Top 5 Books to Calm Your Mind
- Debbie
- Apr 9
- 7 min read
I cannot stress the importance of reading books enough and self help books not only transforms but help accelerate the self-love and healing journey.
Books have always been a major part of my childhood and my mom ingrained this habit of reading very early on. But as I moved deeper into this maze of life, I have to admit that reading books took a backseat just like many other things that I did ONLY FOR MYSELF. But it was soon enough that I realized yet again that books can be your best friend and an immense source of motivation. Hence, I resorted back to books…because always remember one thing and that is, “THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY…we just need to look hard enough or change the direction we are looking at”.
You will find that everytime you need a moment of clarity, there is a book answering exactly the questions you are asking and telling exactly the things you need to hear.
Needless to say, I think reading books is just not a good habit but it's a very important practice in life, right from the plastic years to your adult life and beyond. There is a reason why most successful entrepreneurs have a huge reading list.
Just like when you try out new things, it is always a mix. Similarly, some books I did not agree with, some were not as good but a few books I came across were an ABSOLUTE TREASURE! There were quite a number of these books worth keeping because they all added something different and expanded my horizon and the breadth of my thought.
So, I decided to share the must-read books that help calm mind and help focus better. All these books can be your best friend when you feel stressed, anxious, lonely or just needed clarification on the convoluted way the mind works.
Mind, you know, has a tricky way of acting sometimes! Sometimes it can be as calm as an ocean with time to time rumbles deep below and on the other times, it can be a wild horse running without a direction.
Before I list my favorite 5 mindfulness books, I have to mention that “it is absolutely okay to read self-help books because you have the maturity to realize that you need help and you are asking for it, whether from certified professionals or from books”.
MY TOP 5 SELF-HELP BOOKS
So, here are my absolute favorite books to calm anxiety, find inner peace, reduce stress and just be a happier you!
The Art of Happiness - His Holiness The Dalai Lama & Howard C. Cutler
This book has been co-authored by His Holiness The Dalai Lama and a psychiatrist Dr. Howard Cutler. It amalgamates spiritual wisdom and modern psychology to understand the nature of happiness and the path to achieving it. It focuses on the theme that happiness is not external and does not depend on external conditions but it is cultivated through mental discipline and emotional awareness.
His Holiness, Dalai Lama shares that the foundation of a joyful life is compassion, forgiveness and patience. Dr. Cutler weaves in western therapeutic practices into the spiritual insights to make it more relatable. The book also talks about the challenges one may have with anxiety, anger, grief and lack of self-confidence or self-worth. It encourages to just change the direction you are looking at, focusing from external circumstances to internal control to foster stability and peace.
I have to quote one of the profound lines from the book, “Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”
There are some very heartfelt anf inspiring books that I have reached out to at different times of my life and trust me, the books have felt different everytime, as if answering exactly what I needed to hear at that time. This book is a collectible and a must-have. Everytime I have read this book it has felt like a warm fuzzy hug, soooo comforting and soothing but at such a deeper level that it leaves an indelible impression in your mind.
Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life - Héctor García & Francesc Miralles
This book caught my attention at a bookstore, while I was passing by the bookshelf it was displayed on. The cover of this book stood out like an oasis in the dessert. The soothing blue color with the peaceful white cherry blossoms hanging from the branch, which are also is the national flower of Japan, conveyed the core theme of the book right away!
“Ikigai” is a Japanese concept which means, “your reason for being”. The book weaves in cultural insights, philosophy and practical lifestyle with Ikigai. Through interviews with one of the longest living populations of the world called Okinawan centenarians, it uncovers the secret behind longevity, happiness, inner calm and peace.
This book has a very unique approach. It encourages you to find a junction between what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs and what you can be paid for.
It goes into a holistic approach to life that touches gentle movement, eating habits like plant-based diet, mindfulness and relationships that are meaningful. The book shares this ancient wisdom and gives you a completely different way of looking at life. It redirects focus to a more meaningful and purposeful life that truly matters.
It is just not philosophical but has practicality sewed into every bit of the fabric of its pages.
Don’t Believe Everything You Think - Joseph Nguyen
The name of the book is exactly what it is about and it will knock your socks off as to how well it does that. The author, Joseph Nguyen presents deep insights into the nature of the human mind and how our emotional world is shaped by habitual thinking patterns.
The approach of this book is very straight-forward and stresses that you are not what your thought tells you, you are. It separates the entity from its thoughts because that is exactly how overthinking starts. So, if you control your thoughts and prevent riding down the rat hole with thinking, you can stop your suffering.
This book made me feel so much in control of me. It also gives you some situations to think on and feel first-hand how you can be in charge of your mind. It is about getting a hold over mental overactivity by dismantling the belief that what you are thinking is true. So, it frees you from the shackles of your own thought... and believe me...it is so liberating!!!!
This book feels like a deep breath of cool, comforting air that fills up your lungs and frees up your brain. I have felt so much lighter after reading this book. It empowers your mind and brings back attention to your self-worth.
This has been my night time read...like most of these books are.
The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle
This book is one of the best spiritual books of all times. There is a high possibility that you might have already read this book and have fallen for it too just like I have. What this book conveys is very simple but extremely profound and that is, focus on the "Now" and you will achieve true peace.
The author, Eckhart Tolle, explores that the mind has the tendency to either dwell in the past or worry about the future, thus keeping us continously in this suffocating loop of anxiety, stress and tension. But what we really need to focus is on the "NOW".
The book is structured in a Q&A format and is definitely not a fast read. I am in general a fast reader but "The Power of Now" is best read slowly and taking time for every concept to soak in and really feel it. Every question and answer is very deep and really needs the readers to reflect and find the space of complete stillness in the mind. I will be honest, I struggled finding this stillness in my mind because of my monkey brain. It is almost like, when you ask it to be quiet, all of a sudden out of nowhere a flood of thoughts come to your mind. But I kept at it, and once you figure it out, it won't be that difficult anymore.
The book also provides practical meditative tools for grounding yourself. But yes! this book will make you ponder and you will need time to let it soak in. It also addresses that suffering and conflict is created by ego and the disassociation from the past and future creates mental space for clarity and calmness.
This book is very powerful and encourages deep-thinking. It has been instrumental in curbing the overthinker in me.
Good Vibes, Good Life - Vex King
This book is a much easy read and the focus is self- love. "Good Vibes, Good Life" is a guide to raising your vibration through self-love, positive habits, and intentional living. The author, Vex King writes from a place that is relatable and simple to understand for most of the readers.
In my opinion, the book has a very well rounded approach towards life. It brings together spirituality and practicality while talking about law of attraction, gratitude and how to manage toxic relationships. It even focuses on building emotional intelligence and letting go off believes that no longer serves you.
I think what makes this book stand out is the way the author talks to his readers. It is so empathatic and encouraging that it just feels good to read the book.
The book has a very modern approach and encourages practicing self love every day and it is the key to success. I can tell from experience that once you start focusing on yourself and your well-being, that is the moment you start transforming not only physically but mentally and emotionally. You are at a better space to do things at a all new level ... but this time it also makes you happy.
I truly believe that books are the window to a whole new world and not reading them is depriving yourself of this magnificent world that you deserve. Not only does it expand your knowledge but pushes your mind to horizons that you weren’t aware of before. So, over the years I have reached out to many of these books in my quest to understand the mind better and simply to look at life and issues with a different set of glasses. It has changed how I may or may not approach certain things and situations in life.
There isn't any replacement for books and to me, feeling the book in my hand, holding it and reading it, itself is a feeling that is just so blissful, not to mention the smell of a new book! Book reading is your me time where you are focusing on developing the best version of yourself because YOU DESERVE THE BEST VERSION OF YOU!
Like I say..."you just need to start"! So, if you aren't a reader, it is never late to start and if you are a reader then it is time to add these jewels to your stack.
XOXO,
Debbie
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