Society tells that us that being shy is a fault, but Annie Ridout says it's a gift. Shy: How being quiet can lead to success teaches us how to embrace this misjudged attribute, instead of trying to fix it. Most of us have some understanding of shyness. From birthday parties as children to office Christmas parties as adults, from an old friend's wedding to a group presentation, we've all experienced it in some form or other. Shyness may be ever-present or it may come and go. Partly genetic, partly environmental, shyness is largely viewed as a character flaw, something that needs to change, but why is no-one talking about the benefits of being shy? For example, shyness usually equates to being an excellent listener, considerate speaker and thoughtful observer. Interweaving personal experience with expertise from clinical psychologists, Annie explores why shyness affects some more than others, and offers tried-and-tested tools to help the reader deal with elements of shyness that can feel debilitating. Shy recasts our understanding of this often-misunderstood attribute, celebrating it as a pathway rather than a barrier to success and happiness.

Society tells that us that being shy is a fault, but Annie Ridout says it’s a gift. Shy: How being quiet can lead to success teaches us how to embrace this misjudged attribute, instead of trying to fix it. Most of us have some understanding of shyness. From birthday parties as children to office Christmas parties as adults, from an old friend’s wedding to a group presentation, we’ve all experienced it in some form or other. Shyness may be ever-present or it may come and go. Partly genetic, partly environmental, shyness is largely viewed as a character flaw, something that needs to change, but why is no-one talking about the benefits of being shy? For example, shyness usually equates to being an excellent listener, considerate speaker and thoughtful observer.   Interweaving personal experience with expertise from clinical psychologists, Annie explores why shyness affects some more than others, and offers tried-and-tested tools to help the reader deal with elements of shyness that can feel debilitating. Shy recasts our understanding of this often-misunderstood attribute, celebrating it as a pathway rather than a barrier to success and happiness.

More time with your kids, making the money you know you're worth and a better work/life balance. No wonder more women than ever are choosing to be become freelance mums. In the last decade, 70% more mums have chosen to go freelance. Annie Ridout was one of them. And in her enlightening new book, she shares the tips and tricks that helped her build a better working life around her family. From choosing a career and launching a website, to getting your name out there and perfecting your brand, to the nitty gritty of childcare options and daily routines, The Freelance Mum is a comprehensive guide to setting out on your own path. Using her own experience, alongside advice from other mums that make it work, including Arianna Huffington, Scummy Mummies, Carrie-Anne Roberts, Robyn Wilder, Zoe de Pass, Cherry Healey, Sali Hughes and Anna Jones, Annie will show that with hard work and determination, any mother can thrive as a freelancer.

Ushering in a new era - where business is done on different terms - Raise Your SQ: How to use the Magic of Spiritual Intelligence to Unlock More Joy and Success will redefine what purpose and balance, at work and home, means to us all. Structured through goals, routines and exercises, Raise Your SQ will draw on Annie's own experience of how raising her spiritual intelligence transformed her work life, from scrimping and saving each month, to creating a six-figure business from scratch. We spend one third of our waking lives working, and with so many of us looking for more meaning at work, it's time we had a resource to turn to. Embodying a new way of living and working, this book will enable you to reach for your goals, help you find better balance, creative solutions and more joy. Raise Your SQ will help you unlock the potential of an intelligence you didn't know you possessed.