Bruce's Smorsasborg

 By Bruce Shawkey This article on the Google newsfeed: life-changing books that help you restart, reset, and rebuild your life Life can sometimes feel overwhelming, leaving us stuck in routines, doubts, or setbacks. Books have the power to inspire, guide, and transform our mindset, helping us restart, reset, and rebuild our lives. Here are eight such life-changing books that offer wisdom, practical advice, and motivation, equipping readers to overcome challenges, discover purpose, and take actionable steps toward personal growth and a fresh start - empowering us to rise, renew, and move forward with confidence. “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor E. Frankl In this powerful memoir and psychological exploration, Frankl recounts his experiences surviving Nazi concentration camps and introduces the theory of logotherapy - the idea that the search for meaning is the primary guiding force in human life. Through unimaginable suffering, he argues that even in the worst hardships, life ret...

 By Bruce Shawkey Good article on the 'net about the art and science of great conversation. Research shows even small tweaks to our conversational style can help us feel more connected and loved. 1. Have good topics to bring up To have a successful verbal exchange, you and your partner must have a topic. But few people give thought to this obvious fact. Consider your last dinner party: Did you spend more time thinking about what you’ll wear than what you’ll talk about once you get there? If so, you’re in good company. Research suggests that only about 18% of us prepare topics for conversations, and more than half fear that doing so will make our talks feel forced or artificial. But prepping topics doesn’t mean making a spreadsheet of talking points. It’s simply an insurance policy for the moments when the conversation loses steam. Research suggests that spending just 30 seconds to plan a few subjects makes conversations brighter — with fewer awkward transitions, conversat...