“If you haven’t read hundreds of books, you are functionally illiterate, and you will be incompetent, because your personal experiences alone aren’t broad enough to sustain you.”
General James Mattis, USMC
Knowledge is power. While that phrase seems overused, it remains very true. We often fail or feel lost and despondent with our experiences, because we do not know how to get through them. The knowledge gained from our experience up until this point is not sufficient in carrying through. We are untrained, uneducated, and unprepared.
We are not alone in our experiences, however. The knowledge we need has already been documented. Our experience alone is not sufficient enough. Read and learn from each other. That is what the written word was intended for.
Below are is a list of recommended reading that we believe can be helpful to all.
Behind the Badge: 365 Daily Devotions for Law Enforcement — Adam Davis
“Respected by some and feared by others, law enforcement officers face daily pressures and dangers uncommon to other professions. Behind the Badge provides daily, spiritual nourishment that will encourage you professionally and personally. Filled with personal stories, relevant Scriptures, and practical prayers, the short devotions focus on themes such as peace, integrity, strength, family, protection, divine direction, preparedness, service, and more.”
12 Rules for Life : An Antidote to Chaos — Jordan B. Peterson
“What does everyone in the modern world need to know? Renowned psychologist Jordan B. Peterson’s answer to this most difficult of questions uniquely combines the hard-won truths of ancient tradition with the stunning revelations of cutting-edge scientific research.”
“Humorous, surprising, and informative, Dr. Peterson tells us why skateboarding boys and girls must be left alone, what terrible fate awaits those who criticize too easily, and why you should always pet a cat when you meet one on the street.”
As a Man Thinketh — James Allen
“Out of a clean heart comes a clean life and a clean body. Out of a defiled mind proceeds a defiled life and a corrupt body.”
“Too many mortals strive to improve only their wordly position–and too few seek spiritual betterment. Such is the problem James Allen faced in his own time. The ideas he found in his inner-most heart after great searching guided him as they will guide you.”
Make Your Bed — Admiral William H. McRaven
If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.
“On May 17, 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven addressed the graduating class of the University of Texas at Austin on their Commencement day. Taking inspiration from the university’s slogan, “What starts here changes the world,” he shared the ten principles he learned during Navy Seal training that helped him overcome challenges not only in his training and long Naval career, but also throughout his life; and he explained how anyone can use these basic lessons to change themselves-and the world-for the better.”
Beyond Order : 12 More Rules for Life — Jordan B. Peterson
“In a time when the human will increasingly imposes itself over every sphere of life—from our social structures to our emotional states—Peterson warns that too much security is dangerous. What’s more, he offers strategies for overcoming the cultural, scientific, and psychological forces causing us to tend toward tyranny, and teaches us how to rely instead on our instinct to find meaning and purpose, even—and especially—when we find ourselves powerless.”
The Beginner’s Guide to Stoicism — Matthew J. Van Natta
Optimize joy, overcome obstacles—discover the calm of stoicism
“Being a stoic means embracing positivity and self-control through the ability to accept the uncertainty of outcomes. With this stoicism guide, the beginner stoic will learn how to take charge of their emotions on the path to sustained happiness and satisfaction.”
The Depression Cure — Stephen S. Ilardi
“Our bodies were never designed for the sleep-deprived, poorly nourished, frenzied pace of twenty-first century life”
“Based on the highly effective, proven Therapeutic Lifestyle Change (TLC) program: a practical plan for natural ways to treat depression — without medication. The Depression Cure‘s holistic approach has been met with great success rates, helping even those who have failed to respond to traditional medications. For anyone looking to supplement their treatment, The Depression Cure offers hope and a practical path to wellness for anyone.
The Comfort Crisis — Matthew Easter
Discover the evolutionary mind and body benefits of living at the edges of your comfort zone. In many ways, we’re more comfortable than ever before. But could our sheltered, temperature-controlled, overfed, underchallenged lives actually be the leading cause of many our most urgent physical and mental health issues? In this gripping investigation, award-winning journalist Michael Easter seeks out off-the-grid visionaries, disruptive genius researchers, and mind-body conditioning trailblazers who are unlocking the life-enhancing secrets of a counterintuitive solution: discomfort.
Pray, Decide and Don’t Worry — Bobby & Jackie Angel with Fr. Mike Schmitz
Find peace and clarity when making decisions.
Pray, Decide, and Don’t Worry: Five Steps to Discerning Gods Will equips Catholics with a clear five-step discernment process for navigating what St. Ignatius of Loyola calls “the movements of the soul”, the deeper realities that clue Catholics in to what God is doing deep within their hearts and where He is leading them.
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art — James Nestor
“No matter what you eat, how much you exercise, how skinny or young or wise you are, none of it matters if you’re not breathing properly. There is nothing more essential to our health and well-being than breathing: take air in, let it out, repeat twenty-five thousand times a day. Yet, as a species, humans have lost the ability to breathe correctly, with grave consequences.”
“I will pull up a chair with a table full of sinners that admit their wrongs, and acknowledge their mistakes, before I ever take a seat with the preachers who pretend to be perfect saints, untainted.”
Madame K Potess
Chesapeake Valor 