Development First

The pursuit of excellence is a double edged sword that leaves many hockey players or any high-performer worrying about mistakes, overthinking, and lacking confidence. Fluffy and cookie-cutter advice like “be positive,” “don’t worry about it,” and “just be confident” only makes things worse. These might be the mental states you are trying to achieve, but they are not the ‘how to’.

Even if you feel like you're stumbling in the dark, even if the toddler years seem like a maze with no way out, you're not alone. With real-life stories, empathetic advice, and practical wisdom, this guide lights your path ahead. It's not just a book; it's a companion, a mentor, a friend–tailored specifically for new dads like you–cheering you on every step of the way. Transform the challenging toddler years into a journey of joy and unforgettable memories and be the dad you always wanted to be.

In spite of the hyper-connected culture we live in today, women still feel shamed for oversharing and being publicly vulnerable. And no matter how many friends we seem to have, many of us are still desperately lonely. Laura Tremaine, blogger and podcaster behind 10 Things to Tell You, says it's time for something better. Openness and vulnerability are the foundation for human growth and healthy relationships, and it all starts when we share our stuff, the nitty-gritty daily details about ourselves with others.

Eliminate self-doubt, perfectionism, and anxiety and develop more confidence. Do you want to live your life without fear of other people’s disapproval? Do you wake up dreading the day feeling discouraged with what you've accomplished in life? Do you want to develop more confidence in yourself overcome low self-esteem, insecurity, and self-doubt? In this guide to self-love, international best-selling author Marc Reklau shows you how to boost your self-esteem with simple and practical exercises.

In First Things First, Stephen M. R. Covey advocates categorizing tasks by urgency and importance so that you can focus on what actually needs to be done in the limited amount of time that you have. Using personal examples and insight from years of business experience, he argues for a new way of looking at your “to-do” list. Rather than offering you another clock, First Things First provides you with a compass, because where you're headed is more important than how fast you're going.

Two developmental psychologists/language experts offer parents a powerfully insightful guide to how infants - even while in the womb - begin to learn language.

The law of attraction is based on the idea that everything in the universe has a polarity, meaning that everything - from the food you eat to the people you talk to, to the things you say to the things you think - contains either a positive or a negative kind of energy. Notice that being with people who complain or rant a lot tends to make you feel bad, even though you're not exactly experiencing what they're going through - that's the law of attraction working its magic. When you focus on negative stuff, then more negative stuff will happen.

Many of us didn’t have a perfect childhood. But it’s never too late (or too early!) to transform into the parent you were always meant to be—grounded, present, intentional, compassionate, and confident. In Parent Yourself First, licensed marriage and family therapist Bryana Kappadakunnel argues that the secret to successful parenting is to UN-learn the wounded patterns you grew up with and create new ways to connect with your child.

Join Pixie Saytar, the big sister guide you never knew you needed, as she navigates the chaotic, joyous first year of motherhood. From diaper disasters to in-law invasions, Pixie handles it all with humor and heart, making you laugh, cry, and nod in recognition.

The Second Baby Book examines all the questions and issues Sarah herself faced second time around as well as sharing the experiences of the many parents who have sought her advice. It also highlights what scientific studies reveal about such issues as the spacing of children and the differences between first and second births. Practical, insightful and honest, this book will help you understand the challenges ahead, but, more importantly, it will equip you to meet them with knowledge, confidence and a sense of excitement for the future.

A standard-setting book on intervention, Love First has helped tens of thousands of families, friends, and professionals create a loving and effective plan for helping those who suffer from addiction. This revised and expanded edition adds to the core material in this classic book with the most up-to-date scientific information and new intervention techniques for alcohol and other drug addictions.

Prepare yourself for the sudden twists and turns of fatherhood with this personal account of a father-of-three who tells it like it is. The First-Time Father is filled with honest guidance from a father who’s been there (three times!), made every mistake possible, and survived to tell the story. Now you can step into fatherhood with as little stress as possible.

A 360-degree guide to pregnancy for first-time parents—demystify your doubts and make healthy choices for yourself and your baby. From the wild surprise that brings tears of joy to a gradual, somewhat anxious, realization that things are going to change, pregnancy is a roller-coaster of emotions, expectations, and the promise of a new life.

First, Eat Your Frog is a meticulously referenced book presenting eight lessons (or "pearls") learned by a successful woman in medicine–Dr. Elizabeth Kagan Arleo. Benefits to the listener include improved work-life integration, more easeful relationships at work with colleagues and at home with family, better time management in both spheres, and core tenets for thriving as a professional working mother.

Communication should be clear and concise, and we should get to the point quickly. The problem is we don’t always know how to do this. What does it mean to be concise? How can a complex topic be summarized in just a few lines? This award-winning book is a step-by-step guide for clear, concise communication in everyday work conversations. Being concise is not about trying to condense all the information into 60 seconds. It is about having clear intent, talking about one topic at a time, and focusing on solutions instead of dwelling on problems.

Mari A. Lee is the founder of Growth Counseling Services, a counseling and recovery center in Southern California specializing in working with sex and porn addicts, and partner and spouse betrayal trauma. With over 10 years of clinical experience, Mari has written Healing Betrayal for the partner or spouse who has just learned that their significant other may be dealing with sex and/or porn addiction. Having had her own personal journey as a former partner, Mari knows how heartbreaking and emotionally draining it is to be in relationship with a person who is sexually deceptive.

In the best-selling tradition of The Presidents Club and Presidential Courage, White House history as told through the stories of the best friends and closest confidants of American presidents.

Stephen R. Covey is an internationally respected leadership authority and founder of Covey Leadership Center. He received his M.B.A. from Harvard and a doctorate from Brigham Young University, where he was a professor of business management and organizational behavior for 20 years. His book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, has sold more than 10 million copies and has been translated into 30 languages.

In How Babies Sleep, Helen Ball brings together cutting-edge science, anthropological insight, and practical advice to provide parents with everything they need to help them confidently—and sanely—navigate the first 365 night-times with a new baby. It will teach you how to harmonise your needs with those of your infant, and empower you to reject approaches that make you uncomfortable. Feel confident in a strategy that works for you and your family!

Have first-time dad jitters? Here’s how you can gain confidence and feel empowered to be the best partner and dad you can ever be.