3 books I’d recommend everyone to read

I wasn’t someone who had the habit of reading all my life. I started reading only after school, maybe even much later. My dad always used to tell me to read more when I was younger, but somehow, I kept ignoring him until I picked up my first book.

I had completed schooling and had enrolled in a professional course( which I never finished because of various reasons :P) and I really needed a hobby in between studying. That is when I had joined a library near my home and started borrowing books that genuinely interested me.

Like most girls, I started with Indian romance novels, and even now, I mostly pick fiction in the romance or feel-good genre. For the longest time, I thought self-help books were boring and never felt like reading them until I came across the three books I’m about to recommend.

These books have helped me understand life, myself, and given me a completely fresh perspective on self-help books.

1. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

This is the most interesting self-help book I have ever read. It doesn’t feel like a book full of advice. Instead, it tells a story, and that story is so engaging that I couldn’t put it down.

The book is about discovering yourself, embracing your creativity, nurturing your curiosity, and pursuing your passions while balancing the other aspects of life. I read this back in 2022, and one line has stayed with me ever since: following your passion to make a living is overrated, and those who get to do it are fortunate. Most people have a day job that funds their passions. This book realistically encourages us to live a creatively fulfilling life.

2. The Mountain Is You by Brianna Wiest

This book is about self-sabotage.

If you haven’t heard of self-sabotage before, it’s nothing new. It’s something most of us naturally keep doing with ourself. Self-sabotage refers to the unconscious behaviors and thoughts that hold us back from fulfilling our deepest needs. Procrastination, negative self-talk, and avoiding opportunities often rooted in fear or insecurity, are all signs of self-sabotage.

This book helps us identify and understand our patterns, and it gives us answers in ways we never expect. Consider this book your free therapy session!

3. Atomic Habits by James Clear

This one is a no-brainer. I’m sure you’ve all heard of this book, and many of you have probably read it.

This book gave me so much clarity on how to build habits and, more importantly, how to make them stick. It’s not the kind of book you read once and put away. It’s one you’ll keep coming back to. Every time you pick it up, you understand a part of it in a way you never did before.

These are my top three books that I’ll always go back to. None of them are meant to be read just once. They’re the kind of books you can re-read over and over again, and somehow, you’ll discover a new perspective every single time.

These books also completely changed my perception of self-help books. While I still love my fiction and read it just as much, self-help books carry powerful lessons. It almost feels like having mentors talk to us through the pages.

So, in conclusion, all I want to say is this: READ.

If you’re already a reader, that’s amazing. But if you haven’t started yet, there’s no better time than now. Whatever your age, wherever you are, or whatever genre you enjoy it doesn’t matter. Just start reading.

I’m sure you’ll love it, and one day you’ll wish you had started sooner.

Like Prajakta Kohli says, “A person who is not reading is missing a major life experience and a relationship with yourself that you will never discover without starting to read.”

And I couldn’t agree more.

So, what are you waiting for?

Happy reading!