The most meaningful things I read in 2023
As has become a tradition, I'm back for the final installment of The Follow-Up for the year with a recap of my favorite things I read in 2023.
Below are eight takeaways from books I read this past year from authors I had the privilege of interviewing on my show, The Follow-Up Question.
Before I get to that, I want to celebrate the fact that I released a book of my own this year!
My book, Can I Ask A Question?, has been so well received so far, and if you haven't already gotten a copy for yourself, what better way to bring in a new year than with some new reading?
Order your copy today through my website (it'll be available soon on Amazon and Barnes & Noble)!
And now, here are the most meaningful things I read in 2023:
The Connected Leader: 7 Strategies to Empower Your True Self and Inspire Others by Karen Joy Harwick
“So, here is the deal with curiosity. It is one powerful way to enhance connection, even as it stretches us and makes us uncomfortable. Its power is unsung, however, because we tend to live in a world that celebrates knowing.”
How to Listen: Discover the Hidden Key to Better Communication by Oscar Trimboli
“When you open your perspective, you can notice when you are listening for similarities to confirm your point of view and to help defend your position. Alternatively, when you listen for difference, are you merely creating the start of your argument because your experience, education, or evidence is different?”
Making Conversation: 7 Elements of Meaningful Communication by Fred Dust
“Change is an essential component of making conversation — in many cases, it is the goal of a creative conversation. Serious, hard conversations that don’t enable some form of change are, unfortunately, just serious and hard conversations.”
The Kindness Games: How a Single Post Changed Our Mindset About Community by Lee Oughton and Tim Wenzel
“You are responsible for the world around you, for your sphere of influence. There are people who look to you, people who want to be like you, and people you are responsible for in some way, even if not directly. A life well-lived is not for us, it’s for the watchers. The people who quietly observe how you interact with your world. How you treat a waitress, talk about your boss, and speak to your spouse influences the people who emulate you when you don’t realize it. A life well-lived sets an example of how to live well. Though it may be more difficult for you, you do it because it is right.”
The Courage of Compassion: A Journey from Judgment to Connection by Robin Steinberg
“There is always a context, a history, experiences that pave the path to doing the unthinkable. This isn't to say that an individual shouldn’t be held accountable when they commit harm. An explanation is not an excuse. But the story of how someone came to be, or act, can make meaning. Meaning is the soil of our common humanity, and recognizing that shared humanity is a path, however obscure, to redemption.”
Addicted to Drama: Healing Dependency on Crisis & Chaos in Yourself & Others by Dr. Scott Lyons
“A fresh view of addiction recognizes that the opposite of addiction is not sobriety, but rather human connection.”
Life After God: Finding Faith When You Can’t Believe Anymore by Mark Feldmeir
“We breathe in the breath of our best friend and our worst enemy, the breath of our parents and grandparents, the breath of our children and grandchildren.”
Lessons on the Road to Peace by John Noltner
“We’re all part of the problem and we’re all part of the solution.”
Cheers to a happy, healthy, and curious 2024!
All the best to you and those you love,
