Three Things Thursday: Book Edition

I'm not much of a reader and it's always been a secret goal of mine to change that. When I was in college and grad school I always used the excuse that I read huge textbooks all day long. So, when I had any downtime I was much more interested in catching up on Grey's Anatomy or One Tree Hill episodes. Reading wasn't something I considered a hobby.

It's been a long time since I completed by graduate degree, yet it wasn't until my Jamaica trip this past summer that I picked up a book and actually finished it! I've read one book and listened to three on my Audible app. And I really can't believe I'm about to type this, but I'll be starting my fifth book this week. Go me! :)

So for today's #3TT I thought I would share three books that have really inspired me over the past few months.


One: What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey

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This book was recommended by Aileen from Lavendaire. I am so glad she introduced me to this book because it's so simple yet so inspiring. I listened to it on my Audible app and I have to say hearing Oprah read this book gives it a totally different feel versus if I had read it on my own. She has such a great way of telling stories. This book is sort of like a glimpse into her journal where she shares stories that have all taught her something that she now knows for sure. It's great advice that's not so much in your face, but just honest. I learned so much about myself from listening to this book. I've actually listened to certain parts of it multiple times now and every time it has lifted my spirit, inspired, and motivated me to be the best version of myself.


Two: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

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I picked this book up on a whim. At first it I thought that the book would be about buying less material items, but after listening to a short excerpt I realized this book was about much more than that. Greg McKeown talks about how in order to be the best in whatever we are trying to achieve and be great contributors to the world, we first need to decipher the essential from the non-essential. We live in a world where we are programmed to think that the more we do, the more successful we will be. But Greg goes on to explain how that's actually counter intuitive. He shares true stories of various highly successful people to explain how by doing less actually enabled them to achieve their goals and become so successful.

This book has already had a great impact on my life after just a few weeks of finishing it. It has made me ask myself, on multiple occasions throughout the day, what is important to me? And what is essential in order for me to accomplish this? It's not only helped me in my professional life, but also has had great impact on my personal life.


Three: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin 

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Although I've mentioned this book in a previous post, I just had to include it here. I can't recall where I first heard about this book or why I was drawn to pick it up and determined to finish it on our trip, but I'm so glad I did. In this book, I saw a lot of similarities between Gretchen and I. She takes us through her methodical approach towards her Happiness Project. Each month she tackles a set of resolutions that helps her understand that there are many different layers and forms of happiness. This book made realize that although I thought that happiness was just something that should come naturally, it's also something that we have to consciously be aware of and sometimes have to work at. And that's ok! There is something positive that happens every day in my life, no matter how rough the day may be, and I need to make a conscious decision to focus on those positive moments. I believe that over time, doing so becomes natural and that's when happiness seems effortless.


I'm sure you can tell there has been a common theme among the types of books I've been reading/listening to. I tend to gravitate towards books on self-growth and self-improvement. This month, all three of these books (plus a few fellow bloggers) have inspired me to start a gratitude journal. I have already seen how taking 5 minutes at the end of each day to be thankful has had a positive impact in my life. [More on this later].

This month, I'm trying to decide between two completely different books: Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari or I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai. Although I've heard great things about how inspiring Malala's book is, I'm leaning more towards Aziz Ansari based on my current mood. Have you read either of these books? I'd love to hear about some of your favorites. #3TT is a great way to share anything and everything that's on currently on your mind. So be sure to check out Salma, Raj, or Nisha's blogs to find out more about how you can join the link-up.


What are you reading/listening to currently?