Welcome to the UPLIFTing Book Club...a take-what-you need format to explore a variety of books in a calendar year. For 2020, the second year of Book Club, I have compiled a new list filled with some great reads.
Why should you read-along?
Reading helps to develop the mind and reading a variety of subjects helps to develop a broad perspective of the world around you. There is no meet-up or time commitment (other than reading the book). If you'd like, you can join the UPLIFT Community Facebook Group where you can share any thoughts, feelings, insights, etc. along with others each month.
What is a "take what you need" book club?
I publish the full book selection list in January so you can review and choose what you want to read. Each month focuses on a different topic so the entire year offers something for each facet of your life helping you become the healthiest, well-rounded version of yourself. You can read the selections whenever you want, however, I have organized them by month and each month has a theme that aligns with the astrological House for that month.
What are the monthly themes and book selections?
The monthly themes are based on the astrological Houses for each month and how they generally overlap the calendar. "When planets visit a house, they light up that part of your chart, and energize that house’s traits." (AstroTwins article) The AstroTwins outline, with brevity, the 12 Houses and traits. I am not an astrological expert, but I do believe in how it works, so I used the Houses as the basis for the themes. Reading about a topic that is in line with the House for a particular month helps you get more energy into that process.
Below I outline each month, which Sign generally rules, the theme, keywords and the book selection:
JANUARY
Sign: Capricorn
Theme: Career + Productivity
Keywords: Career, long-term goals, structure, status, reputation, public image, masculinity, men, fathers, experts, fame
2020 Book Selection: Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement With Everyday Life
Author: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Read more about this book
FEBRUARY
Sign: Aquarius
Theme: Community + Collaboration
Keywords: Groups, friends, social awareness, humanitarianism, technology, hopes, wishes, the future
2020 Book Selection: The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters
Author: Priya Parker
Read more about this book
MARCH
Sign: Pisces
Theme: Spirituality + Feeling
Keywords: Endings, healing, closure, spirituality, solitude, karma, old age, the afterlife, what's hidden, limiting beliefs, subconscious
2020 Book Selection: One Day My Soul Just Opened Up
Author: Iyanla Vanzant
Read more about this book
APRIL
Sign: Aries
Theme: Leadership + New Beginnings
Keywords: Self, appearance, beginnings, the body, first impressions, attitude, identity, approach to life
2020 Book Selection: Rise Sister Rise: a guide to unleashing the wise, wild woman within
Author: Rebecca Campbell
Read more about this book
MAY
Sign: Taurus
Theme: Finances
Keywords: Money, work, income, daily routines,values, material possessions, priorities, habits, your job and work ethic
2020 Book Selection: You Are A Badass At Making Money
Author: Jen Sincero
Read more about this book
JUNE
Sign: Gemini
Theme: Clear Communication
Keywords: The mind/thinking, communication, siblings, social activity/interests, neighbors, early education
2020 Book Selection: Seven Thousand Ways To Listen
Author: Mark Nepo
Read more about this book
JULY
Sign: Cancer
Theme: Home + Family
Keywords: Home, Roots, Family, Self-Care, emotions, foundations, mother, children, women, femininity
2020 Book Selection: Raising Good Humans: a mindful guide to breaking the cycle of reactive parenting and raising kind, confident kids
Author: Hunter Clarke-Fields, MSAE
Read more about this book
AUGUST
Sign: Leo
Theme: Adventure + Play
Keywords: Romance, love affairs, play, creativity, fertility, childlike spirit, joy, self-expression, drama
2020 Book Selection: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
Author: Cheryl Strayed
Read more about this book
SEPTEMBER
Sign: Virgo
Theme: Health + Vitality
Keywords: Health, fitness, systems, analytical nature, pets, work habits, organization, sense of usefulness, service given
2020 Book Selection: The Hormone Cure
Author: Sara Gottfried, MD
Read more about this book
OCTOBER
Sign: Libra
Theme: Love & Relationships / Sensuality &
Sexuality
Keywords: Relationships, marriage, contracts, business partners, equality, sharing, interpersonal style
2020 Book Selection: Choosing Me Before We: every woman's guide to life and love
Author: Christine Arylo
Read more about this book
NOVEMBER
Sign: Scorpio
Theme: Change + Personal Growth
Keywords: Merging, sex, intimacy, shared finances, taxes, loans, assets, property joint ventures/goals, mystery, partner's resources
2020 Book Selection: Humble Sexy Power
Author: Sheila Royce Garcia
Read more about this book
DECEMBER
Sign: Saggitarius
Theme: Freedom
Keywords: Travel, wisdom, philosophy, higher education, law & religion, cross-cultural, relations, learning, ethics
2020 Book Selection: Women Who Run With The Wolves
Author: Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Phd
Read more about this book
What do you think of the line-up for this year? I keep the Book Club list stored HERE so you can always have easy access to it. If you want to go back to check out the books from 2019, they are on the bottom half of the page.
Don't forget to join the conversations in the UPLIFT Community Facebook Group. You'll have the opportunity to share what you've learned from each book AND to participate in weekly challenges to help you identify healthy habits that may need more work, so you can become your healthiest self.
NOTE: Book selection links are for Barnes & Noble for all but one (because they don't sell it). These links are NOT affiliate links (at this time). I try to support stores that have a physical footprint in my local area to keep storefronts alive, and oftentimes to get my physical books quicker. I'll also choose ebooks at times to save paper/trees and my bookshelf.