These are some nonfiction books that have inspired me and I’d recommend to others.
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
This popular book by Ruiz simply explains the wisdom of the toltecs and the source of self limiting beliefs. He states the 4 statements are the basis to live your life, whether you’re religious, spiritual or neither – it’s a code of conduct to navigate the world.
The four agreements:
- Be impeccable with your word
- Don’t take anything personally
- Don’t make assumptions
- Always do your best
What I particularly like about this book is how simply Ruiz articulates his points. This is a book for everyone, even those who haven’t picked up a book in years, due to how straight forward and simply written it is. Another thing you may appreciate by reading this is the chapter focused on a final prayer towards the end of the book. Although this prayer is not very personal to whatever you may be dealing with or going through — there is a personal connection to be made and you’ll certainly feel as though you are not alone in that prayer.
“because I am your creation, I love myself just the way I am”
It’s a book that will draw you in spiritually, get you to be more self-aware and look into how you present yourself to the world and others.
Since discovering this book, I’ve gifted it, I’ve talked about it to friends and family, I’ve shared it on social media, I’ve gone back to it and reflected on the way I first interpreted it. It’s definitely a book which will have an impact.
Option B by Sheryl Sandberg
This is an illuminating read and a hopeful practical guide for anyone trying to build resilience, whether it be personally, work or for your community. Written by Facebooks COO Sheryl Sandberg, she shares her experience and grief when faced by the sudden death of her husband. One of the main take aways for me with this read is how important encouraging others and being proactive rather than the focus on showing empathy is. After all, what is empathy without action.
“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how”
Another stand out are the 3P’s, they are the work of psychologist Martin Seligman who identified them as stunting someone’s recovery from difficult life situations.
Personalisation: The belief that we are at fault.
Pervasiveness: The belief that an event will affect all areas of our life.
Permanence: The belief that the aftershocks of the event will last forever.
Identifying your negative thoughts and categorising them as one of the 3Ps helps increase your confidence to deal with those thoughts. It definitely puts things into perspective. You are not your thoughts.
Ikaigi by Hector Garcia
This is a very inspiring read and to be honest, I couldn’t put it down. Ikaigi translates as a reason for being, a reason to jump out of bed in the morning. A lot of us feel the opposite, a sense of dread when our alarm rings in the morning and the morning commute to work. Ikaigi is a lifestyle framework that seeks to balance the practical and spiritual.
The book talks about the sense of purpose and meaning that is common to those who have lived to an advanced age. The way this is explored and its links to, for example, logotherapy, are illuminating. Ikigai offers a genuine recipe for living a meaningful life if you are prepared to give it some time and thought. It’s not a particularly long book and there are chapters on the usual suspects like diet and healthy living.
The intersection of all the above is what leads to achieving your Ikigai. From reading the book you find out Ikigai is about finding joy, fulfillment, and balance in the daily routine of life and not seeking to find your purpose in material things.
What I talk about when I talk about running by Haruki Murakami
This is a refreshing read and an interesting look into the life of Murakami. If you’ve read any of his books you’ll most certainly enjoy reading this as I’m sure you’re curious about the writer behind such great novels. He admits the book was 10 years in the making and with his perfectionist way of working, it was worth the wait.
If you’re a runner you’ll most certainly relate to his experiences and it’s fascinating to read how disciplined and committed he is to not only running but writing, and how the two intertwine. The way he lives his life shows that talent is nothing without focus and endurance and there is a clear link between his love for running and writing. This book can serve as a motivational read for anyone as it’s a reminder that there is no substitute for hard work, no matter the natural talent available.
100 Days Happier by Domonique Bertolucci
So this one is an odd one out as it’s more of a positive daily reminder and As you can see from the title, it will take you 100 days to complete this reading one reminder each day. It’s something you can pick up at the beginning of your day or towards the end when you have some downtime. The purpose is to serve as a daily positive reminder to you about life through using encouraging affirmations and wise anecdotes to get you to reflect. I’m I am being honest I did not read one reminder each day, some days I found myself reading 3 or 4. I’d recommend writing each day’s reminder on your phone or somewhere in your room so you’ll see a different reminder each day. It doesn’t hurt to add a little positivity to your life.
