I’m a self-professed book addict, so I’d love to know what else are you reading that is rockin’ your world right now!  Leave me a note in the comments section below.

(Click the images if you’d like to order directly from Amazon.)

You Can Heal Your Life is the book I continue to return to, for myself and my clients.  As Louise says, it really is quite simple: most of our challenges in life stem from not loving our Self.  Here, she offers the metaphysical equation for how our emotions affect our health, prosperity and well-being.

Breaking Clean is fiercely good literature.  It’s a series of essays that tells the story of living authentically, sustaining the courage to go against the cultural grain and speaking what is uniquely true for you.  You may not have come from a ranch in Montana, but you will see yourself in Judy’s struggle to break free.  Judy was one of my advisors in grad school and her essays ring true to the strength and faith she maintains.

Ok, so this book doesn’t even come out until April, but I added The Fire Starter Sessions to my list because, having worked with Danielle one on one, I guarantee it will transform your success.

Who, but Ellen Bass, could write such a gorgeous poem entitled “God and the G-Spot”?  Ellen’s poetry takes the mundane in life and highlights its most graceful, intimate side. The Human Line includes one of my favorite of her poems, “Gate C22.”

The Book of Awakening is a daily guidebook to opening to the wonder of each day, and seeing the transcendent in the the ordinary.  It’s another book I continue to read through year after year.  You can listen to my interview with the author, Mark Nepo, here.

Admittedly, I was late to the party celebrating The War of Art.  When I read it last year, I highlighted most of the book.  It’s a slim volume, but absolutely packed with insight.  Plus, it offers up the challenge to confront all of the resistance that has been holding you back from truly shining.

Colin Tipping offers a new way of looking at forgiveness that I find helpful.  He calls it Radical Forgiveness because he actually suggests that there is no need for forgiveness.  It’s like Sacred Contracts meets Many Lives, Many Masters (two more important books to check out if you haven’t read them yet).

Here’s my latest Heart to Heart featuring Gabrielle Bernstein, motivational speaker and author of Add More ~ing To Your Life and Spirit Junkie.

I know you’ll enjoy this native New Yorker’s wit and wisdom.  In this interview, Gabby and I talk about:

• How to bring your mind back to love
• The “I’ll be happy when…” mentality
• “Eff it. Let’s go.” vs. “Sit back and receive.”
• A Course in Miracles and who she goes to for inspiration

Leave me a comment below and let me know what you think!

All love,

Mindie

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Featured Heart to Heart Interview:

Gabrielle Bernstein (42:27)

Click here to listen:  

Thanks so much for checking out my conversation with Gabby.  Learn more about her work at GabbyB.TV or Her Future and mention that you heard her here on Restart Your Heart!

Gabrielle’s Bio:

Since 2004 Gabrielle, who has a degree in theater from Syracuse University, has been on the speaking circuit. Gabrielle has presented lectures at the Massachusetts Conference for Women, Seattle Center for Women in Democracy, Nobel Women, Integral Yoga, Kripalu, Universities nationwide, The Step Up Women’s Network, The Junior Leauges and many other venues.

In 2008 she launched her social networking site www.HerFuture.com for young women to find mentors.

Gabrielle has been featured in media outlets such as The New York Times Sunday Styles, Marie Claire, Health, SELF, Women’s Health, Forbes List: 20 Best Branded Women and New York Moves Magazine. Gabrielle is a regular blogger for the Huffington Post, Intent, and CrazySexyLife. In addition she can also be seen riding around the East Village on a unicycle.

Up Next…

Next month’s Heart to Heart interview is with Rollin McCraty, Director of Research at The Institute of HeartMath.  Don’t miss it — Subscribe Now!
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Restart Your Heart is on Facebook! “Like” us and post a comment on the wall–tell me who you’d like to hear from in future Heart to Heart interviews!

Restart Your Heart…

Because Love is Worth the Risk

In 2010, Oprah chose The Book of Awakening as one of her ultimate favorite things.  “Mark Nepo is a poet,” Oprah says. “He’s an author and a philosopher and has been through two different cancers. So when he writes, he writes purely from the heart.”

I’m a huge fan of Mark’s work and am delighted to share this conversation with you.  In this interview, Mark and I talk about:

• How we can prepare for our hearts to be opened
• How we move forward when the life we once knew is gone
• How we sometimes stunt our own growth
• Why we need each other
• And who he reads for inspiration

All this and more are included in this month’s Heart to Heart with Mark Nepo.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on our conversation.  Please leave a comment below.

All love,

Mindie

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Featured Heart to Heart Interview:

Mark Nepo

Click here to listen:  (48:04) 

Mark’s Bio:

Mark Nepo has published thirteen books and recorded eight audio projects. Recent work includes a new book of teaching stories, As Far As the Heart Can See, and audio books of The Book of Awakening and Finding Inner Courage. As a cancer survivor, Mark devotes his writing and teaching to the journey of inner transformation and the life of relationship.

His work has been translated into twenty languages including French, Portuguese, Japanese, and Danish. In leading spiritual retreats, in working with healing and medical communities, and in his teaching as a poet, Mark’s work is widely accessible and used by many.

Like Restart Your Heart on Facebook! Post a comment on the wall and tell me know who you’d like to hear from in future Heart to Heart interviews.

Restart Your Heart…

Because Love is Worth the Risk

This is from Cheryl Richardson’s The Art of Extreme Self-Care.  I posted it on my Facebook wall recently and it hit home with many of my friends.

For me, this topic is all too relevant as my fiancé and I are getting ready to move to the other side of the country (his family would rather he didn’t) and we’re beginning to plan our wedding (my family would rather we include them in the decision making process).  In the midst of hurt feelings and misunderstandings, we have one goal — to remain true to what we believe to be best for the two of us.

This isn’t about getting angry, being rude or not listening to people who disagree with you; it’s about setting clear boundaries around the way you do your life.  It is up to you, and no one else, to determine this.

In the Heart to Heart I had with Jess Todtfeld (which will be posted tomorrow), he stressed the importance of doing what makes YOU happy.  People will have opinions no matter what you do, so you may as well focus on doing what you want.

How do you know what’s best for you?  Next time you’re in situation where you want to do one thing, and others are telling you to do the other thing, check in with your heart.  The heart, unattached to the ego mind that so often overwhelms our thinking, will always guide you.  You just need to listen in for its softer, subtle voice.  You also need to muster the courage to release the need for approval.  As Cheryl says, this is how you will reflect YOU throughout your life, and there is nothing more beautiful than pure authenticity radiating from your heart.

So go ahead…  Speak your truth, live from the heart and give others the freedom to do the same.

Here are a couple personal highlights:

David Morelli spoke on tapping into intuition, how today we are so connected through the internet, but how we are learning more and more to connect to our “inner-net.”  Brilliant.

Lisa Nichols was an inspiration — it’s easy to tune out words of motivation when I am constantly surrounded by them in my work.  For whatever reason, the space I was in and her words combined to stir up something within me that is still working its way into expression.  Powerful stuff…

Laura Silva, the daughter of Silva Method creator, José Silva, described her experience of putting into practice all of the personal growth tools to which she had access.  It’s an important question to ask ourselves how often we utilize the tools and techniqes we have at our disposal to continue to step beyond our comfort zones and into our potential.  Laura’s joy radiated from the stage and it was such a delight to connect with her.

I spoke on mindfulness and shared a quick exercise to recenter and disconnect from autopilot at any point in the day.  I based my talk on Ellen Langer’s research on mindfulness and the recent book, Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love & Wisdom.  Having someone like Chip Conley jump out of his seat to give me a standing ovation was such an honor. (Love you Chip!)

Vishen Lakhiani, creator of Awesomeness Fest through his company, MindValley, focused the whole event around the balance between being happy in the present moment and having a clear vision of success in the future — a state he would describe as being in flow.

At the end of the conference, Sean and I flew out of Costa Rica from a different airport than that in which we had arrived.  At first, it seemed like a huge inconvenience: having to take a tiny turbo-prop from a local airstrip to the international airport.  We quickly realized that it was actually one of the highlights of the trip — an opportunity to see more of the stunning countryside.  Here’s a quick taste…

Overall, Awesomeness Fest was truly an AWESOME experience.  I am so grateful to each and every one of you who added to the energy with your presence.

And if you haven’t read Bird by Bird, it’s fantastic. I dare say “essential” for writers, but Lamott is so good, anyone can benefit from her insights on life.

I use the I Ching frequently so I made a video to describe how it’s done.  Hope you’ll find it helpful…

My chapter, “Step by Step to Your Personal Destiny,” is in the career section.  Having met many of the women writers in this book, I am thrilled to be a part of it and encouraged by the overall success it’s seen thus far.  There is something magical about women coming together, lifting our voices (or pens) to share from our lives with the hope of encouraging and empowering other women.

Please order your signed copy today from the Awaken Consciousness Shop!