Part story book.
Part coloring book.
Part activity book.
“Amazing book”.
******
When Highland Falls Library Director Leslie Rose introduced author Angie Sommerfeld Johnson to a crowded room at the library recently she was quite honest in her introduction.
“I was skeptical at first, but it’s an amazing book!” Rose said. “And I have to say, as I read it, I realized I am ThinkyDinky.”
ThinkyDinky is the character of Johnson’s book … a little girl who struggles with a bit of anxiety. From www.thinkydinkybook.com: “A lot of people wonder who the character of Thinky Dinky is based on. A few of my daughter’s friends were pretty convinced it was her, because she likes cats and building things, and the swimming story is based on real events in her life. But really, Thinky Dinky is based on myself. (My daughter is actually much more confident and self-assured than I have ever been.)”
Johnson, now a Cornwall resident, is from northern Minnesota she told the group at the library on Aug. 7. She said she’s the oldest of three kids and that her family didn’t talk about feelings all that often. She grew into a violinist, an actor, and finally, a yoga teacher.
“Yoga helped me to deal with some things in life that I thought only I was dealing with,” she said. “The practice of yoga, and mindfulness, really opened my eyes so that I could see that so many of the things we go through are universal.”
While the event was to publicize her book, Johnson took a few minutes to do a little bit of yoga with the 25 or so folks in the room.
“There,” she said, “you’re all yogis now.”
The book, which is soft-covered and also available as an ebook (visit the website), is “hard to describe” by Johnson’s own words.
“It’s really a tool to help you learn the way to look at things,” she said. “It’s an invitation to open your eyes to see things in a different way.”
Johnson calls it “the manual I wish I had when I was growing up”, and said she often gets the same response from readers.
The audience, which ranged from young children to senior citizens, had the opportunity to do a few additional mindfullness activities with Johnson. At one point she advised them to “choose wisely which of your thoughts you want to pay attention to and to act on” but to remember that ignoring your thoughts just isn’t possible.
She said the book helps with creating strategies for understanding how your mind works.
“Your mind produces thoughts like your heart pumps blood,” she said. “The myth that you can ‘quiet your mind’ is not possible, but you can recognize and honor certain thoughts above others. You can choose to not get so wrapped up with what’s going on in your mind.”
Johnson added that one of her ‘pet peeves’ in life revolves around social media postings asking for “positive vibes only.”
“I want people to realize that it is unrealistic to think that you won’t sometimes feel angry, or sad, or confused,” she said. “We all do.”
As Johnson spoke, and answered questions from the audience, her husband Rich showed off various versions of the book on a projector. She explained she has also created six lesson plans for teachers to use to help with the social and emotional well-being of their students.
Johnson signed copies of her book at the library. It, in its various formats, and lesson plans are available at the website for prices ranging from $10 to $15.
