Resources

I have included this section as a place to recommend content which I have found highly interesting, thought-provoking and beneficial in my own life with regard to how we think and behave. Feel free to use these as a jumping-off point in your own self-development journey.


Books (non-fiction):

  • 'Working Hard, Hardly Working' by Grace Beverley (Order here)
    • Probably the only influencer to ever truly influence me for the better, fitness-vlogger-turned-CEO Beverley discusses productivity in the 21st century and our misconceptions of what it means to be productive, and offers insight into how we can find a balance between work and play. Much of what I already do day-to-day was being promoted by Beverley, which was great for the self-confirmation, but there were still plenty of nuggets in here that I'm still chewing on weeks later.
  • 'The Road Less Travelled' by M. Scott Peck (Order here)
    • A psychotherapist recounts stories of patients throughout his career that have helped him come to this theory of how facing our difficulties and suffering through the changes they bring can allow us to understand life a little - or a whole lot - better
  • The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem' by Nathaniel Branden (Order here)
    • Having a healthy sense of self-esteem is essential in life - it encapsulates how we feel about ourselves and our abilities, and dictates our relationships and how we behave. Branden offers practical advice for nurturing self-esteem, including sentence prompts with which one can engage on a daily and weekly basis.

Podcasts:

  • Guys We F*cked (Listen here exclusively on Luminary)
    • NY-based comics Krystyna Hutchinson and Corinne Fisher talk all matters relating to relationships, sexuality, feminism and society at large, out every Friday only on Luminary; disclaimer: this completely transformed my pre-conceived notions about sexuality, slut-shaming, feminism, and what it means to be happy
  • Radio Headspace (Listen here)
    • Different mindfulness coaches from the Headspace community bring thoughts, questions and challenges in 4-6 minute anecdotal-style episodes, released daily
  • Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard (Listen here exclusively on Spotify from Jul 1)
    • Actor, father, husband and recovering addict Dax Shepard and his co-host Monica Padman interview guests from all areas of expertise in a fun, light-hearted manner to talk about their work, life, childhood and anything else you could think of
  • TED Talks Daily (Listen here)
    • Exactly what it says on the tin: audio of TED Talks, released daily

Netflix series:

  • Black Mirror (set in an alternative present, each episode explores an aspect of futuristic technology, often showing its ugly side, absolutely essential viewing for anyone living in 2020)
  • The Mind, Explained (5-episode docuseries exploring topics such as anxiety, mindfulness and memory using helpful visuals and narration, information is interesting & relatively easy to digest)
  • After Life (comedy-drama exploring a man's day-to-day life following the death of his wife by cancer - humorous, touching and uplifting all at the same time - note: do not be dissuaded by the portryal of psychotherapy in this show, it is purely for comedic purposes!)
  • David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (an incredibly moving piece of work, 1hr 23mins in total - made me ask the question 'what small changes can we make in our own lives to ensure this planet and its wildlife not only recover but flourish?')
  • Headspace Guide to Meditation (Headspace heads to Netflix! 20 min episodes interspersed with beautful animation, and a built-in mindfulness practice at the end)


TED Talks:

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