Since I am reading a lot of self improvement books lately, I wanted to make sure that I am practicing the lessons I’ve learned so it wouldn’t go to waste. I didn’t want to read it, totally agree with it, and then just abandon it after a few days. I want to be able to carry it with me and apply it as much as I can. So I decided to go through with them once more and try to summarize what I learned from each book.
- DIGITAL MINIMALISM | Cal Newport
This book taught me to be less dependent on technology and it also served as an aid to make me read more because it freed a lot of time for me to pursue activities that are more worthwhile. After practicing the strategies in this book, my screen time drastically changed from 8-9 hours/day to 2-3 hours/day. I can (surprisingly) survive a day without checking Instagram, Messenger and Facebook which was a massive improvement for me.
2. ATOMIC HABITS | James Clear
And since I’m spending less time on social media which resulted to a lot of time reclaimed, I wanted to have some more organization and wanted to make sure that I would spend my time productively. That’s why I decided to read Atomic Habits next. This one helped me cultivate my existing good habits (reading), create other good habits (eating more healthily and exercising) and break the bad ones (procrastinating). I definitely won’t claim that I became the most productive person ever after reading this book. Of course I have my low days. But this book also communicated that slight improvements are okay as long as we’re consistent. It also taught me how to become more patient when I want to improve a habit or if I want to learn a new skill (like learning a new language).
3. THE FOUR AGREEMENTS | Don Miguel Ruiz
Although I only rated this book 2.5 stars out of 5 because of the writing style, this book provided some great insights to be a better human. And we all want that. The teachings in this book is not something that’s entirely new. But it served as a good reminder to be more honest with how I feel and communicate it as necessary, to engage less in gossip, to ask first before assuming something, be more understanding and less selfish, and just try to be better as much as I can, with the energy that I have.
Again, these books are not trying to ask us to be perfect. They are promoting self improvement which I believe everyone needs. I wasn’t a fan of self-help books before to be honest. And I think it’s because of two things. The first one is pride. I guess there was a certain level of arrogance that I just decided I didn’t need any help. That “I can do this all on my own!” (annoying). The second reason is maybe because I was afraid. I was afraid to confront my weaknesses and assumed that I won’t be able to follow their advice anyway. Because it would be too hard. Because I lack discipline. Well, I think I underestimated myself. I know now that I should have more faith in myself.
Gleniz da Menace 