June 2026 Reading Round-Up: The Stories We Live...and the Ones We Let Everyone Else See
There are books that entertain.
There are books that teach.
And then…
There are books that quietly ask you questions long after you've finished them.
For me, Yesteryear was that book.
I don't read much fiction. If you've followed these monthly reading round-ups for the past 4 years, you've probably noticed I naturally gravitate toward nonfiction, memoirs, leadership, workplace psychology, and books that help me become a better coach, communicator, and hopefully, human.
A big thanks to my friend, Pamela King, who recommended this book on LinkedIn.
So I wasn't expecting a novel to become the book that stayed with me this month.
But it did.
One line, in particular, kept echoing in my mind:
“Sometimes it actually made me sick how perfect my life was and how good I was at living it.”
At first glance, it sounds like someone complaining about having everything.
But that's not what I heard.
From my career coach's seat, I heard something different.
I heard someone describing what happens when you've built a successful life, but it no longer feels like your own.
It's a question I hear in my coaching work more often than you might think.
Why do I feel disconnected from my career, even though everything looks good on paper?
When the Highlight Reel Becomes Your Reality
One of the reasons Yesteryear resonated so deeply is because it explores themes I see every week in conversations with clients.
Leaving difficult conversations unaddressed.
Building a life that slowly becomes disconnected from who you really are.
Jumping into opportunities before you've taken the time to understand what you actually want.
Settling because it feels easier than starting over.
Sometimes we stay because we're comfortable.
Sometimes because we're afraid.
And sometimes, because we haven't stopped to ask whether we're settling for a career that no longer reflects who we've become.
On social media, we often talk about "highlight reels."
But I don't think the danger is that people post happy moments.
The danger is when we begin believing our own curated version of reality.
When the protective image we've created becomes more familiar than the person we actually are.
Exposing the Hidden Reality
As Sandra Wint and I continue our conversations on Exposing the Hidden Reality, we've noticed something similar.
There is always a story beneath the story.
The promotion.
The polished LinkedIn profile.
The successful career.
The family photo.
The accomplishment everyone celebrates.
Those things can all be true.
And there can still be another story unfolding underneath.
Not a dishonest story.
A human one.
The uncertainty.
The questions.
The moments that wake you up in the middle of the night, wondering if the life you're living reflects your values instead of everyone else's expectations of you.
That's what Yesteryear reminded me of.
To listen to the Exposing the Hidden Reality shows that talk about the stories we carry, start with episode 042 and continue through 046.
The Career Question
One of my core values is:
Collaboration over competition.
Yet comparison has a way of becoming our career strategy.
We compare titles.
We compare salaries.
We compare promotions.
We compare timelines.
Until one day we stop asking:
What do I actually want?
And start asking:
What should I want?
Those are two markedly different questions.
One leads toward authenticity.
The other often leads toward performance.
If we're not careful, we can spend years building a career that looks successful to everyone else while slowly drifting away from ourselves.
Shop This Month's Reading List
If you'd like to explore any of the books from this month's reading, I've gathered them together in one place.
Books I Read in June 2026
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
“Sometimes it actually made me sick how perfect my life was and how good I was at living it.”
Miracle: The Boys Who Escaped the Gas Chamber at Auschwitz by Michael Calvin and Naftali Schiff
“To this day, I do not understand why I was saved, but my fate was imposed on me.”
Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings by Steven G. Rogelberg
“Communicate authentically and transparently.”
Questions Worth Asking Yourself
As I virtually closed the last book this month (remember, audiobooks are my total favorite), I found myself sitting with a few questions.
Not because I had all the answers.
Because they felt worth asking.
Does the life I'm building still reflect who I am today?
Am I making career decisions based on my values or someone else's expectations?
Where have I confused comparison with success?
What conversations have I been avoiding?
What would change if I stopped waiting for permission?
What does the next version of my career actually look like?
Sometimes growth doesn't begin with finding the answer, but begins by asking a better question.
Closing Thoughts
As I reflected on this month's reading, I realized that each book was asking a version of the same question.
Not "How do I become someone else?"
But...
How do I become more fully myself?
If you've ever caught yourself wondering,
"How did I end up here?"
or
"Is this really the career I want?"
You're not alone.
Those questions aren't signs that something is wrong.
They're often the beginning of authentic career growth.
The beginning of reconnecting with your values.
The beginning of making decisions that reflect who you are today instead of who you thought you were supposed to become.
And perhaps that's the idea that connected all of these books.
The stories we live matter.
But every once in a while, it's worth asking whether we're still the author.
Continue the Conversation
If this month's reading resonated with you, I'd love for you to explore the rest of the books in my June Reading Collection.
June 2026 Amazon Store Front Reading List
If you've missed previous Reading Round-Ups, you may also enjoy:
January: Disruption
February: Reinvention and Self-Trust
March: Leadership, Family, and Growing to the Next Level
April: Identity, Perception, and Defining Your Value
May: Becoming More of Yourself
And if you're working toward building a career that's aligned with your values, increases your visibility, and reflects who you truly are, I'd love to invite you to read my book:
Own Your Career: Take Control + Accelerate Your Professional Growth
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