12 Tiny Things: Simple Ways to Live a More Intentional Life

by Heidi Barr, Ellie Roscher, Dr. Andreas Michaelides (Foreword by)

Overview

In a culture that says bigger is better, it is subversive work to take tiny, lasting steps toward learning and growth.

In 12 Tiny Things Ellie Roscher and Heidi Barr journey with us through twelve essential areas of life: space, work, spirituality, food, style, nature, communication, home, sensuality, creativity, learning, and community. In each of these areas, we are invited to take one tiny action that is sure to open up growth and renewal.

12 Tiny Things guides us in curating a spiritual practice that promotes a more reflective, rooted, and intentional life. Regardless of how the ground feels underneath your feet, trust that there are roots there to tend. By trying on one tiny thing at a time, you can slowly, deliberately, and playfully remember who you are. You can nourish that being with tenderness. Together, we will reach and grow toward the sun.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506465043
Publisher:	1517 Media
Publication date:	01/05/2021
Pages:	180
Sales rank:	528,868
Product dimensions:	4.90(w) x 6.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Heidi Barr is a writer and wellness coach with over fifteen years of experience in health promotion. Her work is founded on a commitment to cultivating ways of being that are life-giving and sustainable for people, communities, and the planet. She is the author of two works of creative nonfiction: Woodland Manitou and What Comes Next; two poetry collections: Slouching toward Radiance and Cold Spring Hallelujah; and one cookbook: Prairie Grown: Stories and Recipes from a South Dakota Hillside. She is also the coauthor of 12 Tiny Things and is editor of "The Mindful Kitchen," a wellness column in The Wayfarer Magazine. She lives with her family in Minnesota, where they tend a large vegetable garden, explore nature, and do their best to live simply.

Ellie Roscher is the author of Play Like a Girl and How Coffee Saved My Life and coauthor of 12 Tiny Things. She hosts the Unlikely Conversations podcast and teaches writing and yoga at The Loft Literary Center, the Minnesota Writing Project, and Up Yoga. She has an MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing from Sarah Lawrence College as well as an MA in Theology from Luther Seminary. She lives in Minneapolis with her spouse and sons.

Dr. Andreas Michaelides is a Clinical Psychologist and the Chief of Psychology at Noom, a mobile health technology company. He is the founder of Noom's behavioral health coaching program and has been featured in numerous print articles and television stations including Fox, NBC, CBS, and KBS.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction
1. Space
2. Work
3. Spirituality
4. Food
5. Style
6. Nature
7. Communication
8. Home
9. Sensuality
10. Creativity
11. Learning
12. Community
Afterword
Appendix: Additional Ideas for Tiny Things

Editorial Reviews

01/04/2021

Wellness coach Barr (Woodland Manitou) and Roscher (Play Like a Girl), host of the Unlikely Conversations podcast, offer a host of doable ideas for building purposeful and healthy habits. The authors start with general guidelines and the goal of removing any pressure by reminding readers to be gentle with themselves and to own personal discomfort. They propose strategies for becoming more grounded through clearing clutter, abandoning self-centeredness, and building community, and provide “tiny thing tips” for 12 aspects of life—space, work, spirituality, food, nature, among others—including creating personal space by saying “no” more often, finding satisfaction at work by taking time each morning to engage in one’s physical world, relishing food by preparing meals with mindfulness of where the ingredients came from and eating slowly, and pursuing learning through “committing to the first step.” For Barr and Roscher, the key is to reframe a mindset of not having enough into seeing the opportunity for abundance. Each chapter also comes with a reflection, body practice, and “other voices” sections containing brief anecdotes attesting to the changes the authors suggest. Readers searching for simple ways of living more intentionally should take a look. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

"Readers searching for simple ways of living more intentionally should take a look." —Publishers Weekly

"If you've been looking for the starting blocks for a more intentional life, you'll find them within these pages. Here, Barr & Roscher offer an accessible invitation out of paralysis and into the micro-practices of awareness, proximity, and justice." —Jer Swigart, co-founder of The Global Immersion Project, co-author, Mending the Divides: Creative Love in a Conflicted World

"12 Tiny Things is a gentle nudge to embrace the small steps you most need to take to live an intentional life. An excellent companion for anyone who is looking to simplify and stay fully rooted in what truly matters." —Erica Layne, author of The Minimalist Way and founder of The Life on Purpose Movement

"In 12 Tiny Things, Barr and Roscher have given us twelve humble but insightful meditations on self-care, inclusion, gratitude, and mindfulness. There is nothing tiny about the impact this book will leave." —L. M. Browning, TEDx Talker, and author of To Lose the Madness

"This book is an invitation to recognize and hold onto the precious things that root us in the present and help us rise into our future. Each tiny, intentional practice offered in its pages is a huge opportunity to connect with oneself while creating ripples that connect communities." —JL Fields, culinary instructor, Noom health coach, and author

"12 Tiny Things whispers in the ear, suggesting small gestures in daily living that a reader can use to live a fuller existence. Beautifully written, rich with metaphor, this little book is wonderfully wise." —Sue Leaf, author of Portage: A Family, a Canoe, and the Search for the Good Life

"There are plenty of instructions for the wellness-minded in our world — do this, eat that, quit this, start that! —but a dearth of gentleness. Thank goodness for Roscher and Barr, whose twelve invitations to ground, connect, share, and nourish are as generous as a hug or a phone call from a friend. A loving, lovely, illuminating book." —Sally Franson, author of A Lady's Guide to Selling Out

"12 Tiny Things weaves story and practical advice to illustrate the power of watering one small seed. Slowly but surely, we put down deep, strong roots that hold us fast and allow us to help anchor others when the storms come." —Krista O'Reilly-Davi-Digui, Writer & Joyful Living Educator

"In these times, where do we find our capacity to be adaptive, integrative, and resilient? This book is a place to begin, a blueprint for presence that is wholly accessible and doable! Tiny things that build and anchor profound transformation." —MaryAnn Anderson, ACC CDTLF, Executive Coach

"Timeless, simple, and powerful. If you're ready to explore your values and find ways to thrive, regardless of what is happening in your life or in the world, 12 Tiny Things may be the first step you're looking for. Start with one tiny thing, —Amanda Clark, Certified Health Education Specialist

From the Publisher