April 5, 2020
You guys. I hear you. I feel you. It’s getting tougher by the minute. We’re currently approaching week 4 of being stuck at home and I don’t know about you but… I feel like I’ve thrown all my good intentions and high energy levels overboard back in week 1 already. *shrugs guiltily*
So to keep me and you inspired I decided to start this little “Quarantips”-Series in which I share my favorite things and ideas with you. You can find the short version of that on Instagram and the longer one (including personal thoughts etc) on the blog. And I’m glad you’re here with me! So let’s dive right into it 🙂
I’m kicking this whole thing off with books. As we all have a little more time on our hands now, why not spend it wisely? And I’m sure that “reading” sneaked its way on your to-do-list as well. And while I do occasionally enjoy an easy novel, today I want to share 5 books that have actually impacted my life, choices and way of thinking in one way or another. So here they are, in no particular order:
1. The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A Fuck (Mark Manson)
It’s really all in the title. As someone who’s sometimes struggling with being 100% confident in themselves, this book was a real game changer for me. Don’t we all sometimes care too much about what others think of us? And why is everyone pretending to be happy all the time? Turns out, forcing positivity won’t help solving your problems. Learn when to give up, when not to care and do so in a funny, provoking and sometimes even vulgar way.
Reading this book has opened my eyes in many different ways, indirectly calling me out on things I didn’t even notice I did/said them before I read about them from Manson. So if you ever feel like you’re holding yourself back or wasting too much energy on others instead of investing it in you – this is the book for you.
2. Indistractable (Nir Eyal)
This is the latest addition to my shelf. I bought Indistractable in February, after a very challenging half year. I just finished the first semester of my Masters degree while working part time in a PR-Agency and consistently running my Instagram on the side. The blog itself I had to lay aside years ago already, due to lack of time and energy. This winter I had hit a wall. I felt like my mind was in 1000 different places at once and I’ve lost my focus.
That’s why spotting Indistractable in the book store seemed like a sign from the universe to me. And it’s truly been a blessing! What I loved most about it is that it comes with free downloadable material that you can fill out while reading it. And that helped me to actually focus on it and reflect on my own behavior – quite ironic, isn’t it? Besides helpful tips it comes with interesting facts about what it means to truly focus and the colossal faults of the digital era we’re currently living in.
So: if you find yourself generally overwhelmed with life every once in a while, if you feel consumed by your phone or feel like you simply have too many to do’s and no motivation to tackle them –> please do yourself a favor and read this book. 🙂
3. How To Be A Hepburn In A Kardashian World (Jordan Christy)
A book as entertaining as the title suggests! I’ve never read such an openhearted, crudely honest book before in my entire life. Telling tales and stories from her own life, mistakes she had made and lessons she had learned, the author takes you on an amusing reading-journey to a better you.
Out of all the books I’m suggesting today, this one is by far the “lightest” read (without meaning to downgrade it by any means!). By that I simply mean that the others are often basing their contents on scientific literature and research, whereas Jordan Christy simply refers to her own life and surroundings. I bought it two years ago and still like to flip through the pages or randomly remember a tale out of it when I find myself in a similar situation, asking myself: What would Jordan Christy, or better: what would Audrey Hepburn, do?
4. The Art Of Thinking Clearly (Rolf Dobelli)
This book is divided into many independent, short chapters, giving it a list-character. Some of them only making up 2-3 pages. That’s what makes it really easy to pick it up and put it down at any time. I would sometimes read one chapter for 10mins while having my morning coffee, or 2 chapters on my commute to work. A perfect gap-filler so to say!
Anyways: it’s very nice and darn informative read. If you’re a little “fun fact” queen like myself then you’ll enjoy this a lot. Every chapter deals with a certain human misconception or fault in the ways we think and is often backed up with examples from history, the present or scientific researches. Nerds unite! haha. 😉
5. Think Like A Freak (Steven L. & Stephen D.)
I really like to compare Think Like A Freak to The Art Of Thinking Clearly. In a way, they both deal with decision-making, although this one has a more economical focus. TLAF is also separated in many short, independent chapters which makes it an easy read.
With many real life case studies the authors try to inspire the reader to think “outside the box” and get creative with their ideas. As someone aspiring a career in marketing/PR where creativity is a must, this book has taught me some interesting things and shown me different perspectives. And what’s more: from the way it’s written it’s far from boring, it actually gave me quite a few chuckles here and then. 😉
And that’s it! I hope you enjoyed my book tips and that I was able to spark your curiosity on one or the other.
As I’m constantly looking for inspiration myself: which are your favorite books? Let me know in the comments or shoot me a quick DM/Email, I’m looking forward to hearing from you! 🙂
Read you soon, your
Alice
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