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Once upon a time, I fell in love with reading. I went to Hogwarts with Ms Rowling and I laughed so damn hard with Ms Kinsella. Mr Sparks made me the hopeless romantic that I am now and Mr Paterson made me think so damn hard exhausting every single brain cell I have.
Then I met Mr Coelho. He is no doubt one hell of a wordsmith but my happy-go- lucky soul couldn’t fully absorb his words. I guess I wasn’t well acquainted with depression and I have yet to launch the search for meaning and purpose. I lacked the depth of an experienced adult. I was a child. For 30 years, I was a child.
30 years later, I wonder why I bought his entire book collection and gave the books away one by one as birthday presents. But I guess fate wanted me to do that.
30 years later, no single author makes my hair stand on its end and no one seemed to soothe my longing soul for the assurance it needs.
30 years later, my journey to self-discovery started.
When I left my job, I couldn’t fully explain why. All I knew was I didn’t want it anymore. I didn’t have enough words to express what I was feeling. It was only when I got addicted to reading again and started hoarding books that I bumped into all the right words to name what I was going through. I was relieved that there are actually people who experienced what I have been going through and that no matter how alone I felt, I was never really alone. Someone has successfully put into a book the blow by blow account of those hard-to-explain phenomena called spiritual awakening.
I thought I wanted to travel. I’ve always wanted to run as far away, go to where I will not be haunted and start a new life again. I was wrong. Later on I realized that it was actually my thoughts that I have always been terrified of. Wanting so much gave me anxiety I couldn’t get rid of. I needed to learn how to calm down. I needed to learn to control my thoughts and make it shift to see the positive side of things.
These books made it easier for me to let go of things I can’t control and be excited for the best ones that are yet to come. And now, no matter how broke I will become, I will never scrimp on books.
Here’s my top 10 pick.
10. A Thousand New Beginnings
Solo female travel blogger, Kristin Addis, left her stable job as an Investment Banker and a boyfriend behind to travel Southeast Asia. During that one year, she has experienced thousand new beginnings, started new friendships and got to know the world outside. This is actually a collection of her diary and blog entries during the time when she found out that exploring the world alone makes a huge difference.
9. It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be.
At first glance the book looks like a compilation of easy-to-understand motivational statements, ideas and advises. It encourages out-of-the-box thinking to succeed in life, career and business. During those days that I tend to forget what I want in this life, I take a look at this book and I will surely be motivated again.
8. The Alchemist
I remember having this book maybe some eight years ago but I gave it as a gift to my friend when I started reading other Coelho books and got terribly bored by them. I wanted to steal this book from my favorite coffee shop in the Philippines but I somehow felt guilty so I just stole an old magazine instead with the help of a college friend.
Maybe if I had stolen this book and read it earlier, I would have been clear in what I want my life to look like. Regrets. But actually, no. The timing is just right. I wouldn’t have understood it then like how I do now. This is for the daydreamers. “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
7. Reasons To Stay Alive
When my life lost meaning, I questioned every single second why I’m alive. This book just gave me more reasons to be thankful that I am and helped me stop asking the world why I am still here. My story is not supposed to end yet. Life is indeed beautiful.
6. Mastering Your Mean Girl
That book that reminded me that no matter what, I should make my inner bitch shut up and I shouldn’t think twice about flexing my self-love muscle. That I shouldn’t do things that aren’t aligned with my truth.
5. What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding
I love fiction and chic lit soooooo much. But when I challenged myself to read at least one non-fiction book per week, I fell in love with autobiographies and memoirs. This book is one of those page-turners that made me laugh but knocked me some sense. It is okay not to marry early. It is okay not to do what others are doing. It is never okay to have somebody just to be able to say that we have somebody. It is never okay to settle.
4. What I Know For Sure
I found myself crying while reading this book. Oprah’s written words have the power to touch my heart in such a way that it felt like she was beside me and was personally assuring me that it is normal to have ups and downs in this life in a voice that has warmed my the cockles of my heart. This is one of those books that put a stop to my panic attacks.
- Simplicite
A book written by a French woman who has been living in Japan for 30 years. She fell in love with the simplicity of Japanese life that she never left and started applying this wellness approach in her daily living. From minimalism to self-care to naming every little changes a person who has left her country and learned a different way of life. This book has the power to influence a lifestyle that invites slow living.
- #GirlBoss
A book that has inspired me to the bits of my bones. She is the perfect example of creating something from scratch and making it billion times bigger through determination and hardwork. She doesn’t have a University Degree but she employs those who have MBAs. Her tips, cleverness and no BS approach to life is so on point. Everything about women empowering is in this book.
- Becoming Myself
A book written by a Psychiatrist about his path to becoming himself. He wrote the book at 85 when at 32, I couldn’t remember that happened to me two years ago. His openness and vulnerability after all those years of helping his patients gave him more understanding of himself. Though written by a doctor, the book is surprisingly easy to understand, very honest and made me want to understand more about human behavior and more about myself.
Bonus:
That one book that made me fall in love with winter. The book that taught me how to fall in love more with candles, wool socks, fireplace, books and hot chocolate. It’s the book whose every page is filled with coziness.
What books changed your life? I’d love to add it to my book list. =)
Please share if you liked it.
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This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I will receive a small commission. This is at no cost to you but helps me to provide awesome content regularly. Thanks for your support!
This is a solid list! I’m in search of some new books and will definitely be looking at a few of these. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for reading! =)
As a book lover, I am super surprised that I haven’t read any of these! Girlboss is HIGH up on my to-read list though, as is Oprah Winfrey’s book!
Thank you for reading. I know one day you’ll read them. Oprah’s book just got me enjoying living slowly. =)
Great selection, I want to read them all!
Thanks you for reading. =)
I loved #GirlBoss! I love Sophia Amoruso’s spunky, no BS attitude. This is a great selection!
Thank you for reading Katie. =) we love no BS-ness. cheers! =)
The Alchemist is one of my favorite books of all time! Great list
Thank you and thanks for reading. The Alchemist is a must for dreamers like us. =)
Can’t wait to dig into some of these! I am also intrigued by Girl Boss especially!
This is an awesome list! I really want to start #GirlBoss.
Thank you. I know you will love #GirlBoss and will probably won’t put it down until you finish it. Happy reading! =)
I need to get busy! You have some great looking titles on this list! Now to find time to read…
Thank you for reading. And I know soon you will find time to be be busy with reading again. =)
I love the Little Book of Hygge. This is a great list – I’ve been looking for some new summer reading ideas. I’m adding a few of these to my list!
Thank you so much for reading Erin. And yes, the Little Book of Hygge is my all time favorite especially during the gloomy dark days. Happy reading! =)
I haven’t read all the books here but I have read #GirlBoss and I do agree that Sophia inspires you so much in this book just by simply telling her story. I would recommend The Subtle Art of not Giving a F*ck, I read it earlier this year and it teaches us how to let go and accept things for how they are, good or bad.
XO Andie
http://andiesparkles.com/
I have listened to The Subtle Art of not Giving a F*ck audio book and I agree with you. This is what pushed me to really start. =) thank you so much for reading.
Tbh I’ve only heard of The Alchemist but haven’t gotten round to reading it yet. I’ll definitely get the book tho. Thanks!
Great list! This is the second post I read just this week that mentioned the Alchemist so I think it’s time I read it. Also, it’s interesting that you mention Oprah because I always think of her book club, not books actually by her, but I’m sure it’s inspirational because she has such an incredible life story. A book I read recently that’s been really influential has been Debbie Ford’s 21-Day Consciousness Cleanse.
Thanks Kate. True about Oprah’s books. I am also really very happy to have read her books. So much take away. I will check 21-Day Consciousness Cleanse out. Thank you=)
Nice article, and a good list of books. I like to read and share your impressions with Coelho’s The Alchemist. I’ve read all his books, some of them are ok, some of them are not, but Alchemist is one of my favorite books.
Thank you so much Milan. Alchemist is one of the books that really changed my life. It has made me understand myself and stop comparing to other people who knows what they want at an early age and what makes them okay to just go with what society is telling them. While I am with you that not all of Coelho’s book are good, I must say that his books made me look for meaning in everything that happened and in everything that will still happen along the way of my chosen path. =)
This is a great list, and I have added some of these books to my need to read list. Thanks for sharing!!
It’s an old post, but I love your list!
So glad you did list “Eat, Pray, Love”. I would have shot myself ??? Honestly, great list. ?
Well, this article was written really beautifully and thank you for sharing.
“Tuesdays with morrie ” is one of my best read and this book prompts you to live your every day to the fullest. “The last lecture”and “Brida” also touched my heart.?
I love your list, from all of them I know I have read the Alchemist but I would not mind re-reading it again as its been so long! More than 20 yrs since I read it. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Nice selection, I have read only Alchemist but will surely read Oprah Winfrey and GirlBoss, thank yo
Hi! I hope there’ll be books in heaven…cos thats where i’ll get to read all the books on this list as well as others! 😆. Anyway, Great list n keep up the good work!
That’s a very helpful list, I might get some of these books one day. One book (or more specificly every book from one author) that changed my life and my view on different things in life was ‘The why café’ by John Strelecky. He has an interesting writing perspective and the main character is asked 3 questions that help him discover his true self and inspire you to ask th yourself and change your life. I can recommend all of his books but if you want to start somewhere close ‘The why café’!