I love reading and have read many books throughout my life. There are many that have stuck with me. Today, I will share 5 that have impacted how I see myself, see others, and see the world...because why keep a good thing to myself? :)

If you're like me and are interested (or obsessed like me) in personal growth and expanding your mind, here are a few of my favorites in no particular order:

1.The Seat of the Soul, by Gary Zukav

This book was the first to help me understand what it truly means to live from your most authentic self, and the difference between my personality and my soul. Personality is external. Soul is internal. There is external power and internal power. Aligning the two is what creates authentic empowerment.

"Every experience that you have and will have upon the Earth encourages the alignment of your personality with your soul. Every circumstance and situation gives you the opportunity to choose this path, to allow your soul to shine through you, to bring into the physical world through you its unending and unfathomable reverence for and love of Life."

2. Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself, by Michael Singer

This book taught me how to see myself apart from my thoughts and emotions. Too often I found myself getting wrapped up in my own thoughts, emotions, feelings, beliefs, and I would tell a story, a story that only perpetuated my victimhood. I found comfort in knowing that there are practical ways to step outside of myself and see myself, others, and the world from a new perspective, one that is more loving, accepting, and freeing.

“You are not your thoughts; you are aware of your thoughts. You are not your emotions; you feel emotions. You are not your body; you look at it in the mirror and experience this world through its eyes and ears. You are the conscious being who is aware that you are aware of all these inner and outer things.”

3. The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz

This books discusses the 4 Agreements we must make to ourselves, in order to truly live a life of personal freedom:

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word

2. Don't Take Anything Personally

3. Don't Make Assumptions

4. Always Do Your Best
   

These simple, yet profound truths, have the ability to set me from from my self-limiting beliefs. They are a reminder of how I can take control of my own life. Nothing I do is because of anyone else (even though it might feel like it). Everything I do, is because of myself and I am in charge of creating that freedom for myself.

"We make assumptions that everyone sees life the way we do. We assume that others think the way we think, feel the way we feel, judge the way we judge, and abuse the way we abuse. this is the biggest assumption that humans make. And this is why we have a fear of being ourselves around others."

4. The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle

This book taught me how to separate myself from my mind by staying in the present moment (of course this is always a work in progress). Watching the mind like it is a movie allows me to be more conscious, rather than getting wrapped up in my own soap opera. To observe what feelings and emotions arise, nonjudgmentally. To accept each moment as it arises. To forgive each moment, when needed, this doesn't mean I have to be happy when bad things happen. It means that I can be more at peace with what is and this puts me in a position to take action from a place of peace, as opposed to anger, resentment, sadness, etc.

"Forgiveness of the present is even more important than forgiveness of the past. If you forgive every moment- allow it to be as it is- then there will be no accumulation of resentment that needs to be forgiven at some later time."

5. The Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell

This book changed my view on how I see and define success. The 10,000 - Hour Rule is the idea that it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill, and given the right opportunities along with the skills, extraordinary success can ensue. The book looks at people like Bill Gates and The Beatles, along with other extraordinarily successful individuals, and points out the factors that contributed to their success.

It is interesting to see how certain people were born in certain times, with certain skills, and certain opportunities to grow their skills, that allowed them to become who they are today. It is encouraging in the sense that when putting in the time for what we love to do, at some point, we will be met with an opportunity to do what we've been practicing. What we love to do is never done in vain, there is always a point of impact to be made.

"Practice isn't the thing you do once you're good. It's the thing you do that makes you good."

What are some books that have changed the way you see the world? Comment and let me know!

Sending my Love and Light.

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