The Happy Hammock

5 Must-Reads That Can Bring You Healing

A guy reading in the middle of the field

For bookworms, reading is comfort, and books are the Holy Grail that helps them cope up with the good, bad, and ugly events in the world. The stories that they read and experiences helped them to slowly gain more awareness of how difficult life can get. Most remarkable tales contained by books are also the reason why many people become driven to tell their stories and inspire others.

That said, if you are a bibliophile who is looking for inspiring books that can help you cope up with the complexities of the world or heal from the wounds that life gave you, then here are the best titles that you should look out for.

The Journey Home: My Journey to Find Peace of Mind and Heart While Fighting a War Against Bi-Polar Disorder by Lori-Ellen Pisani

Pisani’s book on mental illness titled The Journey Home was published in 2018 by Outskirts Press. She tells a raw and honest story on how she battled the powerful enemy in her brain and how she managed to get by while unknowingly battling bipolar disorder until her early thirties and working as an educator. Her career would be compromised if the parents discovered the teacher’s condition. Thus, Pisani brings you on a meaningful journey to learn more about bipolar disorder and how she handled it. Every chapter will surely make you encounter different things, including divorce, abandonment, abuse, and cancer. Each reader will definitely relate to her words as she tells her truth and narrates her journey to victory.

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay

According to this international bestseller book by bestselling author Louise Hay, life is not complex because what people give, they can also take it back later on. Thus, what everyone thinks about them turns out to be the truth for them, and this is where self-accountability and responsibility come into view. You Can Heal Your Life also points out how every concept and idea that comes to mind helps in molding the future because everyone makes their own experiences through thinking and feeling. Thus, every thought that forms in your mind and each word that comes out of your mouth create your experiences.

The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brene Brown

The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brene Brown is a bestselling book that was translated into over 30 languages. Moreover, the author boosts the confidence and self-improvement process by her touching and raw storytelling. Along with thorough study and a bunch of inspiration, Brown looks into the psychology of disclosing everyone’s definitions of the “imperfect” life and welcoming the act of living authentically. The “ten guideposts” of the author become the guiding principle for authenticity, which can assist people in setting practice for a life of honest wonder that others referred to as the perfectly imperfect life.

Happiness in Quantum Leaps by Aura McClain

This book is a self-help book published in 2020 by Christian Faith Publishing. It is a guidebook to help readers attain the love, happiness, peace, and joy that they deserve by positively aligning of their mind, body, and soul. Happiness in Quantum Leaps talks about three major parts, which are: Mind – Attain Mental Peace by Learning to Control Your Mind, Energy/Spirit – Reconnecting to God’s Spiritual Energy Source & Learning How to Use It, and Body – Physical Healing Related to Mental Stress.

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael Alan Singer

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael Alan Singer is a New York Times and Amazon bestselling book published in 2007. This book starts by recounting your relationship with your ideas and feelings, which help you discover the origin and changes of your inner energy. It also looks into the things you can do to release yourself from the persistent thoughts, feelings, and energy patterns that restrain your consciousness. Thus, the book titled The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself introduces you to a life with liberty and freedom of your inner self.

Brilliant Poetry Books That Will Touch Your Hearts

Poetry is a literary genre that utilizes language for its aesthetic and poignant characteristics. It frequently uses certain types and arrangements to expound the meaning of the words; thus, the text is representing something that’s beyond its literal meaning. This genre also aims to draw particular emotional and sensual responses from the readers with the help of different literary devices, such as figurative language.

Like other forms of literature, poetry is also here to tell stories, highlight traditions, express thoughts, and a whole lot more. Readers often seek poetry for advice, comfort, wisdom, and other reasons. So if you are looking for brilliant works under this genre, then listed below are the poetry books that you might want to check out.

Poetry to Live By: Messages From the Heart by Teresa Dye

Poetry to Live by Messages From the Heart is penned by Teresa Dye, which was published last 2020 by AuthorHouse. This book tackles different angles of life, including love, reflection, motivation, and life in general. It also stands as a great adviser as it gives a variety of advice to the readers focusing on forgiveness, friendship, and the likes. Poetry to Live By also provides some tips for on the best ways for the youth to become productive and active parts of the society and aims to help readers in appreciating the methods on cultivating a deeper relationship with the Lord.

Jaime’s Inspirations: Poems From the Heart & Mind by Jaime P. Fidler

Published poet Jaime Fidler, with two amazing pieces in the National Book of Poetry, wrote the remarkable Jaime’s Inspirations: Poems From the Heart & Mind. It talks about how at various times in everyone’s lives, they always go through some moments where they feel extreme emotions. People discover their own ways of managing both positive and negative circumstances, as well as the consequences that these feelings bring. However, everybody can get a better grasp and relate to those intense emotions, especially while reading poetry books like Jaime Fidler’s.

A Love Story by Joanna C. Valente

Joanna C. Valente’s A Love Story looks into the bleakest edges of the heart, unraveling our idea of identity. The book was recently published last July 13, 2021 by Vegetarian Alcoholic Press. A Love Story uncovers everyone’s experiences in a peculiar and undiscovered universe that they frequently engage with to make sense of. Thus, the poems featured in this promising book are a harmony inside a closed box. Do people prefer to open the box and examine what it contains or are they courageous enough to delve deeper to get to know themselves better?

Goldenrod: Poems by Maggie Smith

This Amazon and National bestseller was recently released by Atria/One Signal Publishers last July 27, 2021. It is penned by the award-winning poet Maggie Smith. This book features a poignant anthology of poems that center on different aspects of life, specifically parenthood, solitariness, love, and memory. Smith definitely knows how to showcase the wonders of the present through the recollection of memories from various things and places. Therefore, the poems in this heartwarming book honor the forms of daily life, discover and enjoy the space between idea and experiences, and help everyone to remember that they have the power to judge what is beautiful.

The Princess Saves Herself in This One by Amanda Lovelace

The Princess Saves Herself in This One by Amanda Lovelace is part of Women Are Some Kind of Magic Series. CreateSpace published this book in 2016 and in the same year, the book won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Poetry. It is a collection of poems that is split into four different sections. The said parts are the following: the princess; the damsel; the queen; and you. The first three parts sews together the personal experiences of Lovelace in three phases, while the last chapter serves as a reminder for the readers and for the whole human race. Thus, this book looks into life and all its angles, including love, motivation, loss, grief, mending, and more.

Poetry, therefore, has the ability to bring out both the good and ugly of life and help readers learn from them in a better and more entertaining way.

Insightful Books to Read in This Lifetime

Books are the third greatest adviser in this lifetime, next to parents and teachers. They remarkably instill multiple lessons and values to readers through the stories that they tell and the facts that they highlight. Apart from the amazing way that they educate people, they also bring entertainment — which is a good way of keep readers engaged with every story.

So, if you are looking for the best books to read in this life that will give you great insights, guidance, and inspiration, then you might want to check out the list below.

The Two Sides of Being Single: A Biblical Perspective by Wayne Drayton

The Two Sides of Being Single: A Biblical Perspective is a promising Christian book published in 2018 by Christian Faith Publishing. You can get a bunch of wisdom on how to maintain a single Christian life on Wayne’s book, as well as some knowledge keeping it together until God blesses you with the one. The book is composed of two parts, where the first one centers on keeping a single life as a Christian while the second section highlights those single people that are patiently waiting for God to grant them a partner. At the end of the book, prayer is introduced for those that desire to recognize and accept Christ as Lord and Savior.

Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul by John Eldredge

The expanded edition of John Eldredge’s Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul was published by Thomas Nelson last March 2021. It reaches out to men, as well as the women who genuinely are in love with them, to uncover the real secret of a man’s soul and welcome the risk, passion, and liberty God planned to bestow to each man. Thus, the author encourages every guy to wholeheartedness through the following: regaining men’s genuine masculine hearts, mending the pain and traumas in their stories, and finding happiness in both the strength and wildness they were molded to give to the world. At the end of the day, God didn’t make these men be good boys; instead, he created them to live the best possible lives there is.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

This historical fiction novel by Markus Zusak has received multiple recognitions and was adapted into a film. The Book Thief follows the coming of age story of Liesel Meminger, a girl who was under the foster care of Hans and Rosa Huberman. It was during World War II in Nazi Germany where she was taken and nurtured by the couple. There, she was taught how to read and write and was put to school. She met a boy named Rudy, whom she became friends with. During the tough times, she also met a man named Max, who was fighting for his life and was hidden well in their basement. What made this book more remarkable is Leisel’s drive to learn, make connections, and put a brave face amid it all. Death as the story’s narrator also has a great impact on the novel.

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie is a wonderful book that touches the hearts of the readers while instilling great lessons in their minds. The tale centers on the rekindled relationship of a teacher, Morrie Schwartz, and a student, Mitch Albom. After the latter discovered the former in Ted Kopel’s show on the ABC channel, he was reminded of how Morrie was a good professor and friend. Mitch visited Morrie, and from then on, he continued coming to his house every Tuesday until he breathed his last breath. Hence, Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom is an amazing book that narrates their great time with one another, by which the student shares his teacher’s permanent gift to the world.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is a touching children’s book published in 1964. It highlights the give and take relationship between the boy and the tree. This bond has, later on, grows into a toxic one for the boy, who has already gone through the different stages of development, starts to take advantage of the tree. Thus, the tree continues to grant every demand of the boy. Readers will surely learn various things from this story, including the gift of giving and a calm acceptance of a person’s capability to love in return.

Literature 101: What Is a Literary Genre

Literature is a vague and interesting world to delve into. It has a wide array of works that have moved and inspired people for quite some time. But because of its broadness, its prospects might become confused, especially those who are new to reading books, writing stories, and telling tales. To start, an individual must get acquainted with the different literary terms and aspects that are playing great roles in literature. A literary genre is a term you often hear in picking the next novel to read, planning the next bestselling book, etc. What could it be?

Literary Genre

A literary genre, in the broadest sense, refers to the classification of composition. It is often determined through the narrative technique, tone, and content used in a particular work. In most cases, a genre can transform from abstract categories that are eventually sub-divided to tangible variations. The differences between genres and classifications are versatile and indistinctly defined.

Furthermore, the word “genre” also pertains to any writing that possesses certain traits. If there are a handful of characteristics that two pieces share, then they may belong to a particular genre. In the literary realm, there are four main genres that will definitely help each reader to project their expectations for the work, although these categories can be split further.

Types of Literary Genre

Fiction

This genre houses millions of books written by brilliant authors. It pertains to any creative piece comprising of individuals, activities, or places that are the products of the writer’s imagination. Thus, works of this category are not based on fact or history but are more imaginative and free.

A fictional work highlights the creative building of an imaginary realm. The way work is fictionalized widely recognized; so, its target readers basically anticipate it to vary in some factors in the real world instead of introducing characters that are real people or representations that are factually correct.

There are many sub-genres that fictions have. Most of them are beloved and widely patronized by many readers, such as the following:

Adventure
Science Fiction
Romance
Young Adult Fiction
Mystery
Horror Fiction
Crime & Thriller

Nonfiction

Nonfiction is the branch of literature that is opposite to fiction. It is made up of works that are factual instead of imaginative. Thus, most of the writings under it are narrative prose that frequently provides insights or speculations on reality, such as history, memoirs, essays, self-help books, travelogues, journals, and the likes.

But, nonfiction books are not written not only focused on depicting reality but are also written using figurative language but as long as it doesn’t alter the factual information conveyed in work. In this day and age, nonfiction works are also selling millions of copies worldwide. In addition, there are also various remarkable authors who penned promising works, such as the following:

Ta-Nehisi Coates
Isabel Wilkerson
Jerry Delaney
Paul Kalanithi
Daniel Kahneman

Poetry

Are you fond of reading poems? Did you know that poetry is more than stanzas, aesthetics, and ambiguity? It is considered one of the main genres of literature. Most poems possess the same characteristics, which can be seen in their structure, writing style, and tone. There are works under this genre that follow firm rules when it comes to how many lines and stanza they should contain and what rhyming scheme they must follow. But, there are also other works that are following the free verse. Moreover, poems make use of figurative language. With the said literary device, the poets can deepen the meaning and symbolism conveyed in their works.

Among the popular poems ever written are:

The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe
Still, I Rise by Maya Angelou
The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Prose

Prose pertains to the writings that follow a standard grammatical structure, which is in contrast to poetry, for it follows a particular metrical structure and lives up to a writer’s poetic license. It is defined as a language that observes the natural patterns often heard in daily speeches. It is the most basic type of writing, which is frequently utilized in both fiction and nonfiction.

There are different kinds of prose that everyone should know:

Nonfictional prose
Fictional prose
Heroic prose
Prose poetry

Top Nonfiction Books That Offer a Great Reading Experience

Reading is truly a great leisure activity. Imagine having to be transported in different worlds and getting the chance to live another life. The literary world is filled with millions of books that will make you learn and be entertained at the same time. Given that there are wide arrays of novels, there are also various literary genres that will definitely help readers pick better books.

Among the best genres of literature is nonfiction. It is the account of a particular topic that is considered as fact. This introduction of the details can be accurate or not depending on if the information can provide a real or false version of the subject at hand. But, it is basically expected that the authors of the said narratives believe them to be genuine at the moment of writing.

There are many nonfiction books that have crawled into different bestselling charts or have bagged several literary awards. So, if you are interested in reading works of the said genre, then listed below are the titles that you must check out.

The Other Side of Fear by Veronica Lisare

The Other Side of Fear by Veronica Lisare narrates a story of how the author braved herself to leave behind the abuse, fear, and low self-esteem to get to know the extreme and unending love of God. Welcoming her real identity as the daughter of the Almighty Father with open arms, Lisare has found genuine happiness, courage, hope, liberty, and satisfaction. Thus, she lets the readers know her story through some parts of her journals, which contain narratives from different aspects of her life. The said aspects include her lonely childhood, unaffectionate marriage, unfortunate divorce, heartbreaking death of a granddaughter, and a great fight with cancer. But those unlucky circumstances were exchanged with positive ones, such as a fulfilling nursing career and an amazing second job as a minister.

Patchwork: Conversations Between Generations by Carol Wilson-Mack

Published by ReadersMagnet last year, Patchwork: Conversation Between Generations is a promising book penned by Carol Wilson-Mack. This book doesn’t only highlights how communication is essential in eradicating the generation gap but also showcases how stories matter. Patchwork recounts the tales and lives of the bunch of women in Bamberg, South Carolina, in the mid-90s. These remarkable individuals found a way to communicate and share their stories through quilting together. It was quite a surprise how a normal activity resulted in something more remarkable. Thus, this book encourages readers to find a way to connect to different generations through communicating with one another.

Happiness in Quantum Leaps by Aura McClain

Aura McClain authored a self-help book that aims to give aid to people who want to attain true love, happiness, and tranquility titled Happiness in Quantum Leaps. Thus, the book provides a great guide on how the readers can achieve them all by positively adjusting their minds, bodies, and spirits. There are three important points highlighted in the book. The first one revolves around how to obtain peace of mind through learning to tame the mind. The next point centers on reigniting the spiritual energy core of God and knowing how to maximize it. The last one focuses on the tips to heal and mend the body from mental stress.

Somebody’s Daughter: A Memoir by Ashley C. Ford

This book has been recognized as a New York Times bestseller and an Amazon editor’s pick. It was published just last month by Flatiron Books: An Oprah Book. Ashley Ford’s masterpiece brings every reader to the world of a Black girl in Indiana who grew up in poverty with a family broken by confinement, discovering how alienating and difficult such childhood can become. As the author fights her own body and environment, Ashley starts a trip to find the connection between her identity and her fate, as well as the complex familial affection that frequently binds them.

Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell

Talking to Strangers is a bestselling and award-winning book by Malcolm Gladwell. Thus, the author raises an assertion that there is something extremely wrong with the equipment and techniques people utilize to make sense of others that they aren’t familiar with. Since you don’t know how to approach and interact with strangers, you are somehow drawing conflict and misunderstanding in methods that have a deep impact on your life and the world. But, this book will surely give you a better grasp of the subject.

Activities That Will Make Your Days Better

As the world goes through changes, many tend to struggle in keeping up with all the progress that’s happening. The changes and advancements that time has brought can definitely impact everyone’s lives. There are some who find it hard to develop new ways to grow while there are others who choose to go with the flow and enjoy everything that surrounds them.

In this fast-paced world, there will always be days that you feel frustrated and weary. They can affect your productivity and hinder your plans. But, you can always find a way to make your days better that can radiate to your mindset and emotions. Here are some of the best activities that you might want to try:

Reading

Books always have their unique ways in helping people calm their minds, understand themselves, figure out life, and shift their views. What’s more amazing is that when you decide to read, you have millions of novels to choose from. There’s fiction, which features books with stories are product of the authors’ imaginations. There’s nonfiction, which houses books that are based on facts, data, and real events. And, there are also books that are inspiring and interactive; these are the types of books that engage the readers to do different activities — such as color journaling on Botanical Reflectionsby Doris Lance, for their own betterment.

Arts and crafts

Through arts and crafts, you can discover a way to let out your emotions. You probably will not see the impact of this activity on the early stages but when you finish your work, you can definitely get an incomparable sense of fulfillment. There are many benefits that arts and crafts bring and among them are enhanced coordination skills, improved creativity, boosted productivity, increased motivation, and more. The simple idea of creating a cute scrapbook, knitting a small pouch, painting a tiny pot, and coloring a fantastic drawing can help make your days become better.

Writing

Writing is not only an essential because it is a form of non-verbal communication but also because of how it can be a great avenue for expression. If you are having a bad day because of reasons that you cannot control or you are having a heavy heart, then writing is the best option for you. It can absolutely help brighten your day and makes you feel better. It gives you the freedom to let out your ideas, concepts, and emotions without the fear of being judged by others. Moreover, it can also develop your other skills and give you time to reflect on yourself.

Working out

Fitness is among the most essential things in life. Unfortunately, people are busy attending hustling and bustling to pay bills and achieve a more comfortable life that ends up often disregarding their health. But, it shouldn’t stay that way because health must always come first. If you are looking for ways that can enhance the quality of your day, then you might want to try working out. It will not only make you feel better but can also reduce the risk of developing a medical condition. So, change into your workout clothes, ready your equipment, and start exercising. You will never know how much improvement this can bring to your physical health, as well as to your mental and emotional well-being.

Cleaning

Many seem to see cleaning as a demanding task. Imagine you have to sweep around, carry boxes, sort things out, wipe dusts, and other chores. But as you grow older, tidying your room is becoming therapeutic. If you are in you’re stuck in your house with no idea what to do, why don’t you try to clean? A clean environment can result to a positive mind and lowered stress levels. Apart from that, you can also prevent catching germs that might lead to illnesses.

Talking to others

Communication is an integral aspect in keeping and developing relationships. It is also a way of developing your social skills because you are interacting with others. But, this doesn’t necessarily pertain to conversing with others face to face since there are already other ways of reaching out to others with the help of technology and the internet. You can talk about how your day went, things that you’ve missed out with one another, and the likes.

Environmentally Sustainable Ways that Can Positively Impact Caregiving

The phrase “sustainable environment” is widely used today. It is often associated with the development of efficient ways to conserve natural resources to satisfy the needs of present and future generations. But, sustainability doesn’t limit its scope in that particular aspect because it also applies to healthcare, specifically caregiving.

According to ResearchAndMarkets.com I t has been reported that the worldwide health caregiving market is deemed to grow by $234.6 billion within the next 6 years with the rise of the numbers, it is expected that the caregiving necessities would also increase.

Moreover, creating a quality sustainable in a caregiving environment is essential. It can help the caregiver, the person receiving the care, and the the environment the care is provided in to meet each of the involved party’s current needs without compromising the future.

In Eleanor Gaccetta’s book One Caregiver’s Journey she states, from her personal experience, that caregiving is not for sissies because this job requires a lot of personal commitment. To be sure, that means that that the person being cared for demands personal and medical needs and the person providing the care must be committed to doing whatever is necessary to accomplish the job to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their loved one. You can learn more about the prerequisites of becoming a caregiver in the book One Caregiver’s Journey.

Caregivers need to be creative to ensure their home is arranged in a manner that is sustainable. Suggestions to create a quality caregiving environment that also promotes environmental sustainability include:

Waste Disposal Management

Caregiving is considered part of the healthcare industry. According to American Nurse Journal, it is one of the many industries that contends with solid waste production, and increased greenhouse gasses that can contribute to worsening climate change. The amount of waste products of many healthcare facilities and households has increased with Covid-19.

To prioritize the your well-being and that of the person you are taking care of, focus on improving your waste disposal management. But, how does it relate to sustainability and caregiving? Knowing how to dispose of waste correctly cannot only lead to cleaner surroundings but also protect you and your loved one. A sanitized environment promotes a healthy environment reducing the risk of infection. A clean environment also will lessen the waste by-products by knowing what to reduce, reuse, and recycle. The intention to create a clean environmental footprint also mandates consideration of the products a caregiver purchases. Proper products, be it personal hygiene or medical items, will not only be sustainable in the environment but also ensure the safety and wellbeing of the loved one receiving the care. So, you must be responsible for uplifting your waste disposal game to benefit your home caregiving setup and both of your well-being.

Eliminating Plastic

The healthcare industry was forced to begin using single-use plastic items for health safety. That included everything from food utensils and serving to needles and personal care items such as adult diapers.

Plastic does not decompose in waste sites. Scientists and environmental groups have begun a campaign to avoid using plastic. One way to do so is to invest in reusable cloth bags for shopping. These bags do need to be laundered regularly to eliminate the chance of contaminating food from one shopping visit to another. Caregivers could invest in reusable glass or metal straws for drinking or eating. These products can be re-used and sanitized by washing them with hot soap and water or running them through a dishwasher cycle. Look for products that are more eco-friendly.

How can this become beneficial in caregiving? Every living creature on this earth is impacted by pollution, whether it is air pollution or solid waste. Caregivers who are mindful of the products they use in their caregiving gig can also protect the environment. That will promote health and wellbeing for your loved one as well. Scientists are asking that people slowly change our habits and inspire others to do the same

Conserve Natural Resources

Caregivers need to also be mindful of our natural resources, such as water, electricity in daily caregiving needs and even in food preparation. Conserving natural resources will also save on financial expenditures. Skip the bottled water and turn on the tap. Use the time, energy and water saving cycles when doing laundry. Reduce the time you spend in the shower to conserve water. There are many innovative ways to save energy from solar panels to turning off the lights if you are not in a room or the television if you are not watching a program.

By being mindful, a caregiver can provide for their loved ones needs in a way that also is environmentally sustainable. Caregivers can also ensure the safety and wellbeing of their loved ones by incorporating some of these simple facts into their caregiving routine.

Activities That Can Develop Your Child’s Skills

If there is an adjective that can describe kids, it would be “teachable”. You probably are asking why does that particular modifier is chosen instead of “innocent”? The latter can disappear overtime since children are going through the stages of development at their own paces. But, the former can be seen no matter what phase they arrive at since learning doesn’t stop and humans always crave for knowledge.

Because a kid is teachable, you can start interacting with your child as early as birth and instill him with lessons that he can use while growing up. There are various means that can help you understand the learning capabilities of children and the works of Jo Ann Gramlich are among them.

Moreover, now that they are still on the process of growth, you should know how to help them develop their skills, mold their mindsets, and prepare for the future. Your guidance is highly necessary during these parts of your kid’s life. Thus, here are some of the bet activities that can help nurture their abilities, which can also give you a great parent-child bonding.

Reading children’s books

Kids cannot read and that’s a fact, especially babies and toddlers. Although there are some who can recognize some words but they definitely cannot comprehend meanings of every story yet. Since everyone gets drawn to things that are visually appealing or materials that contains visual elements, then children’s books would be a great fit for your child. There are wide arrays of books that contain pictures and illustrations, which are beneficial so that kids can follow the events of the story. Reading these types of books helps your child to slowly learn and manifest different life values.

Watching educational videos

As stated earlier, the younger ones haven’t fully developed their comprehension. That’s why educational videos are great source of both fun and knowledge. They also have the capability to catch the kid’s attention given that they have fickle minds and can be easily distracted. There are already multiple platforms where you can watch multimedia shows, the most accessible ones are TV shows and YouTube videos. The former has been around for many years now and has entertained kids before the internet took over. But, the latter is the most popular option today with the YouTube channel Cocomelon as one of the widely watched platform with millions of subscribers.

Building things using play-dough

When you were a young, did you spend most of your time building structures using play-dough? You cannot deny how fun and amazing it was to create different things by personally molding them. Hence, you might want to let your kids experience the same too. This activity can boost your child’s creativity. You are allowing them do and build whatever that comes in their imagination. Apart from that it also promotes sensory development, enhances motor skills, magnets attention, and boosts confidence. There are definitely provides multiple perks for just a fun activity.

Singing nursery rhymes

Did you know that singing is among the most effective activities that can build up the vocabulary and memory of a kid? Can you still recall your favorite nursery rhyme when you were young? You still do, right? Children are enthusiastic and energetic. When you sing them a song, they will definitely dance or clap to it. So, start introducing them to music, teaching them songs, and more. Since there are patterns in nursery rhymes, they held the younger ones in remembering and memorizing the song and even the story behind the song easily, especially if they learn them with videos.

Playing outdoors

Playing is the best way for kids to learn. There are different areas in your kid’s development that can be improved because of this activity, such as improved well-being, self-awareness, motor skills, social skills, and muscle strength. They can also enhance their decision-making and critical-thinking skills in dealing with different situations while having fun. Playing outdoors can also impact their physical health because they can get the essential vitamins from the sun, have a breath of fresh air, and exercise their bones by walking around. What are you waiting for? Let you child play in your backyard or at the park but still follow the health protocols imposed by your state.

Importance of Expressing Yourself

You probably have heard of the word “expression” for a thousand times now. It is usually associated to talking, writing, and other forms of communication. Many even link this term to manifest their rights in different aspects of society. But, what does it really mean? It is defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as the activity, process, or case of representing in a particular mean, such as words.

As mentioned, words are often the commonly used medium for expression. The things that you say and write hold such power that encourage others to do the same and make a difference in the society. However, there are also others that express themselves in their chosen craft, like art, fashion, food, and more. Everything is dependent on people’s lifestyle, characteristics, and likes.

So, what could be the importance of expressing oneself and why do many promotes it? Here are some of the points that you should know.

To share stories

Knowing that there is someone that shares the same type of highs and lows with you gives an incomparable sense of comfort. Does sharing your stories really matter? Yes. The things that you’ve gone can encourage others to strive and survive. Without you knowing it, you have already made an impact to everyone’s lives just by letting them know about your story of courage, kindness, love, weakness, and survival. You can do this activity using the method that you are most comfortable with. You can tell your tales through art to touch lives or through poetry, such as the poems to inspire others by Jaime Fidler in her book Jaime’s Inspirations.

To keep a healthy mind

A healthy mind radiates a healthy life. Who doesn’t desire to be free from bothering things that infiltrate the mind? In this day and age, many tend to get lost in their thoughts causing them to be unproductive and inactive. There are also times that surge of memories, ideas, and traumas overwhelm impacting your outlook on things that once made you enthusiastic.

But, when you start to let them free by expressing them on modes that you feel most confident and happy with, you can develop a better mindset, see the bigger picture in every situation, and become the master of your mind. The more you express yourself, the healthier your mind becomes and it will reflect on your well-being — physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual, and life in general.

To live life fully

You always hear the phrase “live life to the fullest,” but how? There are definitely hundreds of ways to achieve this state and self-expression is one of them. Imagine overcoming every obstacle, whether internal or external, that comes your way just by using your voice, pursuing your passion, and being yourself. That would be the dream for most people.

If you take the courage to open up to the right individuals, those that you feel the safest with, you can develop a better outlook in life. As a result, you tend to get more guts to continue what you’ve started or try new things because there is nothing holding you back now. There are no negativities, toxicities, and other undesirable things that prevent you to becoming a better person and to live life to the fullest. Thus, you are more determined to face life no matter how hard the circumstances can be and be positive that you can survive and savor its ups and downs.

To acquire peace

Peace is a luxury that many try so hard to achieve. When you were young, you never thought of the importance of peace. But as you grow older, you tend to crave for it. Living with peace can help you in taming your raging mind, aching heart, and weakening body. With the overwhelming situation that happen in your daily life, you often focus on becoming overwhelmed instead of working your way to get a peace of mind that can help you deal with everything in a calm and better manner.

The moment you start to be burdened by your responsibilities in both your personal life and career, you will lose your enthusiasm to look forward on each day. Everything starts to become annoying and messy. But when you release these frustrations through talking with your loved ones, doing things that you love, or exploring new hobbies, you will start to regain the peace that was once lost. You will also live a better, more tranquil, and more orderly life.

Meaningful Poetry Books That Will Touch Your Hearts

Have you ever felt a strong surge of emotions making you confused and overwhelmed at the same time? Do these feelings affect your daily life? Emotions are truly powerful and predictable. But, people are more powerful because they own them. Whether they are being swamped by waves of strong emotions and bothering thoughts, everyone still find ways to get back on their feet and enjoy life as it is.

Among the methods that individuals often turn to when they are engulfed by their feelings is poetry. Trapping or suppressing those emotions would do them no good, but expressing them through poetry would be the best option. Why? It is because the words, experiences, and feelings embedded on every poem can give people relief and can inspire others as well. Poetry is definitely a great platform for expression and a great source of inspiration. That said, here are some of the most meaningful books under poetry that will touch your hearts.

Poetry in Motion by Raymond Quattlebaum

Poetry in Motion is the first book of Raymond Quattlebaum that was published in 2019 by ReadersMagnet. It often makes the readers think about how poetry is life in motion and motion is poetry of life, which is amazingly spinning at a vibration that is a great seen for everyone to witness. Hence, this poetry book was written to take the readers in the different paths of life to know themselves and understand how the presence of God is integral in it.

Welcome Home: A Guide to Building a Home for Your Soul by Najwa Zebian

Najwa Zebian’s Welcome Home: A Guide to Building a Home for Your Soul was recently published last month by Harmony. The poet expresses her personal experiences in creating a home within herself and shows everyone the ways to build the “rooms” named after different values and aspects of life, such as self-love, forgiveness, compassion, clarity, surrender, and the dream garden. Welcome Home: A Guide to Building a Home for Your Soul indeed brings light to the sufferings and pain that everyone has experienced when they ran out of peace with themselves.

Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine

Published in 2014 by Graywolf Press, the book titled Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine has garnered multiple awards and recognitions because of how bold and deep it is. Among these awards is National Book Critics Circle Award in Poetry winner, NAACP Image Award winner, PEN Open Book Award winner, L.A Times Book Prize winner, and more. This amazing poetry book talks about the ascending racial hostility in the proceeding encounters in both people’s daily lives and in the media during the 21^st century. Thus, it is a strong and influential testament to the singular and collective impact of racial discrimination in the present contemporary society.

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

Milk and Honey is a critically-acclaimed book by Rupi Kaur. It was published in 2014 by Andrews McMeel Publishing. The poems in this collection revolve around womanhood and survival, which are drawn from the author’s personal experiences. It is split into different parts and every part has diverse purpose and relevance. Moreover, the poet’s writing style arises from her cultural heritage and her drive to be reachable to her target readers. But, regardless of how many praises this book got and how big of an impact it made in people’s lives, there are still many criticisms both on the style of writing and the author herself. Regardless of the mixed feedback on this book, it still sold millions of copies worldwide and has been recognized as a The New York Times best seller for more than 160 weeks.

Empty Bottles Full of Stories by r.h. Sin and Robert M. Drake

This touching poetry book was penned by two popular poets in this contemporary period, which are r.h. Sin and Robert M. Drake. It was published in 2019 by Andrews McMeel Publishing. The poems tell the readers to express the truth and tales that they have been keeping for so long. They also give the targets a sense of comfort upon assuring them that each word of every poem will set them free and offer them peace.