Books, Beautiful Books
Reading has always been one of my favourite past times. I read to tune out, I read to tune in. I read to relax, and to be challenged. I read to educate and to forget. I read to grow and to understand, to get lost and to find my way.
Below you will find some of my favourite books of all time. If you have any suggestions to add I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
Mindset
Mindset- Carol Dweck
Brilliant book exploring the differences between a Fixed Mindset and a Growth Mindset. The best part of the book? You can choose…. Every single thing you do starts with a choice. Growth is yours, if you want it.
Ego Is The Enemy / Obstacle Is The Way / Daily Stoic - Ryan Holiday
Ryan has a brilliant way with words, taking stoic philosophy and turning it into relatable content for the 21st century. These books are well worth a read if you are struggling to find your way out of a hole - big or small. Ego Is The Enemy forced me to have a hard, long look at myself and challenged everything I had previously held true about myself. Obstacle Is The Way called me to consider setbacks through a new perspective. Daily Stoic gives me daily reminders to stop, pause and contemplate - from remaining present, to facing adversity, to accepting happiness. Great reads!
Atomic Habits - James Clear
Act like the person you wanna be. Wanna be a writer? Do as a writer does. Wanna be a runner? Do as a runner does. Put in 1% more EVERY TIME, eventually you'll be twice as good. Make a habit? Make it Obvious - Attractive - Easy - Satisfying. Break a habit? Make it Invisible - Unattractive - Hard - Unsatisfying. N.B.... Environment is E V E R Y T H I N G......!
Spirituality
The Untethered Soul - Michael A Stinger
Took me a while to get into it but once I did I couldn't help but fall for it. I took it a chapter at a time to let it simmer. I thought and I pondered and I considered. EPIC book. Will be re-read many more times.
The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down - Haemin Sunim
Short reminder of most of what we already know with some brilliant gems woven in. Perfect introduction to spirituality.
The Saint, The Surfer & The CEO - Robin Sharma
This was my very first Audible book and it was the greatest mistake, because I spent so much time taking notes and ‘’clips’’ that I felt I wrote the book myself! Should have saved everybody extra admin and just bought the hardback, which I did the second I finished the audiobook. Absolutely brilliant. Thought provoking, affirming, inspiring and so relevant to us right now. We are removed from ourselves, this we know. This book gives you an insight into how and why, as well as some points to pause and consider. Wonderful. Stayed with me for months after.
Living Your Yoga - Judith Hanson Lasater
I come back to this book time and time again, both as a refresher and to gain a new perspective. A brilliant example of how yoga is practice off your mat.
The Yamas & Niyamas - Deborah Adele
Ah, this gem. A firm feature on most all Yoga Trainings, this book is a staple. If you are a practitioner of yoga, it should feature heavily on your bookshelf. Buy it - you will always come back to it.
Big Magic - Elizabeth Gilbert
This could have went in any of the categories and it would have belonged. Elizabeth has taken her decades worth of craft, the lessons learned and the truths discovered and specially formulated them in this book for every creative to read and become inspired by. The key message in this book is knowing that we are all creative and whole exactly as we are, but do we know that?
Revolution of the Soul - Seane Corn
This woman is my ultimate. If we met I am going to make her my best friend and there is nothing she will be able to do about it. The book goes through Seane’s life, her journey to yoga and away from yoga and back to yoga. But, not just the asana. Dipping the reader into the philosophy of the practice, Seane’s stories are engaging and real. A brilliant, brilliant read.
Meditations on Intention and Being - Rolf Gates
I refer back to this book constantly in my yoga practice. Wonderfully written by a gifted author, this book has guided my heart and produced tears. It’s made me question and allowed me surrender. It’s shown me the way and reminded me to question everything.
Radical Self-Acceptance: A Buddhist Guide to Freeing Yourself from Shame - Tara Brach
A M A Z I N G! One of my treats is this Audiobook - breaking down the 4 chapters to thoroughly enjoy the dhamma talk and the meditation. This practice fills my soul. Such a beautiful book, the words speak to my soul. Love love love.
What It Means To Be Woman
The Women Who Run With Wolves - Clarissa Pinkola Estés
This book - I know I say they’re all my favourites but - THIS BOOK! The stories in the book give fuel to the Wild Woman Archetype, ways in which women are linked intrinsically to wolves. A wild woman is not to say uncontrollable, a wild woman is sure of who she is, lives life in harmony with her intuition and follows her deep knowing. That, is a wild woman!
Red Tent - Anita Diamant
This book gives me chills every time I read it. A feminist take on the biblical story of Genesis, the story is bound by tales of what it means to be a woman. From birth to puberty, menstruation to death, the journey of a woman is special.
Untamed - Glennon Doyle
Wow. What a book. What a lady. What a strong, brave and heartfelt example of living life true to yourself. This memoir describes the road Glennon walked, often feeling alone, towards her truest life. No longer being happy keeping small and being good, she sets an example of what it takes hold your head high, take your life in your hands and fight for the life you deserve. Incredible. Finished it in a day. ‘‘You are not crazy. You are a goddamn cheetah.’’
13 Ways Of Looking At A Fat Girl - Mona Awad
Are you human? Then you have been impacted by diet culture. This book….. any words I use will not do it justice. Go buy it and read it. Then, give it to every teenager you know. Then buy more and circulate around every adult you know. And then read it again.
Diversity
White Fragility - Robin DiAngelo
Brilliant book as an introduction to systemic racism. Stayed with me for months after as situations arose which caused me to pause and consider.
Mental Health
Lost Connections - Johann Hari
Johann was diagnosed with depression in his teenage years and spent the next few decades of his life understanding why, how and what it actually means. This book breaks down old beliefs around mental health and instead focuses the attention on the individual - not the label society has placed on them. As the title suggests, connections are one of the cornerstones for which our wellbeing depends and Hari’s book gives multiple examples of this theory. Great read.
Reasons To Stay Alive - Matt Haig
Brilliantly written, personal and heart-string pulling. Matt speaks unfiltered about the lowest times of his life and how he slowly pulled himself out, to fall back in to pull himself out to fall back to move forward. Rinse and repeat. Daily, until this very day. Brilliant.
Maybe You Should Talk To Someone - Lori Gottlieb
Collection of brilliant stories and tales told through the eyes of Gottlieb, a therapist. Proof that we are all on this rock trying to figure it out together.
Life(style)
Blackout. Remembering The Things I Drank To Forget - Sarah Hepola
This book came along at the right time. I’d just ended an 18m sobriety stint, as a self experiment. This book spoke the words I was tyring to make sense of in my own world and sparked another sobriety stint - 12m and counting. If you’ve ever questioned your relationship with alcohol and are not sure where to start, I suggest you start here.
You Are A Badass - Jen Sincero
This book came at the right time in my life and showed me the unlimited power I have within, ready to be unleashed whenever I feel brave enough to tap in. This book served me
Brené Brown
Every. Single. Word. This. Woman. Writes. Is. Fire! Pick a book, any book. Read it. Ponder it. Question everything in it. Discuss it. Share it. Then pick another. Brené is one of the most brilliant minds in the study of shame and vulnerability and what it means to show up authentically yourself.
How to Fail - Elizabeth Day
I found Elizabeth through her Podcast ‘‘How To Fail’’ and I knew instantly I needed her book. An honest, raw, hilarious, tragic, laugh out loud to wipe away the tears memoir that I utterly adored reading. This book should be read by everyone in their late teens-early 20's who have no idea what the heck life is all about, yet are already petrified of ‘‘failing’’ at it. We all fail, then we fail some more, then we learn before we fail again.
Attached - Amir Levine
There are 3 types of attachment styles; secure, anxious and avoidant. This book shows how these styles are applied to romantic love and gives real life examples of such. Brilliant resource for finding out more about how you love, why you love and how you can love better.