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become a surprisologist

My best friend recently recommended that I read, Surprise:  Embrace the Unpredictable and Engineer the Unexpected by Tania Luna and Leeann Renniger, PhD.  At first, I thought, hmm, I am pretty good at surprise and finding interesting things in everyday, but okay, I'll try it.  The design of the book is modern, attractive, cute.  The idea is pretty intriguing.  The best part, however, are the last two chapters:  "Cultivate Relationships," and "Surprise Yourself."  These ladies offer REAL advice in the form of specific exercises you can do to transform your day, your outlook, even, they boast, your world.  The authors are surprisingly candid, sharing personal journeys from depression to joy and surprise, which validates their claims, and makes me, a real person, be able to connect to the ideas and suggestions they posit.

"When we are surprised we feel deeply connected and thoroughly alive.  Surprising ourselves every day is a vital part of living a happy life."  As someone who is constantly seeking to keep depression at bay, to appreciate the little things, to practice a healthy lifestyle, to be grateful for all the blessings in my life, I never considered surprise to be a vital element.  I can certainly practice this in the workplace, both with colleagues and serving patrons.  I will be happy to be the most surprising librarian in someone's life!

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