We all have those days, some more than others, when we are told to ‘cheer up’, or you struggle to get out of bed or to find anything joyful in our day, let alone life. On some of those days it really is better to stay in bed and inflict our bad mood on a good book. Here are five books that will help you see the beauty in the world, change the way you deal with life’s troubles, and have you laughing your sad socks off. Being a bookworm, it was hard to pick just five books that can help you to be more positive – however, here are the best to start with.
1. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Wondrously funny, and charmingly simple in its beauty. What could be more uplifting than a coming of age story about a boy who couldn’t be more un-blinkered or socially conditioned? It will make you laugh, make you cry and warm your heart- make it the first book you read if you want to see that there is goodness in the world.
2. Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
A story, funnily enough, about eating, praying and loving; loving the self, loving the higher power and loving another, all the while traversing the world, socially and geographically. With the warmed heart from Perks, open it with this semi-autobiographical story of a woman trying to find herself and happiness.
3. How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
Uproariously funny! I almost wet my pants laughing at the stories in this book, and on a dark day that was what I really needed. It was outrageously honest, but surprisingly heart-warming. Although the title of this book indicates it is just for women, I believe it should be called ‘How to be a Decent Human Being’, and I wholeheartedly recommend this book to both men and women.
4. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay
This is a book that helped me when I really needed it; I wasn’t on talking terms with my family, I was jobless, friendless and was about to be made homeless. An old pen pal sent me this book and it helped me to see I could change the things I had no control over, just by changing the way I reacted to them. The book is about forgiveness, and its healing power. Forgiving yourself for making mistakes, forgiving others for hurting you, and, sometimes, forgiving the world for being against you.
5. The Magic by Rhonda Byrne
Based on the law of attraction, which is the premise for the first book (and movie) The Secret, this book goes more in-depth about changing areas of our lives. The law of attraction is based on the principle of like attracting like and the control we can have over our lives if we can control our thoughts. The book talks you through 28 days of changing our thoughts and changing our lives, which is ultimately what you want when life isn’t going the right way. So pick a book, snuggle down under the duvet and immerse yourself in a world of possibility!
