3 books to inspire you

Perhaps you started 2021 off in high spirits but now that February has arrived, spirits and motivation are lagging. We whittled down from our list of favourite reads to just three books that have worked wonders to inspire us during this month. We hope you will like them!

1. Siddhartha, Herman Hesse
This book was written in 1922 and is a classic story of one man's journey of self discovery. Set in India, Siddhartha is tired of the secure and prosperous life he leads and he leaves everything behind in his search for meaning and understanding of the nature of life. From this moment on, we pass through as spectators of his life as Siddhartha chooses different paths of love, pain and suffering and towards the end of his life makes some powerful revelations. A spiritual novel that is moving and thought provoking and demands an examination of one's own life.

2. Wild, From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, Cheryl Strayed
For a more modern novel, the true story of one young woman's impulsive decision to walk over 1000km on the Pacific West Crest trail alone was a compelling read. Cheryl Strayed's brutally honest account of her lack of preparation for the hike and her accounts of being lost both figuratively and literally were bewildering and moving. Whether you riled at her to have more sense or cried with her through her suffering, ultimately this book demonstrates our imperfect humanity and invites a more gentle and compassionate lens to view our own life choices. 

3. The Book of Awakening, Mark Nepo 
In contrast to the previous two suggestions, this is more of a Day Book, with a thought for every day of the year. Nepo's writing is gently encouraging and addresses all kinds of life moments- from sadness, joy, grief and pain. An added bonus is Nepo's background in poetry which makes reading each day a true pleasure. It is a book to dip into for a short dose of positivity that you can come back to time and again and gain something new. If sitting down to read a full length book seems too much at the moment, then this is the book for you!

What are you reading at the moment? We'd love to know what is getting you through the days and if you give any of these books a try do let us know how you get on!