Life is never simple for anyone; however, wouldn’t an easy life be dull?
As problems like anxiety and existential crises have set roots, self-help books have flooded the book market. Readers seek help from these mantras to live a balanced life. The perspective of life is an important factor in determining your level of satisfaction. If you want to alter your existence, you must alter your thought process.
Here are three books to read that will help you alter your perspectives and lead to a satisfactory life.
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
“The truth is, once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.”
Book Brief
Life is a journey to death, and for a beautiful journey, you need to know the destination.
Mitch Albom’s memoir “Tuesdays with Morrie” explores life, death, ageing, and human connections. Mitch examines topics such as family, love, employment, and the meaning of life through his conversations with Morrie. The book emphasises the significance of living life to the fullest, cultivating relationships, and finding meaning in ordinary moments. The narrative imparts important life lessons and a deeper comprehension of the human experience.
Quote Bank
- “Accept what you are able to do and what you are not able to do.”
- “Love is the only rational act.”
- “The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love and to let it come in.”
- “We’re involved in trillions of little acts just to keep going. So we don’t get into the habit of standing back and looking at our lives and saying, Is that all? Is that all I want? Is something missing?
- “The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. We’re teaching the wrong things. And you have to be strong enough to say, If the culture doesn’t work, don’t buy it. Create your own.”
Reader’s Bank
Here is what “Tuesdays with Morrie” will credit in your readers bank:
- Accept and analyse: Accept death as your final destination. It will help you analyse your journey through life.
- Forgive and Forge: Forgive yourself for what you have not achieved and forge ahead with what you can.
- Grow and Gain: Growing means getting older and gaining from your life experiences.
- Learn and Lead: Learn to live with your dreams and lead your life to success.
Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, by Hector Gracia and Francesc Miralles
“He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how.”
Book Brief
The book “Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life” explores the concept of ikigai, “Reason for Being,” and how it contributes to a life that is fulfilling and meaningful. It explores the philosophy of Japanese culture and presents the concept as the key to a longer, happier, and more meaningful existence.
Quote Bank
- “Concentrating on one thing at a time may be the single most important factor in achieving flow.”
- “Essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.”
- “Existential frustration arises when our lives are without purpose or when that purpose is skewed.”
- “Our ikigai is different for all of us, but one thing we have in common is that we are all searching for meaning.”
Readers Bank
Here is what “Ikigai” will credit in your readers bank:
- Search for meaning. Life without meaning is not worth living. Explore the world to find your goal and reason for being.
- Live a healthy life. Live life in all its colours. Make your life active to seize all the opportunities that come your way.
- Slow down a bit. Man naturally tends to be supersonic in his missions. But we have to accept the fact that rushing ruins the race. Slow down in your race and analyse the lessons life gives you.
- Accept yourself: You can only understand the world if you understand yourself. Accept your thoughts and stop lying to yourself.
Loss by Siddharth Dhavant Shangvi
“Grief is not a record of what has been lost but of who has been loved.”
Book Brief
In his book titled “Loss,” Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi addresses the classic inquiry, “What does it mean to lose someone?” He uses a series of heartbreaking personal losses, including those of his mother, father, and beloved pet, to compose a moving memoir about mortality and grief. Shanghvi maps the terrain of bereavement with precise detachment and complex emotion as he guides the reader along the dark, obscure path to healing.
Quote Bank
- “Live in fragments no more.”
- “Stories fix us. Stories make us see. Stories remind us how we have failed at love and why we should try harder. Stories teach us when to leave. Stories remind us that we are not alone in our anguish; everyone is a little bit broken and perhaps better for it.”
- “There is a certain part of all of us that lives outside of time.”
Readers Bank
Here is what “Loss” will credit in your readers bank:
- Accept the changes in time. Don’t be stagnant with your past; flow with the waves of time.
- Inevitability of Death: Death comes along with life. It is inevitable and needs to be internalised.
- Grief is love. Grief is a form of incomplete love.