MIND // Good Books & Podcasts That Have My Head Where It Is Today

A Reading List To Help Change Your Negative Thoughts

My own personal battle with mental health isn't something I have shyed away from on this blog. But with life ever changing it's not something that I always talk about. My path has been ever changing and how I deal with things also has. This year however I had my eyes opened to different ways of thinking from some really interesting reads and I really wanted to share them. This is the most books I have read, or in fact listened to in years so that kinda shows that they have really changed me, but every book made me want to go onto more. 

It's not a huge list and honestly, nearly all of these books have not been physically read, they have, in fact, been listened to which I not only prefer but makes me connect so much more with the author. Most of my audio books have been read by the writer and the experience of listening to them tell their stories has been really interesting. Not only do you hear a book read how it was intended, there is an element that makes you feel like you are listening to a friend. 

Some of the books I own and have gone back to for reference. Some I have not finished simply because I found inspiration and moved on and some have been written in such a way that it is easy to dip in and out. Altogether though these books have really brought new thought processes into my life and I have really enjoyed listening to them and taking them as an education to help me in my life. 

This list includes podcasts as I have really got into listening to them on walks or more recently, when painting the house!

Books

Oprah Winfrey // What I know For Sure

Marianne Williamson // A Return To Love

Brene Brown // The Gifts Of Imperfection

Earling Kragg // Silence In An Age Of Noise

Judith Valante  // How To Live

Oprah Winfrey // The Wisdom Of Sundays

Podcasts 

The Good Glow by Georgie Crawford (Start with season one)

Super Soul Conversations by Oprah Winfrey

Unlocking Us by Brene Brown

The Father Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast by Fr. Mike Schmitz

Books I have now to help develop prayer and meditation

The Bible In One Year : I started this this year and listened to it religiously on the school run until lock down hit and I could never get back into it. I will be doing it again though as I really found it engaging. There is an app which gives you the daily lesson so download that over buying the book if you like to listen to things.

Twenty Four Hours A Day; A tool for AA practice. Used as a tool to aid alcoholics. Some of this makes no sense to my life but the prayers and meditations for each day are excellent for all walks of life.

God Calling, By Two Listeners: a daily devotional to be read cover to cover or picked up when necessary. It helps to find inspiration for spiritual enrichment.

The Website: 'Be A Heart Designs' had an email sign up to a 40 day positivity fest. with catholic spirituality at the heart but any Christian will enjoy. The 40 days of emails to meditate on are lovely.

I wanted to share these as they have made a difference to how my whole year has been constructed, especially the latter part. What is nice is that for me, all these thoughts were already floating around my life, it just took some spoken words to help my brain engage  with them. Feel free to have a read. my first step to it all was the first season of Georgie Crawford's 'The Good Glow' podcast. Enjoy.