We don’t know about you, but at the end of the year, we LOVE looking at the “best of” lists from the year. We’re always looking for reliable recommendations on media that will benefit our journey, align with our values, and not waste our energy. So, with that in mind, here are our “Best Of 2023” lists for what we consumed this past year, in no particular order.<\/p>\n
Old Soul’s Guidebook <\/strong>–\u00a0a practical guide to tap into your wealth of past-life experiences to help boost your success in this lifetime<\/em>. After learning that I was an old soul, this book helped me to navigate the world with better grounding and understanding of the journey we take in each lifetime.<\/p>\n Do Hard Things<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0<\/strong>Steve Magness beautifully and persuasively reimagines our understanding of toughnes<\/em>s. This book helped reframe what being tough is all about. It’s not about pushing through. Toughness is all about how you respond to life’s challenges.<\/p>\n Many Lives, Many Masters<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0From author and psychotherapist Dr. Brian Weiss shares\u00a0the true case of the past-life therapy that changed lives<\/em>. This one was my #1 for 2023, changing my entire perspective on what it means to be human and have a soul.<\/p>\n Built to Move <\/strong>–\u00a0Simple and proven physical practices designed to improve the way your body feels\u2014less stiffness! fewer aches and pain!\u2014and boost the overall quality of your life, no matter how you spend your time.\u00a0<\/em>We use a lot of the practices in this book to help our physical body feel great.<\/p>\n The Comfort Crisis<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0is\u00a0a thought-provoking book exploring how modern comforts are reducing our resilience, and how stepping out of our comfort zones can lead to greater physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>This book helped us realize why we love being in our tiny home in the mountains. Humans aren’t meant to live in concrete jungles surrounded by technology. It is making us sick and nature is the antidote.<\/p>\n Educated <\/strong>–\u00a0is a memoir that chronicles the author’s journey from a homeschooling Morman survivalist family in Idaho to a PhD at Cambridge.<\/em>\u00a0I originally picked it up because of its connection to Idaho and my new home there. As I read it I had a greater appreciation for the circumstances it takes to rise above the programming you’re domesticated into.<\/p>\n Finding Me: A Memoir <\/strong>–\u00a0Viola Davis’s journey from extreme poverty to a global phenomenon<\/em>. I was captured by her story within the first few pages – a true example of how you can rise above the circumstances you were born into to create a positive impact on the world through deep healing and hard work.<\/p>\n Wild <\/strong>–\u00a0A chronicle of one woman’s 1,100-mile solo hike undertaken as a way to recover from a recent personal tragedy<\/em>. As a new backpacking hiker, I was so inspired by what Cheryl chose to do without any experience. It made me realize I could do it too!<\/p>\n Red Rising Series<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0stories of men and women finding their inner strength when all seems lost.\u00a0<\/em>It is\u00a0a great underdog\u00a0hero’s journey with lots of ups and downs. The characters in it are fantastic and get better with each book.<\/p>\n Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep <\/strong>–\u00a0this novel explores humanity’s struggle for relevance in a dying world, in which empathy becomes the overarching uniting factor.\u00a0<\/em>Robots and AI are here, and their capabilities are growing exponentially.\u00a0 So, what is going to make us human? How are we going to tell humans from machines? Empathy. This book, written in 1968, is a precursor for today.<\/p>\n Brave New World<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0is a searching vision of an unequal, technologically advanced future where humans are genetically bred, socially indoctrinated, and pharmaceutically anesthetized to passively uphold an authoritarian ruling order\u2013all at the cost of our freedom, full humanity, and perhaps also our so<\/em>ul. This book was written in 1932 and is a little scary about how it predicted the world we are living in today. It makes you reflect on the life and freedoms you want to have.<\/p>\n \u00a0Ted Lasso <\/strong>–\u00a0<\/strong>is a comedic gem for those looking to tap into deeper emotional intelligence.\u00a0<\/em>A feel-good story about what it means to be a human who cares about others in leading a team. And it has a lot of good laughs too.<\/p>\n Abbott Elementary <\/strong>–\u00a0A group of dedicated, passionate teachers find themselves thrown together in a public school where, despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life.\u00a0<\/em>This is one of those great comedies to put on when you need a laugh. And it has\u00a0a variety of characters you can relate to. Our favorite is Principle Coleman.<\/p>\n Mozart in the Jungle <\/strong>–\u00a0Love, money, ambition, and music intertwine in ‘Mozart in the Jungle,’ a half-hour comedic drama that looks at finding yourself and finding love while conquering New York City.<\/em>\u00a0This is an older series that we found and loved. Rodrigo might be one of our favorite characters of all time.<\/p>\n \u00a0Farm Dreams <\/strong>–\u00a0Farming\u00a0expert and influencer Indy Srinath encounters aspiring\u00a0farmers and homesteaders hoping to make their\u00a0dreams\u00a0a reality.\u00a0<\/em>As we transition to creating a homestead in the mountains, this series gave us lots of ideas to ponder and how to make it work for us.<\/p>\n \u00a0After Skool <\/strong>–\u00a0The ideas on After Skool are intended to unite us and empower us.\u00a0<\/em>This is our go-to YouTube channel anytime we want to reconnect to a higher purpose and spiritual lens on life.<\/p>\n \u00a0Tiny World <\/strong>–\u00a0this docuseries showcases nature’s lesser-known tiny heroes. Spotlighting small creatures and the extraordinary things they do to survive, each episode is filled with surprising stories and spectacular cinematography<\/em>. What is not to love about watching the cutest little creatures of nature live their life in the big world?<\/p>\n Lessons in Chemistry\u00a0<\/strong>–\u00a0based on the novel of the same name by Bonnie Garmus. In the 1950s, Elizabeth Zott’s dream of being a scientist is challenged by a society that says women belong in the domestic sphere. She accepts a job on a TV cooking show and sets out to teach a nation of housewives way more than recipes. <\/em>This was so good we thought it was real. It’s a powerful hero’s journey in self-exploration and what it means to follow your dreams but also be open to the possibilities along the way.<\/p>\n The Bear <\/strong>–\u00a0a brilliant young chef from the fine-dining world is forced to return home to run his local family sandwich shop.\u00a0<\/em>Family dynamics, ups and downs, and good\u00a0food make a great\u00a0series.<\/p>\n Black Cake\u00a0<\/strong>–\u00a0<\/strong>is about\u00a0two estranged American siblings who are brought together when their Caribbean mother dies, leaving behind audiotapes revealing the truth of her tumultuous life.\u00a0<\/em>This series\u00a0keeps you wondering what is going to happen next. Full of family drama and mystery.<\/p>\n \u00a0Daisy Jones & the Six <\/strong>–\u00a0The series is based on the book of the same name, inspired by the real-life story of one of history’s greatest bands: Fleetwood Mac.\u00a0<\/em>It’s a rock and roll love story that keeps you hoping along the way. And the soundtrack is pretty great too.<\/p>\n \u00a0Val –\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>A look at the daily life of actor Val Kilmer with never-before-seen images spanning forty years of his career.\u00a0<\/em>I was surprised by how long this movie stuck with me well after I’d watched it. Val’s story will teach you some powerful lessons on how life can take you in a completely different direction.<\/p>\n True Spirit\u00a0<\/strong>–\u00a0<\/strong>A\u00a0true story of Australian sailor Jessica Watson who became the youngest person to sail solo around the world nonstop at the age of 16.\u00a0<\/em>After a challenging year, I leaned on hero’s journeys to remember how resilient we are as humans. Jessica’s true story will remind you that we can all be heroes when we choose to follow our dreams, especially when it’s easier to give up.<\/p>\n The Burial.\u00a0<\/strong>Willie E. Gary, an unconventional lawyer, helps Jeremiah Joseph O’Keefe, a funeral home owner with financial troubles, save his family business from a corporate behemoth.\u00a0<\/em>This true story inspired me to root for the underdog when all odds are against you.<\/p>\n Chevalier <\/strong>–\u00a0Based on the factual story of composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the illegitimate son of an African enslaved and a French plantation owner, who rises to heights in French society as a composer before an ill-fated love affair.\u00a0<\/em>What a story and peek into life for French high society in the late 1700s and finally having a legend get his recognition.<\/p>\n \u00a0Cassandro<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0Sa\u00fal Armend\u00e1riz, a gay\u00a0amateur wrestler from El Paso, Texas, rises to international stardom when he creates the character Cassandro, the `Liberace of Lucha Libre.’ He upends not just the macho wrestling world, but also his own life.\u00a0<\/em>A great story about when you stop trying to be what others want you to be and start just being yourself.<\/p>\n \u00a0Quiz Lady <\/strong>–\u00a0Anne and her estranged train wreck of a sister, Jenny, must work together to help cover their mother’s gambling debts<\/em>. This was definitely one of the better comedies we have seen in a while – LOL’ing for real.<\/p>\n Little Monsters <\/strong>–\u00a0A washed-up musician teams up with a teacher and a kids’-show personality to protect young children from a sudden outbreak of zombies.\u00a0<\/em>We weren’t sure about this one, given the zombies, but it turned out to be a really funny story that has you cheering along the way.<\/p>\n Carmen <\/strong>–\u00a0A woman on a quest to find freedom embarks upon a dramatic and life-altering journey from Mexico to Los Angeles.\u00a0<\/em>A journey of love and loss through music and dance. Yes, please.<\/p>\n Have you checked these out? What would you second or add to the Best Of 2023 list?<\/p>\n When you are ready, here are three ways we can help you.<\/strong><\/p>\n Alignment Coaching<\/a>:\u00a0Want to start the new year as your most authentic self?\u00a0 Work with me 1×1 to align with your core values and ignite more well-being without compromising your impact.\u00a0Fill out this inquiry form to see if we’re a good fit for one another.<\/a><\/p>\n Knowing and Living Your Values<\/a>:\u00a0During my 10-day course, you\u2019ll identify your unique values, see where you\u2019re currently activating them, and make small tweaks where you\u2019re not so that every day is filled with purpose.\u00a0Join 7,000+ Students Here.<\/a><\/p>\n Hire MaryBeth as a Speaker<\/a>:\u00a0Have an all-staff event, annual meeting or conference coming up? I will\u00a0inspire your audience to give themselves and others, permission to be human, unleashing higher productivity, profit, and purpose through shared values.\u00a0Learn more here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Top 2023 Must-Read Books, Must-Watch Shows, and Must-See Movies: Your Ultimate Year-End Review We don’t know about you, but at the end of the year, we LOVE looking at the “best of” lists from the year. We’re always looking for reliable recommendations on media that will benefit our journey, align with our values, and not […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":23005,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[38,18,23,10,13,35,21,22],"tags":[43,37,17,24,4,25,27,44],"class_list":["post-22998","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-consciousness","category-emotional-intelligence","category-empowerment","category-experience","category-leadership","category-mindfulness","category-reflection","category-values","tag-abundance","tag-consciousness","tag-emotional-intelligence","tag-empowerment","tag-leadership","tag-reflection","tag-values","tag-wisdom"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAUTOBIOGRAPHY:<\/u><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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TRUE STORY:<\/u><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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MUSICAL DRAMA:<\/u><\/strong><\/h4>\n