Lone Star Book Blog Tour: Connected by Seema Desai (review & giveaway)

Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides by Dr. Seema Desai is a succinct and helpful guide for both children and adults to ground themselves when times are tough, to dig down deep to find peaceful and creative ways to handle difficult situations and feelings, and to listen to those inner guards and guides, both of which serve special purposes.

Inner Guards, such as fear, promote awareness during hardships and sticky predicaments, but giving in to fear instead of acknowledging it can be harmful. Connecting with our Inner Guides, such as Curiosity, Fun, Creativity, Balance, Hope, Empathy, Strength, and Individuality, can combat the negativity in our surroundings, from other people, and even within ourselves.

This sweet book lays out the tools needed to listen to your Inner Guides and Guards and find ways to tap into some calm, peace, and understanding. While mainly geared toward children, Connected is for anyone new to meditation and the art of listening to the body and mind to solve problems or to simply relax and develop positive listening and reactions.

Connected is by no means an exhaustive tutorial to finding inner serenity and harmony, but it does provide a good starting point for children, adults, and guardians to learn alongside and work with the children in their lives. Whether we are still navigating childhood or remembering what it was like, we know that the frustration in everyday life is real. Children are constantly struggling for autonomy and often find it difficult to control rampant emotions. Sometimes lashing out or breaking down emotionally seem to be the only recourses, but Seema Desai in Connected shows that there is another way. Adults react negatively sometimes too when times are tough or when frustration and anger escalate, so meditation and listening to our unique Inner Guides are great tools for everyone at any stage of life.

This short book takes moments to read, but the benefits can last a lifetime if we simply take the time to practice mindfulness and meditation, during both good and trying times. The illustrations by James Ballance are so perfect for this book. They are sweet and simple yet still capture the overall essence of each section. If you are new to meditation or want to help guide the young ones in your life, then Connected is the perfect starting point. No extra equipment is needed to begin. You just need the willingness to learn for yourself and perhaps even mentor others on how to connect with and listen to those Inner Guides.

The author strongly reminds readers that all of this takes plenty of practice and patience, but the more you step back and listen your mind and body, the easier it will get, with the added bonus of increased positive physical and mental health for years to come.

On a personal note: While I love yoga (and have followed SarahBethYoga for several years), I have trouble with meditation and often feel like I’m doing it wrong when my mind strays and when that inner calm and complete peace always elude me. With its simple, straightforward concepts, Connected has actually encouraged me to approach meditation and mindfulness in a more uncomplicated way, assuring me that I need to and can find and honor what works for me, which will no doubt look totally different from anyone else’s practice. And that’s okay.

Enter the giveaway below on or before November 23, 2022, for a chance to win a signed copy of Connected by Dr. Seema Desai!

I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.