4 Books For a Better Person

There are so many books out there that we can read to help us become a better person. I think most of us are always trying to better ourselves—internally.  We want to learn how to get rid of that hate, we want to heal from that trauma, we want to live joyfully, we want to be more compassionate and loving to ourselves and others. I think that is the best thing we can do in order for us to move forward. It really all starts with ourselves.

To be a better mother (or father) we must take care of ourselves. Nourish ourselves mentally and physically so that we can be better equipped to help our children. Help them deal with whatever emotional thing they are dealing with, and by modeling love and compassion towards others.

This is the same as a being a teacher. I remember one of the classes I took emphasized taking care of ourselves as teachers so that we can be suited to care for our students (meditation was one of the practices that was recommended). Being a preschool teacher can be very taxing, especially on our mental being, as we could have a troubled student that needs a lot of love, and/or a lot of attention, in addition to having to be there for the rest of the students. 

We must learn how to care for ourselves in order to be able to care for others. 

So, if we need to take care of ourselves first of all (both as parents and as teacher), then to be a better friend, or a better person and a better human being of this world, why shouldn’t we need to take care of ourselves first?

There are books that I’ve read and books that are on my to-be-read list. I wanted to list four books that I think would be awesome for anyone to read, anyone who would like to better themselves as human beings to bring a better world. I think that in every book there are always going to be ideas one likes and one doesn’t like, but I always focus on the positive take-aways.

Image by Myriam Zilles from Pixabay 

1) The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

This was the first non-fiction book I read on spirituality. It was also not much of an easy read if I’m going to be honest (at least to me). Still, I continued and finished it because I did feel I was getting something from it, and I did. He wrote about his own personal journey and then continued on with his message. His main idea is the importance of living in the now (not past or future), and not relating to the mind (where all our problems and suffering come from) because we are not the mind.

2) The Art of Living by Thich Nhat Hanh

This was the second spiritual book I read and I wish I had read this one first. His writing is very simple and completely understandable. His teachings are rooted in his Buddhist beliefs (he is a monk). Like Tolle, he too emphasizes in living in the here and now—living mindfully. He writes how simple everyday actions can be a form of spiritual practices. We shouldn’t do things just to get things done and move on the the next thing. Enjoy it and concentrate on the act (whether it’s brushing your teeth or cutting up veggies). There is no hurry, and you enjoy every act by living very much in the present moment. He also writes how letting go leads to the ease of our suffering, we all have our sufferings (trauma).

3) The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer

I haven’t read this book yet, but I have read his other book The Surrender Experiment—about embracing life and it's flow (which I wrote about in the previous post). Here is a summary taken from The Untethered Soul website: “[It] begins by walking you through your relationship with your thoughts and emotions. Helping you uncover the source and fluctuations of your inner energy. It then delves into what you can do to free yourself from the habitual thoughts, emotions, and energy patterns that limit your consciousness. Finally, with perfect clarity, this book opens the door to a life lived in the freedom of your innermost being.”

4) At Home in the World by Thich Nhat Hanh

Again, this author is a monk and his writings are very readable. Also, I wanted to point out that he is a human rights activists and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King Jr. This book is a little different as it is a collection of autobiographical stories that he put together so he can share important life lessons and insights with us. There are stories about his childhood, being a young teacher, and a writer during the war in Vietnam. He continues with stories of his travels to teach mindfulness and influence world leaders. This is on my to-be-read list.

Have you read any of these books? Or any other book that opened your eyes about yourself?