Cover of 'The Playbook of Your Childhood Heart' by Don Blackwell, illustrated by KC Clark, depicting a sandbox with a shovel and toy bucket.

The Playbook Of Your Childhood Heart

The Playbook Of Your Childhood Heart

Remember when your heart was loud, fearless, and full of wonder?
It’s still in there—waiting for you to press play.

The Playbook of Your Childhood Heart is not another “self-help” workbook. It’s a whimsical, heartfelt guide to reconnecting with the truest version of yourself—the Acoustic Self you brought into the world before life got noisy. Think of it less like homework and more like soulful recess—where reflections, memories, and playful prompts help you remember who you really are and retune your heart to what matters most.

Remember when your heart was loud, fearless, and full of wonder?

Remember when your heart was loud, fearless, and full of wonder?

If you've ever been to a park filled with young children at play, chances are you’ve heard a parent say, "I wish they could stay THIS WAY forever." If you’re a parent, like me, you've probably even said those words yourself a time or two (hundred).

The "this way” we're all referring to, of course, is a by-product of their unworldly-adorned hearts that only know ONE WAY to live and love – whole and open-heartedly, authentically.

But what if “staying that way” is actually the way it's supposed to be? What if the life journey all of us are on is less about finding more ways to "adult" and more about finding our way back to the unadulterated hearts that accompanied us into this world?

I've come to believe it is. In fact, I’m convinced that rebooting our hearts to their "factory settings" is critical to experiencing the fullness of life that we were all intended to enjoy.

Silhouette of a person with a long ponytail undercut hairstyle, against a black background.

“Before life got noisy, your heart knew the way—this Playbook helps you hear it again.”

— Don Blackwell

Inside the playbook

Inside the Playbook (features)
Joy Week
Love Week
Christmas Morning Week
Be an Aliyah and Jake Kind Of Friend Week
Adult Recess Week
Epic Hug Week
Forgiveness Week
Uniquely Beautiful Week
Feel It All Week
Find the Penguin Week
Authenticity Week
Fully Present week
Curiosity and Adventure Week

testimonials

  • I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book! It is SO vulnerable, inspirational, important, and insightful. A must read for anyone searching for a way to move from adversity to a life where living and loving are one. I especially love the ten “Parting Thoughts” at the end, and I will use them for sure.

    Carolyn Costin, M.A. M.ED., FAED, CEDS, Founder of the Carolyn Costin Institute

  • This is beautiful, a rich picture of the struggles of life that many deal with in many different ways. Those who are searching and hungry for hope will find encouragement in these deeply personal stories. They are a reminder that all of us are so much more complex than is apparent on the surface and that, while we are flawed and life is messy, we are loved, and grace is available.

    Rick C.

  • It’s rare that a book tugs at my heart from virtually the first page and never lets go, but this is one of them. And the fact that the deep feelings and insights it conveys so beautifully and tenderly are expressed in a first person ‘male’ voice make it rarer still. I can’t wait to share the stories and concepts Don illustrates so poignantly and grippingly with my colleagues, friends, family, and clients.

    Sondra Kronberg, MS, RD, CEDS-C

  • Don, your ability to simultaneously put our life struggles into accessible language, while offering profound hope and encouragement, is extraordinary. Thank you for so beautifully and vulnerably giving voice to the silent longings that our hearts lack the ability or are too afraid to convey.

    Beth Hartman McGilley, PhD, FAED, CEDS-C

  • This is not just a book the world needs, this is the wake up call the world needs. Layer by layer, Don simply, beautifully, and candidly brings the reader on a journey to that tender spot deep inside the heart, encouraging us, every step of the way, to reconnect with our innermost self, and reminding us that beauty is just an open heart away.

    Alison Smela

  • This book is beautifully written, compelling, and hard to put down. It artfully weaves together story-telling, personal vulnerability, and life-changing truths about nurturing fulfilling relationships and living an emotionally rich life. Don is one of the best writers I know. His words draw the reader in and invite deep and meaningful reflection. This is a truly inspirational and uplifting piece of work that belongs in the hands of everyone who desires to live a more whole and open-hearted life.

    Michael E. Berrett, PhD, Co-founder and past CEO of Center for Change, Founder of Berrett and Company, LLC

  • Don, Simone Weil once said, ‘There are two things which pierce the heart, beauty and affliction.’ Your heart is pierced by both. In your case, the piercing has let the light in, and you reflect it back in ways that encourage the reader to shift their perspective and rewrite their narrative in a way that will allow them to live more fully and authentically. Thank you for yielding to and sharing these beautiful truths.

    Shannon C.

  • “Each piece of this literary tapestry is moving, meaningful, relatable, and conveys an important message. Through his experiences, Don teaches/shows the reader how to access the beauty that surrounds and is within us and the joy that resides in more fully embracing it. This book is beautiful in every way.

    Merle R. Saferstein, Author of Living & Leaving My Legacy, Vols. I & II

Cover of a book titled 'The Playbook of Your Childhood Heart,' designed and illustrated by KC Clark, and written by Don Blackwell. It features a sketch of a sandbox with toys.
Black and white photo of a smiling toddler walking on wood chips near playground equipment, with trees and a fence in the background.

The Playbook of Your Childhood Heart is your invitation to rediscover the fearless, curious, and creative version of yourself that’s still in there—just waiting to be set free. Inspired by Don Blackwell’s Retune Your Heart, this playful, soul-stirring guide helps you reflect, remember, and retune your life to the rhythm of your Acoustic Self. One page at a time.

Get the playbook