Library
Reading books is a great way to expand your knowledge and helps you on your journey of personal development. The ever-growing list of books to choose from sometimes seems overwhelming. How do you decide which ones actually benefit your purpose? To guide your search, I have compiled a list of books that I have read, which helped me on my journey of personal growth.
This library is regularly updated with new recommendations from my personal bookshelf. I will also use this page to upload files, videos, and other tools that may be helpful or interesting to explore. With so many books out there, some do more harm than good. Others only touch the surface of imagination and offer only short-term solutions. I hope this page, therefore, helps you in the right direction on the road to success with books I believe can make a difference.
My book recommendations
Flow
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
This classic work on happiness presents the general principles that have enabled real people to transform dull and meaningless live into ones full of enjoyment. It introduces the phenomenon of ‘flow’ – a state of joy, creativity, and total involvement, in which problems seem to disappear, and there is an exhilarating feeling of transcendence.
Drawing upon extensive research, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi explains how this pleasurable state can be brought about by all of us and not just left by chance. We each have the potential to experience Flow, whether at work, at play, or in our relationships. Through understanding the concept of Flow, we can learn to live in harmony with ourselves, our society, and, ultimately, with the greater universe. We can return to the state of happiness that is our natural birthright.
The concept and implementation of Flow are sometimes hard to understand. I believe the author tried his best to make this book understandable to everyone, even though it’s occasionally hard to grasp this concept’s scope. Honestly, Flow is for the more advanced reader, and I would advise you to read it in your native language if possible. Once you get more familiar with the concept of Flow throughout the book, it is hard to put it aside. Your time is wisely spent on this one.
Listening skills training
James W. Williams
This book is about improving your listening and conversational skills in which the author takes you through all the steps of becoming a better listener in any conversation. Personally, I am not a big fan of how this book is written, as it feels a bit oversimplified and blog-like. That being said, I would still recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve their listening skills and work on creating a better understanding of their partners, colleagues, or kids, and feel more understood themselves.
The author uses clear examples, skills, and tools to make you more aware of your conversations and teaches you how to become mindful of your talks, better understand what is being said, and feel more appreciated by those you conversate with.
Healing the child within
Charles L. Whitfield M.D.
If you search for understanding the impact your past has on your present, this book is an essential addition to your self-help library. Initially published in 1987 and just as important and relevant today, Healing the child within was one of the first books to explore and define what is meant by the term “Child Within.”
As Dr. Whitfield explains, the “Child Within” refers to that part of each of us that is ultimately alive, energetic, creative, and fulfilled; it is our Real Self who we truly are.
In this book, Dr. Whitfield describes a journey of discovery and healing. He offers gentle guidance through the fear, confusion, and unhappiness that has become a legacy for many adults raised in an alcoholic or dysfunctional family. This book begins where many others describing adult children of alcoholics have left off. Rather than focussing only on the alcoholic family, it defines and fully develops the concept of adult children of dysfunctional families.
I read this book in the early stages of my personal development. I knew I had a damaged inner child in desperate need of care. Getting through this book brought many underlying issues to the surface where I could face and resolve them. It felt like making a new start by closing off what happened in the past, and it helped me in indescribable ways. I highly recommend this book for anyone aware of the damage they suffered in the past and willing to face those self-limiting problems to break the chains of limitation.
The gifts of imperfection
Brené Brown Ph.D.
“Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, no matter what is done and how much is left undone, I am enough. It’s going to bed at night thinking, yes I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes afraid, but that doesn’t change the truth that I am also brave and worthy of love and belonging.” – Brené Brown
In The gifts of imperfection, Brené takes you on a journey through her personal experiences and feelings to show you that we are good the way we are, regardless of our weaknesses, shame, fear, and vulnerabilities. These “imperfections” often significantly limit us in our day-to-day lives and relationships with others and ourselves. With the help of many case studies and personal stories, she does a great job at showing us the other, more positive side of self-limiting thoughts.
It is written to be understood; it is very clear and straight to the point. I bought this book because it came up in many best-selling lists on books for self-help and did not disappoint. I read it, enjoyed it, learned a lot from it, and would recommend it as a solid foundation upon which you can improve yourself even beyond the amazing lessons in this book.
Everyday Ubuntu
Mungi Ngomane
Ubuntu means that if we can see everyone as connected to us, we will never treat others as disposable or without worth. By embracing Ubuntu, we live in the hope of overcoming division and becoming stronger together in a world where the wise build bridges, not walls.
Exploring ideas of kindness and forgiveness, tolerance, and the power of listening, these fourteen lessons from the Rainbow Nation help us live better, make sense of the world and understand our place in it. Including practical applications and mindful exercises, Everyday Ubuntu is an essential guide to a more fulfilling life as part of the large family to which we all belong.
Ubuntu is a philosophy I agree with in many ways, and I believe the author has done her very best to bring across the wise lessons of Ubuntu. I realize that she wrote this book to promote Ubuntu and all the good it may bring to this world. I couldn’t agree more that we, as humanity, need more of that optimism. Unfortunately, reading this book feels too much as a promotional tool for the foundations and work she and her family are involved in. Don’t get me wrong, they do many amazing things for this world, but a book like this should, in my opinion, not be used for promotional goals. The message, however, is one from which we could all learn.
