Changes are necessary, especially in this whole life thing where we are
all trying to succeed in. And these changes are fantastic. Wonderful.
Soul-stretching. But, when we're all in this air of change- thinking about
going back to school after the vacation, finding ways to get over school,
looking for new opportunities, starting afresh, thinking about future, dealing
with happiness or sadness- change can be very hard. As a book lover, I have
found solace within the mellow pages of a paperback. In them, another person
throws us an anchor made from their thoughts and feelings. The words show us
that the change we are aiming for, our struggle, our need, our hurt, is not
ours alone. That someone before us has been in the thick of it. And in their
own small way, they help us change. A lot of us aim for change everyday. A
change within ourselves, a change that makes us better and a change that can
make this world better.
After feeling a need of change myself, I went through some of the
books which made me feel overwhelmingly positive for a very long time, and made
me aim for change. Hope you all also try and aim for the better change with the
help of these recommendations.
- The
Secret
The Secret is a self-help book about the power of positive thinking by Rhonda Byrne. The book is based on a theory called the “law of attraction” – a principle that basically states “like attracts like.” The author focuses on the idea that our dreams do come true – thinking about what we want, will attract those things to us, causing them to manifest in your life. Likewise, fretting over a negative scenario will only cause our fears to be realized. There are no accidents and bad luck. Instead, the author writes, “Your life right now is a reflection of your past thoughts.”
This book gave a very enlightened and fresh perspective into the realm of our thinking. But the lessons in it are effective only when put into practice daily.
- The
Alchemist
This one was the first book I read by Paulo Coelho, and soon after reading this I was totally hooked on to his work! The main essence of the book lies in its most beautiful line "There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure." It teaches us that when we really desires something, the whole universe will conspire to help us realize our dream. The book fills one with positivity. We are all born with a goal to achieve. Our work is to realize the goal and work towards achieving it, to never lose hope and have belief that one day we will get through the dark times and reach the ultimate goal of our lives.
- Man's
Search for Meaning
This book was recommended to me by my psychology teacher as it revolves around the therapeutic method of identifying a purpose in life to feel positive about and then attaining the desired outcome. The author and psychologist, Viktor Frankl writes about his experiences in the Auschwitz concentration camps. The book has two parts, Part One talks about the happenings at the Holocaust, and how his stay at Auschwitz striped him of an essential part of his humanity, and how he also realizes that even in the direst of circumstances he still searched for meaning in life. Part Two talks about 'Logotherapy'- the art of searching for purpose in life, which keeps the soul content. Much recommended for psychology enthusiasts!
- To
Kill a Mockingbird
Atticus Finch is one of my most favorite fictional character. Striking not only as a noble man, but also a virtuous parent, he teaches his children the skill of acceptance. the ability to not judge a book by its cover, the power to change as time goes by, the mastery in not destroying nature's beauty and to be courageous and stand up for ourselves.
There are many lessons the book puts forward and the beauty of Harper Lee's writing is such that these lessons stay with a person for a very long time.
- Like
the Flowing River
Another amazing book by Paulo Coelho, which stayed with me for a very long time. The best thing about this book is that through a collection of anecdotes, thoughts and stories, the author offers glimpses of magic. Some chapters are very short, merely a few paragraphs or maximum two pages. Finishing those chapters may leave you feeling empty – as if a story is suddenly cut short half-way through. Yet as you let the words sink in, you realize that it is us who is meant to fill in the empty spaces with our own thoughts, our own reflections, meanings and dreams.
All these books give us snippets of the mundane and if you were closer, magic hides behind those words, the magic that will push us forward.
Although there may be some parts of some books that get lost, that may not
resonate with everyone, but you will all surely find one that speaks to you.
You will find in those strange moments where the words seem to reflect back on
our life, it’s as if they were written especially for you. And that’s the
fascinating thing about words, isn’t it – how you can sometimes see yourself
looking back from the page?
