The Imagination Muscle By Albert Read

Credit: The Imagination Muscle

Overview

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Albert Read reveals how we can harness the imagination in our day-to-day lives and why, in the new age of technology, it is more pressing than ever that we do so. He explores where to find ideas, how to foster skills in observation and connection, and how to be more attentive to the fluxes of our own minds. After all, as Read expertly outlines, the imagination is our supreme gift, our biggest opportunity, our greatest source of fulfillment and our most vital asset for the future. The book is illustrated throughout with approximately 60 images. Read more here. Credit: Hachette Book Group; The Imagination Muscle. 

Careless People By Sarah Wynn-Williams

 

Credit: Careless People

Overview

From trips on private jets and encounters with world leaders to shocking accounts of misogyny and double standards behind the scenes, this searing memoir exposes both the personal and the political fallout when unfettered power and a rotten company culture take hold. In a gripping and often absurd narrative where a few people carelessly hold the world in their hands, this eye-opening memoir reveals what really goes on among the global elite.

Sarah Wynn-Williams's inside story puts you in the room during stumbling encounters with juntas through to the moment Mark Zuckerberg learned of Facebook’s role in Trump’s election and drew an unexpected conclusion. As she grapples with the reality of Facebook's influence on world events, she experiences the challenges and humiliations of working motherhood within a pressure cooker of a workplace, while Sheryl Sandberg urges her and others to “lean in” through it all. Read more here. Credit: Careless People; Sarah Wynn-Williams.

Suicidal Empathy By Gad Saad

Credit: Suicidal Empathy; Gad Saad

Overview

What happens when a society elevates victimhood to a virtue and decides that punishment is cruel? You get the disease Dr. Gad Saad calls suicidal empathy. And the West may be terminally infected. In his new book, Suicidal Empathy, Saad unleashes a blistering critique of maladaptively irrational altruism that has gripped our culture. This mind parasite hijacked the empathy module of our progressive elite, leading to a catastrophic miscalibration of moral priorities. The results are everywhere: from coddling violent criminals to protecting rapists to branding self-defense as toxic behavior. We are witnessing a civilization in rapid decline. Lunatic policies are instituted because we prioritize the feelings of ostensibly marginalized groups over The Truth, criminals over victims, and squatters over homeowners. This is not humane; it’s an active dismantling of the pillars that keep us safe and free. Credit: Suicidal Empathy; Gad Saad.

P.S. Perfect timing for this book's arrival! This aligns with the few Sasha Talks topics addressed in the recent years. #foodforthought  #growth  #society  #realitycheck

Winners Take All

 

Credit: Winners Take All

Overview

Anand Giridharadas takes us into the inner sanctums of a new gilded age, where the rich and powerful fight for equality and justice any way they can—except ways that threaten the social order and their position atop it. They rebrand themselves as saviors of the poor; they lavishly reward “thought leaders” who redefine “change” in ways that preserve the status quo; and they constantly seek to do more good, but never less harm. Giridharadas asks hard questions: Why, for example, should our gravest problems be solved by the unelected upper crust instead of the public institutions it erodes by lobbying and dodging taxes? His groundbreaking investigation has already forced a great, sorely needed reckoning among the world’s wealthiest and those they hover above, and it points toward an answer: Rather than rely on scraps from the winners, we must take on the grueling democratic work of building more robust, egalitarian institutions and truly changing the world—a call to action for elites and everyday citizens alike. Credit: Penguin Random House; Anand Giridharadas.

Everything is F*cked By Mark Manson

 

Credit: Everything is F*cked By Mark Manson

Ever wonder why greater connectivity seems to make everyone just hate each other more? Ever wonder why the news always seems so depressing? Ever wonder why people are seemingly becoming more anxious and miserable despite life getting easier? Credit: Mark Manson; Book details.

Can ChatGPT Threaten a Writer's Job Security?

Credit: Writers Series | Guest Emily Goodwin

Meet Emily Goodwin (she/her), she is a passionate researcher and writer with a background in journalism before making the leap to Digital Marketing Coordinator at Neon Supply, which suits her just fine since she also has a knack for project management and organizational systems implementation. Writing is a core part of her daily duties as a marketer and is interested in how technological advances will shape the future of writing. 

Eckhart Tolle on Presence and Stillness

 

The Fog Always Lifts

Credit: Sasha Laghonh

Excerpt from "Fog" penned by Sasha Laghonh

Life can be challenging as we drive through the fog in the rain, we struggle for visibility when mother nature clouds our view. Similarly, the everyday emotions and biases we breathe in and out thrive as fog which hinder our ability to truly see life for what it is ... at face value. We can't control mother nature although we can control how we approach life matters.

It may take a chance encounter, or a monumental event for our heart's compass to start pointing North. When we resist the flow of life, it will reflect circumstances that become more challenging to resolve because our human egos (or perhaps naivety) lead us to believe the divine compass is absent, or even broken in our lives. The divine compass is not engineered to malfunction.

It's 'divine' after all, right?

The truth is we humans fail to make an effort to learn how the compass works. Perhaps some people know how to work a compass but they choose to side with impatience by taking matters into their own hands without consulting with their higher power. 

Life works in mysterious ways. 

A stranger can come into your path to deliver a message but you discount their presence because your divine compass is absent. You fail to read the situation well because you have lost sight of who you are and therefore everything in your reality becomes a blur. What you thought was real was only a mirage. What you thought was a hoax turns out to be real. It comes down to your beliefs. When you're ready to believe in something greater than yourself, the answers will appear clear before you.

Buckle up. Now turn on your windshield wipers and drive to your destination. 

Emotional Agility by Dr. Susan David

Credit: Emotional Agility

Brief Overview: The counter-intuitive approach to achieving your true potential, heralded by the Harvard Business Review as a groundbreaking idea of the year.

The path to personal and professional fulfillment is rarely straight. Ask anyone who has achieved his or her biggest goals or whose relationships thrive and you’ll hear stories of many unexpected detours along the way. What separates those who master these challenges and those who get derailed? The answer is agility—emotional agility.

Emotional agility is a revolutionary, science-based approach that allows us to navigate life’s twists and turns with self-acceptance, clear-sightedness, and an open mind. Renowned psychologist Susan David developed this concept after studying emotions, happiness, and achievement for more than twenty years. She found that no matter how intelligent or creative people are, or what type of personality they have, it is how they navigate their inner world—their thoughts, feelings, and self-talk—that ultimately determines how successful they will become.

The way we respond to these internal experiences drives our actions, careers, relationships, happiness, health—everything that matters in our lives. As humans, we are all prone to common hooks—things like self-doubt, shame, sadness, fear, or anger—that can too easily steer us in the wrong direction. Emotionally agile people are not immune to stresses and setbacks. The key difference is that they know how to adapt, aligning their actions with their values and making small but powerful changes that lead to a lifetime of growth. Emotional agility is not about ignoring difficult emotions and thoughts; it’s about holding them loosely, facing them courageously and compassionately, and then moving past them to bring the best of yourself forward. Credit @ Emotional Agility  Learn more about author Susan David here.

Departures

 

Credit: Departures, Copyrighted 2018

Synopsis

“Departures: Smart Packing, of Life’s Essentials, for On-Time Arrivals” touches upon the sensitivities of balancing the awkward moments in the realm of communication, relationships, career, death and ultimately change. The concept of Departures challenges man to know when to reinvent himself, deviate from societal norms and when to truly walk away from a cause. This reality prompts man to engage in introspection to extract answers instead of relying upon society to deliver. Such reliance often fails people because society only mirrors what we feed it. There is a disconnect among individuals and society as a whole..." Credit: Sasha Laghonh, R&B Show

A 'Departures' audio commentary will be available soon on Sasha Talks.

Creator & Producer Dr. Tran-Harding Presents 'Medical Heroes'

Credit: Dr. Tran-Harding, Kreative Circle

Dr. Tran-Harding, Welcome to Authors by Sasha! You're a medical professional working as a radiologist at Southern California's Irvine Medical Center. What life experiences influenced you to pursue an interest in radiology? What training is needed to become a radiologist?

Thank you so much for having me, Sasha! I’m so happy to be part of the Kreative Circle. Interestingly, my first specialty choice when I became a physician was OB/GYN but after 2 years, I felt the pull of Radiology and switched specialties. It was the right decision for me as I absolutely love Radiology, interpreting imaging, and being a consultant for other physicians. To become a Radiologist, the training includes 4 years of medical school and a residency (postgraduate medical training where you are a practicing doctor but under supervision) consisting of a 1-year internship and 4 years of Radiology residency. Most Radiologists do 1-2 years of additional specialty fellowship training. 

The arrival of the pandemic has triggered the global population to rethink their life choices and priorities. As a medical professional you're exposed to patients representing demographics from the young to elderly. How has the pandemic impacted your perspective on living given the fragility of life?

The pandemic really made me realize that we all shouldn’t put off important life choices and priorities. We spend so much of our lives thinking that we are just too busy or now just isn’t the right time for things such as passion projects or second career choices. I hope that the pandemic made us all appreciate that life can be very short and that we should really seize our opportunities whenever we get the chance. It’s also important that we don’t take for granted all our friends, families, and loved ones and take a chance to show them our appreciation every chance we get. 

Medical Heroes is a 30 minute show on DB&A television that presents the stories of frontline medical professionals and their experiences navigating through the Covid-19 pandemic, including highlighting the remarkable recoveries of patients battling this illness. Do you recall the moment the idea of creating the show 'Medical Heroes' was planted in the universe?

I do remember the moment! It was actually over a year ago, in May 2020, a few months after the pandemic began and there was still a lot of fear and uncertainty about COVID-19. I watched as my husband, a frontline physician, take direct care of patients affected by the coronavirus day after day and how difficult it was for him. At the same time, I was really touched by the appreciation that many people were showing for the health care workers that were fighting the global health crisis not just at our hospital but across the world. I thought it would be really interesting for an audience to see what medical workers experienced at their jobs, their daily struggles, and even get a glimpse into their personal lives. After watching, I hope viewers will come away knowing that there is goodness, selflessness, and altruism in the world.

The episodes share insights from guests within the United States and abroad. Is there a particular segment that deeply resonates with you? How so?

I really enjoyed having all the guests on the show as they are all amazing and are all the epitome of strength and perseverance. A particular segment that resonates with me is with Marc Cohen, an EMT from New York, who is not only a first responder throughout the COVID-19 pandemic but is also doing it completely as a volunteer! Another segment that resonates with me is with ARNP Lydia Phan, someone who not only contracted and recovered from the virus herself, but also lost her father to COVID-19. She even went right back to work as soon as she could during the pandemic where she was so desperately needed despite all she went through. 

Dr. Tran-Harding, the show shares the stories of "heroes" in the medical community and society. While growing up, what did you envision a hero to be? How has that perception of a 'hero' evolved for you over the years?

Growing up, I always envisioned the typical textbook definition of a hero to be someone who is courageous, an overachiever, and a superhuman. Over time, my perception of hero now also includes someone (or something – animals can be heroes too!) that is selfless, caring, and giving. So in a way, what I thought of as a hero when I was a child really expanded into the many heroes we see every day, beyond just health care professionals. I think that anyone that does a kind deed for others without even considering getting anything back in return is a truly commendable person. 

Frontline medical professionals are risking their lives daily to provide healing services to patients. What aspects of risk management have hospitals administered to protect their staff from unnecessary physical harm and emotional trauma?

In the beginning of the global health crisis, hospitals just weren’t equipped to handle a pandemic, and we all know the turmoil of how hospital workers did not have appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). I admit, I even had to reuse PPE for weeks until they fell apart. Luckily, over time, the situation vastly improved. 

I do think hospitals and administration did the best they could to protect their staff from physical harm and trauma during the pandemic. Rules were in place to prevent the spread of the virus and the administration provided a lot of education, updates, and emotional support during the past year. 

What is the most courageous thing you've done in the previous year? This can be in the context of being a medical hero yourself, or your personal development.

In my professional life, I’m not sure I really did anything all that courageous this past year. I do think that even though it’s a part of my job to take great care of my patients either in person or by interpreting their imaging as a Radiologist, I really tried to go above and beyond for my patients knowing how scared they were being in the hospital. Despite the risks, I really wanted to spend as much time as possible with my patients and their families so they could feel a little bit more at ease in those uncertain times.  Something I did this past year that was out of character for me was hosting and launching my TV show “Medical Heroes”. It was very uncomfortable for me to put myself out there. I’m not a huge fan of watching or listening to myself on playback but it was all worth it to speak to and interview the great guests I have had on the show and to share their inspirational stories with viewers. 

The previous year has forced society to learn how to take better care of their health and community. How can everyday civilians take better care of themselves while also serving as better Samaritans in society?

I think the past year taught us that life can be very short and that we all need to remember to take care of ourselves first and foremost both physically and emotionally. Our lives are so crazy, and we are always rushing from one place to another these days and I think the pandemic really forced us as individuals to finally slow down. 

At the same time, the global health crisis also showed us that we really need to take care of those we love and not take the wonderful things we have in our lives for granted. The pandemic was an absolutely horrible time but in all that darkness, what really resonated with me were all the times that everyday people really stepped up and helped others, even strangers, any way they could. I hope that after this crazy year, we all continue to take care of ourselves, each other and maybe even ‘pay it forward’ with kindness and nice deeds for others even after this pandemic is long over. 

Healing is a broad term that extends beyond a medical context. People resort to pet therapy, sound therapy and modalities that are intended to uplift the human spirit to expedite physical, mental and emotional healing. What healing modalities have you observed that yield positive results on Covid patients?

Pet therapy and music therapy are fantastic ways to help patients heal but with restrictions in place this past year, these modalities were limited to prevent the spread of the virus. But one thing that I thought tremendously yielded positive results and uplifted COVID-19 patients was simply human interaction. Sometimes it was the nurses or other staff that could come and just speak to and reassure the patient even just for a few minutes a day. Other times, it was the use of technology so that families and the patients could communicate and show their love for one another despite not being able to see each other in person. 

Isolation has been a pivotal challenge during the lock downs around the globe. Human beings typically thrive from social engagement, human touch, and bonding in groups. Is there any upside to human isolation outside the bounds of quarantining and/or healing from an illness?

I completely agree that humans need social interaction at least some of the time to thrive. I wouldn’t say there is an upside to human isolation necessarily, but I do think that some alone time or “me time” can be very beneficial. Even social butterflies need some time to unwind, relax, do an activity that they enjoy alone, and just take some time to think about one’s own needs. For example, I’m a life-long runner and really enjoy going on runs by myself, even on vacation! It’s my alone time to really decompress and just focus on myself. 

Dr. Tran-Harding, what is one book that you would recommend audiences to read? How has this book improved the quality of your life?

I wish I could tell you I read more books, but a lot of my reading material has consisted of medical journals lately! The last book I read was actually “Hillbilly Elegy” which I would recommend to audiences. It was really interesting because my husband grew up in the Appalachian region of Kentucky, so he was brought up around a lot of similar characters in the book. “Hillbilly Elegy” also gave me insight into how others think, especially those that had a different lifestyle and upbringing than I did. 

When you're not healing others, how do you unwind and relax?

One of my favorite activities that I mentioned that really helps my emotional well-being is running. That “runner’s high” truly exists and even on the days I don’t feel like exercising, I am always so happy and energized after I do it. It really decreases my stress and helps me sleep at night. I also love to play with and cuddle my two corgis, Lola and Jude. Since we are in Southern California, my husband and I also love to take the pups to the dog beach as often as we can since my older corgi is obsessed with swimming. My husband and I also really enjoy sitting on the couch, “vegging out”, and watching movies and TV in the evenings. 

Who are your role models and how has their presence in your life helped you cope with the latest realities we face?

My role models are definitely my parents. 

They are both immigrants that escaped Vietnam after communist North Vietnamese forces captured South Vietnam in 1975. My mother rode off on a motorcycle in the middle of the night without the chance to say goodbye to her family not knowing if she would ever see them again. My father even stayed in a refugee camp in Indonesia for a year owning a lone pair of clothes before coming to the United States. They really lived the American dream for quite some time but unfortunately my dad’s health started to fail, and he had to close down his business. Our family ended up struggling financially right before I went off to college and our house was eventually foreclosed.  

My parents went through so much and made so many sacrifices for me and my sister so that we could have a better life. I owe it to my wonderful and courageous parents to overcome any hardships that life throws my way. I want to continue to make them proud and always give back to them any way that I can. 

Do you have any guidance for members in the audience struggling with the 'new' normal as it unfolds? We're all adjusting to modified ways of working and co-existing in society while implementing health safety first.

This past year has been so rough and just like everyone, I hope this all becomes a distant memory soon. I think that as the pandemic winds down, we all should continue to follow safety guidelines (including masking, social distancing, and getting the vaccine) as much as possible to keep ourselves and each other safe. But as soon as science says it is safe for us to do, I believe we all should try to go back to our old, “normal” lives and really appreciate the little things that make us happy. This includes being able to see loved ones in person and being able to see other people’s smiles again. But most of all, I think that adjusting to new things always takes time and we should all be gentle with ourselves and allow as much time as we need to adapt. 

Please share with audiences how they can support your work.

Audiences can tune in to “Medical Heroes”, which airs daily on the DB&A Television Network at 9 AM PT/12 PM ET (https://dbandatelevision.tv/) and follow the show on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MedicalHeroesTV. 

Social Media

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @MedicalHeroesTV

https://www.facebook.com/MedicalHeroesTV

https://twitter.com/MedicalHeroesTV

https://www.instagram.com/medicalheroestv/

Author Priya Parker on Meaningful Connections

Author Priya Parker shares tools for creating meaningful connections with friends, family and coworkers during the coronavirus pandemic -- and shows how we can take advantage of gatherings that are unique to this moment of social distancing. "We don't necessarily need to gather more," she says. "We need to gather better." (This virtual conversation is part of the TED Connects series, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson and current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers. Recorded March 27, 2020) / Credit: TED / Book Reference Below: Amazon

Credit: The Art of Gathering
Amazon

#Spotlight 'Entrepreneurial Leadership'

 

Credit: Entrepreneurial Leadership

Credit: Excerpt, Entrepreneurial Leadership

Meet the Author 

Joel Peterson is the Chairman of JetBlue Airways and the Founding Partner of Peterson Partners, a Salt Lake City-based investment management firm. Joel is on the faculty at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University and has been since 1992, teaching courses in real estate investment, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Joel formerly served as Chief Executive Officer of Trammell Crow Company, then the world's largest private commercial real estate development firm. Joel earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and received his Bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University. He is the author of "The 10 Laws of Trust: Building the Bonds That Make a Business Great". (Credit: Amazon Authors)

Change Your Thoughts

 

Credit: Positive Imaging

Credit: Brainy Quote

Sasha's Book Pick: The Seven Decisions

Credit: The Seven Decisions

Explore The Seven Decisions by Andy Andrews.

About the Author

Hailed by a New York Times reporter as "someone who has quietly become one of the most influential people in America," Andy Andrews is the author of multiple New York Times bestsellers including The Traveler's Gift and The Noticer. He is also an in-demand speaker, coach, and consultant for the world's largest organizations. Zig Ziglar said, "Andy Andrews is the best speaker I have ever seen." (Credit: Amazon)