There are multitudes of self-help and self-growth books in the market. Personally, I find it not only overwhelming but if like me you have read a few of them, after a while you quickly realize that the messages of most of these books are repetitive. Perhaps they are written from different perspectives, or from various walks of life and some will resonate with one group of readers more than others but the inherent message of most of them is to place a priority on yourself, your health and wellbeing and pursue your goals. But how? Is it really as complicated as we perceive it to be?
In the book, The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander, shares a river rafting story, where the guide repeatedly tells the group "toes to nose", the safety position for floating in rapids. She explains how she found the constant repetition annoying and had frustrated internal dialogues with herself, until she somehow fell out of the water and was disoriented. Suddenly the phrase "toes to nose" came to her, and she pulled her toes toward her nose and began floating to the surface and was saved. The frustrating guide who had repeated himself too many times had ultimately saved her.
Our daily practices, habits and routines can be regarded the same. The act of continually repeating any task whether on a personal or professional level, will help us immensely when we are out of sorts and can't seem to pull ourselves out of the many sinkholes life will conveniently place in our way. So is it about perseverance, or persistence or is it just a mindset? Perhaps it's a mix of all these factors and many more but certainly self-care of any sort needs our attention and practice.
Over the years, many memoirs and self-growth books have become my favourite reads and I refer to them year after year. Sometimes, I read one or two small passages and at other times, I make a point to read the full book once again and will mark it on the first page. Below, I have listed my favourites for you and I hope you'll share your favourites with me too.
The Crossroads of Should and Must by Elle Luna
Be Useful by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Embers by Richard Wagamese
Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday
Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
How to Have a Life by Seneca
How to Focus by Thich Nhat Hanh
Keep Moving by Dick Van Dyke
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Tribe of Mentors by Timothy Ferris
Tools of Titans by Timothy Ferris
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Simple Abundance by Sarah Ben Breathnach
Feel Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal
The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff
Pretty Happy by Kate Hudson
Some of the books that are on my reading list currently include:
Shaolin Spirit by Shi Heng Yi
100 Rules to Living to 100 by Dick Van Dyke
It Didn't Start with You by Mark Wolynn
Simply Move by Cynthia Erivo
Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow
The Book of Hope by Jane Goodall
Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke
The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
Wishing you a lovely day!
Loba