Denton County Living Well Magazine September/October 2020 | Page 39

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
You just might be surprised at the
music you fall in love with and
have been missing all your life.
There are many books
and workbooks available
to help you along your
journey to self-discovery.
Check out some of these
top-rated choices.
{ NEW FRIENDS } After a loss, making new friends is often imperative. If you’re
like most people in a relationship, you spent most of your free time with your partner.
As a result, you may have only a small pool of friends. So get in touch with old
friends and catch up. You might discover new things you have in common that
rekindle your friendship. Also, as businesses in your area open up again, make
new friends through work, classes, and volunteering. Meetup.com will be another
option. You’ll discover a plethora of different types and age groups. There’s truly
something for everyone.
{ MUSIC } If you’re a music lover, you know what a mood-booster music can be.
Yet, if you’re like most people, you’ve listened to the same few genres of music
throughout your life. So visit your library to explore different types of music, and
check out a variety of CDs. Try multiple artists within each genre, since styles vary
widely among any genre. You might be surprised at the music you fall in love with
and have missed all your life. Beyond the more popular rock, rap, R&B, and country,
there’s also folk, blues, jazz, and classical. Also, don’t skip over the world music
section. You’ll find Irish/Celtic, flamingo, reggae, Latin, Zydeco, Afrobeat, and so
much more.
{ ART } This isn’t a world just for artists. Although you might discover you have a
hidden talent you never realized. Think painting, drawing, sculpting, photography,
printmaking, and so much more. The other option is the pure enjoyment of looking
at art. Check out some art museums and galleries. You might even want to pick
up a book or take a class on art appreciation to understand art at a whole new level.
{ CRAFTS } Hobbies offer a host of benefits, not to mention the crafty things you
can make, keep, and give. Crafting relieves stress and depression, provides challenges,
prevents boredom, and can even generate additional income. Consider
wood crafts, leatherwork, needlework, glassmaking, paper crafts, and countless
other options.
{ FOOD } Learn new cooking or baking skills on your own or by taking cooking
classes. You might also take up a new pastime of cooking your favorite cuisine. If
cooking isn’t your thing, you can still enjoy the savory experience. Explore a wider
variety of foods. Taste a broader range of fruits and vegetables, and support your
local restaurants by getting take-out from cuisines you’ve never had before.
{ SPORTS & FITNESS } Make exercise a regular part of your routine. This is one
of the most valuable things you can do for your physical and emotional health. Oh,
but you don’t like the “E” word? Then consider a sport. There are so many to choose
from, whether you like team sports or prefer going solo. Golf, volleyball, tennis,
kickball, swimming, martial arts, and roller skating are just a few of your options.
Trying and experiencing new things can provide newfound appreciation for all life
has to offer. As restrictions around COVID-19 ease, you’ll also be able to add traveling
to new places and visiting movie theaters to your new exciting agenda.
Start Where
You Are:
A Journal
for Self-
Exploration
Meera Lee Patel
List Your Self:
Listmaking
as the Way to
Self-Discovery
Ilene Segalove
The Good
Goodbye: How
to Navigate
Change and
Loss in Life,
Love, and Work
Gladys Ato
This Time Next
Year: 365 Days
of Exploration
Cynthia Scher
Something
Gained: 7 Shifts
to Be Stronger,
Smarter &
Happier After
Divorce
Deb Purdy
The Sun
Still Rises:
Surviving and
Thriving after
Grief and Loss
Shawn Doyle
DENTON COUNTY • 37