Welcome back dear readers to another month of “reading”. I put that in quotes because I have finally failed to meet my reading goal of 4 books per month, I do blame the quarantine for partially impeding the availability of my chosen books, but I have also been busy this month looking for jobs and visiting friends and family. So I only manage to complete 2 books, and had to put off the other 2 until I am able to obtain them in a desired form. I shall fill in those reviews once I have finished those reads. But for this month, I sought out books on topics I wished to be more knowledgeable and motivated in, which hopefully explains seemingly random selection of subject matter.
Book 1: Quiet by Susan Cain
This book covered what it means to be an introvert and the various qualities that might indicate one to be an introvert. Full of case studies and practical data, the overall information proved very useful in understanding how the introvert mind is wired and how one can best put that to use. Some of the more valuable information was how relationships between introverts and extroverts best work. Since the world is roughly 60% extroverts (with certain cultures weighted more towards extroversion), as an introvert knowing how to navigate that environment is key. I’ll admit some of the chapters were a bit tedious, but all in all I appreciated the knowledge I gained from this book.
Book 2: Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
An interesting read about the power of proper sleep habits and what our bodies do while we sleep, this book actually revealed a lot of my prior suspicions about sleep. Many of the healthy sleeping habits I already practice, but there were a few I was surprised to learn about. Learning more about the science of sleep, how it affects our mental capacity and capability, as well as learning more about the body’s internal “sleep” clock proved quite useful. Here is a few basic tips I would pass on to my readers: first, keep electronics away from your bed; second, don’t point alarm clocks toward you when you are trying to sleep; third, carving out at least 8 hours a day of “in bed time” is just as important as sleeping; fourth, sun exposure during the day and exercise have a cyclical relationship with our quality of sleep and energy levels; and fifth, sleep debt is a lie, so sleeping more on the weekends doesn’t actually help “recover” the sleep you missed out on during the week. If you want to learn more about the value of a good night’s rest, I’d recommend checking this out, maybe even listening to the audiobook as you try to go to sleep (the author himself appreciates that!).
Book 3: Unshakable by Angela Watson
~To be completed~
Book 4: 12 Rules For Life by Jordan Peterson
I found this book interesting because of the various sources Peterson drew from. He pulled from many ideologies and religions, and quoted a lot of passages from the Bible (thought almost never truly in context. For a secular self-help book, it was clearly influenced by spiritual thought. My biggest takeaway from his “rules” is this: “do good, be good, and feel good”. By “do good” I mean one should focus on doing the things that bring about good results for self and community. By “be good” I mean one should focus on acting in a moral and ethical manner, no matter the circumstance. By “feel good” I mean one should pursue the activities and interests that improve one’s satisfaction with life, and that creates a wholesome lifestyle of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. In some ways, the mantra “Love God, Love Others, Love Self” stems from a similar vein of thought. It served as a good reminder about how and why I spend my energy and attention, and I hope that knowledge will help me refocus on the things that create positive feedback loops and returns in my life.
Stuck in Translation 