Happy New Year! 2014 was big...I welcomed by baby girl, Linor, into this world. She smells like sweet cream and has already been a catalyst for a lot of personal transformation (stories coming soon!).

I'm often asked for my favorite reads or books that have become a resource of inspiration for me. I thought, what better time of the year to share some of my go-to-titles! I mean, what could be better than the gift of wisdom for some of the very special people on your list? So, here you go! I've given each one a category to make it easier for you to decide. Don't forget to check out a few of these for yourself, too. After all, who's more special than you?

As most of you know, I believe in using play to help us grow. I especially love to apply play to heavy and dark moments. Whether it’s an email from your boss that it’s time to talk (gulp) or a look of anger and outrage from your significant other (uh-oh), you might consider arming yourself with a play mindset instead of battle gear…and see what happens.

When I lived in Brooklyn, everyday I’d have a 15-minute walk to the subway. It wasn’t the most scenic walk, if you know what I mean—garbage and litter everywhere; graffiti on every surface (and not even inspiring graffiti!)—and quite frankly, I pretty much dreaded it. There were never any cabs around (this was Brooklyn, after all), so really, walking was my only option. At some point on one of those daily trudges, I started to play a game in my mind—as a distraction and to help time pass. And that’s when my world changed…at least for those 15 minutes.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. But I find it’s so easy to get obsessed with all the food and totally neglect to celebrate what this holiday is actually about: gratitude, abundance, life! So, for those of you who want to make this special occasion more meaningful, consider these creative ways to get the thanks going at Thanksgiving.