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Category: The Daily
In this section of the blog, I’ll be writing about my daily life thoughts based on current news and events going on in the world. In addition to that, I’ll also post about some of my other hobbies besides traveling, such as dancing, gardening, sowing, photography and more! I’ll be sharing bits and pieces of ideas and insights of these hobbies along with few posts about my pug, Charlie. There will be a “Call for Action” section, in which you can follow simple steps or just use as motivation! These posts will be quick reads, which I will be posting a few times a week. I would love to hear your feedback on these daily posts, so leave a comment in the section below!
My husband and I love to garden and have a small vegetable garden bed set up in our backyard. The other day was weed day! Not that kind of weed day; it was time to pick the weeds growing in our garden. Picking weed is very important to maintain a garden. The obvious reason for this is to keep the garden looking clean and pretty. The most important reason however, is that weeds take up a good amount of the nutrients, leaving the vegetables and plants with less resources to grow and flourish. It’s also important to pick the weed while they are small in size. The bigger they get, the more difficult it is to pick them out. The chances of picking out a plants root while picking a grown weed is also very high. I thought about this in relation to our daily lives.
The whole weed picking act is relatable in all our lives. As we grow, there will be many weed that grow along aside us. Some may come as negative thoughts, some in bad habits or some may even come in form of people! We need to pluck them out of our lives for good, before they destroy our garden of life. Removing these weeds in a timely manner is vital for our survival and well-being.
Call for ACTION: Pick a day to rest and retreat from your busy life. Write down what are the weeds in your life that is holding you back from growing? How can you pluck them out without hurting your roots? Make a game plan to remove one bad habit or negative thought from your life!
Recently, I’ve gotten a few people asking how I’m so productive and where I get the time for it. The truth is the majority of the things I do, I enjoy doing it! I enjoy creating content for my blog, posting on Instagram, gardening, dancing, working out, traveling, reading, learning and even working! The problem comes when I have to do something that I don’t enjoy (keep reading to see what they are!). Before I give you my thoughts on productivity, I want you to know a little bit of background about a book.
How productive you are with work and other aspects of your life depends on what kind of tendency you have. After reading The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin, I realized that everyone can’t do something just because they want to do it. Basically, the book talks about four different types of people. Some people are able to decide on a task or habit and complete them without any other external cues. They have the internal motivation that drives them to complete the task regardless of what others are saying or doing. Others are able to complete tasks and form habits when an external cue is provided. For example clocking into work at 6 AM in the morning or submitting work to a boss by 5 PM each day.
Once you have figured out your tendency and accept it, it’s easier to plan your work and cues around the tendency than to try to change the tendency. For example, if you are someone who needs the external cues, you are better of setting those cues than to try to change tendency.
The following isn’t merely a list of things you can do to boost your productivity, but a different way to look at the idea of increasing your productivity!
1 First and foremost, you want to establish a reason WHY you want to boost your productivity and in what aspects of your life. It doesn’t do any good to run off and try to do everything. Author and a productivity consultant, David Allen, said “you can do anything, but not everything”. What really matters to you and why do you want to do it? For everything you do, there is a trade off on something you won’t do. Establish your reasons.
2 Once you have established the “why”, you need to turn your goal into a plan. Many people try to keep a to-do-list and try to check off everything on the list. Although this is a great idea, it must be done very specifically. The more specific you are about the list, the easier the task becomes. For example, if I wrote down “work on blog”, by the time I gather my thoughts and figure out what to work on, I’ll be tired and ready to quit. Instead, if I wrote down “complete productivity post by tonight” OR “work on editing pictures for 30 minutes”, then I am more likely to get straight to work and complete it.
3 Give yourself a deadline, whether you need that external cue or not. I believe that things take as much time as you give them. If I give myself an hour to clean the living room, it will take me an hour. If I give myself 20 minutes, it will take me 20 minutes. The same goes with bigger things, like prepping for and scheduling a test or shopping for groceries!
4 Set repeating tasks on auto mode. There are things in life that you need to do over and over, all throughout your life. For example, paying bills, mowing the lawn, getting your oil changed and remembering family events and birthdays are a few examples of these repeating tasks. Payments can be made automatic online if you set up an account (which only takes a few minutes). Besides having to keep track of how much the bill is, you don’t have to worry about calling or going somewhere to pay the bill.
5 Yes, I know what you are thinking. “But we can’t automate every repeating task!” You’re right! However, you can make these repeating tasks easier and not have to think about it from the very beginning. I used to try to remember everything, up to the date I gave my dog his medication. But now, I use a yearly planner for EVERYTHING that goes on in the house and with my family. I write down information for all payments, all medication due dates, events planned and anything you can think of.
Writing down all these mundane tasks and making some of them automatic frees up not only my time, but also my mind! Do I really need to remember the date my dog needs his medication or can I write it down in my planner and forget about it? (I think so!)
6 Now that you have uncluttered your mind, give your attention to what needs it most. This is how you get the right things done and boost your productivity. Do the things that matter to you first. Work on that side hustle or start up that hobby you have been putting off. Do the things that you need for your family and yourself. Imagine if you did a whole bunch of things that were of no importance to you or your family or your future. Did you really boost your productivity or did you waste your time?
7 Use your time wiselyand do one thing every day that will help you get towards to your end goal. Even baby steps are good, as long they are in the right direction. Let’s use my blog as an example. I can’t work on every aspect of the blog every day or all day long. It’s just not possible. But I can work on small steps that contribute towards the big picture! For example, each day, I pick between traveling, doing a photo shoot, editing pictures, brainstorming ideas, making rough drafts and so on! Using small portions of your free time throughout the day add up to a good amount of time otherwise wasted.
Along with getting things done, in order to be productive, it’s also important to avoid certain things. If you think about it, everyone has 24 hours in a day. If you choose to spend majority of that time scrolling through Instagram, watching silly Youtube videos, minding other people’s business and aimlessly watching tv shows, you probably won’t get much done in a day. By tweaking your habits, you will notice that your tendencies improve. For example, place your cellphone in another room so that you will have to physically go get it to scroll through your phone. You can also remove notifications from all the social media apps or set everything to mute. Small changes like this will help change your habits.
For the next portion, I guess I’ll have to tell you what it is that I dislike doing and HOW I get through them. I dislike mundane jobs around the house, like cleaning, cooking and laundry. The only time I enjoy cooking is when I am cooking for guests, unlike my husband, who loves to cook any time! Keep reading to see how I work around that and stay productive!
8 Multi-task when you can. I try to multi-task all the time and this works for me. Whenever I do chores at home such as washing dishes, laundry or cleaning, I listen to a podcast, audio book or a TED talk. Because chores like these don’t take any mental thinking, I can get my chores done AND gain some insight through these books and people I listen to. While something is on the stove, I quickly tidy up the kitchen. While I walk around the house, I put things back where they belong. I always watch television when I eat and only then. These are just a few examples which work for me!
9 Accept assistance. As someone who is so particular in how things are done, this used to be my biggest challenge. I HAD to do everything my way for my satisfaction. I realized this was doing me no good and just draining my energy. So now, if hubby offers to help me with something or get something done, then great! To be more productive, you need to outsource some of the work so that you are not overwhelmed with so much to do!
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0 Last but not least, do the things you enjoy and enjoy the things you do! When you love doing something, you are much more likely to do it again! If you love your job, it won’t feel like work and it won’t drain all your energy. If you are passionate about that side hustle you are working on, you will find the time to work on it, even after an busy day. After a long tiring day, I have second thoughts about working out. I immediately turn on my work out music and there is nothing stopping me anymore. Learn to associate the things you love (like music & dancing) to the things you need encouragement for (like working out). This will change your mood from HAVING to do something to WANTING to do something. When you do that, that in itself will BOOST your productivity!
The bottom line is that productivity isn’t just about doing a bunch of things with little to no results or with negative results. It is about how efficient you are when you put in effort and compare it to the outcome. Increasing your productivity does not mean overworking yourself and putting your physical and mental health on the back burner. It means doing the things you love and learning to work through the things you don’t, efficiently and in a timely manner!
Check out my latest posts during the Coronavirus Pandemic!
Today is April 21st and we are about six weeks into quarantine. If you’re feeling down and unmotivated during this time, you’re not alone. A day home without work seems to drag and become very unproductive. A few of my days were the same, no matter how much I tried to get up and going. One day though, when I woke up, instead of staying in my pajamas, I changed out into work out clothes. I realized that the simple cues we give our mind is powerful and is motivation in itself. Just by one small change in routine that morning, I was able to complete so much more things that day. So I have put together a very basic list of things you can do to help boost your productivity, motivation and mood!
Note: Many of the things on the list are basic things we do on a daily basis. However, when we stay home for days on end, we tend to not do these things and not see the point for it. But these little things make the biggest difference!
1 Make your bed! During quarantine, people tend to not make their bed after sleeping in or knowing that they will be back for a nap in a short time. However making your bed right when you wake up gives you a sense of accomplishment right from the start. Another reason is that it prevents you from just slipping under the covers for just another ten minutes of lazy time.
2 Cold Shower! A cold shower early in the morning can help get you going, EVEN if you have no where to go. It doesn’t matter that you have no where to go. This will help your body to wake up from slumber and get your mind moving and ready for the day.
3 Change out of your pajamas! Changing out of your pajamas into work out clothes or even casuals will change your mood immensely. When you are in pajamas, you automatically are in a relaxed, lazy phase versus if you are in work out clothes. If you are in work out clothes or just anything other than pajamas, you will increase your motivation and feel ready to tackle something! And that’s exactly what you should do. Something. Anything.
4 Brew coffee! Or whatever it takes you to get going in the morning. The smell of coffee alone makes me wake up and feeling good! It activates your mind and uplifts your mood. PS. Starbucks is giving free coffee/iced coffee to all healthcare workers during this pandemic! And they are very sweet about it!
5 Get some sunshine & fresh air! Open up those blinds, crack open a window and maybe even a door. Step outside for a few minutes, maybe with your coffee in hand and enjoy the morning sun.
6 Go for a walk/jog. Getting up and going out for a jog can be the very routine you need in the morning. This alone will make you do most of the things on the list above. If doing this is hard, just change your clothes and put on your sneakers without thinking twice. Then, decide if you want to go for a walk and do this every day. Daily walks have become our thing since we can’t go to the gym these days and it helps us to keep up our motivation during these gloomy days. *If going for a walk or jog is too much for you, at least go check the mail! Walk to your mail box, no matter how far it is and check your mail!
7 Play music. Playing music can lift up your mood and you can get a lot more done at home without it being a drag. Playing music helps me to get into my workout mode; it pumps me up and there I am, already off the couch.
8 Make up, hair and more! This is my sixth week going without no foundation. The funny thing is that I actually still go out for work >_< The days I take the effort to put makeup on, I feel better and ready to do more! And that’s because when you put makeup on, do your hair and dress up, you don’t do it for someone else; you do it for yourself!
9 Write a list! Make a list of things to do the day before. It can be anything you want to get done and doesn’t only have to be work related. You can put self care things on there, a new dish idea to make or even to clean up one area of the house. When you see a list of things to do for the day, it’s more likely that you will them done without having the option to decide whether to do it or not.
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0 Put away your phone! While everything else on the list was something TO DO, this is something you should avoid. This is the one thing I still have a hard time with when I am at home all day, even though I am fully aware that excessive screen time is harmful to the mind and body. I can’t leave my phone next to me; by habit, I will pick it up and end up on Instagram scrolling away mindlessly. I have to physically take it and put it in another room. Does it work? Definitely. Out of sight, out of mind. I get so much more done if I take my phone and just leave it somewhere in the house that I don’t go to often.
Often, its the simple things that are harder to follow through with. Comment below and let me know if these small tips helps you to get motivated again and boost your productivity during these long long days!
Are you one of the people who have the motivation to do something, but don’t have anything to do? Check out this list of travel related activitiesyou can do during the quarantine!
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Many of us want to help others during this Coronavirus pandemic and quarantine days. While the front-line healthcare workers are picking up extra shifts and working hard, the ones at home may wonder what they can also do to help with the situation. If you are one of the lucky ones who gets to work from home, don’t have to worry about your next meal or have extra time on your hands, here are some practical ways in which you can help you community!
1Check on your elderly folks! Do you have elderly family members or neighbors? Call them up and see if they are running out of any essential items that you can pick up for them. It’s much harder for the elderly folks to make a trip to the grocery store (or several grocery stores to find something) than it is for us. Running simple errands for them, like picking up medication or delivering something to them may sound small to you, but may take them a whole day to get done. If you are tech savvy, maybe you can help set up a system for them that allows them to video chat with family or contact someone in case of an emergency.
2 Donate to your local food bank. Food banks are in continuous need of donations, especially during times like this. So if you have the means and time, this is a great time to donate to the food bank OR volunteer! Many of the food bank programs and volunteer centers are all taking high precautions and working efficiently with volunteers and other teams to help the community.
Want to be a part of this effort but don’t know where to find one? Check out the North Texas Food Bank locations on their website. I’m sure you can find a food bank close to you with a quick online search.
3 Assist other families in need. There are so many ways to help families in need or our front-line healthcare workers. One way is to cook for them or provide meals. After long continuous shifts at the hospital, healthcare workers come home drained, but still have to cook and take care of their family. If you love to cook, here is a fun way to help out! Also, helping low-income familiesor families with young children in which parents can go to work, but can’t find or afford daycare is another great way. I’m not saying you have to go and babysit their children all day long. Checking up on them periodically or dropping off lunch for the children are small, yet powerful ways you can help a family.
4 Buy gift cards from small local businesses in your city. Many small businesses are having difficult time keeping their stores up and running, but not making enough to even pay their monthly rent. Businesses who were already barely making it or the ones that started recently and are already in debt are especially having a harder time now. If you buy a gift card from a business now, that will give them some income. You can use that gift card once everything settles down or even gift it to someone.
5 Give your money where it matters. Another way to help the local community is to order take out or delivery from small local shops instead of chain restaurants. Instead of driving through a chain fast food restaurant, stop by a small local business and order via phone and they will deliver it to your car. It might take a few more minutes to do this, but think about the difference you are making to the small business.
6 Donate blood. Blood banks are needing lots of donations at this time due to the increase in patient numbers. Besides the people being affected by the virus, many others, who are already sick are being put on the back of the list without getting urgent care and medication in a timely manner. There is always a need of blood in a crisis like this, so if you are a healthy individual, you can give blood every three months! Hospitals are also looking for volunteers who have recovered from the virus to donate plasma.
7 Last but not least, STAY AT HOME! It’s as simple as that. Many of us are blessed to be able to stay safe at home and spend time with family. Even if you can’t do any of the things mentioned above, you can definitely do this one!
Do you have any other ideas or ways you have been helping the community during this COVID-19 phase? If so, comment below and let me know! Check outthese ideas for the travel lovers during the quarantine life!
Do you know of any specific volunteer opportunities or organizations in need? Let me know so I can share that information with my readers!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Staying quarantine at home is hard, but it’s even harder for people who love to be out and about. I am one of those people. I need to get out and get some fresh air, go somewhere new or just do something out of routine. Staying inside and at home all day long makes me very sluggish, unmotivated and moody. So I put a list together for all the travel lovers out there (as well as for myself) for all the fun travel-like activities you can do during this quarantine season! Check it out!
1 Pick up a book! As a travel lover, you must have already been to several places that holds so much history that you are not aware of. So, what better thing to do than to pick up a book that teaches you so much history about a place you have visited (or one you would like to visit in the future). I love reading through Rick Steve’s, Lonely Planet and other similar travel info books. I also love semi travel-related fiction stories that teach me about cultures, animals and more!
2 Backyard Adventure When you step out into your backyard, there lies a whole new world of adventure. If you like to travel, you are most likely to be an outdoor person. You can do so many things in the backyard, such as planting a vegetable garden (perfect timing to do so!), planting flowers or a even a tree! If you don’t have a green thumb, you can still do more things. You can always take your children/pets out to play (and build immunity), work on making your backyard prettier or build a bird bath or feeder!
3 Learn Geography Did you know that 11 percent of the young citizens in the USA cannot locate USA on the world map? I was dumbfounded upon learning this from a National Geographic’s survey. This is a great time to educate your children AND yourself about world geography! I can stare at maps all day long, especially huge world maps! Looking at where countries are in relation to each other and learning geography makes time fly! I guess this goes along with the love of travel. Let’s make it a mission during this quarantine to brush up on our geography. (At least so that we can relate to it when CNN tells us about the countries with the coronavirus!)
4 Learn a New Language With all the FREE resources we have available online, you don’t need to go into a classroom to learn a new language. There are tons of books and YouTube videos on how to learn any language. Many people (including myself) don’t know how to write or read in their mother tongue fluently. You can work on improving your native language as well as learn other common languages or phrases around the world. The more spoken languages throughout the world besides English are Mandarin, Spanish, Hindi, French and Arabic! Learning small phrases in different languages go a long way when traveling!
5 Explore Cultures This is one of my favorite things to do, regardless if there is a quarantine or not. I love a culture filled country and people who are full of culture and ethnicity. One way to do this is to watch movies or documentaries about a particular culture. I love watching National Geographic and watching travel YouTube videos just to see what a place is all about. Another way to learn about cultures is to do some research online! There are so many great educational websites that gives you culture and history on countries around the world.
6 Cook an International Dish Cooking is not one of my favorite things to do, but I do love experimenting with international dishes. After our trip to Italy, we were all about making lasagna and pastas (By we, I mean my husband makes it and I am his assistant). After Thailand, all I wanted was some Thai curry and sticky rice. Learning how to make these international dishes are so much more fun and exciting for me.
Hike up to Volcano Arenal was no joke. -Costa Rica
7 Work Out You might ask why this is on the list for travelers. Believe it or not, when you are traveling, you need a lot of energy, strength and endurance. We were supposed to be hiking a volcano trail in Guatemala at the moment I am writing this. Adventures activities such as hiking takes more than just a little effort and we had been preparing for it the past few weeks. Well, why not keep working out and be ready for an adventure at any time?
8 Practice Minimalism ( &Spring Cleaning) We travelers have learned over time that having less things to show and more stories to tell is the way to go. Over the past five years of traveling, I have learned that I need much less than I think I do. I also learned to adjust with what I have, minimize my uses for every day things and use resources more efficiently. This is a great time to go through all your things, donate what you can and toss the rest. We also have the time to really get into some deep cleaning, one room at a time.
9 Budget & Financing This is one of the most important things you can do or catch up on, during the quarantine! This is a perfect time to revisit those travel expenses, finances and future plans. Budgeting travel into your annual expenses is an important thing to do if you want to travel often. This helps to keep your overall budget in check and helps you to prioritize your traveling. Since I haven’t been keeping up with this as often as I should, I’ll also be working on it this week!
Do you have any other ideas for my travel lovers? If so, comment below and let me know!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Travel has been more frightening these days because of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19 ) going around. As of now (March 2020), all continents except Antarctica has been hit with the coronavirus. So, am I suggesting traveling to Antarctica? Well, if you have the means, sure! Why not? But if not, here are several tips to keep you safe while you travel to keep you away from the virus! These tips can be used while traveling by airplane, train, bus, or any other public transports!
1 Wear a N95 mask while in the airport. I have not done this yet, but for our upcoming trip, you may see me with a mask. There are so many people in the airport, its nearly impossible to avoid spreading germs with each other. Wearing a mask if also a constant reminder for you about the virus and also prevents you from touching your nose or mouth as often. A regular mask won’t do the trick; it has to be a N95 mask to prevent any droplets from getting in.
*I think the mask has an opposite effect too. If you have a mask on, other people are less likely to stay too close to you too! Think about it, if you see someone wearing a mask at the airport, are you likely to sit near that person? Probably not. So, this becomes a win-win situation for you!
2 That brings me to the next tip: Avoid touching your eyes, face, nose and mouth while traveling! Your hands are probably not very clean because if you think about it, you are constantly touching things. To keep the germs on your hands from entering your body, keep your hands AWAY from your face! When using a public bathroom, consider using gloves to open and close the stalls and turning the faucet. Do NOT use the hand drier because it captures germs and throws them back on to your hands. Instead use a clean napkin after washing your hands.
3 Wash your hands often. Again, germs can easily get into your body from your filthy hands. So wash your hands often during your trip and keep a bottle of hand sanitizer with you when water is not available. Always wash hands before eating and using the restroom. It is important to not only wash your hands, but to do it effectively! That means scrubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds and cleaning between each finger and nail.
4 Besides hand sanitizers, it’ll also be a great idea to keep some cleaning/disinfectant wipes on you. When you get to your seat/compartment/cabin, take a minute and wipe down all the places you are likely to touch (like the remote control, the tv screen, the arm rests, the window handle, the seat belt) and anything else you can think of. Wipe away and kill all the coronavirus particles!!
5 Keep distance between other passengers and yourself. If you are standing in line or waiting to board, you don’t need to cramp up in the front to get on the plane. The plane won’t leave without you getting on. So, avoid staying in close proximity with anyone and leave some gap while walking. Also, walk on the right side to avoid bumping into anyone and give yourself plenty of wiggle room to go slowly. *Also, avoid shaking hands with anyone. Wave, smile or fist bump instead!
Tip: * Don’t forget a pen while traveling on international flights to fill out custom papers; this way, you don’t have to borrow it from someone else or use the common desk pen! Avoid leaning on counters or using countertops to write or place things on. This applies not only to the bathroom sink counter, but also at fast food locations and common seating areas/charging stations.
6 Drink plenty of water (bottled water that is) and keep yourself hydrated. This is a good trip with the coronavirus or without. It’s important to stay well hydrated, especially if you are traveling on an airplane, which has less humidity levels. Another recommendation that relates to this one is to avoid keeping your drinks open, ex; poured out in cups. Ask your attendant for the whole bottle or purchase one beforehand.
7 Keep your immunity in check! Vitamin C is important to keep your immunity up to par, so drink up that OJ! Eat healthier overall prior to traveling and maybe packing some vitamins wont hurt either. There is a vitamin C drink mix that we use when we feel like we are getting sick.
Other food recommended to eat to build up your immunity: – Green leafy vegetables (Spinach, Broccoli) – Oranges, Other citrus fruits & Bananas – Garlic, Ginger & Tumeric – Almonds – Eggs
Airplane rides with young kids is no joke. Avoid traveling with children at this time.
8 Get enough rest. Make sure you sleep well before you begin traveling. Chances are, your body will be a bit more stressed and you will not get enough sleep during your vacation. Also, your body might need energy to get used to the new climate and to fight off the new germs in the air. Getting plenty of rest throughout your trip is also important to keep the balance in your body and to decrease your chances of catching something.
9 Drink in moderation or avoid drinking prior to traveling. You want your body to be in the best shape possible to fight any infections or germs that come your way. Increasing your alcohol intake weakens the immune system and allows your body to become an easier host for viruses. Decreasing your sugar intake also helps, because sugar feeds any type of sickness.
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0 Last but not least, not only is it our duty to keep ourselves from getting sick, but also to avoid spreading germs to other people. If you feel sick, stay HOME! You might not have a weak immune system and may be a healthy 20-30 year old. But you may come in contact with young children, immune compromised people, elderly or pregnant women; all groups of people who are more likely to get hit hard from this virus (or any other cold).
Things to keep in mind during the Coronavirus season: – Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, throw it away and wash your hands. – OR cough into your sleeve – Use a mask to prevent spreading your germs. – Consider your personal risk before traveling- Do you have weak immune system, are you pregnant, traveling with kids, coming back to work with young kids or the elderly, etc.
On most of my trips, I bring along a good book to read. Sometimes it’s the National Geographic book or travel guide of the place I am visiting. Other times, it is fiction books that I can’t leave behind at home. I usually read if we have long flights, layovers or sometimes I just like to read while sipping on some coffee.
This list of books are not all travel related, except a couple. However, I always learn about a new topic, place or concept each time I read a book. This allows my traveling to become more meaningful and thoughtful. I am more mindful about things and I can easily relate and understand how things around the world work. The following are some of my must read books as well as a few other ones that I enjoyed!
This has to be one of my all time favorite books. Even though I have known about Jodi Picoult, this was when I started loving her books! The storyteller is an intriguing story about an old man, who confides in a young girl about his past. He befriends the young lady and asks her to kill him because he is tired of living with guilt. The reason? You have to find out yourself. This book really taught me about the Holocaust in a way that school never did. Really an eye opener!
This is another one of my favorite books by Jodi Picoult. I loved elephants before I read this book, but after I read it, I love and respect them to another level. This was a book I could not put down. It’s a story about a little girl trying to find what happened to her mother, who was an expert on elephants. With a big twist in the end, this book had me thinking for a week after reading it. I wanted to go back and reread the beginning with the knowledge I had at the end of the book.
Lilly Singh or Superwoman needs no introduction. I used to watch every single one of her videos. I still keep up with her new show on NBC late nights (but during the mornings). This is a great motivational book, especially for young girls who need that extra push or extra word of comfort and advice. It makes a great gift and it’s totally relatable regardless of what race/age/religion you are, what you do and where you live.
I got this book as a gift and started reading it almost instantly. Having read Kite Runner in high school and knowing this was by the same author, I knew this book would not disappoint. I figured this will also be a great book and indeed, it was! A thousand Splendid Suns was more understandable to be because of the culture and characters. It’s an unforgettable story about two women from different generations, who come together and help each other in a unexpected way. It contains many controversial and cultural issues from a woman”s point of view.
This book was another one that really made me think. I read it in just a few days and I burst into tears at the very end of it. Jodi writes in such a way that really captures your mind and until you finish the book, this is all you can think about. What was a big coincidence during the time I read this book was that there was a similar death penalty case going on in the real world. It really made me think about issues such as the death penalty, loyalty and fate.
Paulo Coelho is mostly famously known for his book, The Alchemist. If you had to pick one of his books, make it this one. This book inspired me to travel to Spain and Morocco, which I did the year after reading this. Even though it is a harder to understand, it has many good messages and lessons. There are many parts I re-read and even go back to for reference. It’s one of those books you should have on your bookshelf!
The Aleph was the second book by Paulo Coelho I’ve read. Aleph is about Coelho’s train journey through Russia and the people he meets on the way. It’s main topic is spirituality and makes us think about what path we are on. It also has several good morals and quotes to ponder on. This was a harder read and I probably would not recommend unless you are Coelho fan! “Travel is never a matter of money but of courage” – Aleph
I was a little hesitant to start reading this book but once I started, I finished it rather quickly. This book is about a young lady who decides to take her life, but survives from the attempt. As a result of this, she now has a heart condition and is sent to a mental hospital in a different city. The rest of the story revolves around her realization of the fact that she hasn’t even begun to live her life yet. Some parts of the book relate to the time the author himself was in a mental institution.
I have been tempted to get this collection, which includes 10 of his books. It’s only $40, which comes out to just $4 per book! Which is much better than buying them all separate, which is what most people end up doing anyways.
Even though I still haven’t finished this book, so far it’s great! It’s one of those books you don’t want to read all in a week. There is so much information and good content to absorb that you want to take your time to process it. Tribe of Mentors is a collection of advice and answers to several carefully thought-out questions, by successful people from Neal Stephenson to Tony Hawk.
I read the book Life of Pi a while back, but I still vividly remember it. It was a great book and much better version than the movie. This story is about Pi Patel, a young Indian boy who gets stuck on a boat with a Bengal tiger from his father’s zoo! Yes, I said tiger. The story goes on to show how he survived on the boat for over two hundred days. I saw the first quarter of the movie and stopped it because I felt the book held the surprise element which the movie gave away rather instantly.
The Help was one of the first books I’ve read and I loved it. It tells the story of a African American helper that belonged to a white family. Although it showed the difficult sides of race inequality, it was a hilarious and somewhat comforting book. I remember taking it with me to a clinic so I can read it when I have free time or during my lunch break. It’s an easy read, so it’s a great choice for beginners. If you have to choose between watching the movie or reading the book, always read the book first!
Another winner by Jodi Picoult. Even though it doesn’t top the first two on my list, it’s still one of Jodi’s greatest. Keeping Faith is about a woman who catches her husband cheating and then having to fight for her daughter’s custody. It’s about a mother’s love and about keeping faith through difficult times in life. Although it’s fiction, it made you think about life, death and God, regardless of your religious beliefs.
This is different than the other ones on the list, but I still recommend it! I had to get past the first chapter to like the author, but once I did, the rest of the book went by quickly. For someone like me, who used to take everything so personally and to heart, this book gave me the reality check I needed.
Wow! What a book! This is a brutal story written in the form of letters to God and letters between siblings. I had read this back in high school at some point, but when you’re forced to read something, it doesn’t really stick. When I read it now, I am blown away by this book and it’s brutality. I would definitely recommend putting this on your must read list if you already haven’t read it!
This book changed my whole outlook on finances and money. It’s also changed the way I look at life and I wish I had read it earlier on. If there is a list of must read books before you turn 30, this should be on there. Rich dad, poor dad is about two completely different view points about money and where these outlooks take you. This isn’t the kind of thing you learn in school or college, but somewhere outside of that, if your lucky. I even took notes while reading this book! And without a professor telling me to! Shocked? Yes, me too!
How To Break Up With Your Phone by Catherine Price was a book I needed to read! Check out the full review of the book here!
Did you like this list of book recommendations? This will be a growing list, but in the mean time, if you have any thoughts, comment below! Let me know what your must read books include! Also, check out my Travel Must Have for some great travel necessities and gifts!
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writing about my daily life thoughts based on current news and events going on in the world. In addition to that, I’ll also post about some of my other hobbies besides traveling, such as dancing, gardening, sowing, photography and more! I’ll be sharing bits and pieces of ideas and insights of these hobbies along with few posts about my pug, Charlie. There will be a “Call for Action” section, in which you can follow simple steps or just use as motivation! These posts will be quick reads, which I will be posting a few times a week. I would love to hear your feedback on these daily posts, so leave a comment in the section below!
