Penguin Life

The Ritual Effect

Think of the quirky traditions that you keep up with your friends.

Or the unusual ways that you and your family mark special occasions.

Or the gifts that your partner gives – and what you’d think if they’d bought the same for an ex.

These are rituals: practices that are imbued with symbolic meaning. And they have the power to turn black-and-white moments into technicolour.

Along the way, Norton shares stories from sporting superstars (Serena Williams always bouncing the ball five times before her first serve), million-dollar companies (Zipcar urging staff to destroy their old desktops with sledgehammers) and ordinary people (inventing their own “ritual signatures”), who reimagine everyday moments, build camaraderie, and spark joy.

Fight Right

A landmark guide to conflict and overcoming the five biggest threats relationships face

Conflict is the number one reason that couples seek help and resources. Fight Right will teach you how to avoid the five critical mistakes that couples often make during conflict, and instead, teach you how to 'fight right' and use conflict as an opportunity for greater intimacy, deeper connection, and lasting love.

Using decades of research, compelling case studies and a new international study, Dr Gottman and Dr Schwartz Gottman prove that even couples who are truly struggling in conflict and have really lost their way are able to recover and find their way back to each other. For those couples in crisis, or those who want to change their relationship dynamic, Fight Right is the go-to guide to understanding how to fight better, offering urgent and perennial lessons for healthy conflict.

Love For Imperfect Things: How To Accept Yourself In A World Striving For Perfection

The Sunday Times Top 10 Bestseller

From the author of the phenomenal multi-million copy bestseller The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down

"Hearing the words 'be good to yourself first, then to others' was like being struck by lightning."

Many of us respond to the pressures of life by turning inwards and ignoring problems, sometimes resulting in anxiety or depression. Others react by working harder at work, at school or at home, hoping that this will make ourselves and the people we love happier.

But what if being yourself is enough? Just as we are advised on airplanes to take our own oxygen first before helping others, we must first be at peace with ourselves before we can be at peace with the world around us.

In this beautiful follow-up to his international bestseller The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down, Buddhist monk Haemin Sunim turns his trademark wisdom and kindness to self-care, arguing that only by accepting yourself - and the flaws which make you who you are - can you have compassionate and fulfilling relationships with your partner, family and friends.

"Even products labelled 'limited edition' are made on a production line with hundreds that are exactly the same. But there is only one you in the world."

***

"Haemin writes beautifully and simply... these vital life lessons resonate deeply and easily"

"The world could surely use a little more love, a little more compassion, and a little more wisdom. In Love for Imperfect Things, Haemin Sunim shows us how to cultivate all three, and to find beauty in the most imperfect of things-including your very own self"

"Heartwarming, calming and simple. But also filled with wisdom and powerful truths that will teach us to love ourselves first in order to transform our relationships with our loved ones"

"A wonderful book to accompany The Things You Can See... page by page, he shows you how to reclaim your freedom and your life"

"A real treasure. It teaches us that compassion is at the heart of healing . . . starting with ourselves. I highly recommend this book"

"You can be the most amazing human being in the world and everyone sees rays of light, love, and genius when they look at you, but if you yourself don't know it, all of that external admiration doesn't matter one bit. Haemin Sunim teaches you ways to love yourself first, instead of loving the idea of other people loving you. It makes a world of difference"

When Things Don't Go Your Way: Zen Wisdom for Difficult Times

From one of the world’s preeminent leadership coaches, an insightful, indispensable guide to effective leadership.

We are in the age of the postheroic leader. Once, to move up the corporate ladder and succeed at the top, you simply had to set goals, motivate the troops, delegate to underlings, and groom a successor–probably one who looked and behaved just like you. But this white knight has become an anachronism. Whether a person is twenty-five or fifty, if they’re leading a team now, chances are that they’re managing a kaleidoscope of people from a variety of cultures, across a range of ages, all of whom are wired together 24/7. These changing demographics and structures have led to a seismic shift in terms of the tools needed to successfully manage and grow within a company: charisma and strategic thinking abilities now matter less than qualities such as vulnerability and relatability.

Based on his popular classes with Harvard Medical School physicians and New York University business students, Hull has identified the six key elements that leaders in this new workplace need to succeed, known as F.I.E.R.C.E.: Flexibility, Intentionality, Emotional Intelligence, Realness, Collaboration, and Engagement. From start-ups to universities to Fortune 500 companies, he’s been able to help leaders across the board develop the skill sets that have advanced their careers and won them accolades.

Think Big: Take Small Steps and Build the Future You Want

What are you doing today to make your dream future come true?

'A rare self-help book that's actually informed by evidence. A host of perceptive, practical tips for getting out of your own way and making progress toward your career goals.' Adam Grant, bestselling author of Think Again and Originals

'A practical and accessible guide to using behavioural science in your career.' Caroline Criado Perez, author of Invisible Women

We all have big ambitions for the future but those dreams only become reality if we do something towards them regularly. To achieve audacious goals, we need to take action and make small changes every day. We need to think big and act small. Drawing on cutting-edge research from behavioural science, Dr Grace Lordan offers immediate actionable solutions and tips that will help you get closer to your dream future, every day.

Focusing on six key areas - your time, goal planning, self-narratives, other people, your environment, and resilience - Dr Lordan reveals practical, science-backed hacks that will help you get ahead. Each chapter introduces us to behavioural science concepts like the 'halo effect', 'confirmation bias', 'affect heuristic' and the 'ostrich effect', to help you better understand yourself and others, so that you can get the most out of your career.

Whether you fantasise about changing industry, landing that big promotion, writing a screenplay or setting up your own company, Think Big creates a clear pathway to the future you want now. Some of the things you'll learn include how to:

Think Big provides a practical framework to keep you moving in the right direction towards any goal. It will help you get out of your own way and propel you on the path to success, transforming you from dreamer to doer!

The Changing Mind: A Neuroscientist's Guide to Ageing Well

A NEW YORK TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

'Everyone we know needs this remarkable book ... Essential for the rest of your life' Daniel H. Pink, author of When and Drive'

The secrets of ageing well ... a serious, evidence-based guide to what really works and why' Sunday Times

We have long been encouraged to think of old age as synonymous with a decline in skills. Yet recent studies show that our decision making improves as we age, and our happiness levels peak in our eighties. What really happens to our brains as we get older?

In The Changing Mind, neuroscientist, psychologist and internationally bestselling author Daniel Levitin invites us to dramatically shift our understanding of aging, demonstrating its many cognitive benefits. He draws on cutting-edge research to offer realistic guidelines and practical cognition-enhancing tricks for everyone to follow during every decade of their life, and show us what we all can learn from those who age joyously.

The Little Book Of Colour: How To Use The Psychology Of Colour To Transform Your Life

A SUNDAY TIMES DESIGN BOOK OF THE YEAR

The definitive guide to using the power of colour to improve your happiness, wellbeing and confidence.

What if I told you that all around you is something that can increase your motivation and positively influence how you feel?

It's called colour.

Building on over 20 years of experience, Applied Colour & Design Psychology Specialist Karen Haller puts this life-changing solution in your hands. With her unmatched expertise, she demonstrates the many practical ways in which you can use colour to transform your life. Whether you're decorating an interior or revamping your wardrobe, get ready to be inspired by the possibilities to:

- Create a home that reflects your personality

In the first book that mixes the science, psychology and emotional impact of colour, Karen Haller takes you on a journey through rediscovering the joy of colour.