Tag: Inspirational

How Embracing Your ‘Inner Peacock’ Can Transform Your Life

‘Becoming a Peacock’ is the new motivational book by Michal Bardavid. Photo: Amazon

Becoming a Peacock: Strut Your Way Into Self-Love

By Michal Bardavid

Loving yourself isn’t selfish, it’s your superpower.

We’re taught math, science, and grammar, but rarely how to love ourselves. In Becoming a Peacock, Michal Bardavid cracks open that silence with wit, warmth, and the kind of honesty that feels like a conversation with your bravest friend. (Amazon, 2025)

Release Date: December 2 — available now for pre-order.

Through intimate stories of heartbreak, healing, and rediscovery, Bardavid invites you to embrace your inner peacock: the bold, unapologetic, self-loving version of you that refuses to shrink to fit someone else’s cage.

What You’ll Learn

Each chapter blends real-life stories with empowering reflections and exercises designed to help you:

  • Reclaim your worth (no external validation required)
  • Set boundaries without guilt
  • Rewrite your inner voice from critical to kind
  • Let go of relationships and habits that dim your colors
  • Celebrate your authenticity, flaws, feathers, and all

Part memoir, part manifesto, and all heart, Becoming a Peacock is a guide for anyone ready to stop playing small and start strutting through life in full color.

What’s Inside the Book

  • Why the Majestic “Peacock”
  • A Peacock Knows It’s Worthy
  • A Peacock Can Take Rejection
  • A Peacock Dares To Fail
  • A Peacock Doesn’t Judge
  • A Peacock Is Authentic
  • A Peacock Is Grateful

Review

Becoming a Peacock is a heartfelt and spirited invitation to reclaim the parts of ourselves we’ve subdued for far too long. Bardavid writes with a disarming blend of humor, vulnerability, and gentle provocation, cracking open the silence so many people carry around their deepest hurts.

From the first chapter, her voice feels like that of a brave, loyal friend, the kind who tells you the truth with tenderness and refuses to let you abandon yourself again. The language is laid back and conversational while the tone is warm and nonjudgmental. With short chapters and clean structure, it’s a quick, easy read and easy to revisit favorite sections.

Through stories of heartbreak, healing, rejection, and the slow rebuilding of self-worth, Bardavid shows what it means to return home to yourself. She doesn’t preach or claim to have all the answers. Instead, she offers lived wisdom through intimate snapshots of losing her way and the surprising places she found it again.

Highlights

A Peacock Builds Resilience

A reminder that words matter. Kindness is crucial, but resilience is just as important. Bullying should never be tolerated, yet learning to rise above harsh moments is equally vital.

A Peacock Can Be in the Moment

Mindfulness means living with awareness and intention, even in painful moments. Distraction denies our feelings; presence helps us work through them.

“Let’s dare to put the phone down, be present for ourselves and our loved ones, and rediscover the beauty of being in the moment.”

Her “inner peacock” metaphor is playful and powerful, a reminder that boldness, beauty, and self-love are not traits we acquire but truths we unveil. Bardavid doesn’t shy away from messy emotions or difficult lessons, and that authenticity helps readers feel seen rather than lectured.

Becoming a Peacock is an encouraging guide to standing tall, spreading your feathers, and choosing yourself without apology. Ideal for readers who enjoy motivational, reflective books on the journey to self-improvement.

“I built this metaphor of a peacock to make self-love clearer, to remind my students—and now, any reader who wants to share the ride—that they are beautiful, worthy, and capable of living life fully.”

Rating: 4 out of 5.

About the Author

Michal Bardavid is a psychological counselor, dance movement therapist, and international journalist. Over the past 15 years, she has reported from more than a dozen countries, taught movement therapy at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, and led creative workshops for Syrian refugee children. In Becoming a Peacock, she combines two decades of storytelling and healing into a candid, story-driven path toward self-worth.

*Thank you to the author for the gifted Advance Reader Copy for review consideration. I haven’t been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

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Heartfelt and Honest: Exploring the Emotional Depth and Storytelling of ‘Daddy Sam’

‘Daddy Sam’ by Pamela Dubois. Photo: Amazon

“Daddy Sam” by Pamela Dubois is a heartwarming and thought-provoking story that explores the dynamics of family, identity, and resilience. The story centers around Sam and his journey from a tough childhood stemming from losing his mother when he was nine years old, to serving in World War II, returning to civilian life, marriage at a young age, raising a family of his own, becoming a successful businessman, and navigating retirement. The narrative is emotionally charged and insightful, diving deep into Sam’s life. It includes pictures of a young Sam and his wife Virginia as well as pictures of a love letter he wrote to her while on military duty and other personal mementos.

Main Chapters:
Introduction
Preface
Sam: The Early Years
Marriage
Military Service at the 38th Parallel
Civilian Life
Occupational Career
Retirement Travel
Second Career
Life After Virginia Fay

The character development and authentic portrayal of familial bonds makes Sam relatable. Dubois’s prose is both lyrical and poignant, capturing the nuances of grief, love, and personal growth with remarkable sensitivity. The interactions between Sam and family and friends are depicted with a sincerity that will resonate with readers who have experienced similar struggles or joys in their own lives.

Overall, “Daddy Sam” is compelling read that offers valuable reflections on the nature of family, resilience, and the enduring power of love. Though it’s a brief overview of Sam’s life, Pamela Dubois has delivered a touching and memorable story that will linger with readers. It is an easy read and recommended for readers who enjoy biographies and family saga fiction.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

*The author was contacted for an honest review of this book. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

New book release: ‘Stormy Sunshine: The Poetry Experience of a Lifetime’ by Regina Medina Alvarado

‘Stormy Sunshine: The Poetry Experience of a Lifetime’ is the new poetry book by Regina Medina Alvarado. Photo: Regina Medina Alvarado, used with permission.

Poetry is a type of artistic writing meant to stir the reader’s imagination or emotions. It is often used as a creative vehicle to express one’s feelings or to speak out for social causes or against social injustices. As a poet myself, I’m always on the lookout for impactful poetry books. Today’s new book release, “Stormy Sunshine: The Poetry Experience of a Lifetime” by Regina Medina Alvarado, touches on contemporary social issues with hopes of healing and renewal. It is available on Amazon. On December 24, 25, and 26 only, you can take advantage of a FREE download promotion on the e-book format.

Regina Medina Alvarado is a Northern Californian who gets her inspiration from the sights, sounds, news, events, and people she observes, as well as from first-hand accounts. She was never a poet by profession but eventually found enough quiet time to begin writing. While she speaks in defense of those affected by police brutality, she now finds herself at the mercy of police in help of searching for the person who took her grandson’s life this past November 21st. (Regina Medina Alvarado, 2023)

“Stormy Sunshine: The Poetry Experience of a Lifetime” – This debut poetry book by Regina Medina Alvarado dives into life’s uncertainties, mysteries, hopes, and triumphs. It memorializes prolific issues and events that grip America and society at large with a path toward healing and savors the splendor of a poetic dawn and a revealing of hope for mankind. It is both a conversation starter and a keepsake to be shared. This book will stand as a time capsule for our generation, as seen only through the eyes of a poet. Get a front-seat view to this moody, emotional rollercoaster ride that comes full circle into poetry’s renaissance.

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‘Story Sunshine: The Poetry Experience of a Lifetime’ is also available as an e-book. Photo: Regina Medina Alvarado, used with permission.

Book review: ‘Embracing God in the Right Perspective with the Right Foundation of Faith in Him’ by Chris Tham

‘Embracing God in the Right Perspective With the Right Perspective In Him’ by Chris Tham. Photo: Amazon

Chris Tham, a firm believer in the Gospel of Light through Christ Jesus, believes that the greatest joy in life is to discover man’s truthful identity in God and that every living soul in the history of mankind is a child of God. In this book, he writes about how we can discover our true identity in the spiritual realm and how our identity relates to God.

When it comes to religious studies, there are many books out there that can guide readers in their search for a deeper understanding of the Bible. What makes this one different is that it is an intense study of Christianity, God, and everything in between. At over 500 pages and 14 chapters such as Who is God and Who Are You and Who Are The Evil Spirits?, it is not meant to be read straight through; it is a reference guide meant as a companion in studying the Bible. It is heavy in Bible verses and references and often compares biblical themes such as sin, hell, and heaven according to the Bible, the Torah, and the Quran, different religions, and even offers atheist and agnostic views. The goal here is not to convert anyone, because the author is not in preacher mode. He is merely informing readers about intellectual concepts such as personal identity and destiny using biblical verses in a language most readers can understand. Most importantly, it “serves as a good text material for interfaith dialogue.” Some of his views are unconventional and may ruffle some feathers, so it helps to read it with an open mind. For example, he gives the undeniable historical fact that Germany was a Christian country under Adolf Hitler and questions why this was, if “the spirit of God desires for peace and not bloodshed among mankind.”

One highlight is Chapter 3 Knowledge Versus Truth which ponders the question that if we have stubbornly held onto strong beliefs with a closed mind all our lives, how can we differentiate between “is it knowledge or is it the truth.” Overall, it is a heavily researched teaching tool with graphics and bulleted lists that can be useful even for anyone who wants to delve into these topics. It is recommended for readers who like instructional books about the Bible, Christianity, and spirituality and appreciate different viewpoints.

“Before we came into this world, were we given the option to choose which country we wanted to be born in or which family we wanted to be born to? Therefore, some of us are predestined to go to heaven and some are predestined to end up in hell? Once again, is this the divine biblical truth?”

“Embracing God in the Right Perspective with the Right Foundation of Faith in Him” is available on Amazon, eSentral, Goodreads, and Authors Reading.

*This is an honest and heartfelt review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to the reviewer.

New children’s book release: ‘Adventures with Cali and Odin’ by Freddy Jaramillo

‘Adventures with Cali and Odin’ is the new faith based children’s book by Freddy Jaramillo. Photo: Freddy Jaramillo, used with permission.

If you are looking for a faith based children’s book, this new release might interest you. “Adventures with Cali and Odin” is a new children’s book by Freddy Jaramillo and is based on the experiences of the author’s own children who happen to have excellent imaginations. It is a quick read, the illustrations are beautiful and it is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Freddy Jaramillo and his family reside in Central Florida. “Adventures with Cali and Odin” is a genuine Christian faith based children’s book that helps children make good choices. It also encourages parents to read and introduce the good news of Jesus Christ through His salvation by believing in God’s mercy and grace. (Freddy Jaramillo, 2023)

“Adventures with Cali and Odin” is a faith-based children’s book where kids can relate to fun imaginations by role-playing with their own mommies and daddies at home. This book also teaches children about making good or bad choices as well as learning what forgiveness means. This book encourages children to ask questions about the Bible and for parents to teach their kids about Jesus and salvation.

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