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Books Insights Non-Fiction Personal Development

Essentialism by Greg McKeown | Book Review

READ THIS IF…

  • If you’re a very busy leader or a person who’s really in demand
  • You want to learn to say “No.” without feeling guilty (but also, if you’re someone who won’t get fired if you say no to a task/meeting)
  • You want to value simplicity more (although I’m sure there’s a better book about simplicity out there somewhere)

Already convinced? Click to buy on Amazon.

Ang subtitle nya ay The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. I had high hopes dito sa book na ‘to. Kala ko more on about minimalism and simplicity sya. Well, tungkol naman sya dun pero akala ko holistic yung approach. Pero hindi pala.

📷: sloww.co
Categories
Books Insights Non-Fiction Personal Development

Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks | Book Report

READ THIS IF…

  • You want to learn how to craft and tell better stories
  • You want to read a super entertaining book filled with the author’s own stories
  • You want to know how storytelling can be a superpower

Naka-discover nanaman ako ng hidden gem sa book na ‘to. Lately, madami akong pinapanood na YouTubers na ang niche is self improvement. So na-recommend ‘tong book na ‘to. Ang subtitle nya is Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling. Lately ulit, mas trip kong magbasa ng mga non-fiction books. Halos hindi ako makausad sa mga binabasa kong fiction.

Categories
Books Insights Non-Fiction Personal Development

Daring Greatly by Brené Brown | Book Report

READ THIS IF…

  • You want to build better connections with other people
  • You want to be more courageous
  • You read Brené Brown’s Ted Talk and you can’t get enough of her

DON’T READ THIS IF…

  • You’re perfect

Eto ulit yung book of the month ng book club namin at kakatapos ko lang syang basahin kahapon. Nakakaasar pa kasi nabura yung highlights ko dito sa Kindle. Nagspend pa siguro ko ng another 1-2 hours para i-scan yung buong book para hanapin yung mga hinighlight ko. Grr.

Eto yung backbone ng libro na ‘to. It’s a quote from Theodore Roosevelt:

Categories
Books Non-Fiction

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari | Book Report

READ THIS IF…

  • You’d like to learn (or relearn) how everything began
  • You’re interested in learning about history, science and technology
  • Gusto mong magalit (?) sa sarili nating species

Reading about how humans and animals came about and how numerous species are now extinct because of humans, naisip ko sana hindi na lang naging super evolved ang humans. Para hindi tayo nag-cause ng major damage sa nature. Sana tulad na lang noong primitive times na nag co-exist na lang lahat ng creatures. Eh kasi nga since nagkaron tayo ng unique ability to be reasonable and logical, naging ang thinking ng humans noon ay “It’s us or them.” Kaso diba normal naman yung may predator and prey. So kung nagiging prey ang humans minsan, eh wala, yun talaga yung cycle of life eh. Natural naman na ipagtanggol ng humans ang mga sarili nila pero sana nagkaron ng control. Hindi sana naging greedy. Para hindi nagkaganito.

Categories
Books Non-Fiction Romance

Modern Love edited by Daniel Jones | Book Review

Ang complete title nya ay Modern Love: True Stories of Love, Loss, and Redemption. It’s a collection of love stories and based from the complete title, hindi lahat ng stories happy ending. Dun sa introduction part nagustuhan ko how the editor described love.

Kakatapos lang ng book club discussion namin kahapon about this book at naging makabagbag-damdamin ang naging usapan kasi nag-share din yung ibang members ng heartfelt stories nila. Sinimulan namin yung discussion sa favorite stories namin dun sa book. Eto yung sakin (in no particular order):

Categories
Books Insights Non-Fiction

Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman | Book Report

READ THIS IF…

  • You want to be enlightened on the amount of unnecessary information you consume
  • You’re bothered with your short attention span
  • You want to appreciate reading more

This non-fiction book about the negative effects of television was published in 1985. It may seem irrelevant nowadays but not really. The reason why this book is still being read today is because it couldn’t be more relevant.

Categories
Books Insights Non-Fiction Personal Development

A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy by William B. Irvine | Book Report

This book was recommended by one of our book club members (Thanks Pearl!). She learned that I have some interest in Stoicism and suggested this book to me. I had a hard time finding a simple definition of what Stoicism is but I think this one is helpful:

STOICISM • a philosophy that helps us direct our thoughts and actions in an unpredictable world. We don’t control and cannot rely on external events, but we can (to a certain extent) control our mind and choose our behavior.

http://www.njlifehacks.com

Basically, the book is encouraging us to have some kind of philosophy when dealing with life. And since I don’t have any religion, I think it’s a good plan. Although I’ve always thought that I turned out pretty well without being religious. That I don’t need to have a religion to be a decent person. But having a philosophy, as the book suggested, seemed appealing to me; and personally, a better alternative than religion. And this specific philosophy that the author is advocating for is Stoicism.

The primary concern of philosophy should be the art of living: Just as wood is the medium of the carpenter and bronze is the medium of the sculptor, your life is the medium on which you practice the art of living.

Epictetus
Categories
Books Insights Non-Fiction Personal Development

The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz | Book Report

In the beginning part of the book, the author discussed how our society, our culture, our families and relationships shape our beliefs and identities. That we didn’t have a choice when we were little. And now that we’re older, he is challenging us to question these beliefs/practices or these “agreements”.

Another thing he talked about is how sometimes people just go with the flow to gain approval in order to have a sense of belongingness. Which is a natural thing for humans. Sabi nga ni Aristotle, we are social animals. But he also challenges that. Like saying no if we want to say no. Or attempting to ask even if it meant rejection.

Categories
Books Insights Non-Fiction Personal Development

Atomic Habits by James Clear | Book Report

The fact na naisip kong basahin ‘to, ibig sabihin andun na yung desire ko na i-improve yung good habits ko and i-eliminate as much as possible yung bad. Pero the beginning part of the book still provides more encouragement to increase your desire to improve. And gusto ko yun kasi once I implement the steps, mas may conviction behind it. Mas mapapangatawanan ko kumbaga.

Madaming tips and strategies yung book para ma-cultivate yung good habits. Madami ring examples pero of course, some or most of the examples wouldn’t apply to my life. So kelangan ng extra effort para makaisip ka ng iba-ibang ways para ma-apply yung strategies na yon sa buhay mo mismo.

THINGS I LEARNED:

  • Link your identity to the good habits

You might start a habit because of motivation, but the only reason you’ll stick with one is that it becomes part of your identity.

I think eto yung pinakang tumatak sakin. Kase everytime na maf-frustrate ako sa sarili ko kasi hindi ko nagagawa yung mga sinasabi kong gagawin ko, yung internal monologue ko lagi is, “Wala, ganito na talaga ako. Procrastinator talaga ako. Sa una lang ako magaling.” I identified myself as lazy. When in truth, our identities are not set in stone sabi nga dun sa book. We can edit our identities. Hindi naman ‘to touch move. We can improve. Hindi pwede yung mags-settle na lang ako dun sa paulit ulit kong sinasabi na tamad ako. May choice akong baguhin yung identity ko for the better and stop making excuses like, “Ganito na kasi talaga ko.”

You may want more money, but if your identity is someone who consumes rather than creates, then you’ll continue to be pulled toward spending rather than earning. You may want better health, but if you continue to prioritize comfort over accomplishment, you’ll be drawn to relaxing rather than training.

Categories
Books Insights Non-Fiction Personal Development

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport | Book Review + Notes [Part 5: Extra Notes and Rating]


So tapos ko na yung book. Nalito pa ko kasi nakalagay dun sa Kindle 64% done pa lang ako tapos pag-flip ko ng page, Acknowledgements na. Super dami palang notes sa huli and references kaya akala medyo matagal ko pa matatapos.

Since madami na din akong nasabi about sa book na ‘to, meron pa kong mga extras na gustong idagdag na nabasa ko pa after kong matapos sulatin yung parts 1-4.

Nabanggit yung importance of solitude. I think kaya nya ‘to in-include kasi yung magta-try ng digital declutter, they could get bored and will find themselves reaching for their phones. And kaya may whole chapter about solitude is for us to realize siguro na sometimes, okay lang na walang gawin. Hindi mo kelangan i-fill yung every second of your life.

Regular doses of solitude, mixed in with our default mode of sociality, are necessary to flourish as a human being.

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

Nabanggit dito na solitude or being alone with your thoughts helps us regulate our emotions and process stuff. And medyo natawa and na-guilty din ako dito sa following quote: