Do you love reading personal development books and wish you had girlfriends who wanted to unpack them with you, to share the “aha" moments you had and expand your understanding of them?
Do you believe that exposing yourself to new ideas and different perspectives is important?
Do you crave deeper connections and conversations with women?
If so, this is the book club for you.
It's All About Personal Development
We read books with a focus on mindset, being our best selves, relationships, happiness, spirituality, our purpose, achieving our goals, and more. Read the books and join the discussions that you believe will help you discover, learn, and grow, and skip the ones that don't resonate with you.
The focus of our learning in 2022 will be on fewer topics / themes and deeper learning. The books will be selected to enable us to continue our learning from the previous month's workshop.
All Are Welcome
The book club is open to all. Whether you’ve read (or listened to) the book or not, you are welcome to attend and participate. All you need to do is show up and accept the book club agreements (see below). The only requirement is an open, positive, thoughtful, and respectful mindset to create a meaningful discussion. With that said, it naturally deepens the conversation when you are aware of the author’s work and/or the concepts presented within it.
What to Expect
We always have an open, free-flowing discussion. I create discussion questions to help facilitate the discussion. We sometimes use them and sometimes don't. I will typically ask what stood out to you, what impacted you the most, what the book made you think about. I do my best to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate, but also understand if someone simply wants to listen/learn. I create book notes summarizing and organizing the main points for Sage Sisters Virtual and All-Access Members as a Member benefit, to use during the discussion and to keep for reference. The Library now includes 30+ book notes on most of the below books!
Join Us In-Person or Online
2022 Book Club discussions will be held in February, May, August, and November.
In-Person: We meet on the 1st Thursday from 7-9pm ET. We have resumed meeting in-person at Barnes & Noble at One Loudoun in Ashburn, Virginia, with masks required.
Online: We meet on the 3rd Wednesday from 7-9pm ET on Zoom. The Zoom link is provided when you register on Eventbrite.
Book Club Agreements
By participating in a Book Club discussion, you agree that…
We have each chosen to take time out of our full schedules to attend…
- To discover new ideas and have "aha!" moments
- To grow and contribute to the growth of others
- To inspire and uplift, and be inspired and uplifted
Mindset is everything...
- A positive and open mindset is a must
- You are welcome to share your personal experiences, insights, and wisdom
- Please ask thoughtful questions with a genuine desire to learn/understand
Creating an environment of loving kindness and offering mutual respect is paramount...
- Give equal time to all attendees who wish to share
- Give your full attention to whoever is speaking
- Remember that we are all on our own journeys and have unique beliefs, circumstances, and life experiences. Everyone should feel this group is a safe place.
What We Are Reading in 2022
February Discussions
The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery
by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile
May Discussions
No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model
by Richard Schwartz Ph.D.
August Discussions
Rewire for Wealth: Three Steps Any Woman Can Take to Program Her Brain for Financial Success
by Barbara Huson
November Discussions
Listen: How to Embrace the Difficult Conversations Life Throws at You
by Jen Dalton
Books We Have Read
- Playing Big, Tara Mohr
- Finding Your Own North Star, Martha Beck
- A New Earth, Eckhart Tolle
- The Miracle of Mind Dynamics, Joseph Murphy
- The Happiness Advantage, Shawn Achor
- The Gifts of Imperfection, Brene Brown
- The Power of Not Yet, Donna Pisani
- The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz
- The 5 Second Rule, Mel Robbins
- The 5 Love Languages, Gary Chapman
- The Path Made Clear, Oprah Winfrey
- Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, Dr. Joe Dispenza
- Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom
- Mindset, Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D.
- Many Lives, Many Masters, Brian L. Weiss, MD
- Your Best Year Ever, Michael Hyatt
- Ask and It Is Given, Esther & Jerry Hicks
- The Four Tendencies, Gretchen Rubin
- The Untethered Soul, Michael Singer
- Atomic Habits, James Clear
- Flourish: 7 Ways Gratitude Can Change Your Life, Jennifer Garman
- Anti-Racism “Book of Your Choice”
- Radical Compassion, Tara Mohr
- The Fifth Agreement, Don Miguel Ruiz/Don Jose Ruiz/Janet Mills
- E-Squared, Pam Grout
- Untamed, Glennon Doyle
- The Little Book of Stoicism: Timeless Wisdom to Gain Resilience, Confidence, and Calmness, Jonas Salzgeber
- The Choice: Embrace the Possible & The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save Your Life, Dr. Edith Eva Eger
- A Tribe Called Bliss, Lori Harder
- The Book of Beautiful Questions, Warren Berger
- On Juneteenth, Annette Gordon-Reed
- Unbound: A Woman's Guide to Power, Kasia Urbaniak
- The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, Bessel van der Kolk, MD
Watch interviews about select books, hosted by Flushing It Out's Samantha Spittle!
"I have generally always focused on professional development and when, during the pandemic lockdowns, I started rethinking many things. Then I met Janet and she invited me to check out her book club. After one book club zoom, I joined. One of my best pandemic decisions! I have read books that have been on my top read list for years, books and authors I’ve never heard of and I have learned SO MUCH. I have also connected with amazing women who at first glance I’d think I have nothing in common with, but after discussing books and sharing our troubles and triumphs, have found so many new and positive connections." - Sage Sisters Member
