Read this, and lean in.

Via google.com

I read all sorts of books, and this was a book related to my career that never once got boring to read for me.  It was recommended to me by a few friends of mine in leadership roles, and it did not disappoint.

Now, before all of the men stop reading, this here applies to you too.  And as Sheryl describes it, it doesn't apply to you in a patronizing "doing it for the moms and wives and daughters" sort of way, it should impact you personally when you are missing out on some of the most talented co-workers, bosses and mentors available to you.

Sheryl Sandberg eloquently describes the feelings women go through, often unknowingly, as they progress in their careers and I guarantee that at least some of the feelings or thoughts she describes will be something that you thought was maybe unique to you.  I have thought for years that I have been waiting for everyone at work to find out that I am a total fraud and that I don't totally know what I am doing, and I have been "waiting for the other shoe to drop," so to speak.  Apparently this is very common for women to have thought this to themselves, and not really so common for men.  It's not that I don't have confidence in my work, I do.  But there is something there still that wonders if today is the day that I might be found out.

Sheryl also describes in great detail, the decisions of talented women to leave the workforce in order to take care of children.  Since many of my friends are at this age, I implore you to read this book before making a decision.

Overall, Sheryl is describing to us the need to "lean in" to our careers and understand where we limit ourselves unnecessarily.  She urges us to "seek and speak your truth," to lead authentically and break down some of the barriers that we don't realize are there and that we need to talk about.

I once had one of my most impressive managers that worked for me tell me how much he liked having a woman as a boss.  I also work in an area where there is a serious gap in female leadership at the executive level, and I find this as my golden opportunity to lean in to close that gap and help other female leaders see their path.

Read some more from Harvard Business Review:
Tell Me Something I Don't Know About Women in the Workplace - HBR
Women Rising: The Unseen Barriers - HBR
What's a Working Dad to Do? - HBR

Finding Joy: The Happiness Project

Source: www.happiness-project.com

I do not always find self-help books that hold my attention, but this special project felt different.  Author Gretchen Rubin gives the sense through her book, The Happiness Project, that the project and book were really a journey for herself that she just happened to share so that we can capture wisdom from her own learning rather than her telling us how to find happiness.  The ideas seem rooted in feeling and common sense, but support through research.  How refreshing and honest.

If you are looking to add happiness to your every day life, this is a realistic and relatable way to explore that goal for yourself.  Since reading each chapter, I have a different level of awareness of my own actions.  During tough days at work or at home, I am trying to implore Positude (i.e. positive attitude), but it takes work sometimes.  Positude takes on real actions with each chapter of this book.

To see more about The Happiness Project and Gretchen's work, visit: http://www.happiness-project.com/