Every year I go through the same battle. I find a bunch of books I am interested in and tell myself I’ll get around to reading them one day, but that day never comes. My excuse of “I don’t have time to read” is quite meaningless when I glance at the screen time on my phone. This year, I am making a promise to myself to decrease my screen time and increase the list of books I have read. Here are a few I have been gifted and/or bought over the past year that I am vowing to read.
- “Untamed” By Glennon Doyle
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I have been seeing this book everywhere. It has been raved about by the Washington Post, the New York Times, and even Oprah Winfrey! It’s the story of a woman (Glennon Doyle) on her journey of finding herself. When she learned to silence society’s expectations and her desire to please, she stopped living for others and started to live for herself. She writes of her battle with addiction and how she has come back and rose above it all stronger than ever. This sounds like such an empowering story that I think all of us could benefit from reading.
- “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho
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This story is about a young shepherd named Santiago and all of his adventures as he tries to find a hidden treasure. Along the way, he runs into a few characters, one being the alchemist, who points him in the direction of his destination. This story is full of wisdom and lessons about destiny and listening to your heart. This one has been on my list for a while, and I am so excited to finally read it.
- “Beloved” by Toni Morrison
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Toni Morrison was the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993 and the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for this book. This story takes place after the Civil War and focuses on the aftermath of slavery and the destruction left behind, but never forgotten. Based on a true story, this novel points out that the past is capable of haunting the present and the importance of not dismissing history.
- “Change Your Brain Change Your Life” by Daniel G. Amen
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As a psych major, the brain is obviously of great interest to me. In this book, the author, who is a renowned neuropsychiatrist, specifically talks about how SPECT brain scans link mental illness to deficits in structures of the brain. And how his research and findings on this have helped many figure out how best to overcome it. Besides the scan itself, Dr. Amen discusses his treatment plans that he recommends for overcoming anxiety, obsessions, memory loss, fighting depression, and other issues. His motto is “You are not stuck with the brain you’re born with.”
- “Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived Joyful Life” by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
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Although this is a requirement for one of my classes, I had to add it to this list because I am looking forward to reading it and recommending it to everyone out there who might be in the same boat as me if you just don’t know what career you want after college. This book asks all the hard questions and asks readers to really reflect. The goal of the book is to ultimately lead us in the direction of finding a career that fulfills us in all aspects of our life.
Those are the 5 books I am promising to read this year. I hope this inspired some of you to read as well, maybe even find interest in my selection! Overall, I am very excited to get started and add to my reading list.