Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has seen death, economic hardship, and anxiety on an unprecedented scale. But it has also witnessed self-sacrifice, courage and perseverance.
Over the 2021 Holiday season I read a number of books about resilience, grit, human connection, and compassion. I read these books to learn and to gain new perspectives.
A key theme in all of these texts is that empathy, which in its simplest form is the ability to sense and have awareness of the emotions of other people, is a crucial skill to develop and practice.
This is particularly true during hard times.
I enjoyed reading these authors and will take lessons from their writings with me as I start the new year.
If you are in the market for new books I hope that this list will help inspire you as well.
Book | Author | Key Notes / Learnings |
Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It | Ethan Kross | The inner voice is a blessing and a curse, learn how to manage it |
The Stoic Challenge | William Irvine | A Philosopher’s Guide to Becoming Tougher, Calmer, and More Resilient |
Everything Happens for a Reason (And Other Lies I’ve Loved) | Kate Bowler | Life is short; bring humor and love to each day |
Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy | Sheryl Sandberg | Manging life as one moves through grief; importance of resilience |
Modern Love | Daniel Jones | All the different types of love bring meaing to life |
The Art of Taking It Easy | Brian King | Reduce stress, seek happiness |
Greenlights | Matthew McConaughey | Aim for Greenlights, be authentic, keep going |
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone | Lori Gottlieb | Seek help, search within, listen, heal |
When Breath Becomes Air | Paul Kalanithi | Be grateful for your health and time on earth |
How Will You Measure Your Life? | Clayton Christensen | What is your North Star? How will you find and then move towards it? |
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance | Angela Duckworth | The secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a special blend of passion and persistence. |