Non-Fiction books I can’t stop thinking about….
The learning process never stops, and that seems to be proven every time I pick up a non-fiction read! So if you’re looking for some books to get your brain thinking, then let me introduce you to three that should be on your reading list this year.
Talking Across the Divide by Justin Lee
These days, it seems like you can’t go a day without encountering a debate— everyone has an opinion, and everyone considers their opinion to be correct. The world sure feels divided these days. It can be extra uncomfortable when you find yourself discovering that the people around you — family, friends, coworkers, etc. — have opinions that you just can’t seem to understand. “How could they think like that? This opinion they have does not align with the person I thought they were.”
Although it can be a tough reality to swallow, something these past couple of years have reminded me is that my views aren’t always going to align with others’, and that’s okay. Accepting and recognizing that is a huge first step, but the next step is learning how to communicate with people when they think differently than you. Even though it’s tempting to shy away from uncomfortable conversations, listening to people’s opinions is important— it forces us to look at situations in new ways that our biases might me preventing us from doing, and it helps you understand the world.
Talking Across the Divide is a book that came into my life at time where I really felt the need to strengthen my communication and listening skills. It’s a book that, in addition to providing step-by-step tips on how to have difficult conversations, also encourages the reader to recognize their own biases and how echo chambers impact their world views. I wish everyone could read more books like this because I think there’s a disappointing lack of empathy happening right now.
In the Flo by Alisa Vitti
Although I have nearly 25 years of experience living in my own body, In the Flo by Alissa Vitti showed me how little knowledge I had about how much influence my cycle has over my energy levels, cravings, mood, productivity, capacity for socialization, and more. Ever since reading this one, I’ve completely shifted the approach I have with my workouts, diet, and schedule!
Many of us who menstruate measure the passing of time with the 24-hour clock, when in reality, it appears that many of us would benefit from using our 28 day cycle as a guide for how we fill our time and fuel our bodies, based on our current hormone levels. Although I think it’d be pretty difficult to cater every aspect of my life to fit my cycle’s needs, I do think learning to listen to our bodies is so important— we owe it to ourselves to take care of our health!
In short: I loved this book so much that I recommend it to all of my friends! If you menstruate, I’d consider giving it a look (or any other book that talks in depth about the menstrual cycle)… I think you’d be surprised by what you learn! Watch me talk more about it, HERE.
The Defining Decade by Meg Jay, PhD
Let me preface this review by saying, although I found there to be a lot of value in this book, I don’t think it’s a book for everyone — more on that in a bit. The Defining Decade spends its time emphasizing why it can be damaging to believe “your 30s are the new 20s.” It argues that decisions you make in your 20s have the most impact on the course of your career, love life, family, health, etc., and how “brushing off” important decisions for your 30-year-old-self to deal with can leave many in tricky situations playing catch-up.
What did I appreciate about this book? In many ways, I think the “30s are the new 20s” mentality is great— it’s not the end of your youth, there’s still so much life to have fun with— but I can see how it can leave people panicking in their 30s if they haven’t figured out some key elements of their life. The book also had some good advice/commentary about relationships. It got me reflecting a lot about my life and some hard truths, which is why it’s a book I wanted to include on this list.
However….
I think this book is a heavy one to take on all at once if you’re in your 20s, feeling super lost. This book is direct, and I sometimes felt like certain topics would benefit from a softer delivery — making the right decisions in every area of your life is an intimidating and unrealistic goal— so I’d recommend it as a book you tackle slowly. Feeling the need for guidance in a certain area? Skip to the chapter that feels right for your current needs. I read the entire book over the course of a few weeks and remember feeling a bit overwhelmed by it so, if I had to read it again, I’d do it in smaller dosages!
What’s a non-fiction book at the top of your reading list this year? I’m curious to know! Looking for some more nonfiction goodies? Click here for more recommendations! Until next time, Xo —C.
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