5 books That Would Change Your World

The world has changed. For the foreseeable future, our lives are bound never to be the same again when we survive the Covid-19 pandemic. Just when we thought 2020 was going to be “the year”, life threw its middle finger at us, reminding us- nothing is for certain.

Let’s look at the bright side and realize as we observe stricter preventive measures from no handshakes to social distancing and staying home, our social freedom has been exchanged for invaluable “me-time”.

Remember the ole saying “time is money”? Dare I say you are literally a millionaire. Time to kick in some self-development. The world could do with less shitty people after the pandemic.

Here are 5 books that could change your perspective on life, happiness and love.

5. THE DENIAL OF DEATH

If you follow my blog closely, you will realize how many references I make to this book. Ernest Becker after his diagnoses of terminal colon cancer went on to write the Pulitzer prize-winning “The Denial Of Death”.

In his generational changing book, he came to a brutal discovery of a deeply ingrained subconscious secret- we are all making an elaborate effort not to die. Wonder why you eat, take medicines when sick, greedy politicians hoard embezzled cash to build mansions and businesses that outlive them? Ernest Becker slaps it in your face- the knowledge of our mortality fuels an emotional and physical response to our basic survival mechanism.

Learn how confronting your mortality could drive you on to achieve the impossible. Devour this book.

Read: How Many Tomorrows We Got?

MY TOP 2 QUOTES FROM THE BOOK:

The idea of death, the fear of it, haunts the human animal like nothing else; it is a mainspring of human activity – designed largely to avoid the fatality of death, to overcome it by denying in some way that it is the final destiny of man.

Ernest Becker

What man really fears is not so much extinction, but extinction with insignificance.

Ernest Becker

4. THE HAPPINESS EQUATION

Written in our gene codes is a quest for insatiable happiness. We fall into the trap of thinking there is that one thing out there that could give us eternal bliss. But what does Happiness mean to you? A definite end goal or a self-entitled psychedelic emotion that needs refuelling every other day? Neil Pasricha’s The Happiness Equation is a total blast to read. Discover nine scientifically-backed secrets to happiness that show you by wanting nothing and doing anything, you can have everything. Sounds too simplistic?

TOP QUOTES FROM THE BOOK

“There is nothing more satisfying than being loved for who you are and nothing more painful than being loved for who you’re not but pretending to be.”

NEIL PASRICHa

“Start doing something, you’ll continue.. why? Because motivation doesn’t cause action. Action causes motivation.”

Neil Pasricha

3. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY

Nice guys finish last. Maybe they really don’t. If you have watched Netflix’s critically-acclaimed series “You”, you would have a perfect prototype of what it feels like to suffer from the “nice-guy-syndrome”. Are you terribly lacking the courage to say “NO” to people? Do you find yourself putting your needs and wants last? Have you laid back to realize just how manipulative you are in communicating your needs? This is where “niceness” stops.

Robert A. Glover goes downright dirty in exploring the psychology behind the “niceness mindset” and detailing just how you can escape the niceness trap.

TOP QUOTES FROM THE BOOK

“There are no perfect relationships. There are no perfect partners. Relationships by their very nature are chaotic, eventful, and challenging.”

Robert glover

“Toxic shame is the belief that one is inherently bad, defective, different, or unlovable. Toxic shame is not just a belief that one does bad things, it is a deeply held core belief that one is bad.

ROBERT GLOVER

A masterpiece worth reading! Check out the blog post- 20 rules to live by based on this book.

2. UNF*CK YOUR SELF

From time in memorial, the enemy has always been the biblical hellboy-ish guy with a pitchfork as props. Truth is, the enemy really isn’t a mystical creature but the one who stares right at you in the mirror. Wake up, you are a fucking miracle of being!

You have played a major role in self-sabotaging yourself, but wait, this is where it all stops. Unfuck yourself. This book should really take top place in your bookshelf. It is everything you need to truly understand you are the true enemy in your life story.

TOP QUOTES FROM THE BOOK

“you must first accept that while there are things that have happened in your life that you had no say in, you are 100 percent responsible for what you do with your life in the aftermath of those events. Always, every time, no excuses.”

GARY J BISHOP

“I am not my thoughts; I am what I do.”

gARY J. BISHOP

If you are easily offended, this book isn’t for you.

1. THE SUBTLE ART OF NOT GIVING A F*UCK

There are two reasons this book takes top spot. One, Mark Manson inspired me to start this blog, and two for an undeniable reason, this book is fucking unawesome. Mark Manson rewires your thinking on how you perceive the concept of happiness, love and self-discovery.

This book isn’t about becoming a nonchalant antisocial asshole but rather focusing on really giving deep fucks about things that really matter. Not social media, celebrities, nor who banged the neighbour’s daughter last night. Everything in this book is counterintuitive and throws all you know upside down leaving you a much better person than you were before you read this book.

TOP QUOTES FROM BOOK

“You and everyone you know are going to be dead soon. And in the short amount of time between here and there, you have a limited amount of fucks to give. Very few, in fact. And if you go around giving a fuck about everything and everyone without conscious thought or choice—well, then you’re going to get fucked.”

MARK MANSON

“Life is essentially an endless series of problems. The solution to one problem is merely the creation of another.”

MARK MANSON

CONCLUSION

There you have it guys. You are solely responsible for how your life story pans out. Make good use of your time. Make notes while you read these books and put them into action little by little and watch your life take a different turn.

My heart goes out to all who have been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. My biggest respect goes out to all front-line health workers working around the clock saving lives. Please obey all the safety precautionary measures put in place to stop the spread.

We all have a role to play in this fight and that begins with staying at home. We will survive this.

Got any books to recommend, do well to drop it in the comment section. Stay safe out there.

Cheers, DrC.

Cover Image Credit: Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash