GROW Virtual Book Club: Free Event (9th Aug, 2026)

Hope you loved our Books That Inspire US session!

Find the transcript below, and the list of books as recommended by everyone is at the bottom of this page.

And if you loved this, you'll LOVE our Virtual Book Club: GROW 💛 

As mentioned, we have a special offer just for attendees of the session, find it here: Click Here

Offer: Subscription (normally $47 p/month)

• 1st month: $9
• Ongoing: $47 p/m
• Cancel any time

For more info, including the list of upcoming books: Learn More (from this page, you can enter the coupon code GROWSEPTEMBER at checkout for the special offer)

With love,

On Book Lovers Day, Kristina hosted a special free, open-to-all gathering called Books that Inspire Us - a chance for readers from all walks of life to come together virtually, share the non-fiction books that have moved them, and discover new ones. Attendees brought everything from creativity and self-care to habits, purpose, and sport. It was a warm, generous conversation full of recommendations.

Books that Inspire Us

A special Book Lovers Day gathering hosted by Kristina Karlsson

Kristina: Hello everyone, and welcome! Today is Book Lovers Day, which I think is a wonderful excuse to do something special. What we're about to do is one of my favourite sessions - we do it a few times a year in my book club GROW, where everyone brings what they're currently reading, or a book that has had a big impact on them. I absolutely love these sessions because every time we do them, we get so inspired to try something new or go in a direction we hadn't considered.

I'm going to capture everything shared today and send it to you in an email tomorrow, with links to each book, so don't worry about taking notes.

Let me briefly explain what I do. I grew up in Sweden and moved to Australia, and when I arrived I had no idea what to do with my life. I wrote down a few dreams on a piece of paper, and that eventually became Kiki K - a stationery brand that grew to 120 stores around the world. I lost everything in COVID and started again. Now I run the Dream Life Store, two book clubs - GROW for personal development, and a Business Book Club for small business owners - a coaching program for women, and I do keynote speaking and workshops.

The reason I started GROW is that when I came to Australia, not all of my friends loved non-fiction or personal growth books. So I started a private book club with friends, and when I talked about it on my podcast, people started emailing asking to join. So I took it online. In GROW we read one book a month, discuss it across two sessions, and I love that the format encourages everyone to take three actions from each book. The first couple of times people often just watch quietly, and then they realise what a beautiful community it is and they open right up.

What I love about non-fiction specifically is that every book comes out of someone's lived experience or deep research. You spend $15 to $30 and you get their life's work. That's extraordinary. So today, let's share what we love. I'll start, and then please feel free to unmute and join in - or just put your book in the chat if you're not comfortable speaking up.

Kristina's Recommendation - The Wealthy Gardener by John Soforic:

My all-time favourite book is The Wealthy Gardener by John Soforic. I've re-read it every year, sometimes multiple times. I have it in both paper and audio. You can see from my copy how many tabs I've put in - I write in my books and use them as workbooks, which I know some people find horrifying!

John Soforic wanted financial freedom - not millions of dollars, just enough to live the life he wanted. He also wanted to share that with his son, but as many parents know, kids don't always want to hear things from their parents. So he wrote a book instead. It's half fiction - the story of a character called The Wealthy Gardener - and half non-fiction based on John's own experience. The gardening theme runs through both. But really it's not just about money - it's about making the most of your life and creating a life you love. He's been on my podcast, and if you join GROW he's come in to do a session with us twice. Really brilliant.

First participant - Be Your Own Bestie by Misha Brown:

I'll go first! I'm holding up Be Your Own Bestie by Misha Brown. He has a Facebook page called Don't Cross a Gay Man - he's very sassy, very funny, and he calls everyone his bestie. The opening chapter is called "How the F did I get here?" and he writes about recovering from alcoholism and growing up gay in parts of America where that wasn't easy. But it's all very sassy and light, and he writes just like he speaks.

What I love is that each chapter ends with journal prompts, and even if you're having a terrible day and you cry while reading it, he still gives you something positive to hold onto. I usually borrow books from the library first, but with this one I thought, I want this man to have my money. Each chapter is short and can stand alone, so you can come back to it again and again and always get something different out of it. It's great for self-empowerment and working through whatever you're carrying at the time.

Second participant - Creative First Aid by Caitlin Marshall and Lizzie Rose, and The Alone Advantage by Terri Savelle Foy, and Work in Progress by Devon Rodriguez:

I go to the Byron Bay Writers' Festival every year, and a couple of years ago I picked up Creative First Aid: The Science and Joy of Creativity for Mental Health by Caitlin Marshall and Lizzie Rose. I gave my copy to my sister, so I've bought it twice. It's a wonderful book about how creativity can support mental health, and I love that it approaches mental wellbeing from that angle - we don't always think about creativity as a tool.

I also want to mention an author I really love called Terri Savelle Foy. She's from Texas, runs a women's ministry and women's conferences in the UK and the US, and has written many non-fiction books. The one I've listened to most recently on audiobook is The Alone Advantage - I'd walk the streets just listening to it. I'll put the title in the chat.

And one I'm thinking of reading next in my fiction book club is Work in Progress, a memoir by Devon Rodriguez. He came from the Bronx and now travels the world sketching people on the subway. He has a wonderful Instagram account. It's a fascinating story.

Third participant - The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron:

The book that sticks with me most is The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. It was actually Julia Cameron that started me on Morning Pages, way before I found this community. I've also got several of her other books. The practice of Morning Pages - three handwritten pages first thing each morning - is something I've kept up since 2005. I still have all my notebooks from that time.

The Artist's Date is something we don't talk about quite as much, but it's a really good way to give yourself permission to do something small that you enjoy, at least weekly, and it's a great starting point for dreaming and making sure you actually protect time for the things that matter to you.

Kristina: Yes! I read The Artist's Way in my early twenties and I still do my three pages every single morning. I write in a cheap notebook and then throw it away - it's my way of thinking on paper, a kind of daily therapy. If I have an early flight, I'll do it on the plane. It's one of the most consistent practices of my life. We read it in GROW a couple of years ago, and so many people took on the morning pages and the artist's date.

I'll also add to the list The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson - it comes up again and again in the book club as one people want to re-read. It's about doing the easy things consistently - the habits that serve us - and the simple but powerful idea that the things that build a better life are easy to do, but equally easy not to do. If you haven't read it, add it to your list.

Fourth participant - also The Artist's Way:

I was going to share the same book! It was actually the second book I read in GROW, and it introduced me to journaling, reading, and the artist's date. That last one has probably been the biggest thing for me. I've actually just picked it up again today - I keep telling myself it's time to re-read it.

Fifth participant - The Self-Care Handbook by Gill Hasson:

I don't have my copy with me, but I'd like to recommend The Self-Care Handbook by Gill Hasson.  She's an English author who is well-known in the UK and has written a whole range of books. This one is an easy read that focuses on getting back to centre - positive daily routines, habits, and mindset, with a real focus on work-life balance. It's a good book to dip into when you need a moment of grounding. I also noticed The Listening Path by Julia Cameron in my library pile and wanted to mention that too, though I haven't read it yet.

Kristina: Self-care is something we talk about a lot in GROW, and it's always the first thing to go when life gets full. I think about work-life balance as something that comes in seasons rather than being constant - sometimes we have to push hard on a project and balance slips, and that's okay. But the reminder to come back to ourselves matters. Most of us give to others first and have nothing left. Shifting that even slightly makes such a difference.

Sixth participant - Atomic Habits by James Clear, and Essentialism by Greg McKeown:

My book is one I feel like everyone has probably already read, but if you haven't - Atomic Habits by James Clear. It completely changed how I approach every single day. It also changed how I teach goal-setting to my students. Whenever I feel out of control or scattered, I go back and look at my systems. If you've seen it and thought it might be overhyped, it really isn't.

I'd also add Essentialism by Greg McKeown - it's a brilliant one if you're feeling overwhelmed and overstretched.

Kristina: We haven't read Atomic Habits in GROW yet, believe it or not - every year in February we read a habits book, and there are so many great ones that we keep trying different things. In February next year we're actually going to read Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg - he's a professor at Stanford and takes a very science-based approach. Really simple and accessible. And Essentialism is on the list for the Business Book Club. Most of us who start things - businesses, projects, anything - tend to want to do too many things at once, and it's a great book for coming back to focus.

Seventh participant - Ikigai by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles:

I recently read Ikigai - I'm not sure I'm saying it correctly! I'm always looking for books about flow, and this one was beautiful. It's based on a Japanese concept about finding what gets you out of bed in the morning - the intersection of what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. When you find that flow, things feel easier and more meaningful. It's a nice mix of science and philosophy, and it really resonated with me.

Kristina: Yes! Ikigai is really about finding your purpose - what makes you come alive, especially when things are hard. It's quite different from something like Marie Kondo, which is more about your physical environment. Ikigai is about how you live. We haven't read it in GROW yet, but it's on the list. And we have read Marie Kondo's book too - both are wonderful, just quite different.

Eighth participant - Think, Prepare, Play Like a Champion by Jen Williams:

I'm not a big reader, I'll be honest - I find it hard to concentrate and it takes me a very long time to get through a book. But I do love sport, and the book by my bed at the moment is Think, Prepare, Play Like a Champion: An Expert Guide with Practical Solutions by Jen Williams. She's about 70 and has played at national level in so many sports - lacrosse, hockey, volleyball, you name it. I went to a presentation she gave and loved her energy so much that I picked up the book. It's very visual with lots of pictures and graphs, so I can flick through it rather than reading cover to cover. It has great little questionnaires and tips around mental preparation before competition - things like breathing techniques and managing nerves. It's really accessible.

Kristina: That sounds fantastic - and that's exactly the kind of book that works brilliantly for people who find concentrating on longer books challenging. Starting small is everything. There's actually a book coming out in September by Lizzie Williamson called Two Minutes - she is completely committed to doing things in two-minute bursts, and I think it will be a brilliant read for anyone who wants to build habits without the overwhelm of big commitments. Keep an eye out for it.

Kristina's additional recommendations:

I also want to share a few more from my pile.

10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan - we're reading this in the Business Book Club, but you don't need to have a business to enjoy it. It's about thinking really big while starting really small, and it's one of my favourites for getting out of a rut or just dreaming larger. Dan Sullivan has also written The Gap and the Gain, which is a wonderful companion - it's about focusing on how far you've come rather than fixating on how far you still have to go. Both are brilliant.

Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller - again, from the Business Book Club, but truly for anyone who loves writing, creativity, or communication. It's about simplifying your message and getting really clear on what you want to say. I re-read it this year and it completely revitalised how I look at everything we do in our business.

The Energy Game by Amantha Imber - this is what we're reading right now in GROW for August. It's a science-backed guide to boosting energy, and it's divided into three sections: mental energy, physical energy, and emotional energy. Short chapters, very practical, and she's just been on my podcast. Really excellent.

Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman - we're reading this in GROW in October. The premise is simple: the average human life is about four thousand weeks. If you're over 50, you've already spent around 2,700 of those. It's not a depressing book - it's a beautiful, galvanising reminder to make the most of the life we have. I always say the biggest regrets at the end of life aren't the mistakes we made, but the things we never got around to doing.

Showing Up (or Fire Up) by Nedd Brockmann - Nedd ran across Australia from Perth to Sydney, 100 kilometres a day, raising money for homelessness. He's speaking at the Opera House tonight and I'm going! There are two versions of the book - one for adults, one for younger readers - and both are wonderful. If you want to feel inspired to do hard things and live large, this is the book.

Wild Courage by Jenny Wood - this is what we're reading in GROW in September. She was on the New York subway, spotted a man she thought looked interesting, and decided that if he got off at the same stop, she would run after him. She didn't even know if he was wearing a wedding ring - it was cold and he was all rugged up. She did it anyway, and they are now married. She went on to have a remarkable career, including at Google, and the book is about the courage it takes to go after what we want - in every area of life. Self-doubt is the biggest dream killer I see, and this book is the antidote.

Final contributions from the group:

One participant shared a tip for anyone who finds concentration difficult: she likes to listen to the audiobook while reading the physical copy at the same time - your eyes follow along while you listen, and you can speed it up. It's made a huge difference for her.

Another participant recommended Mirror Work by Louise Hay - a short, 21-day practice of looking at yourself in the mirror and building self-love through affirmations. She ran self-empowerment groups through this book for years, and said it's remarkable how many people can't look themselves in the eye and say "I love you." She recommended it particularly for anyone working on their sense of worth, or who needs a reminder to back themselves when the people around them aren't.

Kristina: I love that. And Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill is another old one worth mentioning - I have my top 10 books list on my website if anyone wants to download that. Sometimes the oldest books are the wisest. And finding community around reading and growth is just as important as the books themselves - wherever you find your people, being around like-minded readers makes such a difference. Find your tribe, whatever that looks like for you.

Thank you all so much for joining today and for being so generous with your recommendations. You'll get a PDF with all the links tomorrow so you can easily find everything that was shared. And if you'd like to join GROW, there's a special $9 offer for the first month for new members. I hope to see some of you there. Happy Book Lovers Day!

• The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron. Click here.
• The Listening Path, Julia Cameron. Click here.
• Creative First Aid: The Science and Joy of Creativity for Mental Health, Caitlin Marshall and Lizzie Rose. Click here.
• Building a StoryBrand, Donald Miller. Click here.
• The Sound of Paper, Julia Cameron. Click here.
   

• The Wealthy Gardener, John Soforic. Click here.
• Be Your Own Bestie, Misha Brown. Click here.
• The Slight Edge, Jeff Olson. Click here.
• Ikigai, Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles. Click here.
• Mirror Work, Louise Hay. Click here.
• Wild Courage, Jenny Wood. Click here.
• The Alone Advantage, Terri Savelle Foy. Click here.

• Atomic Habits, James Clear. Click here.
• Tiny Habits, BJ Fogg. Click here.
• Essentialism, Greg McKeown. Click here.
• 10x Is Easier Than 2x, Dan Sullivan. Click here.
• Two Minutes, Lizzie Williamson. Click here.

• The Energy Game, Amantha Imber. Click here.
• The Self-Care Handbook, Gill Hasson. Click here.
• Happy, Turia Pitt. Click here.

• The Gap and the Gain, Dan Sullivan. Click here.
• Four Thousand Weeks, Oliver Burkeman. Click here.
• Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill. Click here.
• The Source, Dr Tara Swart. Click here.

• Showing Up, Nedd Brockmann. Click here.
• Fire Up, Nedd Brockmann. Click here.

• Think, Prepare, Play Like a Champion, Jen Williams. Click here.

• Work in Progress, Devon Rodriguez. Click here.