What can be said about 2020 which hasn’t already been said? An awful year went by with so many fluctuations we are yet to get accustomed to. While some lost their jobs, others lost their loved ones and somewhere down the year, we lost ourselves in these 365 days of pure chaos.
But 2020 has come with a lot of understanding, empathy and gratitude. People have realised the value of life and can comprehend the quality of life they were living before. The world had taken a long pause this year which gets us to the question, what should we be equipped with for the next year 2021?
This year has made us realise the importance of change and how it is the only constant in our lives. It has enhanced our understanding of life, of human behaviour, the way of nature and the atrocities we’d committed without acknowledging misdoings.
This year was the year of politics, of social responsibility, of better judgement and self-identity and equal rights. This year gave birth to a healthy discussion on mental health as well.
These times have taken a toll on our health and mind-set, making us all a little anxious and self-aware. They say that to train oneself you need to train your mind and sharpen it, as your brain is your sword. Like a sword needs a whetstone, your mind needs knowledge and books are one of the best sources for it.
We all know that ‘Knowledge is Power’ and for 2021, I believe it is this very knowledge that will shape the upcoming years which is why reading will never go out of style.
If you’ve survived 2020: 6 Books To Read For People Who Want To Get Into The Habit Of Reading This 2021
Hence we have come up with a list of ten amazing books to read in 2021 If you’ve survived 2020 which will equip you and help you make better choices in the years to come.
10 Books To Read In 2021
You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life – by Jen Sincero
Starting with this slightly tongue-in-cheek yet a very powerful statement, this book aids your journey to self-discovery and overcome your bad habit of self-doubt. It’ll help you understand yourself much better and help you love this badass, confident side of yours.
Declutter Your Mind – by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport
Positivity and Negativity are two sides of the same coin. As much as we need positivity this year, we need to understand how to tackle negativity. Negativity, as mentioned earlier is a part and parcel of life, which makes it natural for us to be sad, but according to the authors, this negativity must not affect your daily actions, especially your mindset and goals.
This book will help you understand the toxicity of negativity and how an overwhelmed you can turn into a better thinker.
Turning Adversity into Advantage – by Laura Huang
Laura Huang is a Harvard Business School professor and she has beautifully explained as to how success is not about just ideas and skills. It is all about human psyche; how deep you can delve into the minds of others and shape their perceptions of your strengths and weaknesses.
You can learn how to inspire other people and market your assets, and find your niche; what makes you: YOU.
The Happiness Advantage – by Shawn Achor
Happiness. What is happiness? What is it to you, to others? Do everyone feel happy for different reasons? Do you need to be happy to be successful? And some other questions are what this book answers wonderfully. Achor is a former Harvard University lecturer and uses numbers, research work and case studies to explain how happiness is a personal quotient and how powerful you are once you’re internally happy and positive.
Radically Happy: A User’s Guide to the Mind – by Phakchok Rinpoche and Erric Soloman
Another one about happiness (because we’ve been through a series of tough times), Phakchok Rinpoche is a teacher of the Nyingma lineage and chief lineage holder of the Taklung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. This book is a Buddhist way of finding happiness from within, to understand basic happiness, interconnected happiness and radical happiness. It is a strikingly fascinating book which connects the readers through personal stories, science and applied logic, peppered with tips to have a positive mind-set. It is a perfect book for people who wish to understand the ancient philosophy and how to apply this wisdom in the modern world.
7 Habits Of Highly Effective People – by Stephen R. Covey
This book is sort of a bible for many entrepreneurs and leaders, and also people who wish to be effective and efficient in their career.
A classic for years, Covey explains how to create habits which will be fruitful in the long run, be proactive and always apply logic, and how you can better your understanding of life and live properly and reliably.
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don’t Know – by Malcolm Gladwell
The reason why this book was recommended is because building connections in any field is very important and to develop the social skill of speaking with strangers in a decent and pleasant manner is very crucial.
Talking to strangers is a guide for people who have trouble forming new relationships or are nervous or clueless about building relationships. Even Oprah Winfrey says “Reading this book changed me!”
“How to Get Sh*t Done,” by Erin Falconer
Again, tongue-in-cheek title but very inspiring for the procrastinating lot in the back!
This book is for those lazy-bums who make endless lists and manage to finish none.
If you wish to change your procrastinating habit and want to be productive and check off all the items on your to-do list. Plot twist: The first step to getting it all done is to give you a break! Author Erin Falconer believes that the first step to doing more is to actually do less.
Her advice will help you off-load the extras in order to swing your attention to the important aspects of your life.
Judgment Detox – by Gabby Bernstein
This book is actually a six-part spiritual book or a guide which explains how our own judgements play a very toxic role in our lives. 2020 has been an eye-opener for all and this book is handy when it comes to dealing with the negativity and toxicity.
Negativity drains us and makes us incapable of thinking anything good for ourselves. Thankfully, this book is a blessing in disguise and will help you get rid of those thoughts that creep in at night and make yourself a positive person with good health.
21 reasons for the 21st century by Yuval Noah Harari
And last but not the least, this book is for everyone who takes a keen interest in life. This book talks about humans in the age of bewilderment. It talks about the past, present and future and how our current doings will determine the course of future. A must-read for all the 21st-century kids out there who wish to see a change or better, be the change!
BONUS
The Friendship formula: Add great friends, Subtract toxic people and Multiply your happiness – by Caroline Millington
Summarising 2020, if nothing, we can safely conclude by saying that it wasn’t particularly a nice year, if not for the world. We’ve introspected in our lives and found out so many toxic people, who never cared about anything but themselves.
Basically, 2020 was the year we purged many toxic relationships and this book exactly prompts us to do, for our own well-being and mental health.
This book not only helps to eliminate toxicity but also helps in making winner friends who will help you grow in long term.
So these were our recommendations on the book you need to read, to understand humanity, to understand the world, nature, our minds and most importantly, you.
Thank you
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