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Today we are interviewing Nicole Caldwell, author of the inspirational book Today: A Guide of Personal Truths and Daily Affirmations.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I'm a make up artist, stylist, cosmetics entrepreneur in the beauty, fashion and entertainment industries and a motivational speaker. I'm a new author. I also teach career awareness, workplace readiness, as well as image and self-assessment in juvenile detention centers, colleges, and ministries. I'm the founder of Just Glam Cosmetics, Swank accessories and a nonprofit; The Glam Guild.
Describe the purpose of your book in a few sentences.
The purpose of TODAY is to give positive reinforcement to daily living, coupled with journaling to help chart progress over time. I want to help others live the life they envision for themselves.
Who do you think would most appreciate this book?
I believe anyone who wants to be better will appreciate this book. It's self reflective in nature. It grabs the reader and turns them into a writer instantly because they have to journal through the affirmations, sometimes writing their own. This book helps you to see self and to reaffirm your positive traits while encouraging change for the not so positive.
What inspired you to write a book about affirmations?
I've been journaling since I was a little girl. Writing affirmations was a part of my daily routine. I would write out what I saw for my future, no matter how far fetched it seemed at the time, I didn't stop until I saw those things come to pass. Even today, I say it before I see it!
For those who aren’t familiar with affirmations, can you explain the basics of them?
Affirmations are quite simplistic in nature; you say it until you begin to see it. It’s like a precursor to faith. The miracle comes into play when you actually start believing what you say, because you then start acting on it and you’ll start to see it lining up.
What made you decide to couple journaling exercises with the process of saying affirmations?
I coupled journaling exercises with this process, so that living the affirmations are somewhat of a journey that can be chronicled over time
How do you think reading your book will impact people?
I believe lives will continue to be changed and transformed through self reflective discovery and through reshaping our own ideals based on life's experiences. When we take the time to journal and reflect, we have then shown discipline and consistency, which are necessary components to change. For every negative thought, you have to counter with 7 positives to cancel the negative. By affirming yourself as a way of life, you leave little room for negative commentary in your space. Not only for yourself but from others also.
What do you have in mind for your next writing project?
I've started to write more. I have two other books that I'll be publishing somewhere in the near future.
Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book?
This book is life changing. I've lived through each affirmation in Today at a point in my life, so I know first hand what it takes to live it outloud.
More Information
Visit the author's website
Buy the book on Amazon
Today we are interviewing Lisa Burton, author of the juvenile/self-help book The EnergyWise Kids and the Happy Heart Affirmations: A Child's Guide To The Power of Positive Thinking.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Lisa Burton, MPH, OTR/L is an expert in creating positive, safe, thriving and vibrant school cultures with optimal learning environments using Mindfulness and Natural Stress Management Tools. She works with Administrators and Teachers who desire an effective and easy-to- use, step-by-step motivational system based on Mindfulness principles that unifies the School Community. School Wide results include: elevated student academic achievement, improved workplace harmony, strengthened school to home connections and a sense of restored personal well-being for greater individual success and fulfillment for both students and staff.
Describe the purpose of your book in a few sentences.
The purpose of the book is to empower children to purposefully direct their individual well-being and the well-being of the greater community. The story illustrates the power of the individual and how through our interconnectedness, we impact one another.
Who do you think would most appreciate your book?
Parents, Grandparents, and Teachers who appreciate the value of self-awareness and Mindfulness Tools who are looking for a fun and engaging way to teach this concept to children and would like a hands-on activity to practice this concept.
What inspired you to write a book about the power of positive thinking?
The Power of Positive Thinking is a Tool I rely on daily. It was a concept I introduced to my son at a young age and also to the staff and students of the former childcare center I operated, with positive results. I see it as a valuable Tool to help children develop resiliency in these turbulent times.
Why is it important to have a positive mindset?
It is important to have a positive mindset to inspire oneself, persevere towards one’s goals, and to contribute to humanity.
Do you think children growing up today have a different set of challenges than children who grew up two decades ago?
Yes, today’s children live with higher levels of stress at younger and younger ages. The sources of stress are many: excessive Media influences that dictate how one should look and dress, intensive competition in school both academically and with sports, a bombardment of violent images through gaming, film, and TV, technology driven, fast-paced lifestyles, latchkey kids, and often times extensive peer pressure through social media.
How do you hope your book will impact readers?
It is my intention that the book will serve as a fun and engaging prop for Parents, Grandparents, and Teachers to use to start a conversation about what their child thinks is important to them and to their greater community. And now once you know that, the child can learn, through the Power of Positive Thinking, how to create it.
What do you have in mind for your next project?
The next book is already in the works. It describes and illustrates an additional 12 new tools to create and sustain a Mindfulness Practice for the home or the classroom.
Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book?
The rhythmic meter and rhyming of the story is fun and engaging. The wonderfully detailed illustrations reveal something new each time you look at the pages – for example, a snail with a spiraled shell, crickets dancing together, and the last page contains 12 Happy Heart Affirmations to be cut out and used as a positive thought for the day, tucked in a lunch box, or hidden under a pillow as a reminder to the child about the power of positive thinking.
More Information
www.mindfulandstressfreekids.com
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