Must Reads for your Bookshelf
A good book not only enhances your life experience but it can also change you. The following books do just that: you cannot read them without opening up, forgiving and seeing yourself and the relationships you weave in a new way.
The Source - Dr. Tara Swart
Dr Tara Swart, a neuroscientist and executive coach with a background in psychiatry, is convinced beyond all doubt of our ability to alter how our brains work - and transform our lives. In her book “The Source”, she draws on the latest cognitive science and her own experience coaching highly successful people to reveal the secret to mastering our minds. With a four-step plan to awaken the power of your brain, this unique book combines science and spirituality in a way that is open-minded and practical.
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So if you’re looking for an easy to read book on how to challenge 'autopilot' thinking and rewire your brain's pathways to fulfil your potential, how to manifest the things you want by directing your energy towards your deepest values and ambitions and how to harness the power of visualization to prime your brain to grab opportunities and take control of your future: this is the one you want to read!
Four Thousand Weeks - Oliver Burkeman
Are you obsessed with your lengthening to-do lists, overfilled inboxes, work-life balance and ceaseless struggle against distraction? If your answer is “yes” then you’ve probably already tried all sorts of techniques and life hacks to optimize your days and become more productive and efficient. But that’s not what this book is about. So if you’re looking for tips on how to jam more things and tasks into your day then you don’t need to read this one. But if you’re looking for an insightful and practical guide about time and how you can use your own 4000 weeks to construct a meaningful life then I definitely recommend this book!
PS: the 4000 weeks in the title refers to the amount of time you’ll get through if you live to be 80.
Why has nobody told me this before? Dr. Julie Smith
Drawing on years of experience as a clinical psychologist, Dr Julie Smith shares all the skills you need to get through life's ups and downs. Her simple but expert advice and powerful coping techniques help you stay resilient no matter what life throws your way. The book is a collection of short, bite-sized entries so you can turn straight to the section you need and immediately find the appropriate tools to help you with things like managing anxiety, dealing with criticism, battling low mood, building self-confidence, finding motivation and learning to forgive yourself.
The Gifts of Imperfection - Brené Brown
Each day we face a barrage of images and messages from society and the media telling us who, what, and how we should be. We are led to believe that if we could only look perfect and lead perfect lives, we'd no longer feel inadequate. So most of us perform, please and perfect, all the while thinking “What if I can't keep all of these balls in the air? Why isn't everyone else working harder and living up to my expectations? What will people think if I fail or give up? When can I stop proving myself?”.
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In case these questions are also going through your mind: “The Gifts of Imperfection” written by Brené Brown is definitely a must-read. In her ten guideposts she engages your mind, heart and spirit as she explores how you can cultivate the courage, compassion and connection to wake up in the morning and think “No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough” and to go to bed at night thinking “Yes, I am sometimes afraid, but I am also brave. And, yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable, but that doesn't change the truth that I am worthy of love and belonging.”
The Midnight Library - Matt Haig
Matt Haig's unique and thought-provoking novel “The Midnight Library” ponders the infinite possibilities of life. The main character of this novel is Nora Seed: a young woman who lives a monotonous and ordinary life and feels unwanted and unaccomplished. One night her despair reaches a peak and she commits suicide. But the story doesn't end there: Nora finds herself in a place called the Midnight Library.
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The Midnight Library is a library between life and death where the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While in this Midnight Library Nora is given the chance to try out all these other lives and become all these different versions of herself. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for one of these new lives, she must search within herself to decide what is truly fulfilling in life and what makes it worth living in the first place.
The Food Mood Connection - Dr. Uma Naidoo
When it comes to diet, most people's concerns involve weight loss, fitness, cardiac health and longevity. But what we eat affects more than our bodies: it also affects our brains. For instance, did you know that blueberries can help you cope with the after-effects of trauma? Or that salami can cause depression and that boosting your vitamin D intake can help treat anxiety? But there’s more: several recent studies have shown that our diet can have a profound impact on mental health conditions ranging from ADHD to depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, OCD, dementia and beyond.
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If you want to know more about this food mood connection then I definitely recommend this book: it’s packed with fascinating science, actionable nutritional recommendations and delicious brain-healthy recipes which makes it the ultimate go-to guide for optimizing your mental health with food.
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Ps: this book was written by Dr. Uma Naidoo who is a board-certified psychiatrist and nutrition specialist but she’s also a former professional chef so you get the best of both worlds :-)
Self-care for winter (Suzy Reading)
There is something so magical about winter and I absolutely love this season (it’s my favorite one of the whole year) but this seasonal change doesn’t have a positive effect on everyone’s mind and body. If this is true for you and you have a hard time thriving in the colder months then this book is definitely for you because psychologist Suzy Reading’s little book of self-care has everything you need to cozy up and create your own winter self-care plan.
Ten Times Calmer - Dr. Kirren Schnack
Whether you’re going through something and need support to feel like yourself again or have been dealing with anxious thoughts for a long time: this book has the help you’ve been looking for to put your anxiety in the back-seat and reclaim control.
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Dr. Kirren Schnack is a clinical psychologist with twenty years of experience. The ten chapters in her book cover everything from dealing with anxious thoughts and stress to managing uncertainty and safely tackling trauma and each one takes you a step closer to an anxiety-free life. She not only helps you understand what you’re going through and what you’re feeling but she also helps you to adapt and manage those feelings with practical exercises and advice to help you find calm each and every day.
See What You're Missing - Will Gompertz
Too often we move through life on autopilot, rushing from place to place and blind to the marvelous life-affirming beauty of our world. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
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In his typically engaging style Will Gompertz takes you in this book into the minds of 31 astounding artists to show you how to look at and experience the world with their heightened powers of perception. Each artist has their own unique way of looking and with their help you learn how to expand your own vision of life and its endless possibilities. You learn for example how Rembrandt can help you see yourself, how David Hockney helps you to see nature and how Frida Kahlo can help you see through pain.
Slow Seasons - Rosie Steer
Sometimes we have a habit of unconsciously wishing the year away. During winter we wish for the arrival of summer’s long and brighter days and in autumn we hastily await the magic of winter. But imagine how beautiful it would be if we paused to savor each season and the unique gifts that come with it.
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This is where the enriching guide “Slow Seasons” comes into play. Author Rosie Steer embraced slow living when city life left her feeling overwhelmed and now she’s sharing her knowledge to help us do the same. Inspired by the Celtic Wheel of the year, she presents seasonal activities and recipes as well as advising you on things to make and forage, specific to each season.
The Garden Within - Dr. Anita Phillips
Too often we’ve been taught to view our emotions with suspicion, seeing them as something to be suppressed, managed or mastered. This isn’t true. Emotions are not your enemy and internal war is not your destiny.
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In this game-changing book trauma therapist and mental health expert Dr. Anita Phillips reveals how embracing emotion is the key to living your most powerful life. Just as gardens thrive in good ground, the abundant life you’ve been seeking can only be grown in the soil of your heart. Blending faith, the latest discoveries in neurobiology and her own research and work as a licensed therapist, Dr. Anita shows you how to cultivate a state of emotional wellbeing that can strengthen your body, calm anxiety and renew your mind, and unleash a new level of spiritual power in your life.
Set Boundaries - Nedra Glover Tawwab
Healthy boundaries. We all know we should have them in order to achieve work/life balance, cope with toxic people and enjoy rewarding relationships with partners, friends and family. But what do “healthy boundaries” really mean and how can you successfully express your needs, say no and be assertive without offending others?
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This book, written by licensed counsellor and relationship expert Nedra Glover Tawwab, helps you find an answer to those questions. She not only demystifies this complex topic but she also presents simple yet powerful ways to establish healthy boundaries in all aspects of life.
