A Better Normal

"A really important influence in my and many others road back to physical and mental health during and post cancer treatment. Without Tess' support who knows where we'd be." Steve, cancer survivor "This book is an absolute game changer. Practical, clear, accessible guidance. I already love introducing Tess' work to couples craving re-connection post cancer treatment, and now I have this go-to instructional guide." Victoria Cullen, founder of A Touchy Subject "Your impact on others suffering is just so profound. Love you for that Tess. Thank you!" SJ, cancer survivor Impacted sexuality from cancer treatments is one of the most common challenges people face, yet is one of the most under-addressed. Cancer treatments can impact all aspects of our lives, so why is no one talking about the more 'intimate' struggles we face? If you've received a cancer diagnosis, or are the loved one of someone who has, this book offers support and solutions to recover and increase connection, intimacy & sexuality, during and after treatments. Jam-packed with fun activities and easy-to-do strategies for how to improve things like; low libido, changes in body image and body confidence, when things are 'dry & sore', dating, the more direct side-effects treatments can have on our body and ways to heal and work around them like pain, fatigue, when sex hurts, drops in sex-drive and so, so much more. This book is a must-have for anyone impacted by cancer who may need support, because we all deserve love and connection. Written by a sexuality clinician and educator, who's also had cancer, this book is filled with practical information and ways you can reconnect with yourself and/or a partner, from someone who's literally been there. With down to Earth humour mixed in with a dash of neuroscience, Tess offers a positive path to your intimacy recovery, so what you thought was sexually impossible, becomes possible.

Drawing on case studies and narrative reflections, contributors offer crucial insights that can guide higher education and schools of education on structural and conceptual shifts in approaches to leadership, research, teaching, learning, and student and staff well-being.

This book examines how leaders can use strategic thinking to transform their followers, organizations, and industries in the wake of societal shocks like COVID-19 that require re-balancing both leadership and business models. It is organized around a new triumvirate of strategic thinking concepts for the better normal, explained in a 3S Model: Style, Situation, and Strategic Orientation. The environment (situation) creates or deters opportunities that are pursued by leaders with the propensity (style) and the potential (strategy) to develop them. In the face of ongoing crises such as COVID-19, natural disasters, political upheaval, and climate change, the author proposes that the field of strategic management needs to rethink and update traditional frameworks in order to offer business models more applicable in a rapidly changing environment. Addressing topics such as sustainability and diversity, this pivotal text fills a gap in strategic thinking and presents illustrative examples and case studies about organizations grappling with making decisions in a dynamically different “new normal.”

COVID-19 has resulted in changes none of us could have imagined, but what happens next? If you had asked most people a year ago, they would have told you there was no way that school children could shift overnight to online learning; that it was impossible for banks to offer mortgage holidays; impossible to double unemployment benefits; impossible to house rough sleepers or put a hold on evictions; impossible to offer wages subsidies and definitely impossible to get Australians to stay home from the beach and the pub. But we did it. In Upturn Tanya Plibersek brings together some of the country's most interesting thinkers who are ready to imagine a better Australia, and to fight for it. It is a compelling vision for a stronger economy, a fairer society and a more environmentally sustainable future. 'This book is the breath of fresh air we all need so desperately right now. It challenges us to be bold in the face of the COVID-19 crisis and actively work for a future that is stronger, fairer, more innovative and genuinely inclusive. Inspiring and insightful, this book blends familiar and new voices into a powerful call to action.' -- Julia Gillard 'Tanya Plibersek's book postulates a turning point for Australia, a positive which is capable of emerging from the COVID pandemic: a victory from the jaws of defeat proposition. This view is informed by thoughtful contributions from people who know that imagination, inclusion and equity are the pathways to a national renewal - a renewal, in the unlikely event, brought on by a microbe.' -- Paul Keating

From Dr. Jennifer Ashton—the Chief Medical Correspondent at ABC News covering breaking medical news for Good Morning America and GMA3: What You Need to Know—comes a doctor’s guide to finding resilience in the time of COVID, while staying safe and sane in a rapidly changing world. In March 2020, “normal” life changed, perhaps forever. In its place we were confronted with life and routines that were unusual and different: the new normal. As we’ve all learned since then, the new normal isn’t just about wearing masks and standing six feet apart—it’s about recognizing how to stay safe and sane in a world that is suddenly unfamiliar. And no one understands this evolving landscape better than Dr. Jennifer Ashton. As ABC’s Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Ashton has been reporting on the novel coronavirus daily, helping Americans comprehend the urgent medical updates that have shaped the nation’s continued response to this public health crisis. Now in The New Normal, Dr. Ashton offers the essential toolkit for life in this unfamiliar reality. Rooted in her reporting on COVID-19 and the understanding that the virus isn’t going anywhere overnight, The New Normal is built on a simple foundation: thriving in this evolving world demands accepting the new normal for what it is, not what we want it to be. No longer is wellness a buzzword, but an imperative for surviving this unprecedented time. Using her trademark practical, easy-to-follow advice, Dr. Ashton gives you all the necessary information to reclaim control of your life and live safely—from exercise, to diet, to general health—showing how to prepare your body and mind for challenges such as: - Taking proper medical precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones - Exercising during the pandemic, even if you no longer feel safe at the gym - Finding emotional balance through these uncertain times - Deciphering complicated medical news to learn what to trust and what to ignore With these straightforward and accessible strategies and many more, Dr. Ashtonhelps empower you to make the unexpectedly hard decisions about socializing, food-shopping, seeing doctors, and most of all, finding normalcy. At once reassuring and urgent, The New Normal is a holistic roadmap through the ongoing struggles of the pandemic, providing the guidance you need to navigate this unsettling time and take charge of your future wellbeing.

A New York Times bestseller that offers a groundbreaking new view of human psychology, showing how eight key traits of human behavior--long perceived as liabilities--can be important hidden strengths What if the inattentiveness that makes school or work a challenge holds the secret to your future as an entrepreneur? What if the shyness in groups that you hate is the source of deep compassion for others? What if the anxiety and nervousness you often feel can actually help energize you? Renowned psychiatrist and popular on-air personality Dr. Dale Archer believes that behaviors frequently labeled "ADHD," "bipolar," and "OCD" are often normal human qualities--and he contends that we all experience these and other psychological traits to some extent yet fail to leverage the significant advantages they can offer. Worse, we stigmatize one another for these aspects of our personalities. In Better Than Normal, Dr. Archer offers an empowering framework for redefining mental health. Drawing on his 20 years of clinical experience, he describes eight traits of human behavior, each of which occurs along a continuum rather than as a simple on-off switch. These are the aspects of our personality that we worry about the most, but these are also the very things that make us distinctive and different. Filled with engaging anecdotes and practical tools to help readers capitalize on their unique characteristics, Better Than Normal offers a new and liberating way to look at ourselves and others.

In the late 1960s, riding the crest of the counterculture movement, Cea’s family left a comfortable existence in California to live off the land in northern Alberta. But unlike most commune dwellers of the time, the Persons weren’t trying to build a new society—they wanted to escape civilization altogether. Led by Cea’s grandfather Dick, they lived in a canvas Teepee, grew pot, and hunted and gathered to survive. Living out her grandparents’ dream with her teenage mother, Michelle, young Cea knew little of the world beyond her forest. She spent her summers playing nude in the meadow and her winters snowshoeing behind the grandfather she idolized. Despite fierce storms, food shortages and the occasional drug-and-sex-infused party for visitors, it was a happy existence. For Michelle, however, there was one crucial element missing: a man. When Cea was five, Michelle took her on the road with a new boyfriend. As the trio set upon a series of ill-fated adventures, Cea began to question both her highly unusual world and the hedonistic woman at the centre of it—questions that eventually evolved into an all-consuming search for a more normal life. Finally, in her early teens, Cea realized she would have to make a choice as drastic as the one her grandparents once had made in order to get the life she craved. From nature child to international model by the age of thirteen, Cea’s astonishing saga is one of long-held family secrets and extreme family dysfunction, all in an incredibly unusual setting. It is also the story of one girl’s deep-seated desire for normality—a desire that enabled her to risk everything, overcome adversity and achieve her dreams.

Much has been written about Covid-19 victims, how scientists raced to understand and treat the disease, and how governments did (or did not) protect their citizens. Less has been written about the pandemic’s impact on the global economy and how companies coped as the competitive environment was upended. In his new book, "The New (Ab)Normal", MIT Professor Yossi Sheffi maps how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted business, supply chains, and society. He exposes the critical role supply chains play in helping people, governments, and companies to manage the crisis. The book draws on executive interviews, pandemic media coverage, and historical analyses. Sheffi also builds on themes from his books "The Resilient Enterprise" (2005) and "The Power of Resilience" (2015) to enrich the narrative. The author paints a compelling picture of how the Covid-19 virus is changing many facets of human life and what our post-pandemic world might look like. This must-read book helps companies to redefine their business models and adjust to a fast-evolving economic landscape. The stage is set In Part 1 of the book, “What Happened,” the author looks at how companies fought to mend the global economic fabric even as the virus ripped more holes in it. Part 2, “Living with Uncertainty,” views the crisis through a supply chain risk management lens derived from Yossi Sheffi’s previous books. This perspective shows how companies create corporate immune systems to quickly recognize and manage large-scale disruptions. The ongoing pandemic is creating a new normal in life, work, and education—covered in Part 3, “Adjustment Required.” Consumer fears about the contagion as well as government mandates require businesses in industries such as retail, hospitality, entertainment, sports, and education to create “safe zones” for workers and customers. Many elements of the book – especially in Part 4, “Supply Chains for the Future” – show how the virus accelerated preexisting trends in technology adoption. China was the epicenter of the pandemic; it also was the first nation to be disrupted and recover. Part 5 of the book, “Of Politics and Pandemics,” explains why reports that companies are abandoning China in favor of other offshore manufacturing centers do not reflect reality. Fundamentally, The New (Ab)Normal is about businesses trying to create a better future in a time of extreme uncertainty – a point emphasized in Part 6, “The Next Opportunities.” The outlook is not necessarily gloomy. The advance of technology is accelerating, a trend that can level the playing field between small and large companies. Nimble small businesses are using a growing array of off-the-shelf cloud computing and mobile apps to deploy sophisticated technologies in their supply chains and customer interfaces. The New (Ab)Normal Another new normal is working from home. Remote working enables individuals to live anywhere and companies to recruit talent from anywhere. Education, especially higher education, faces a major disruption (and major opportunity) that is likely to shake the high-cost model of in-person education in favor of online or hybrid education. Regrettably, the book recognizes one trend accentuated by Covid-19--the growing inequality, and anticipates that the new normal will be more stratified.