Elizabeth Whitworth, Author at Shortform Books

Build Confidence in Your Child to Help Them Meet 6 Challenges

Do your kids compare themselves to each other? Do you have a child who “pretend-cries”? Do you find yourself in a struggle at mealtimes and bedtimes? In her book Good Inside, clinical psychologist Dr. Becky Kennedy explains what confidence really means and how confident children are more equipped to handle what life throws at them. She shows how you can help your child develop this all-important trait and start using it to deal with a variety of situations. Read more to discover how building confidence in your child can help them meet six common challenges.

How to Hook a Reader: The 3 Questions You Must Answer Up Front

When a reader starts to read your story, what are they looking for? What must you give them if you want them to keep reading? Lisa Cron asserts that stories satisfy neurological needs that humans evolved over millennia. So, good writers understand these needs and satisfy them as they craft their stories. Arguably, the primary thing that readers require is a good reason to keep reading past the first page. Read more to discover how to hook a reader by fulfilling their immediate need.

Excited Body Language: 2 Behaviors That Indicate Excitement

How can you tell if someone is genuinely excited to see you? What excited body language behavior is also a tai chi move? We all exhibit subtle physical behaviors that put our emotions on display to those who are skilled in interpreting body language. Joe Navarro teaches these skills in his book The Dictionary of Body Language. Read more to learn what Navarro has to say about behaviors that point to excitement.

Is Language Left or Right Brain? Why Both Hemispheres Matter

Is language left or right brain? What role does each hemisphere play in understanding language? Despite the popular caricature of the right hemisphere as “silent,” psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist contends that it plays a crucial role in understanding language. He discusses the vital roles that both the left brain and right brain play in our use and interpretation of words. Read more to learn what we understand about language and the brain.

How Playful Parenting Helps You Meet 4 Challenges With Your Kids

Do you play enough with your kids? Do you know how to use playful parenting as a tool? Dr. Becky Kennedy suggests specific approaches for handling parenting challenges so that you can foster behavioral change without jeopardizing your connection to your child. She discusses four ways that playful parenting helps you deal with challenges. Continue reading to understand how you can use playfulness strategically.

Early Retirement Extreme by Jacob Lund Fisker: Book Overview

What are you willing to give up in order to work less (or not at all)? Do you carry debt that isn’t really necessary? In Early Retirement Extreme, Jacob Lund Fisker shows you how to do what he did: break free of consumerism and live a fulfilling, meaningful life—well before the typical retirement age. He provides straightforward strategies that you can adopt to make this significant lifestyle change. Continue reading for an overview of this book that invites you to take control of your life and future.

The Importance of Small Talk: A Stepping Stone to Connection

Do you hate small talk? Does it seem shallow and like a waste of time? Patrick King wrote an entire book about small talk. He sings its praises—and teaches the skill—because he recognizes the value of small talk as a stepping stone toward deeper connections. Read more to learn about the importance of small talk and how it’s just the beginning of substantive conversations.

Foreshadowing in a Story: Providing Your Reader With Memories

What does foreshadowing accomplish in a story? How can it be used to powerful effect with your readers? In Wired for Story, Lisa Cron explains that humans have an innate need to understand the reasons behind everything—to make sense of what’s happening to us and around us. One of the techniques that writers can use to satisfy this human need is foreshadowing. Keep reading for Cron’s exploration of foreshadowing in a story and how it affects readers.

How to Read Emotions: Body Language Tips From an FBI Agent

What does it mean when someone purses their lips? Why do people turn their feet away from others? Can you tell what someone’s feeling, despite what they’re saying? Joe Navarro, a retired FBI Special Agent, knows how to read people. In The Dictionary of Body Language, he examines some of the body language cues that indicate emotions, such as repetitive actions that suggest anxiousness and tense postures that indicate anger. Keep reading to learn how to read emotions through body language.

3 Reasons to Break Out of the Unfulfilling Cycle of Consumerism

Do you work more than you need to because you buy more than you need? Are you blindly following a narrative that just ain’t so? The modern world lures us into giving away our freedom, argues early retiree Jacob Lund Fisker. The vast majority of adults are caught in a needless cycle of consumerism. Luckily, he says, it’s possible to free yourself from this system. Read more to learn three reasons to break out of the unfulfilling cycle of consumerism.