FIVE BOOKS THAT WILL IMPROVE YOUR LIFE

I have a slight confession, my dear readers. I am not perfect. I don’t pretend that you might not be shocked at this statement, but I say it because 1. it is the truth and 2. there have been many times I have found myself reading a blog, sighing, and wondering how these magical people came to live their magical perfect lives.

I’ve come to realize that magical lives actually take a lot of work, and can often be two steps forward, one step back (or seven!) kind of a journey. I’ve learned that self-forgiveness, health in the body and mind, as well as finding the balance of being an adult while holding on to a youthful appreciation for the world, can make all of the difference when you finally allow yourself to go after that “magical” life.

Today, I want to share with you some of the books that have become the stepping stones that have helped me find my way to becoming a well-fed and rested, dare I say, adult, who takes time to follow her passions. It is my hope that these five books will become books that will improve your life like they were for me.

The Crossroads of Should and Must. Find and Follow Your Passion – by Elle Luna

When I lived in Chicago, I used to take a train when I wanted to visit my hometown. Near the train station was a Barnes and Noble, and from time to time I would stop in and grab something to read before going to the station.

On the shelf, I saw this book with a beautiful cover, and I decided to pick it up and thumb through it. Inside I saw more beautiful watercolor illustrations and phrases like:

“How long will you wait to honor who you are?”

“You should get this book”, a little voice in my head told me, and so I did. When I got on that train, I plopped down and devoured the book, in which Elle Luna discussed her transition from the corporate world into becoming a full-time artist. With each of her tips and bits of advice on how anyone can make a career change into something that is their calling, I found myself swelled with emotion and desire to find my own calling.

That day I began building my own path towards my artistic goals, one of them being this blog!

Food Rules: an Eater’s Manual – by Michael Pollan

I first became aware of Michael Pollan when I watched his Netflix docuseries, Cooked. As someone who grew up eating Velveeta cheese, Doritos, and a variety of other processed foods while sitting in front of the television, I found myself touched by Michael’s message of the necessity of not only eating natural foods but the need to bring traditions back to the way we eat.

Food Rules: an Eater’s Manual, is a perfect accompaniment to where the show left off. In this short and wonderfully illustrated book, Michael breaks down different rules that help shift away from the standard Westernized way of approaching food (quick, processed, and in front of the TV). I view these “rules” as a kind of pathway for me to find balance and joy in the whole act of cooking and eating in a healthy and fun way. You can pick and choose which rules fit your lifestyle best, but it all comes down to this simple rule:

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly Plants.”

Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps – Kelly Williams Brown 

This book came into my life at the perfect time in my 20s. I was working in an office, living alone in the big city, and I could feel the adulting power that was starting to grow within me, every single day. Just like anyone, I found myself dealing with some “gaps” in my adulting education.

This book helped a lot with seeing gaps that I wasn’t even aware of, in areas of career, taking care of my home, personal relationships, and a lot more. Even if you aren’t in your 20’s, I think it could be a great refresher for anyone who maybe feels stuck in one area and wants to find actionable steps they can take. I am a much more organized person thanks to this book!

The Little Book of Hygge – Danish Secrets to Happy Living – By Meik Wiking

Oh, how I love the idea of Hygge! What is Hygge, you might ask? Well, in a nutshell, Hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”) is the Danish concept of taking pleasure in the soothing and coziness of everyday life. The more you take pleasure in these simple things, the more joy you will find in life. This book talks about how to bring these concepts to your dinner table, friendships, family time, and home.

Like most of the books on my list, this book has a special place in my heart, because it elevates how one should treat their body, their relationships, and their food. Just as Food Rules inspired me to change what I eat, Hygge inspired me on HOW to eat. I used to hate cooking, but this book taught me how to put my heart into each meal and snack, in ways that fit inside the food rules that Michael Pollan taught me.

In regards to Hygge, you will hear a lot of about candles and cozy blankets, but for me, it is more than that. It has given me the passion of creating a space that reflects who I am, and to make a space that is warm and welcoming to friends and family.

Like with the Adulting book, you may find that there are areas in your life that are missing a certain something. The Little Book of Hygge did just that for me, and I have been able to fill my home with so much more warmth and love because of it!

The Power of When – By Michael Breus

I used to find myself constantly saying, “I’m tired of being tired”. At one point in my life it was almost like a little mantra, and no matter how much sleep I got, I was always feeling tired. Then one day, I was flipping through a magazine, and I saw a little quiz about finding your Chronotype. “What the heck is a Chronotype”, I wondered, and when I read on I found out that a Chronotype is the “classification of the general timing of your own biological clock”, and not only that, there are more than just Day and Night people. There are in fact, four different Chronotypes people can fall under, all named after different animals that the Chronotypes mimic.

After I took the quiz, I found out that I am a “Bear” type – or someone who is sensitive to the solar cycle.

Intrigued by this concept, I discovered that the Chronotypes were created by a sleep scientist by the name of Michael Breus. His website has it’s own quiz to find your chronotype, and I confirmed again that I was a bear. What interested me further, while reading his website, is that Chronotypes not only affect when you should go to sleep and wake up, they also affect what time of day you should do things like eat, workout, hang out with friends, etc.

I was hooked on the idea and decided to buy his book and put his theories to the test. Ladies and Gentlemen, it changed EVERYTHING! I had more energy, I figured out my peak work hours, and it made me all around a more motivated person!

If you are curious about what it could change for you, I recommend taking the online quiz. Even if you don’t decide to purchase the book, it can be fun to get more insights about yourself.

So, there you have it! These are the books that have helped me improve the most, and I hope that you give them a read! Be sure to comment if you’ve read any of these books, and let me know how any of these books have improved your life!