5 books that will make you happier
Some time ago I wrote that one of the many things that successful people do differently than ordinary mortals is that they read a ton. Often up to 500 pages a day. It provides insight, disconnects you from daily reality, and gets that gray matter moving. Books are burpees for the brain.
Now that you've swept the tree out of your house and rinsed the last remnants of wine down the sink (done with all that booze and sweets), it may be that a gray blanket wraps around you. All the fun is over, the gifts unwrapped, your savings account is exceptionally low, and it's going to be a long, long wait for that little bed on the beach. Then you might as well make the best of it and seek happiness from within. They say these books change your life. I find that a bit far-fetched, but if they carry us through January, we've already come a long way, right?
Books are burpees for the brain.
1. Thirteen things mentally strong people don’t do – Amy Morin
Amy Morin is a psychotherapist and describes how mentally strong people look at how they positively tackle life's challenges and strategies to not let the heavy burdens of life and sad events disrupt them. I'm adding it to my cart now.
2. Less Doing, More Living – Ari Meisel
Ari Meisel guides you through nine fundamental steps that ensure you are no longer a slave to your to-do list. This way, you tackle your tasks faster and have, ta-da, more time left for fun things. Like doing absolutely nothing, for example.
3. How Will You Measure Your Life? – Clayton Christensen, James Allworth and Karen Dillon
This book holds up a mirror to you, allowing you to see whether you are ultimately leading the life you desire. Perhaps you've invested heavily in your career but are losing a lot of happiness in the area of family and home. This book helps you unravel what is truly important to you.
4. Finding Your Element – Ken Robinson
I would also recommend this book to every high school student. It helps you search within yourself for your passion. That specific something that makes your heart race. What is your great love, your passion? You have probably been shaped by social pressure, by your parents' wishes, by teachers who thought something was right for you. But does that align with who you truly are?
5. Emotional Intelligence – Daniel Goleman
I often say this during a workday that can get a bit heated: first, let the emotion pass. This fits perfectly with Daniel Goleman's ideas. Because no matter how important emotions are, they can sometimes negatively influence a decision. Did you know that if your heart rate is above 100 beats per minute, you are too emotional to think rationally? Therefore, it's important to let that pass when you're very angry or sad and then look at the situation again with a more businesslike eye. This book helps you keep your emotions in balance.
I got this nice list from the Blinkist app, which is why the titles are in English. I kept these titles as I found them stronger than the translations. Some books have also been published in Dutch.
