read Sections & Recommended Exercises
If you're on the precipice of a career change, there are some excellent exercises and reference points in this book to guide you. Here are 5 must-read sections to help you navigate the differences between "should" and "must" as you thoughtfully consider your path forward in your career and in life:
TED talk reference — page 15
"Shoulds" are put on you from the moment you are born — page 41
Write your obituary x2 — page 70
Getting practical about money — starts on page 84
Ripples — starts on page 138
From Individual to Empire: A Guide to Building an Authentic and Powerful Brand
Discover the secrets of influencer branding with Laura Bull, a former Sony Music executive. In her book, Bull shares her expertise to empower entrepreneurs and individuals to become influential brands. Whether you're an aspiring marketing professional, artist, blogger or thought leader, this book will reshape your brand perspective. Bull combines positive psychology with traditional branding to introduce her innovative Brand Matrix. This concise, informative read provides practical tools, exercises, and resources to create a compelling, competitive, and authentic brand identity.
Using examples from pop culture and politics, Bull's book provides a roadmap for transforming your potential as an individual to build an empire.
I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book and give it a 5/5 ranking for anyone who's looking to build a personal brand online.
Muse with Mol Cliffs Notes
Must-Read Sections & Recommended Exercises
If you're looking to build a strong personal brand, there are some excellent exercises throughout this book to help you get started. Here are 5 must-read sections to help you take action on the fundamental branding concepts Ms. Bull outlines in her book From Individual to Empire: A Guide to Building an Authentic and Powerful Brand:
SWOT Analysis and Website Prompt — page 49
The 5 Ps of Successful Influencers — pages 57-59
Harness Your 5 Ps Exercise — page 73
The Rules of Evolution — starts on page 170
Brand Matrix + All Access Resources — page 199