Believe in yourself and do what you love
Kate James
2015
Affirm Press

The story: As Kate, a coach, meditation teacher and speaker, says in her introduction, you can read this beautiful book in one hit or dip in and out. There are fifty mini chapters or sections on topics from trusting your intuition, working out your values, boosting your confidence and finding small pleasures. Kate writes in a kind, friendly, non-judgemental manner, gently encouraging you to think open-mindfully about where you are and what you want to do. It’s a gorgeous design inside and out – perfect gift book!

The highlights: I completed an online course with Kate – Dream, Do, Discover – and I can tell you, Kate personifies kindness and wisdom. Her course notes, like this book, are beautifully presented. While some of the book concepts might seem airy-fairy, Kate backs up everything with a strong encouragement to take action. It’s not enough just to discover your strengths or identify your inner purpose, it is about taking consistent, meaningful action.

Some of my favourite quotes:

Contrary to what we’re often told, there’s no single version of success.

Developing self-discipline is a bit like building a muscle – if you begin by focusing on small tasks you can work towards building up to more difficult ones.

Empathy is one of the most important elements of emotional intelligence. It begins with being prepared to listen and become aware of other people’s feelings, and ends with a feeling of understanding and compassion towards them.

Our egos often cover up our insecurities. If you find yourself being defensive, you’re operating from your ego. If you feel superior or compare yourself to others, that’s your ego too. If you feel the need to put other people down or gossip about them unkindly, you’re operating from ego. Genuine self-belief is the opposite of ego. It starts with having an inherent understanding of your unique values and your strengths. It means knowing why you make the choices you make.