One question I often get is: what books have I read that have changed my life, or at least, have made a lasting impact on my life. To tell you the truth, there are many books that have had an impact on my life, in one way or another, but only a few have really changed my life.
Books can be a very powerful tool to better your life or propel you to your desired destination.
I’ve read many wonderfully written books, but then there are the books that have changed my life. The ones I’ve read more then once, that have entire chapters completely highlighted, with hand written notes in the margins. Those that pushed me to bring their words into action and witness their transformational power.
Those are the books I want to share with you so you can witness and experience their transformational power also.
5 books that will change your life
#1 A Course in Miracles
You’ve probably seen this book on many “must read” lists and it is not by mistake. This book truly is life altering. Published by the Foundation for Inner Peace and written by Helen Schucman, this book brings you on a spiritual journey to discover that anything is possible through the power of God.
The irony is that neither of the author wasn’t spiritual. Helen Schucman described herself as an atheist.
This book is not about religion or theology and many self-help gurus referring to this book have replaced the word God by Love, Universe, Higher Being or Higher Self.
For all purposes, it doesn’t matter what name you give IT, what matters is that you are open to the idea of completely transforming your mindset and the way you look at the world around you and your circumstances so that IT may bring you on a spiritual journey to discover your higher self and set forth your fullest potential.
That is the goal of A Course in Miracles : for you to align yourself with the Divine, find forgiveness and live a life of purpose.
The combined volume of A Course in Miracles (the one I own and continuously refer to) includes a text book, a workbook for students and a manual for teachers. This is a pretty lengthy book, 650 pages of text, 500 page workbook, 365 daily meditations and a 90 page manual for teachers, but it is well worth the read.
My favourite quotes:
“Do not accept this little, fenced-off aspect as yourself. The sun and ocean are as nothing beside what you are. The sun beam sparkles only in the sunlight, and the ripple dances as it rests upon the ocean. Yet in neither sun nor ocean is the power that rests in you.”
#2 The monk who sold his Ferrari
This book written by Robin S. Sharma back in 1997 was the first book I read that truly had an impact on my life. It set forth a chain of events that would bring me to where I am today.
Ironically, I found the book in an airport bookstore. I was about to get on a long flight with an even longer layover and thought the title was enticing and the book should entertain me enough, if only for the duration of my travels.
I did not expect the magnitude of the impact this book would have on me.
The monk who sold his Ferrari is the fictional story of a lawyer that comes to the realization that there is more to life then earthly possessions, degrees and social status. Julian (our famed lawyer) sets out on a journey to bring more meaning to his life through mindfulness, self-discipline, creative thinking and valuing relationships.
The book truly reads like a novel yet delivers profound life lessons.
My favourite quote:
“Every being on this Earth, every object on this Earth has a soul. All souls flow into one, this is the Soul of the Universe. You see, when you nourish your own mind and your own spirit, you are really feeding the Soul of the Universe. When you improve yourself, you are improving the lives of all those around you. And when you have the courage to advance confidently in the direction of your dreams, you begin to draw upon the power of the Universe”
# 3 The Ignition Toolbox
The Ignition toolbox is the book I wrote earlier this year.
After years of learning and studying the great masters, I wanted to communicate my knowledge to those around me that didn’t want to spend years understanding metaphysical concepts or plough through thousands of pages of spiritual books, yet, still wanted to find happiness in their daily life.
The eBook was written as a transformational guidebook with step by step guidance over the course of 4 weeks.
It does not require you to stand on your head, pack your bags and move into an ashram in India nor does it demand that you devote hours to it’s implementation. All it requires, is a few minutes of your time, every day.
I should have called it the Self Dating eBook. Because that’s what it is: this eBook is about setting a little time aside for yourself everyday, so you regain that bounce in your step.
And the concepts are explained in plain English. No need for a glossary at the end.
My favourite quote:
“The mistake we all make initially, when we come to realize that we are in a not-so-good spot, is to look for ways outside of ourselves to get us out. We look for answers and alternatives that are man-made instead of spiritually made. And we do that because most of us, at some point in time, have lost our connection to God and to our Self. We have lost the ability to listen to our inner voice and to receive God’s guidance. We are so overwhelmed by a sense of urgency to “fix” the situation and to ease the discomfort, sometimes at the cost of our own health and greater damage to our self, that we forget to stop and listen to the voice inside our hearts.”
#4 The Zahir
The Zahir is another very powerful book by one of my favourite authors, Paulo Coelho.
The story is about a privileged and wealthy man whose wife has gone missing. In his quest to find his wife, he is forced to re-examine his own life and his marriage, and question what has lead him this where he is.
Like all of Paulo Coelho’s books, the hero’s story is relatable, as it touches at the essence of what most of us have gone through or are going through, at some point in our lives, and the realizations we must come to, in order to move forward.
Beautifully written – as are all of Coelho’s books – this book reads with ease and makes the perfect poolside companion while delivering a serious mindfulness punch.
My favorite quote:
“The energy of hatred won’t get you anywhere; but the energy of forgiveness, which reveals itself through love, will transform your life in a positive way.”
#5 May Cause Miracles
In my eyes, this is a classic from spiritual guru Gabrielle Bernstein. It is one of here earlier books and according to me, one of her best.
This 40 day guidebook will change the way you think about your life and your circumstances. It opens up the door to positive thinking and allows you to feel in control of your future.
With short daily meditations, Gabby makes mindfulness easily accessible.
When first reading this book, I would repeat the day’s mantra, or affirmations as she calls them, while commuting to work. By the time I got there (one hour and a half later!) I would feel alive and ready to take on the day.
Gabby also suggests journaling along with other practices, but it is the meditation mantras in this book that really got me hooked.
My favourite one:
” Today I am a miracle worker. I choose to see love in all.”
I hope you enjoyed this short list of my favourite books.
As always, I love hearing from you so after you’ve read this post, send me an email or leave a comment below and let me know if you’ve read any (or all!) or these books and how they’ve impacted you. Or, let me know if any of these books will make it to your summer reading list.
Love,
Eloise
P.S. For those of you that are intrigued by The Ignition Toolbox, I answer alot of your questions, HERE. If you know you want to get started on your transformational journey, click the pink button below.
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