10 Amazing Books I’ve Recently Read That You Will Love

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Ever since I received my Kindle last year for Mother's Day, I've doubled the number of books I read.

I never, ever thought I would find reading on a Kindle more enjoyable than holding a real book, but (gasp) I'm finding it to be true. It's easier to hold, the type is easier to read, and I can access new books so quickly. I have been won over.

I feel a little guilty about it. Like I'm betraying books and the art of bookmaking and my life-long love affair with books. But it is what it is.

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The Zen Of Losing Control

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“Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go.” ~Hermann Hesse

Over the past few months, something bad has been happening here at Live Bold and Bloom.

Some kind of virus infected my site. (Don't worry. All is well now.) A message in Portuguese would pop up when you'd click on a post directing you to a nasty download, and it wouldn't allow you to read the post or navigate away.

It was just annoying at first, as it happened occasionally and required a quick fix from my tech support person. But then it started happening more and more regularly.

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Boost Self-Confidence With These 10 Surprising Actions

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Do you consider yourself self-confident?

Self-confidence is the feeling of assurance in who you are — in spite of your life circumstances or achievements. It is the ability to love and accept yourself, flaws and all, and view yourself from a perspective of optimistic realism and acceptance.

Most of us at some point in our lives, or for big chunks of our lives, have dealt with low self-confidence.

Throughout our lives and well into adulthood, our life experiences can impact our self-confidence. Sometimes a dip in self-confidence is episodic — like a job loss, a divorce, or a financial crisis.

Something bad happens, and until we can get our footing again, we feel discouraged and inadequate.

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10 Ways You Might Be Driving People Away In Conversation

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“Conversation should be pleasant without scurrility, witty without affectation, free without indecency, learned without conceitedness, novel without falsehood.” ~William Shakespeare

I sometimes wonder if conversation is a dying art.

It saddens me that people would rather converse by text or email rather than pick up the phone or talk in person.

Don't get me wrong, I use text and email too. Plenty.

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How To Easily Get Unstuck From Your Rut And Make Positive Change

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If I had a penny for all the times I've promised myself to make positive change but never followed through, I'd be a wealthy woman.

Over the years, I've wanted to start running daily, learn French, paint, meditate regularly, and many other endeavors I can't remember.

I'd start them with a bang, with great intentions of commitment and follow-through, only to quit a few days or weeks later.

Then, of course, I felt like an undisciplined loser.

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Imagine How Life-Changing This Relationship Could Be

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I've recently been thinking a lot about the power of relationships in our lives.

My last post was about the relationships with our parents, siblings, and extended family and the impact of coping with hurtful and unloving behavior from close family members.

If you read some of the comments on the post, you'll see how strongly relationships can impact us. Unfortunately, in these situations, the impact has been deeply wounding.

Read MoreImagine How Life-Changing This Relationship Could Be