10 July, 2023

Becoming Flawesome by Kristina Mänd-Lakhani - Book Blitz

 

Non fiction

Date Published: July 10, 2023

Publisher: Hay House Publishing


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Overcome perfectionism and self-doubt by unapologetically embracing your fully awesome self—flaws and all—with the co-founder of Mindvalley, a global school that delivers transformational education for all ages.

It’s odd to think that we can simultaneously be living as ourselves without ourselves. As life happens, we fall in love with the idea of who we could be instead of with who we actually are—leaving parts of ourselves behind and losing sight of what and who is truly important within ourselves.

 

By sharing revelatory personal anecdotes and reflection prompts, Kristina Mänd-Lakhani, co-founder of Mind Valley, helps to guide you toward:

 

  • Finding your own truth despite the external and internal critics
  • Transforming from the Perfect You into the Real You
  • Embodying a life where no one needs fixing

 

Reclaim your happiness as your gift to the world and take the first steps to living truthfully within your flawesomely beautiful reflection.

 

 

Praise for Becoming Flawesome


“Kristina Mänd-Lakhani takes us on an inward journey toward authenticity, with the conviction that positive change within and without can only come from there. Reading her book, I was reminded of the secret revealed by the Little Prince, that what is essential cannot be seen with the eyes but with the heart. Here, you can learn to experience who you really are, and how to accept that genuine person, using well thought out exercises, and bearing in mind that it all begins simply by practising awareness.”

- Princess Rym Ali, President of the Anna Lindh Foundation

 

"Becoming Flawesome is full of timely wisdom for those who want to live their perfect imperfect life."

- Jim Kwik, New York Times bestselling author of Limitless

 

"Becoming Flawesome is a roadmap to deep self-awareness, radical self-acceptance and genuine self-love. An inspiring read for any individual prepared to embark on a journey towards their truest selves."

- Dr. Shefali, New York Times bestselling author and clinical psychologist

 

“Becoming Flawesome is a brilliant gift for anyone who has ever doubted their strength and power to create a life that is unapologetically their own. Kristina Mänd-Lakhiani inspires the courage and conviction we need to live lives of deep integrity, joy and truth."

- Katherine Woodward Thomas, NY Times Bestselling Author of Calling in "The One" and Conscious Uncoupling

 

“Becoming Flawesome is a refreshingly honest, insightful, and liberating book... one which frees you from the prison of beliefs and values guaranteed to destroy your Spirit, and gently walks you back to the safety sanity and lasting success of your heart.”

- Sonia Choquette, New York Times bestselling author of The Answer is Simple: Love Yourself, Live your Spirit!

 

“Becoming Flawesome gives a powerful insight into the prospect of nurturing a healthy relationship with the most important person in our lives: ourselves. Beautifully written and authentically delivered by Kristina it's a must-read for anyone working on improving their self- worth.”

- Marisa Peer, bestselling author of Tell Yourself a Better Lie and a leading therapist


 

Excerpt


The Key to Living an Imperfectly Authentic Life


Introduction

Let’s Begin


It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a good book has to start with a proper introduction.

And by “proper” I mean that it has to prime the reader for the journey, raise excitement and set expectations, explain the process, and make reading the book an experience both profitable and smooth. After all, we are about to spend some time together on this journey.

Therefore, I was not surprised when on the first meeting with my publisher I was asked if I would consider writing a proper introduction to my book. You see—the original manuscript started with a story of me pondering my future book while standing in the shower, warm water running down my back, and my finger absentmindedly drawing random patterns on the fogged-up glass.

I started this book during the long years of successive COVID confinements, and I was planning to self-publish it because I wanted the freedom to make decisions about the book—how to write, what to write, what stories to include, what kind of experience to offer to my reader. So, naturally, it wasn’t following any universally acknowledged truths or conventions.

Yet, by the time I had to present my book-baby to the world, I felt that I wanted to give it the best possible future, and I had to face the big decision between my heart and my brain: Will it be self-published (heart), or will I work with a traditional publisher (brain)? Going the traditional way meant facing more choices between my quirky and obstinate self-expression and conventional ways of doing things.

This book is about finding your way back to yourself, about understanding who you really are, accepting your dents and scratches, your quirky uniqueness and even your flaws. It is about thriving in being unapologetically you, most flawesomely.

This book has been through the hands of several editors ever since I put the last stop on its original manuscript. This journey has been both emotional and transformative for me. I had to face my biggest dragon by far—my obstinate need for pure self-expression—over and over again.

When do you follow convention, and when do you stick to your own principles and values?

There is no simple answer to this question, except: you have to learn to balance.

If you follow all the rules that your peers expect you to follow, you bet all there is on a slim chance of the grand prize, but you do it at the price of your own unique self-expression. At times, I felt like I had to “sell my soul to the devil” for a chance at success.

But if you obstinately stick to your own unique quirks and principles, you might end up being unheard and misunderstood so universally that there is no point in writing a book. For it is the readers who make a writer. Without the readers, a book is just a private diary.


Reader, will you judge me if I tell you that this book is a delicate balance between convention and my own uniqueness? Of course, I want you to succeed. But I cannot give you the proper introduction to my book because every book is a journey. This book has been my journey, and now it is yours. I walked my path to my true self, to understanding what makes me truly me . . . and what of that unique quirkiness is simply noise. You see, your flaws and your dragons are there for a reason—they make you who you are, but they also hold the key to your biggest value, to your mightiest strengths, if you choose to look your dragons in the eye.

Now I am hoping that you will take this journey with me to your unique destination—to finding the path back to you. I will be your companion on this journey, but it is yours to take.

So why wouldn’t I tell you what’s ahead? Imagine if Gandalf told Bilbo Baggins that on his journey, he would encounter trolls, go through a perilous enchanted forest, and face a dragon in a far-away mountain.1 Wouldn’t that be a bit of a spoiler?

I want you to take this journey back to you without any spoilers, with an open heart, and trust that the destination is going to be worth your effort. Because becoming flawesome is the best gift you can give to yourself.

So, if you are ready, let’s begin!


About the Author

 Kristina Mänd-Lakhani is an international speaker, entrepreneur, artist, philanthropist, and mother of 2 kids. As a co-founder of  Mindvalley, a leading publisher in the personal growth industry, Kristina dedicated the last 20 years of her career from teachers like Michael Beckwith, Bob Proctor, Lisa Nichols, and many more.

She started her career in a government office in her native Estonia and, by her mid-20s, achieved a level of success mostly known to male politicians at the end of their careers. It was shortly after that Kristina and her then-husband Vishen founded Mindvalley. From a small meditation business operating out of the couple’s apartment in New York, the company quickly grew into a global educational organization offering top training for peak human performance to hundreds of thousands of students all around the world.

Kristina believes life is too important to be taken seriously and makes sure to bring fun into every one of her roles: as a teacher, mother, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and world traveller. Kristina helps her students to virtually hack happiness by taking them through her unique framework - “Hacking happiness” - a unique framework of balancing your life, taking in every moment, and paying close attention to the small daily choices. 

Kristina is also the author of three transformational quests - "7 Days To Happiness", "Live By Your Own Rules.” and "The Art of Being Flawesome". Kristina talks about personal transformation, authenticity, understanding and accepting oneself, and a path to happiness.

In July 2023, with the help of Hay House Publishing, Kristina releases her very first book - "Becoming Flawesome" #BecomingFlawesome. In her book, Kristina shares her own journey from being on top of a personal growth empire like Mindvalley to stepping aside, conscious uncoupling from her husband, and walking her path towards being more honest with herself.


Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

 

Purchase Links

Amazon

Mind Valley


RABT Book Tours & PR

Until next time,


07 July, 2023

Lessons Learnt Until now... #BlogChatterBlogHop

Top post on Blogchatter It's no secret now that I celebrated my 40th birthday last month :-)

Aging gracefully with wisdom. 

I won't say, Age is just number as if aging doesn't impact us in anyway. Aging changes us. I see a few grey hair which are prominent now. My knees and legs pain when I dance like earlier. 

After so long, I am gaining weight easily now. I couldn't easily gain weight from childhood till 1 year ago even when I eat more. My weighing scale never changed more than 1 kg except during pregnancies. Lol! But, I have matured a lot mentally. Learned many lessons in life. I feel more confident myself than ever in my life. I have my goals clear now. 

So, here I am following the Blogchatter's prompt to share a few Lessons learnt from life.

Kindness is the King

I learned that kindness matters a lot for everyone. 

Not being judgmental, 

showing compassion, 

having empathy, 

being sensitive to matters which hurt others - I feel, all these are great qualities.

What do you think?

I believe in this - 

Help others as much as can. If you cannot, re-direct them to any other person who can help. Be patient while listening to their problems and view points. Don't expect anything in return for helping.


Slow down and be mindful


Being a working woman with 2 kids and a dance school, I was going too fast in my life. I realized, this won't work on a long term. Being ambitious is fine, but being mindful is very important.

With this rush between work, family and hobbies, I realized that  I am losing wonderful moments in my life. I am not cherishing my time with kids, I am missing out guiding them, playing with them, learning from them, observing them blah blah. So many wonderful moments to cherish and these times never come back again. 

Now a days, I enjoy hiking in the nature with family. I don't want to hurry. I want to walk, explore , discuss our ideas, ambitions and enjoy the weather and nature.





Ask for help when needed

I learned an important lesson in life that we should ask for help when needed. Be it from spouse, parents, siblings, kids, and friends. When things go unexpected and overwhelming, talk to people, share feelings and ask for help.

Even the most educated people tend to forget this fact they cannot achieve everything on by own and it's ok to ask for help. What do you think?


Health is the greatest Wealth

I learned how food, and our mind impacts our health and overall well being. I respect my body, and nourish my soul with yoga. Daily walking, yoga, food with more vegetables and fresh fruits are a part and parcel of my life.





After covid, we all realized how important is the health of ours and our family's. Won't you agree?

Until next time,






This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop and link it to www.theblogchatter.com



Zion National Park adventure for families with kids - Day #1 itinerary to make the most of your trip!

This post may contain affiliate links, clicking on those links may earn some commission to us without any additional cost to you.


Zion National Park in Southwest Utah is one of the most popular national parks in USA. Zion Canyon averaging 2000 feet deep offers numerous hiking trails with astonishing views. While Narrows and Angels Landing are the most popular trails, The Subway is considered the most challenging.







With this trip, we completed visiting all the Mighty 5 parks in Utah. Yay ! 

The following parks are considered mighty 5 and take us on an exclusive experience of the rugged beauty of Utah.

Arches National Park

Canyonlands National Park

Zion National Park

Bryce Canyon National park and

Capitol Reef National Park

My previous travelogues are linked above. 


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How to Reach Zion National Park?

The economical option is to fly to Las Vegas and drive 2.5 hrs to Zion. You can rent a car for cheaper rates here

Here are some flight options:


Where to Stay?

Springdale, UT is the nearest town with all facilities which can be your base camp to Zion. There is a free shuttle to Zion if you are staying in Springdale.

But, we stayed in Hurricane, which is 30 mins away from Zion and is affordable. 

Here are some hotel / airbnb options around:



Park Entrance:

Entrance fee is $35 per vehicle. 

We have our America the beautiful  Annual Pass which costed around $80. This is a lot of saving so far as we visited Big Bend , Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef National parks already. There are 5 more months in this year and you never know how many we get to visit this year. :-)

During Summers, which is the peak time for visitors, Shuttle is the only option to travel inside the park. Please check this link for shuttle info. You can drive shuttle for free with park pass. There is no reservation required.


Don't forget summer essentials!

Hydration Backpack 

Sunscreen

UV protecting Hat

Healthy Trail mix Snacks


Our Day #1 Itinerary:

We flew from Austin to Las Vegas on Saturday morning, reached by 9am, rented a car , drove to Hurricane having our lunch on the way.

We reached Hurricane by afternoon, checked in at our hotel , refreshed and started with our Zion trip in the evening.

Since this is summer and the day light is till 8.30 Pm or so, it is very helpful to spend a lot of time in the park with less crowd. 

Hiking Trails:

Weeping rock trail:

We entered the National park through Zion Canyon Visitor center , took the shuttle to reach stop #7 Weeping Rock trail stop.

The drive through shuttle is great where we saw the Virgin river on the right side and canyon walls narrowing as we reach the end of the scenic drive. We also could watch the people hiking to Angel's landing.


Weeping rock




Weeping rock trail is 0.4 mile roundtrip short but a steep trail. It takes around 30 mins. This takes us to a rock with dripping springs. The view point from there is great with canyons and greenery.

Canyon Overlook Trail:

We drove through the east side of the park passing through Zion - Mt Carmel tunnel. Zion Mount Carmel highway is a very scenic winding road. 

Canyon overlook trail is 1 mile round trip trail with an elevation of 163 ft. The trail has a lot of drop offs, and it ends at a view point of Pine creek canyon and lower Zion canyon. The initial incline is a little tough, but later, the rocky trail is mostly flat.


Canyon Overlook Trail



This is a very good introduction trail and since we did it in the evening, there are not much crowds. The sweeping views of canyon make this trail as a must for families visiting with kids.


Canyon Overlook Trail


Canyon Overlook Trail



My kids aged 8 and 12 years could do it without any problem, but if you have kids still younger, please watch-out and hold them where there are drop offs. 

Dinner in Springdale:

We had awesome Mexican dinner from Whiptail Grill in Springdale, which is very close to the park entrance. The views surrounding our restaurant are worthy a mention. The food is tasty , but it is a little expensive. 


At Whiptail Grill, Springdale



Thus, we completed our Day #1 at Zion. On Day #2 , we hiked the Riverwalk trail, Court of Patriarchs, had lunch at Zion lodge, and visited the Kolob canyon area. Unfortunately, Emerald pools trail was closed during that time.

More details on Day #2 itinerary in the next post. Meanwhile, don't forget to follow me on social media to get latest updates from my blog:




Until next time,



05 July, 2023

Queuing for the Queen by Sweta Rana - Book Promo

Book Details:

Title:  Queuing for the Queen
Author: Sweta Rana
Genre: Uplit, General Fiction
Publisher: head of Zeus, Aria Imprint
Publication Date: 6th July, 2023




Blurb:


'Beautifully sensitive, quietly reflective, this absorbing tale about a group of strangers brought together following the death of Queen Elizabeth II is an absolute triumph.' LoveReading debut of the month

One queue. 250,000 people. Twenty-four life-changing hours.

A young boy wearing a cereal box crown, impatiently dragging his mother behind him.

A friendly man in a khaki raincoat, talking about his beloved Leeds United to anyone who will listen.

An elderly woman who has lived her life alongside the Queen, and is just hoping she’ll make it to the end of the queue to say goodbye.

And among them, a British Indian mother and daughter, driven apart by their differences, embarking on a pilgrimage which neither of them yet know will change their lives forever.

Full of secrets and surprises, this uplifting novel celebrates not only the remarkable woman who defined an era and a country, but also the diverse and unique people she served for so long.





Purchase Links


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Queuing-Queen-highly-anticipated-inspired/dp/1035900181/

https://www.amazon.com/Queuing-Queen-highly-anticipated-inspired/dp/1035900181/



Kobo – the ebook is currently only 99p

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/queuing-for-the-queen



Author Bio :

Swéta Rana was born into a Gujarati family in Birmingham, and now lives in south London. She studied Philosophy and Theology at Oxford before doing a Master’s in Publishing at UCL. After working briefly in editorial at Orion, she moved into designing and managing commercial websites.


Swéta has enjoyed writing ever since she was a child, always taking any opportunity she can to write fiction pieces, film reviews, or articles on Indian culture. Queuing for the Queen is her first novel.

In her spare time, Swéta takes Hindi language classes, sings soprano in a chamber choir, and volunteers for a mental health charity.

Social Media Links – https://twitter.com/s_rana_

https://swetarana.com/

Until next time,




30 June, 2023

The Texas State Capitol, Austin

This post may contain affiliate links, clicking on those links may earn some commission to us without any additional cost to you.

The Texas State Capitol building is in Austin downtown which houses the offices of Texas Legislature and Governor of Texas. 

This 3 story limestone structure costed around $150,000 when completed in 1853. This capitol building is standing 14 feet higher than the US Capitol building in Washington D C. An extensive renovation happened in 1900's which costed around 200 million dollars.


How to reach Austin and where to stay?




A few accommodation options:












Architecture and Detailing:

The architecture and detailing inside the building is impressive. The dome at the center is exquisite and the hand rails and the brass door handles get our attention for sure. 

218 feet above, a star is installed on the dome which measures 8 ft from point to point. 

The Texas State Capitol was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1986. 











Address: 1400 Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78711

Admission is free but please check times at this official website

Tours:

The free guided tours happen periodically between 9.30 to 3.30 Pm on weekdays and 12.30 to 3.30 pm on weekends. 

The Capitol building is open for self touring from 7 am to 6 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 6pm on weekends.

Parking:

The Parking is located at 1201 San Jacinto St. and it is free to park for the first 2 hrs.

How did you like the photo tour? Please do let me know in comments.

Until next time,









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29 June, 2023

The Views from the window #BlogchatterBlogHop

Mindfulness is the new way of life. Many of us know that being mindful and present at the current moment is very important.

Do you agree with this quote?



This is the new mantra in my life recently. Enjoying little things like watching the colors in the sky, tending to my plants, observing the weather, nature around me etc., give me happiness and satisfaction in life.

The view from our window is wonderful most of the days. 


Image by Joe from Pixabay


Summer Sky

I am saying most of the days because here in Austin, summers are quite harsh with temperatures going above 100 F.  It is usually a clear sky and less clouds on a bright sunny day as such. 

I wonder how plants survive this heat.  Plants in our garden like mint quickly die due to over heat until unless protected indoors by watering twice a day. We experience the dangerous heat conditions from June to August end. Those are the days we don't venture out until the evening when the earth cools down a little around 7.30 PM. 


Rainy Days

I love the rainy days. Thunderstorms, downpour, Strong fresh breeze, Lightenings, Sun peeping behind clouds, and A Colorful rainbow :-)

I wait like a child for a rainbow after every rain. When sky puts up on a show, how can I see somewhere else? Event from the window or driving in a car, I always search for a little sun shine and rainbow.

The colors of rainbow make my day.

Lovely rainbow on a rainy day


Freezing days

It is not common to see snow or freezing temperatures in Austin. But, we experienced freezing temperatures the last winter and the view from window is enchanting.

The plants, grass blades and leaves shined with freezing ice. Even with temperatures in single digits, we couldn't stop ourselves going out and capturing photos. The driveway and footpaths were frozen and slippery. However, it was fun to watch the ice embracing everywhere around.

How beautiful are those views just form our window?




Sunset

I like the golden hour in the evening. The time when the sky changes colors from orange shades to deep reds. Some days, we get lucky with this kind of Sunset view.



So, what do you say? Aren't these little things wonderful?

Do let me know in comments.

Until next time,






This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop.

21 June, 2023

Sasquatch, Baby! by Bethany Browning - [Book Review]

Book Details:

Title: Sasquatch, Baby! 

Author: Bethany Browning

Genre: Dark thriller, fiction, horror literature

Source: A free review copy from the author

Print length: 162 pages

Publisher: Independently published






Blurb:

After her posh Napa Valley friends cut her off for committing an unspeakable betrayal, Tabitha Eggs retreats to the redwood forests of Del Norte County, California to drink herself to death. But when she stumbles over two decomposing corpses near her new home—among a growing list of other frightening, unexplainable experiences—she believes that walking into a raging wildfire is preferable to whatever waits in the woods. Her plans are foiled when she’s kept alive by a curious Sasquatch (who adores salad dressing and is overjoyed by luxury body wash), and they create a bizarre and everlasting union.


My Review:


This is obviously a fiction but based on a mythical character Big Foot. The story starts with a woman who moves to a remote town from a city after losing her friends and interest in living. 

She encounters something in the forest which changes her life , and her future. The plot is thrilling, and unpredictable. I personally hated the protagonist but that's how real life is. People with their flaws.

I like that the author portrays the emotions from the characters well. The ending seems good and satisfying.

The character of protagonist is dark and feels extreme.

This story is different and well written. The narrative is interesting. The book cover is ok. The title is apt.

I would recommend it to the readers who like dark thrillers and want to read something unique. 

My Rating: 4/5


About the Author:


Bethany Browning is a writer who lives and works in a redwood forest. Her debut horror novella, Sasquatch, Baby!, is available in eBook and paperback. Plus, War of the Wills, a film she co-wrote with George Dondero, is watchable right here on Amazon Prime. For more information and to read her short stories and other published work, visit bethanybrowning.com.






Until next time,




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