Lianne Kay and Andrew Chin discuss another self-help book. This time it's Thrive, by Arianna Huffington. They also discuss their 30-day challenges, pop culture pleasures and obsessions.

30 DAY CHALLENGES

ANDREW: Noticed there are certain ones that keep popping up as 30-day challenges. Next challenge? Tracking his morning, as he wants to get up a little earlier and write more. By consciously experiencing your mornings you’re more likely to be able to do both!

LIANNE: Did self-help exercises aplenty during the summer! Gratitude lists never fail, but also investigated limiting beliefs and self-destructive tendencies. It was very interesting and I will keep going down that road. Andrew and I are gonna make a little book with some favorite small self-help exercises, probably.

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Thrive by Arianne Huffington!

You can get it for 7$ on Amazon* (the Kindle version is 10$) and Bol.com carries it for 11.99!

Ariane Huffington is a Greek-American author of multiple books, engaged in politics as well as business, and she is one of the most influential women in media. She is co-founder and editor in-chief of the Huffington Post and is very well known as the advocate of sleep, as in this Ted-talk.

Thrive is her book in which she wants you to learn how to thrive, not by working harder, longer, more efficiently, but by actively pursuing relaxation and self-care.

In ‘Thrive’ Arianne explains in a very matter-of-factly way in what ways you can improve your well-being, backed up by science and research at every turn. From meditation to putting away your phone and yoga, but also through giving and service.

This book is very suitable for anyone who isn’t into the more American gospel-type “YOU CAN DO IT” books, or who breaks out in hives as soon as someone talks about the Universe and energy.

Some of Andrew and Lianne’s favorite quotes:

· “We may not be able to witness our own eulogy, but we’re actually writing it all the time, everyday. The question is how much we’re giving the eulogizer to work with. (…) The good news is that each and everyone of us still has the time to live up to the best version of our eulogy.”

· “Eulogies aren’t resumes.”

· “It’s really not so much habit breaking as habit unmaking.”

· “If you want to catch little fish, you can stay in the shallow water. But if you want to catch the big fish, you’ve got to go deeper. Down deep, the fish are more powerful and purer. They’re huge and abstract. And they’re very beautiful.”

· “Knock on your inner door. No other.”

· Giving up drugs is easy compared to dealing with the emotions drugs protected you from.”

POP CULTURE PLEASURES

LIANNE: My Dad Wrote A Porno.

Oh. My. God.

This podcast can cure your acne, water your crops and have you laugh wherever you go. Listen to it via iTunes, aCast and follow MDWAP on Instagram.

(After I talked about it in the podcast, Andrew started listening to it in the car on his way back from my place and he is now JUST AS OBSESSED.)

ANDREW: Lana Del Rey’s latest Album ‘Lust for Life’

This new album is incredible. So beautiful. I like it just as much as I did Born To Die. Amazing.

LIANNE: American Gods.

Television series based on Neil Gaiman’s novel ‘American Gods’. I am four episodes in and it’s bloody amazing. The intro is just as good as the Game of Thrones intro (yes I said it fight me) and I LOVE the amazing story arc.

OBSESSIONS

LIANNE: Tony’s Chocolonely’s Milk & Coffee Crunch. Because Tony’s Chocolonely forever.

ANDREW: The movie Baby Driver. You can find the MovieBitches review I refer to here.

For those interested, here are Into the Blood & I'm On Fire by John Mayer we briefly discuss!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxq9PV9plck

https://open.spotify.com/track/77Y57qRJBvkGCUw9qs0qMg

NEXT BOOK

The subtle art of not giving a fuck by Mark Manson!

You can get it here for 13 euros (with free shipping) and for 14.99$ here (Kindle version is 12$)!

See you in September!

*Amazon.com & Bol.com links are affiliate links. If you purchase books through that link, without it affecting what you pay, we get a small commission for referring you. Thank you!