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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Good Inside summary
Becky Kennedy
A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be
16 mins
Brief summary
Good Inside by Becky Kennedy teaches us to embrace imperfections and struggles in life, and turn them into positive values. It guides us towards building resilience and creating a passion-driven life.
Table of Contents
Good Inside
Summary of 7 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 7
Behavior is not the problem.
Before we begin, let’s make one point clear: Your child is good inside. No matter what. When he’s hitting his little sister with a shoe, he’s good inside. When she’s telling you she hates you, she’s good inside.
Agreeing to the “good inside” belief is the foundation for everything that’s coming next. Because once you treat your children, yourself, and everyone, really, with the understanding that they’re inherently good inside, you’ll start to make more generous interpretations of their behavior.
In fact, the first thing you need to do when situations get tough is take a breath and choose the most generous interpretation or MGI of the situation. Holding on to the MGI helps you approach your child with compassion and a desire to understand, rather than jumping to anger and blame.
Next, you need to accept the fundamental truth that two things can be true at the same time. Even if the two things don’t necessarily get along with each other. For instance, your child wants ice cream for breakfast, and you don’t allow them to have ice cream for breakfast. When you allow both things to be true, you won’t feel the need to completely change your child’s feelings.
In this way, the good-inside method isn’t about honoring feelings and giving children whatever they want; it’s about honoring feelings and holding boundaries.
All of this leads to the final piece of the foundation you need for building better relationships with your children: know your job. Know that it’s your job to hold boundaries, but it’s not your job to change your child’s feelings.
Now, let’s learn how to build on these concepts.
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What is Good Inside about?
Good Inside (2022) offers hope to parents who feel helpless when it comes to managing conflict in their homes. More than parenting, it’s about loving yourself and extending that love to your children. Dr. Becky rejects traditional reward and punishment strategies, instead encouraging parents to seek understanding with their children while still maintaining healthy boundaries.
Good Inside Review
Good Inside (2020) by Becky Kennedy is a book that explores the power of positive self-talk and its impact on our well-being. Here's what makes this book worth reading:
- Packed with practical exercises and techniques, it provides readers with actionable tools to shift their mindset and improve their self-esteem.
- The book incorporates scientific research and psychological insights to explain the importance of positive self-talk, making it both informative and evidence-based.
- Through relatable stories and relatable situations, Good Inside presents the topic of self-talk in a relaxed and engaging manner, ensuring it's engaging and definitely not boring.
Who should read Good Inside?
- New parents
- Parents who are afraid it’s too late to change how they parent
- People healing from emotional damage
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Good Inside FAQs
What is the main message of Good Inside?
The main message of Good Inside is about finding happiness and fulfillment in your life.
How long does it take to read Good Inside?
The reading time for Good Inside varies depending on the reader, but it typically takes a few hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Good Inside a good book? Is it worth reading?
Good Inside is a worthwhile read as it provides insights and practical advice for living a more fulfilling life.
Who is the author of Good Inside?
Becky Kennedy is the author of Good Inside.
What to read after Good Inside?
If you're wondering what to read next after Good Inside, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Hold on to Your Kids by Gordon Neufeld & Gabor Maté
- Raising Good Humans by Hunter Clarke-Fields
- Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson
- The Parenting Map by Dr. Shefali
- Parenting by Andy & Sandra Stanley
- The Montessori Toddler by Simone Davies
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
- The Explosive Child by Ross W. Greene
- The Conscious Parent by Shefali Tsabary
- Adult Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers by Stephanie M. Kriesberg