It’s not lost on me that my name is basically a piece of paper. Page, but with an ‘I’. My parents almost named me Jennifer in the early 80’s and as you can imagine, there was a Jennifer at every roller skating rink and McDonalds playground (you know, the ones with Hamburglar and the oversized burger-esque tree house?)
In their valiant and creative attempt to be original, they decided on “Paige”. Cute and simple. ‘It’ll do for now’, I’m assuming they thought. Fast forward 17 years to me sitting in my Latin class with the quirky Mr. Sollosi, who was also my bus driver and later married Michael and me as our preacher, calling me “The Wrong Paige”, “The Missing Paige”, and asking me to stand up and spin around as he laughed at himself while saying, “Turn the Paige”.
He made life fun, but he also made me realize how my name wasn’t always associated with just me. It reminded people of reading. So, I guess you can say my name has come full circle since I’m encouraging YOU to flip through the pages of a book.
Learning didn’t stop for me when I graduated from Mr. Sollosi’s Latin class. Along the bumpy road of life, there have been instrumental books and podcasts to help grow me as a Christian, mother, wife, business owner, woman, creative, and soul who needed insight from people who have gone before me. Below is a list of 25 books and podcasts that I have consumed over the last few years that you should consider, too. If you’d like to hear my personal opinion and experience on them, you can play this podcast episode from Paiges of Life while you are folding laundry.
This is not an all-inclusive list of everything I’ve ever read or would only recommend, as many books and podcasts are available that I haven’t yet gotten around to. Please leave your personal suggestions in the comments below!
BOOKS
INSPIRATIONAL / CHASE YOUR DREAMS
DREAM BIG by Bob Goff – Bob Goff, the New York Times bestselling author of Love Does and Everybody, Always, is on a mission to help people recapture the version of their lives they dreamed about before fear started calling the shots. He wants them to dream big.
BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert – Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.
YOU ARE A BADASS by Jen Sincero – In this refreshingly entertaining how-to guide, bestselling author and world-traveling success coach, Jen Sincero, serves up 27 bitesized chapters full of hilariously inspiring stories, sage advice, easy exercises, and the occasional swear word, helping you to: Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that stop you from getting what you want, Create a life you totally love. And create it NOW, Make some damn money already. The kind you’ve never made before.
CAPITAL GAINES by Chip Gaines – The funny and talented Chip Gaines is well known as a TV star, renovation expert, bestselling author, husband to Joanna, and father of five in Waco, Texas. But long before the world took notice, Chip was a serial entrepreneur who was always ready for the next challenge, even if it didn’t quite work out as planned. Now a #1 New York Times bestselling book, Capital Gaines offers readers a ringside seat as Chip relives some of his craziest antics and the lessons learned along the way.
GIRL WASH YOUR FACE by Rachel Hollis – Rachel is real and talks about real issues. More than that, she reveals the specific practical strategies that helped her move past them. In the process, she encourages, entertains, and even kicks a little butt, all to convince you to do whatever it takes to get real and become the joyous, confident woman you were meant to be. Because you really can live with passion and hustle – and give yourself grace without giving up.
SPIRITUAL
UNINVITED by Lysa TerKeurst – In Uninvited, Lysa shares her own deeply personal experiences of rejection from the perceived judgment of the perfectly toned woman one elliptical over to the incredibly painful childhood abandonment by her father. She leans in to honestly examine the roots of rejection, as well as rejection’s ability to poison relationships from the inside out, including our relationship with God.
CRUSHING by T.D. Jakes – Bishop Jakes wants to show you how God uses difficult, crushing experiences to prepare you for unexpected blessings. If you are faithful through suffering, you will be surprised by God’s joy, comforted by His peace, and fulfilled with His purpose. Crushing will inspire you to have hope, even in your most difficult moments. If you trust in God and lean on Him during setbacks, He will lead you through.
HEAVEN by Randy Alcorn – This is a book about real people with real bodies enjoying close relationships with God and each other, eating, drinking, working, playing, traveling, worshiping, and discovering on a New Earth. Earth as God created it. Earth as he intended it to be.
MESSAGES FROM ABOVE by Monica the Medium – Monica Ten-Kate, star of Freeform’s Monica the Medium, answers your burning questions while sharing Spirit’s most profound insights to help you heal in the midst of grief. Different types of loss are addressed, including: the death of a child, tragic accidents, terminal illness, suicide, overdose, miscarriage, and more.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR SELF AND BUSINESS
ATOMIC HABITS by James Clear – No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving–every day. James Clear, one of the world’s leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.
STORIES THAT STICK by Kindra Hall – You keep hearing how story is the latest-and-greatest business tool, and that storytelling can do everything—from helping leaders better communicate to motivating sales teams and winning customers away from competitors. But what stories do you need to tell? And how do you tell them?
DARE TO LEAD by Brene Brown – When we dare to lead, we don’t pretend to have the right answers; we stay curious and ask the right questions. We don’t see power as finite and hoard it; we know that power becomes infinite when we share it with others. We don’t avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into vulnerability when it’s necessary to do good work.
MAKE YOU GO “HMM” AND THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
UNTAMED by Glennon Doyle – There is a voice of longing inside each woman. We strive so mightily to be good: good partners, daughters, mothers, employees, and friends. We hope all this striving will make us feel alive. Instead, it leaves us feeling weary, stuck, overwhelmed, and underwhelmed. We look at our lives and wonder: Wasn’t it all supposed to be more beautiful than this? We quickly silence that question, telling ourselves to be grateful, hiding our discontent—even from ourselves.
101 ESSAYS THAT WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK by Brianna Wiest – Over the past few years, Brianna Wiest has gained renown for her deeply moving, philosophical writing. This new compilation of her published work features pieces on why you should pursue purpose over passion, embrace negative thinking, see the wisdom in daily routine, and become aware of the cognitive biases that are creating the way you see your life. Some of these pieces have never been seen; others have been read by millions of people around the world. Regardless, each will leave you thinking: this idea changed my life.
PODCASTS
SPIRITUAL GROWTH
THE JOHN MAXWELL LEADERSHIP PODCAST
THE PROVERBS 31 MINISTRIES PODCAST
IMPROVE YOUR LIFE AND MINDSET
PAIGES OF LIFE PODCAST with me, Paige Ewing!
THE LIFE COACH SCHOOL PODCAST with Brooke Castillo
THE BRENDON SHOW by Brendon Burchard
BUSINESS AND MARKETING STRATEGY
GOAL DIGGER PODCAST – Jenna Kutcher
ONLINE MARKETING MADE EASY with Amy Porterfield
What is not on my list that you suggest for me?
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