5 Most Inspiring Books to Help You Start Afresh in The New Year

‘It’s never too late to become who you want to be. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.’

F. Scott Fitzgerald

As this year comes to an end, let us revisit and reflect upon our thoughts and experiences from the past year. As we do so, let us also imagine new possibilities for the coming year. Now is the perfect time to start thinking about starting over, creating something new, changing your life, starting a healthy habit, or keeping the good things going. One way to align your thoughts with the vision you have for yourself for the year 2022 is to read books that will help you manifest these changes. To help you separate the best from the rest, we’ve prepared a list of 5 books that will transform your mindset and inspire you to make the most out of the year to come-

1. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

With its promising subtitle “Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results” The #1 New York Times bestseller has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. In this book, Clear suggests his model consisting of four steps called cue, craving, response, and reward. Needless to say, it is effective. If you want to get your life together, the first step is to create good habits. However, if you’re like most, that’s easier said than done. Perhaps you’ve bought the running shoes or signed up for the fancy new gym, but after a strong start, you’ve fizzled out. This is because creating new habits is hard without understanding the science behind the process. Atomic Habits explains the psychology of habit formation. It explores why so many good intentions fail. Clear also gives step-by-step instructions on how to make healthy habits stick.

2. Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo

If your goals for the new year are to face your fears, fulfil your dreams, and finally figure out the seemingly unsolvable puzzle that is your life, try Everything Is Figureoutable. Even Cheryl Strayed and Elizabeth Gilbert have agreed that Marie Forleo truly has the answers to all of life’s problems. In the pages of this book, you’ll find everything you need to change your way of thinking. Forleo will help you go from beating yourself up to lifting yourself up, even when life gets rough. This light, inspiring book will pump you up with optimism. Thus, even if you’re staring down the hardest year of your life, in the coming year you’ll be able to take everything that comes your way and make something from it.

3. Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit

The subtitle of Solnit’s book reads “Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities” -a clear indication of the book’s optimistic message. If you’re trying to go into 2021 with a sense of positivity, read Hope in the Dark. In this popular book, Rebecca Solnit makes the case for radical hope in the face of despair. Solnit isn’t suggesting that we suppress our fears and pretend to be happy; instead, she does encourage everyone to celebrate small victories and avoid giving up, even when the future looks grim. After all, it’s all about manifesting positive thoughts to see positive results.

4. Your Illustrated Guide to Becoming One With The Universe, by Yumi Sakugawa

 We all go into the new year with high expectations of ourselves: such as to be wildly productive, or athletic, or lucky in love. But before we start trying to hit all those ambitious goals, though, we should take a moment to breathe. Your Illustrated Guide To Becoming One With The Universe is an excellent book to read if you want to centre yourself first. Read this book whenever you’re feeling stressed or overburdened. Yumi Sakugawa employs beautiful ink drawings and calming text to help you breathe deeper, let go of stress, and just allow yourself to exist as a being in the universe. If 2022 is anything like 2021, we’re all going to need this book to stay centred.

5. Ikigai by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles

The Japanese believe that everyone has an ikigai – a reason to jump out of bed each morning. Also, unsurprisingly, finding that reason is key to a long, happy, fulfilling life. This beautiful little book will be your own mini-guide to finding your own ikigai in the new year. It will also inspire you to pursue it no matter what obstacles come. It could be dancing or cooking. Or it could just be taking care of that one special someone. Whatever it is, this warm, patient, reassuring book will break everything down into achievable and believable steps so that you can step on the path to pursuing more joy in your everyday life. 

The new year is a good time to visualise your goals for the coming year. It is also the perfect time to read more books that will get you into the spirit of welcoming fresh starts. These six books can be your guiding lights throughout your new journey. We hope this year brings you closer to your dreams!

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