The Reading List - 30 Books in a Year

Do you want to get smarter and increase your understanding in 2019? Do what I did this year and read 30 books for a guaranteed way to top up your knowledge. You can even use my list of books read this year as your 2019 reading list. 

If you follow my 'Books I've Read Lately' series you will already be well aware of the challenge I set for myself this year to read 30 books in 2018. I am about to successfully pull it off and thought that I would pull together my reading list from the year. I have split the books up based on the timeline I read them, sharing each edition of the series with you as I went. 

30 books turned out to be surprisingly easy to read so I'm going for 40 in 2019! I read a huge array of authors and genres so this variety kept things interesting and expanded my knowledge in a number of areas. I mostly prefer to read self-help and personal development type books on mindsets, habits and beliefs but I also peppered in some autobiographies, fables, all time classics and even some poetry.

Read on for my list of books read in 2018 and if one catches your eye, click on the edition it is under and you will be sent to my review of the book.

Let's get into it...

Books I've Ready Lately #7

Can you actually believe it?! I only have 3 more books to read before I hit my target of 30 in 2018! 

It has been much easier than I expected and I think I might have to bump it to 40 for next year just to challenge myself a bit more. Okay so here are the four books that I have read just lately.

I WROTE A BOOK!

I WROTE A BOOK! Sorry all caps but I am so unbelievably excited it's not even funny. I have been waiting so long (3 years to be exact) to be able to say those words to you! 

I really couldn't wait any longer so I pulled the trigger today on a whim and announced it is released for pre-order with the official release date of November 1st! 

Holding my printed book in my hands is probably one of my greatest accomplishments to date and I'm trying to fully soak in this feeling but it's extremely overwhelming. 

I'll keep it short because my brain is in overload right now - here are the things you should know about the book!

What is the book about?
“The book will act as a resource for understanding the digital landscape of blogging as a form of creative advertising as well as an instructional manual which will act as a guide for any creatives wishing to enter the advertising industry through the blogging medium.”

How does it work?
The guide is split into three main sections, each reflecting a new stage in becoming a full-time blogger. The book will teach readers how to;
>CREATE A DURABLE BLOG
>BUILD AN ONLINE AUDIENCE
>GENERATE FINANCIAL SUCCESS

Where can I buy it?
You can purchase a printed copy or eBook version from ProBloggerCareer. If you purchase the printed book, you automatically receive the eBook as a bonus. It is currently on pre-order right now but all copies will be officially released on November 1st!

What the heck is PBC?
Pro Blogger Career (PBC) is the business I have set up to host the book, a Podcast I am about to release and it also works in conjunction with my consultancy agency JDC Marketing. I have big plans for this business and lots of good stuff is going to come out of it so keep an eye out. You can follow PBC on Twitter (@bloggercareer), Instagram (@ProBloggerCareer) and Facebook (@ProBloggerCareer). You can join the super exclusive FB community here. 

If you take just one thing from this post please have it be - THANK YOU! 
I could not have done this without you! I have been blogging now for a decade and whether you have just joined me on this journey or been here all along – thank you for all of your love and support over the years. This book is for you and I couldn’t have done it without you.

5 Ways to be Successful in University (According to a Tutor)

Okay so we’re a few weeks into your fresh new subjects at University and I’m here to deliver 5 tips on how to have your best semester yet! 

As you might know, I became a sessional academic this semester and started teaching a subject on ‘Social Media Management’. So while excelling in University has always been a passion of mine and I managed to graduate my masters with distinction…having this different perspective as a tutor has given me some further tips. Alright, let’s get into them.

Don’t cut down on your time at the Uni bar 
Yep, you heard that correctly. I spent a lot of time at the Uni bar, especially in my first years of University. The social aspect allowed me to make friends in my classes and have someone to lean on for notes if I was sick or to clarify a concept I just couldn’t get. Not only is the social aspect great for your learning but blowing off steam and enjoying yourself means you can better concentrate when it does come to sitting in class and learning – it doesn’t have to be all work and no play. With that being said, I hope you’re not spending all day erryday there because your brain cells and too precious to kill with excessive alcohol.

The Best Content of 2018 on Weight Loss, Career, Finances, Depression / Anxiety, Productivity and Self-Love

You don’t want to miss this post – it’s like the glossary of JBS highlighting only the BEST content so far this year for weight loss, productivity, career, finances, depression / anxiety and self-love! 

We work through a lot of content together here on JBS don’t we?! Posting so regularly means it’s super easy for you to miss a post so I have gathered all my faves from the first half of 2018, categorised them, have given you a scenario in which it might help you currently and linked ya!

I got you girl - you’re bound to find some answers with whatever you’re struggling with somewhere in this plethora of content.

Resume Writing Tips to Stand Out and Get The Job + With Resume Examples

So I recently scored my dream marketing job at the start of the year and it all started when I stood out with my resume.

The recruitment officer said it was the most impressive resume she has ever seen. Like excuse me, what?! I imagine she sees a fair few a day as a RECRUITMENT OFFICER.

I kind of felt like asking what in particular she liked but was too busy patting myself on the back.

So I’ve taken to my resume that nabbed me the job with a magnifying glass to pull together some tips that could help you if you are currently curating your resume.

With these tips you will have delivered a blatantly honest, visually appealing and modern resume maximising your likeliness to get that interview and land that job.

Is Uni Necessary? The Argument From Both Sides

With Uni back in full swing, it has made my schedule even more hectic than usual. I like to push myself through the struggle that is full time work, full time Uni and so many passion projects on the side by telling myself that it will all be worth it in the end. But will it?I find University to be extremely fulfilling and it's something that I'm good at but I'm in the third and final semester of my Masters and never before have I questioned the necessity of University so much until now.

It recently dawned on me that I was spending almost 40k on my masters. So while I never entertained the argument that Uni wasn't necessary because I truly saw the value I was getting out of it, it is now that I am beginning to understand the other perspective on this.

As such, it seemed like an interesting idea to examine the necessity of Uni from both sides. I am going to be explaining the opinion I have had for the past 5 years about University being an essential step (at least for the career path I chose) and my experience with the value I have received from the education.

I mean, in my experience yes getting my bachelor was worth it. Primarily because it opened me up to so many opportunities, including landing the new job that I have just started and am loving. But it has made me question if doing my masters is worth it, especially with the hefty price tag of $39, 600 for 12 subjects.

We all hear about the lucky ones who get their foot in the door while still in Uni or land their dream job without studying at all. I started my professional career in marketing during my second year of Uni so I do believe that not only my degree but also my practical experience in the field is what helped me land my current position.

In this blog post, we are going to explore two different sides of if University is worth it based on unique situations. This might be useful for those of you contemplating your current degree or tossing up whether to go in the first place.

I hope this provides some insight into the different experiences myself and my boyfriend have had with University.

I’ll be talking about my experience completing a bachelor and studying my masters. To authentically capture the other side of the story I have backups. My boyfriend, Josh, will go into his opinions on University as someone who is currently completing his bachelor. I want to be as concise as possible, which will be difficult because my opinion on Uni has shifted quite a lot, especially since starting my Masters.