3 Books for an Anxiety-Free Life

“But I don’t understand what’s happening, or why is it happening?”

That’s what I think I must have said when I had my first panic attack. And no surprise, I didn’t have answers to both the questions I asked myself. Well, at least not then.

For the past 5 years or so, I have been turning back to books whenever I needed some answers. If I am seeking answers about what should I do if I am feeling stuck in life, I would probably go to these books (exactly in the order mentioned).

And when I had some initial regular episodes of anxiety, I went to books again, seeking answers.

After reading many many books about anxiety, the reason behind it, and getting over it, I can help you with a curated reading list for an anxiety-free life.

Mind Full to Mindful

Mind Full to Mindful by Om Swami mentions various tips on how to become present in the moment.

The author also talks about all the various philosophical aspects and principles of zen, and the various meditation forms we can try, eg — sitting meditation, walking meditation, sleeping meditation, etc.

This book is full of zen wisdom and humorous stories. I could not stop laughing after every other page. Om Swami, the author, has kept the book engaging in that sense.

It’s a fun and light read. After reading this book, the reader will learn various mindfulness techniques, that help a lot in overcoming your anxiety issues.

Source: Goodreads

The takeaway from this book

The author talks about four principles of zen:

1. Sit quietly. The only way to learn sitting quietly is to do it. Blaise Pascal once said, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone”.
2. Care for your body. You have a duty: care for your own body the way you care for your society. Eat well. Sleep well. Exercise regularly.
3. Learn to handle pain. Accept the natural pain, and learn to live with it. One easier way to handle your pain is to help someone else handle their pain.
4. Practice non-violence. No violent thoughts. No violent emotions. No violent words. No violent actions. From personal experience, I can tell you, becoming a vegan changed my life for good. I tried it just with a little curiosity, and now it’s been 18 months since I turned vegan.

The Universe Has Your Back

The Universe Has Your Back by Gabrielle Bernstein talks about the art of surrender and intuition.

The core objective of the book is to teach the reader how to let go of control and completely surrender to something bigger than their own existence.

This book is filled with real-time stories that will reinstate the reader’s faith in the universe (or God if you may).

Source: Goodreads

The takeaway from this book

Without giving away everything, I’ll just mention the chapter titles. You will get the vibe of this book.

1. You have a hidden power
2. You are the dreamer of your dream
3. You are always being guided. Even when it doesn’t feel like it.
4. Your vibes speak louder than your words
5. The universe works fast when you’re having fun!
6. Obstacles are detours in the right direction
7. Certainty clears the path for what you desire
8. The universe speaks in mysterious ways
9. Oneness sets you free
10. You are the universe
11. When you think you’ve surrendered, surrender more
12. Be an instrument for love

Here’s a post I wrote after reading this book.

You Can Heal Your Life

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay has been a transformational link in history. It’s one of the earliest and most influential books talking about the law of attraction, the power of affirmations, and the mind-body connection.

The core idea of the book is that all of your physical illnesses are symptoms of your psychological issues. There’s even an in-depth flowchart of what major physical sickness is caused by which psychological issues.

For example, according to the author, fever is caused by anger, and it should be countered by the mantra “I am the cool, calm expression of peace and love”.

What we think about ourselves becomes the truth for us. ~Louise Hay

Source: Amazon.in

The takeaway from this book

• Your quality of self-talk directly impacts your physical and mental health. What we think about ourselves becomes the truth for us.
• Disease (or ‘dis-ease’) is the product of states of mind. The inability to forgive is the cause of all illness.
• Trust in the power of affirmations to manifest what you want. They must always be positive and in the present tense; for example, ‘I am totally healthy’.
• Wherever your focus goes, energy flows. This means if you focus on a lack of money, you will find yourself in situations where you’ll feel more and more shortage of money. Choose to live a life of gratitude, and the miracles will follow.

Originally Published at : https://medium.com/books-are-our-superpower/3-books-for-an-anxiety-free-life