
I’m an avid reader. I’ve always been. In my twenties I got hooked on reading books about business, self-improvement and mindset, biographies or career advice books, so that’s what I can share more of. I’ll keep it short and sweet so you don’t need to TL;DR. But I may keep adding to it.
On getting better at life:
- The slight edge : a book that really convinced me to work slowly on becoming better. Hint : the compounding effects of habit.
- Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less : so helpful for multipassionate people like me, who are used to conforming to expectations and doing the right thing. We sometimes need a little push to learn what is really important and how to prioritise it and in this book we find just the help we need.
- The Courage to Be Disliked: How to Free Yourself, Change your Life and Achieve Real Happiness : how to cope with not doing what’s expected and making peace with life an others – or at least that was the most important message for me, but do not fool yourself, it is a great book with great wisdom.
- How Not to Worry: The Remarkable Truth of How a Small Change Can Help You Stress Less and Enjoy Life More ; I should probably read a bit of it everyday too as a remedy for my anxieties… It teaches you how to confront worry, with stories, multiples ways and tools, so there’s something that could help you too in it.
- If your are not late in your twenties, but early, this one is a good option (may not help with getting anxious about figuring out life while still young but could be a kick in the ass too): The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter—And How to Make the Most of Them Now
On living… more?
- The Art of Frugal Hedonism Is about small tweaks that can make life more enjoyable, minimalistic and somehow luxurious… without having to spend more. An enjoyable read that is also instructional.
On pursuing your call/ committing to your craft:
- Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear : I liked it, some parts more than others. I should probably re-read now
- The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle : the artist’s way is quite a struggle and here Steven Pressfield shares how to work through it.
- John Livingston Seagull : I had to read it twice, the first time (I was very young) I couldn’t stand it but the second time it did touch me.
But life is not a rat race, so let’s throw in some other stuff (surf books!):
- Swell: Sailing the Pacific in Search of Surf and Self : the book that made me fall in love with sailing
- Gidget ; the book I wished I had read as a teen
- The Surf Girl Handbook: The Essential Guide for Surf Chicks Everywhere : It’s always a treat to have a book which works as a coffee table book, some inspiration and some lessons about surfing, for surfing girls.