Books for Your Best Self
2021 really put me through the ringer, to be honest, and I’m glad it’s over. One of the overwhelmingly positive things that came out of this difficult year, though, is a renewed passion for reading. While I love suspense, mystery, and psychological thrillers, I also devoured several non-fiction works in search of my best self. As you consider goals and resolutions for the new year, I thought you might be looking for your best self, too! Here are a few of my favorites, with a few key takeaways that you can apply right away (without even reading the book).
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times, Katherine May
“Doing those deeply unfashionable things—slowing down, letting your spare time expand, getting enough sleep, resting—is a radical act now, but it is essential.”
We all go through phases that challenge us, that require less doing and more weathering - “wintering,” as Katherine May refers to it. Part memoir, part guidebook, Wintering explores her own difficult times and the things that helped her endure them - cold water swimming, routines, and reading - plus, lessons drawn from surviving the winter from cultures around the Arctic Circle.
Key takeaway: it’s normal to experience “down” times in our lives, and by learning to lean into them and take care of ourselves through them, we will emerge ready to face the next phase.
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones, James Clear
“All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger. Roots entrench themselves and branches grow. The task of breaking a bad habit is like uprooting a powerful oak within us. And the task of building a good habit is like cultivating a delicate flower one day at a time.”
An easy read with tons of practical applications, Atomic Habits is a perfect pick for the New Year, when we’re setting resolutions. Using the ideas in this book, you might actually stick to them this year. Lots of bonus resources are available at atomichabits.com.
Key takeaway: small daily habits are what make or break our success; use them to create a system that supports your desired identity (“I am a person who meditates daily”) and make them easier to stick to with proven methods like habit stacking.
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams, Matthew Walker
“There does not seem to be one major organ within the body, or process within the brain, that isn’t optimally enhanced by sleep (and detrimentally impaired when we don’t get enough).”
This book opened my eyes to the very real, negative implications of not getting enough sleep. I’ve struggled with periods of insomnia for several years, and after reading Why We Sleep, I was shocked to learn how many areas of our lives are impacted by inadequate sleep. Fortunately, the book also goes into some ways to improve your sleep hygiene and set yourself up for success, night after night, and the quality of my sleep has noticeably improved thanks to the suggestions provided. I was also fascinated to learn about the purpose of dreaming (only theories, at this point) and biphasic sleep (which used to be the norm before electric lights).
Key takeaway: sleep is the absolute most important thing you can do for your health, so take that extra hour when you need it! This book is full of information about the consequences of sleep deprivation that will startle you into improving your sleep habits. If you frequently suffer from insomnia, look into CBT-I, a type of cognitive behavioral therapy specific to insomnia, demonstrated to be much more effective than medication.
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, Heather McGhee
“The antiquated belief that some groups of people are better than others distorts our politics, drains our economy, and erodes everything Americans have in common, from our schools to our air to our infrastructure.”
Of all the books and resources on structural racism that I’ve read or consumed, this was one of the most powerful. Our financially-focused society has somehow established an enduring structure that makes no financial sense. The Sum of Us breaks down the economic impacts of structural racism and demonstrates how it has eroded our health, education, infrastructure, climate, democracy and more.
Key takeaway: “targeted universalism” describes an approach to policy-making that solves the problems of the worst-off members of the group in a way that benefits all members. (This is conceptually similar to universal design, an architecture concept which has given us gifts like airport bathrooms that don’t require us to touch faucets and doors.) Heather McGhee estimates that eliminating the inequality gaps described in the book would increase the GDP by trillions of dollars. As the saying goes, “a rising tide lifts all ships.”
The Truth of Yoga: A Comprehensive Guide to Yoga’s History, Texts, Philosophy, and Practices, Daniel Simpson
“I enjoyed getting bendy and breathing more freely. But after a while I wanted more. Some of my teachers liked quoting from texts, such as the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutra. Yet as far as I could tell, these had little in common with what we were doing. … And the more I read, the less I felt I understood.”
Students of yoga who practice only asana (the poses of the physical practice) are missing out on a rich and complex philosophical system dating back to the Indus Valley civilization. (In my opinion, this is an essential part of the practice, and helps us to stay towards the side of cultural appreciation rather than appropriation.) But even if you’re interested in exploring the source texts of yoga, you might find them challenging to read through and especially to truly understand. The Truth of Yoga selects key passages and concepts from the source texts to explain in a few sentences - the ultimate “quick reference guide” to yoga. Easy to read and understand, broken into sections as short as a paragraph and no longer than a few pages, this is the book I wish I had during my yoga teacher training.
Key takeaway: I had so many lightbulb moments while reading this, as I connected the dots between concepts I’ve heard frequently in yoga classes but never knew the source of or didn’t truly understand. If you’re interested in, but intimidated by, yoga philosophy, start here - the references are thorough, so you can follow whatever catches your attention back to the source for further learning.
