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Connected - Discovering Your Inner Guides
A Kid's Guide to Navigating Their Emotions.
What if you could...
make life easier and more fun?
create choices for yourself, even when it feels like there aren't any?
discover something so powerful about yourself that it changes your life?
show up with more kindness, patience, and understanding, and inspire others to do the same?
make this world a better place?
It all starts with going on a journey inside yourself, to an entire world you didn't know existed. It is about building a connection between your inner and outer worlds, so that you can do all of these things, and so much more.
Are you ready to be CONNECTED?
"Connected" is all about teaching kids and their families how to navigate their emotions. It is a practical guide to understanding powerful concepts that alleviate the stress and challenge in tough situations. The book also includes tools and tips to help children become advocates for their mental and emotional well-being in productive ways, as well as thought-provoking questions to encourage young readers to think about how these tools would be uniquely relatable to them. Written to inspire children to become empathetic leaders and creative solution-seekers, "Connected" is a book that helps them not only understand themselves better, but also those around them.
What if you could...
make life easier and more fun?
create choices for yourself, even when it feels like there aren't any?
discover something so powerful about yourself that it changes your life?
show up with more kindness, patience, and understanding, and inspire others to do the same?
make this world a better place?
It all starts with going on a journey inside yourself, to an entire world you didn't know existed. It is about building a connection between your inner and outer worlds, so that you can do all of these things, and so much more.
Are you ready to be CONNECTED?
"Connected" is all about teaching kids and their families how to navigate their emotions. It is a practical guide to understanding powerful concepts that alleviate the stress and challenge in tough situations. The book also includes tools and tips to help children become advocates for their mental and emotional well-being in productive ways, as well as thought-provoking questions to encourage young readers to think about how these tools would be uniquely relatable to them. Written to inspire children to become empathetic leaders and creative solution-seekers, "Connected" is a book that helps them not only understand themselves better, but also those around them.
56 pages, Paperback
Published February 3, 2022
1 person is currently reading
18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 15, 2022
When I was a child I had a lot of stress in my life. By my teen years, transcendental meditation was becoming very popular. I utilized a lot of the teachings to help myself become calm when stressed. My mind has always been very active and back then, I didn’t have much control over thoughts and emotions that ran rampant through my brain. So many stray thoughts intruded into my childish consciousness that I found it nearly impossible to even go to sleep at night. Once I began using calming exercises to physically relax my body and mindful breath and mantras to ease my mind, I learned to easily take myself into to a deep, restful sleep. When I had children and they grew old enough to understand these concepts, I introduced the same techniques to them and the meditation process helped them as much as it did me.
That said, I like the concept of Inner Guides and Guards as presented in “Connected – Discovering Your Inner Guides” by Seema Desai. The author lets us know that your Inner Guards are the negative emotions that sometimes threaten to take over. As scary as they can be, emotions like fear, sadness, frustration are all normal. Everyone experiences them. Seema says, “Guards can behave much like a puppy that quickly reacts when the doorbell rings, barking loudly with the intention to protect its home and family. Much like the puppy calms down once it sees the person at the door is a friend, you can calm your Guards by connecting with your Inner Guides.”
So, your inner guards work to protect you from harm but they can actually completely halt progress if you don’t let your inner guides add some balance and harmony to your outlook.
Seema gives great, simple to understand explanations about our inner guides like Curiosity, Fun, Creativity, Balance, Hope and others that we all have access to, if we only allow them in. She also provides exercises to help you call on and listen to your guides, like Tapping, Karate Chopping and Finger Circles. She even offers a golden mantra that everyone can easily follow, “I bring peace, I bring love, I bring kindness to those around me, both near and far away.”
The gratitude journal is a great idea. There are far too many people who have never learned or have completely forgotten the value of being grateful for the things they have in their lives. Gratitude is truly something you have to continuously work on perfecting. Seema says, “If you are always encouraging your mind to see the good, there is a lot less time to focus on what you do not have or what is wrong.”
The simple black and white illustrations by James Ballance are pleasant representations and do not distract from the discovery process.
All in all, I approve of the messages in this book and feel it can be beneficial to most anyone of any age. I give it 5 stars.
That said, I like the concept of Inner Guides and Guards as presented in “Connected – Discovering Your Inner Guides” by Seema Desai. The author lets us know that your Inner Guards are the negative emotions that sometimes threaten to take over. As scary as they can be, emotions like fear, sadness, frustration are all normal. Everyone experiences them. Seema says, “Guards can behave much like a puppy that quickly reacts when the doorbell rings, barking loudly with the intention to protect its home and family. Much like the puppy calms down once it sees the person at the door is a friend, you can calm your Guards by connecting with your Inner Guides.”
So, your inner guards work to protect you from harm but they can actually completely halt progress if you don’t let your inner guides add some balance and harmony to your outlook.
Seema gives great, simple to understand explanations about our inner guides like Curiosity, Fun, Creativity, Balance, Hope and others that we all have access to, if we only allow them in. She also provides exercises to help you call on and listen to your guides, like Tapping, Karate Chopping and Finger Circles. She even offers a golden mantra that everyone can easily follow, “I bring peace, I bring love, I bring kindness to those around me, both near and far away.”
The gratitude journal is a great idea. There are far too many people who have never learned or have completely forgotten the value of being grateful for the things they have in their lives. Gratitude is truly something you have to continuously work on perfecting. Seema says, “If you are always encouraging your mind to see the good, there is a lot less time to focus on what you do not have or what is wrong.”
The simple black and white illustrations by James Ballance are pleasant representations and do not distract from the discovery process.
All in all, I approve of the messages in this book and feel it can be beneficial to most anyone of any age. I give it 5 stars.
November 18, 2022
Growing up in today's world is much different than when I was a kid. Sure there was bullying and things like that, but I don't know that it was as intense as it is now with the advent of social media, where now we have cyber-bullying and so much more pressure on people. This beautifully illustrated book is a wonderful start to teaching young children mindfulness and meditation.
The book describes Guides and Guards in terminology that younger children might be able to understand. Guards are negative emotions like anger and fear. Guides are positive ones like curiosity, hope, empathy, and strength. By helping young ones to understand the difference and rely on Guides, they can learn how to be happier people.
While this book is geared toward young ones, I found many tips and tricks I could utilize in my own life. I have seen people tap their chests and never thought about asking them why, but I learned in this book it is a good way to center yourself.
This book is meant to be taken at a slower pace, at least in my opinion. There are exercises sprinkled throughout to do and understand the lessons that were taught. This will also give you time for reflection on the various Guides and Guards and how they impact your life. There is even an emphasis on starting a gratitude journal. I think in this hustle and bustle world, we don't take enough time to remember all of the good in our life. Taking a few minutes a day will help us remember these things and start our day on a positive note.
I enjoyed the illustrations in this book. They are simple yet convey the message the author is trying to share with us.
This book would benefit anyone, young or old, and its simple language makes it easy for anyone to understand.
We give this book 5 paws up.
The book describes Guides and Guards in terminology that younger children might be able to understand. Guards are negative emotions like anger and fear. Guides are positive ones like curiosity, hope, empathy, and strength. By helping young ones to understand the difference and rely on Guides, they can learn how to be happier people.
While this book is geared toward young ones, I found many tips and tricks I could utilize in my own life. I have seen people tap their chests and never thought about asking them why, but I learned in this book it is a good way to center yourself.
This book is meant to be taken at a slower pace, at least in my opinion. There are exercises sprinkled throughout to do and understand the lessons that were taught. This will also give you time for reflection on the various Guides and Guards and how they impact your life. There is even an emphasis on starting a gratitude journal. I think in this hustle and bustle world, we don't take enough time to remember all of the good in our life. Taking a few minutes a day will help us remember these things and start our day on a positive note.
I enjoyed the illustrations in this book. They are simple yet convey the message the author is trying to share with us.
This book would benefit anyone, young or old, and its simple language makes it easy for anyone to understand.
We give this book 5 paws up.
November 21, 2022
(This review can be found on my blog, All the Ups and Downs.)
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When I got the chance to read Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides by Seema Desai, I jumped at the chance. My 7 (almost 8) year old sometimes has some big emotions. I figured this would be a great book for us to read together to help him navigate those emotions.
Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides starts off with a guide for adults and a guide for kids on how to use the book to their advantage. It talks about inner guides which are any type of thing that can help you. It also talks about guards which are the negative feelings and emotions we all experience. Although the book is short in length, it does a very good job at discussing what guides we can use to help squash our guards and help us. Along the way, the author shares some tips and tools to help overcome the guards. Mine and my son's favorite tool was the tapping method. I really felt that both adults and kids can do this method quite easily to help them overcome any number of guards such as fear, anxiety, or any other horrible feeling. There's also a handy guide for teaching children (and/or adults) how to meditate. Desai also goes into just enough detail about different types of guards and guides that can help both adults and children understand what's going on. She never uses language that is too difficult to understand, nor does she drone on and on. This helps so much to keep the book flowing throughout and to help keep children's minds from wandering which they are prone to do quite often. One thing I do want to mention is I felt like my son was a little too young to understand some of the concepts and apply them. However, I do think that if he were a couple of years older, he would be the perfect age. I also think this might just depend on the emotionally maturity of the child as well.
The illustrations in Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides are fabulous! James Ballance shows how talented he is with each and every drawing. The illustrations are fun and help to keep kids engaged. The drawings are very helpful in making sure Desai's words are being understood. My son and I liked the way the illustrations were aimed towards kids his own age instead of being drawn for babies. (His words, not mine.) Each illustration helps to show what each section in the book is about. Just the drawings alone are worth reading this book!
Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides is a very informative guide that is extremely helpful for children and adults! It's written in a language that is easy to understand yet drives the point across. With its excellent illustrations and well written (and researched) passages, this book should be in every therapist's library and every home library. Basically, just put this book in every library. I would definitely recommend Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides by Seema Desai to everyone aged 10+ who would love to get in touch with their feelings. This is one book you don't want to miss!
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(A special thank you to Lone Star Book Blog Tours for sending me a paperback of Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
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When I got the chance to read Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides by Seema Desai, I jumped at the chance. My 7 (almost 8) year old sometimes has some big emotions. I figured this would be a great book for us to read together to help him navigate those emotions.
Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides starts off with a guide for adults and a guide for kids on how to use the book to their advantage. It talks about inner guides which are any type of thing that can help you. It also talks about guards which are the negative feelings and emotions we all experience. Although the book is short in length, it does a very good job at discussing what guides we can use to help squash our guards and help us. Along the way, the author shares some tips and tools to help overcome the guards. Mine and my son's favorite tool was the tapping method. I really felt that both adults and kids can do this method quite easily to help them overcome any number of guards such as fear, anxiety, or any other horrible feeling. There's also a handy guide for teaching children (and/or adults) how to meditate. Desai also goes into just enough detail about different types of guards and guides that can help both adults and children understand what's going on. She never uses language that is too difficult to understand, nor does she drone on and on. This helps so much to keep the book flowing throughout and to help keep children's minds from wandering which they are prone to do quite often. One thing I do want to mention is I felt like my son was a little too young to understand some of the concepts and apply them. However, I do think that if he were a couple of years older, he would be the perfect age. I also think this might just depend on the emotionally maturity of the child as well.
The illustrations in Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides are fabulous! James Ballance shows how talented he is with each and every drawing. The illustrations are fun and help to keep kids engaged. The drawings are very helpful in making sure Desai's words are being understood. My son and I liked the way the illustrations were aimed towards kids his own age instead of being drawn for babies. (His words, not mine.) Each illustration helps to show what each section in the book is about. Just the drawings alone are worth reading this book!
Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides is a very informative guide that is extremely helpful for children and adults! It's written in a language that is easy to understand yet drives the point across. With its excellent illustrations and well written (and researched) passages, this book should be in every therapist's library and every home library. Basically, just put this book in every library. I would definitely recommend Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides by Seema Desai to everyone aged 10+ who would love to get in touch with their feelings. This is one book you don't want to miss!
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(A special thank you to Lone Star Book Blog Tours for sending me a paperback of Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
November 18, 2022
Thanks to author Seema Desai and Lone Star Book Blog Tours for providing this opportunity to review Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides. I received the novel free in exchange for my honest review.
Learning emotional intelligence is so important for kids. That's something we are actively working on with our son, since he's quite an intense little man. So I thought this book would be perfect to read with him, to help him focus inwardly on those Inner Guides. I will say this is more a reading to him than with him level. My son is 8 and the book is likely meant for maybe tweens and teens. So we read it together, taking turns, but me doing most of the reading and discussion points.
I loved that the book includes so many illustrations and comic book style doodles and quotes throughout. I feel that really helps connect with kids and make the topic easier to digest. Otherwise, there's a lot of information being introduced. This would be great for older kids to journal after reading a chapter or even a few pages at a time.
You see, these Inner Guides we learn about can help kids and adults deal with stressful situations. The author talks about our Guards that put up the red flags and raise the alarms, and while we are thankful for their looking out for us, they are not always necessary. The book teaches us that being Connected to our Inner Guides will help us help those Guards to settle down, and let us handle situations more gracefully and calmly.
"Everyone has Guards and envisions them in different ways. They are a completely normal part of life. They might seem scary at times, but they mean well. When they think you may be threatened, they bring feelings of fear, judgement, guilt, blame, shame, anger, jealousy, and other unpleasant emotions."
I loved the analogy of the puppy, barking at the stranger when the doorbell rings. The intention is to protect the home and family, right?
"Much like the puppy calms down once it sees the person at the door is a friend, you can calm your Guards by connecting with your Inner Guides."
And that explanation is why it is so important to understand and put these teaching into practice.
"With practice, you can strengthen your connection with your Guides so that your Guards are less easily heard."
I definitely got a lot out of this book as well, because connecting with your Inner Guides is something everyone can benefit from. I've already been doing a lot of inner work on mindfulness, practicing gratitude, and working to calm my body when those Guards sound the alarm, so the teachings in the book resonated with me. There is so much in life that can upset us and cause our reactions to be sudden, but when we react from a place of fear or anger, we tend to regret our actions later. Taking a moment to understand the bigger picture of what we are feeling and how others around us are interacting with us, it really makes a difference.
Learning emotional intelligence is so important for kids. That's something we are actively working on with our son, since he's quite an intense little man. So I thought this book would be perfect to read with him, to help him focus inwardly on those Inner Guides. I will say this is more a reading to him than with him level. My son is 8 and the book is likely meant for maybe tweens and teens. So we read it together, taking turns, but me doing most of the reading and discussion points.
I loved that the book includes so many illustrations and comic book style doodles and quotes throughout. I feel that really helps connect with kids and make the topic easier to digest. Otherwise, there's a lot of information being introduced. This would be great for older kids to journal after reading a chapter or even a few pages at a time.
You see, these Inner Guides we learn about can help kids and adults deal with stressful situations. The author talks about our Guards that put up the red flags and raise the alarms, and while we are thankful for their looking out for us, they are not always necessary. The book teaches us that being Connected to our Inner Guides will help us help those Guards to settle down, and let us handle situations more gracefully and calmly.
"Everyone has Guards and envisions them in different ways. They are a completely normal part of life. They might seem scary at times, but they mean well. When they think you may be threatened, they bring feelings of fear, judgement, guilt, blame, shame, anger, jealousy, and other unpleasant emotions."
I loved the analogy of the puppy, barking at the stranger when the doorbell rings. The intention is to protect the home and family, right?
"Much like the puppy calms down once it sees the person at the door is a friend, you can calm your Guards by connecting with your Inner Guides."
And that explanation is why it is so important to understand and put these teaching into practice.
"With practice, you can strengthen your connection with your Guides so that your Guards are less easily heard."
I definitely got a lot out of this book as well, because connecting with your Inner Guides is something everyone can benefit from. I've already been doing a lot of inner work on mindfulness, practicing gratitude, and working to calm my body when those Guards sound the alarm, so the teachings in the book resonated with me. There is so much in life that can upset us and cause our reactions to be sudden, but when we react from a place of fear or anger, we tend to regret our actions later. Taking a moment to understand the bigger picture of what we are feeling and how others around us are interacting with us, it really makes a difference.
November 18, 2022
Kids do have it harder nowadays with many things that life throws at them. Much more so when social media is thrown into the mix. Even in the small town, I live in bullying occurs quite often in schools. Even on a recent nature hike, one girl walked back to me sighing loudly, almost crying. When I asked her if she was okay she said no. She said the group of three girls in front of us wouldn’t allow her to join them. She hung her head as she kicked the dirt. I held out my hand and I said that’s okay she could walk with me. She brightly smiled soon forgetting about the other girls. Kids’ emotions can run the full spectrum.
In comes this little gem of a book by Author Seema Desai Connected Discovering Your Inner Guides which helps kids find ways to deal with their life’s emotions.
She takes readers on a journey to help them understand how to maneuver around the emotions of “Guards” or “Guides”. Guards are anger, fear, and other negative emotions, and guides are positive things like curiosity, creativity, or empathy.
Is this a stand-alone book for kids to read by themselves at first? I would say most likely not. A parent or an adult should read this book along with their child or student. By reading along a kid will have a better ability to grasp the concepts presented, especially if given examples from the adult reading the book. Then the kids can go back and revisit key concepts on their own.
There are discussion questions that lead the kids along the way to handle their emotions. One important helpful trick is Tapping Out Your Frustration. While I do not tap my chest, I have learned to pat my chest to mimic a heartbeat above my heart to calm me down during a difficult situation.
The black and white illustrations by James Ballance complement the core of each concept presented.
This little gem Connected Discovering Your Inner Guides will help parents help their kids in this often confusing world get a hold of their emotions and most importantly help them understand what they are experiencing and how to handle it.
In comes this little gem of a book by Author Seema Desai Connected Discovering Your Inner Guides which helps kids find ways to deal with their life’s emotions.
She takes readers on a journey to help them understand how to maneuver around the emotions of “Guards” or “Guides”. Guards are anger, fear, and other negative emotions, and guides are positive things like curiosity, creativity, or empathy.
Is this a stand-alone book for kids to read by themselves at first? I would say most likely not. A parent or an adult should read this book along with their child or student. By reading along a kid will have a better ability to grasp the concepts presented, especially if given examples from the adult reading the book. Then the kids can go back and revisit key concepts on their own.
There are discussion questions that lead the kids along the way to handle their emotions. One important helpful trick is Tapping Out Your Frustration. While I do not tap my chest, I have learned to pat my chest to mimic a heartbeat above my heart to calm me down during a difficult situation.
The black and white illustrations by James Ballance complement the core of each concept presented.
This little gem Connected Discovering Your Inner Guides will help parents help their kids in this often confusing world get a hold of their emotions and most importantly help them understand what they are experiencing and how to handle it.
April 24, 2022
I have a book club with the author today so I'm curious to hear her thoughts and how to approach this guide with kids. I picked this up because my 5 year old has trouble navigating through his emotions. I'm not sure my 5 year old and 3 year old will be as receptive to the content presented here, but I think if we do the exercises as an adult and make these practices a habit, kids will incorporate them in their daily life. Leading by example is the best form of parenting.
October 4, 2022
Thank you Seema for my copy. An age appropriate way of tackling ways to cope when life gets out of control. Easy to read and comprehend. Parents can read this to their child as a great approach to learning how to calm themselves. Older children would definitely be able to read this on their own. In reading I myself learned some good ways to combat anxiety etc.
September 16, 2022
Here’s a book you will love! ❤️
All about emotional awareness and is presented in such a cool way. It teaches the reader about recognizing, understanding and controlling our emotions.
The author presents our emotions as either “Guards” or “Guides”, which is very easy to understand for children. Guards being anger, fear and other negative emotions and guides being more positive things like curiosity, creativity or empathy.
The book offers excellent explanations of our various “guides” and “guards” and how to deal with them in a healthy way. It offers calming techniques to help with anger and frustration, breathing and meditation tips and even introduces a gratitude journal. That’s just scratching the surface of what you’ll find in this amazing book!
I read it to my third grade students slowly, just covering a few concepts per day. I highly recommend an adult read this out loud and then elaborate for the kids. There are wonderful discussion questions throughout the book, which makes it perfect for the classroom. Some of the discussion questions turned into writing assignments for homework 😃
Meditation, mindfulness, simple yoga exercises are very powerful if presented in the correct way. They can and should be incorporated into our daily classroom routines and this book is absolutely going to help with that!
My students got into it and learned some new things about themselves. Now we are able to refer to our “Guards” and “Guides” and articulate how we’re feeling in a meaningful way. Some excellent wisdom within these pages!
Highly recommend this one 🤩
All about emotional awareness and is presented in such a cool way. It teaches the reader about recognizing, understanding and controlling our emotions.
The author presents our emotions as either “Guards” or “Guides”, which is very easy to understand for children. Guards being anger, fear and other negative emotions and guides being more positive things like curiosity, creativity or empathy.
The book offers excellent explanations of our various “guides” and “guards” and how to deal with them in a healthy way. It offers calming techniques to help with anger and frustration, breathing and meditation tips and even introduces a gratitude journal. That’s just scratching the surface of what you’ll find in this amazing book!
I read it to my third grade students slowly, just covering a few concepts per day. I highly recommend an adult read this out loud and then elaborate for the kids. There are wonderful discussion questions throughout the book, which makes it perfect for the classroom. Some of the discussion questions turned into writing assignments for homework 😃
Meditation, mindfulness, simple yoga exercises are very powerful if presented in the correct way. They can and should be incorporated into our daily classroom routines and this book is absolutely going to help with that!
My students got into it and learned some new things about themselves. Now we are able to refer to our “Guards” and “Guides” and articulate how we’re feeling in a meaningful way. Some excellent wisdom within these pages!
Highly recommend this one 🤩
November 27, 2022
"At any given moment, you can choose to see things through the eyes of a Guard or a Guide."
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.
I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.
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.
I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.
November 12, 2022
As a parent, you quickly realize that being open to a wide variety of resources is necessary when raising children. What works for one may not work for another. And from some resources, you may encounter a smidgen of what is specific for your child. That's when books such as this one can become very useful. Showing you a child's inner turmoil in a manner in which your child may understand what is happening is just a small part of its purpose.
Emotions can be a complex idea for any age. At times adults and children are quick to judge not just others but themselves as well. This book uses easy-to-understand concepts such as guards and guides; the author breaks down steps and on occasion, provides examples for the reader to relate to. The author allows for a child's intelligence by not using a fictionalized account to get the message across. The use of illustrations in several forms helps children visualize the process.
I would be comfortable reading this book to children as young as 7 or 8 and could easily see those over 10 reading it to themselves. The discussions include things not just specific to internal thoughts but also interactions with others.
While this book is written with children in mind and helps them become the best person they can be, there is a lot here that adults could also learn from. As adults, we may have been taught or realized we need to rely on that voice inside that tells us what may be the best path for us to choose. However, a gentle reminder and examples of how to practice that in ourselves can be just what we need to help our children become more centered individuals.
Emotions can be a complex idea for any age. At times adults and children are quick to judge not just others but themselves as well. This book uses easy-to-understand concepts such as guards and guides; the author breaks down steps and on occasion, provides examples for the reader to relate to. The author allows for a child's intelligence by not using a fictionalized account to get the message across. The use of illustrations in several forms helps children visualize the process.
I would be comfortable reading this book to children as young as 7 or 8 and could easily see those over 10 reading it to themselves. The discussions include things not just specific to internal thoughts but also interactions with others.
While this book is written with children in mind and helps them become the best person they can be, there is a lot here that adults could also learn from. As adults, we may have been taught or realized we need to rely on that voice inside that tells us what may be the best path for us to choose. However, a gentle reminder and examples of how to practice that in ourselves can be just what we need to help our children become more centered individuals.
November 21, 2022
Desai has written the best book I have read on how to live consciously! To top that, it happens to be written for children. Wow, I wish I had access to this when I was a child, I can only imagine the money saved on therapy! Desai offers easy-to-understand definitions and practical steps for dealing with your ego versus your healthy you. Defining the two as Guards and Inner Guides makes it easy to relate to and completely workable. The Guards try to protect you but are not based on factual information, and your Inner Guides help you keep your Guards in check so that your behavior is by choice and not reaction.
With great tips on how to connect to your Inner Guides and keep your Guards in check, Desai makes this achievable for all ages. There are so many helpful points in this book that it is hard to believe how short it is but do not let that fool you for within these pages you are receiving a wealth of knowledge. The book begins by helping you look inside yourself to find the real you, that you that is not being ruled by the overprotective Guards that have developed to keep you protected. There are a few tips on how to do this self-evaluation as well as tips on how to deal with anxiety and unwelcome feelings.
Imagine giving this book to a child and helping them to learn that they always have choices, that staying calm and kind is the best way to live, and that they are worthy of happiness. What greater gift can you give anyone? Brene Brown, Michael Singer, Eckhart Tolle, and Richard Rohr all need to move over for this and include Desai as one of the leading authors on living your best life! 5 Stars!
November 22, 2022
How each of us feels is an individual experience. Author Desai guides understanding and placing emotions in perspective. Some folks suggested a fidget spinner to release stress in youngsters by focusing sensory impulses. The resulting refocus of emotions helps children who suffer from undo fear, anxiety, sadness, or frustration. These typical responses to feelings that result from external stimuli need more than a simple toy.
Connected provides a framework for young people to discover their inner guards. These guards set the framework when understood and used by a person to help give a sense of synchronization and stability to respond rather than react to sensory overload. Each of us has a different balance point.
The lessons inside this book are a roadmap for each of us to understand our responses to cultivate the various joys of life, like imagination, stability, optimism, curiosity, and more. The exercises inside Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides respect and promote the individual’s sensations and their valued perspective when allowed.
Author Desai’s mantra is helpful for younger people, but older folks need to recall their value, “I bring peace, I bring love, I bring kindness to those around me, both near and far away.” The lessons and messages of this book are perfect for any age, but youth will enjoy the benefits of the tools inside this book. This book is on the top of my gift-giving list.
I recommend this book with five stars for young and old who want to live comfortably inside their skin. Many thanks, Seema Desai.
Connected provides a framework for young people to discover their inner guards. These guards set the framework when understood and used by a person to help give a sense of synchronization and stability to respond rather than react to sensory overload. Each of us has a different balance point.
The lessons inside this book are a roadmap for each of us to understand our responses to cultivate the various joys of life, like imagination, stability, optimism, curiosity, and more. The exercises inside Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides respect and promote the individual’s sensations and their valued perspective when allowed.
Author Desai’s mantra is helpful for younger people, but older folks need to recall their value, “I bring peace, I bring love, I bring kindness to those around me, both near and far away.” The lessons and messages of this book are perfect for any age, but youth will enjoy the benefits of the tools inside this book. This book is on the top of my gift-giving list.
I recommend this book with five stars for young and old who want to live comfortably inside their skin. Many thanks, Seema Desai.
December 1, 2023
Young people are not spared from emotional turmoil, and it is never too early to share tactics for emotional regulation, An excellent book for young readers -- and the adults in their lives -- to gain skills to identify and understand their emotions, so they can effectively deal with difficult emotions in everyday situations. Seema Desai knows her audience well, and writes in an accessible and relatable language for children. Practical skills offer young people insights into their thoughts and feelings. By knowing oneself, young people will know and practice strategies to cope and behave in self-nurturing and socially acceptable ways. It is important to emphasize the lessons of kindness, humility, and care for others. If teachers have an opportunity to share lessons from the book in their classrooms, it might help them with managing challenging behaviors.
October 24, 2023
Wow, Connected by Seema Desai totally blew me away! It's not just another children's book; it's like a secret handbook to unlocking superpowers. From the moment I started reading, I was hooked. It's all about discovering this whole new world inside yourself, and it's like an adventure for your mind and heart. What's so cool is that it's not just about you; it's about making the world a better place too! This book helps you understand your feelings, deal with tough stuff, and become a superhero of kindness and understanding. It's like a friendly guide for kids, and I think every kid should read it. Trust me, it's awesome!
October 25, 2023
A remarkable children's book that offers young readers and their families a valuable guide to navigating emotions and fostering empathy. The book's concept of connecting one's inner world with the outer world is beautifully presented through engaging storytelling and practical tips. It empowers kids to embrace their emotions, make choices, and inspire positive change in themselves and the world around them."Connected is not only a tool for personal growth but also a way to promote kindness and understanding in today's youth. It's a must-read for families looking to nurture emotional intelligence and empower their children to become empathetic leaders.
November 29, 2022
Featured on Lone Star Book Blog Tours. Lone Star Blogger Team average rating: 4.8.
October 22, 2022
Connected is a practical book full of gentle guidance to help children navigate their feelings. I read it in one sitting. My daughter is working her way through it and started using the techniques. It’s useful to anyone at any age.
I had the honor of chatting with Seema on my Soulful Series podcast. You can catch it here:
https://youtu.be/oIsuXnBlCuU
I had the honor of chatting with Seema on my Soulful Series podcast. You can catch it here:
https://youtu.be/oIsuXnBlCuU
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