My Books and Learnings in 2022

2022 reflection

I close the year by reflecting, before making plans for the new one. As I was going through the exercise, I included a ‘learning of the month’, for which I looked back on my Bookcorner and the books I read and wrote about. Therefore, for December, my “Bookcorner” is a compilation of those learnings: which ideas stuck, which books made a true impact, and which one will end up in the proverbial recycle bin (as I mostly read these books on my Kindle).

Learnings

One of the main lessons I learned this year is to distinguish which self-imposed rules I think I should abide by, and which ones truly serve me. A learning I took to heart in November: after saying ‘yes’ to an unexpected adventure and joining a full month entrepreneurial immersion program in Spain, I ‘released’ myself of the pressure of reading and writing. I decided that to be more present in the program would serve me better.

My other learnings, including one of my favorite quotes of the books per month:

January: “Awaiting God” (Simone Weil)

"The sea is no less beautiful because we know sometimes boats sink"

I purchased Awaiting God in a hard-copy, so I can actually browse through it, keep re-reading and reflecting on it. This is a book I will go back to for many years to come. This book, a book about spirituality and how to live life, gave me a lot to think about, and re-established my focus on meditation and appreciating the small but absolutely beautiful and wonderful little moments in (daily) life.

February: “The Art of Happiness” (Dalai Lama & Howard C. Cutler)

"A tree with strong roots can withstand the most violent storm, but the tree can’t grow roots just as the storm appears on the horizon."

I have re-read this book on occasion over the years, as it brings me back to one simple truth: there is no silver bullet to happiness. It takes work. And no one really likes to hear that (myself included). In a world where immediate gratification is the norm, it is sometimes a much needed reminder that the work I chose when I made the leap from Google to The Reset, is to create slow and gradual insights. Those lead to awareness, which results in action and ultimately change (and, if I do my work well, Joy). And of course, this does not only apply to the work I am doing, but to my actual, daily life and choices as well.

March: “The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times” (Jane Goodall & Douglas Abrams)

“I was beginning to see that hope was not just wishful thinking. It did take the facts and the obstacles into account, but it did not let them overwhelm or stop us.”

This book not only provided me with a deeper understanding and appreciation of Jane Goodall's life and work, but also gave me a new perspective and vocabulary about hope, optimism, and positivity. In a past relationship, one main stumbling block was his and my view of the world never matched up. I often felt like the naive, ‘look-at-the-bright side’ kind of girl. Yet, this book made me realize it is not naive to hope, which involves envisioning the future while also recognizing the inevitability of challenges. This aligned with a way I have often used to describe myself, and will proudly continue to do so: the skeptical optimist. While I see challenges and negative sides to things, I do always think there is an opportunity to do, or be better.

April: “Courage Is Calling” (Ryan Holiday)

“Each of us needs to cultivate the courage to actually look at what we’re afraid of.”

Small steps will get you further than no steps taken at all. I have started seeing that feeling nervous and a little bit of anxiety over a (small)step as a good sign: a bit of courage needed is a good thing. If you are not a little bit scared about it, would it even be worth doing?

May: “Range” (David Epstein)

“We are works in progress claiming to be finished”

I love learning, and taking ‘random’ workshops. This book validated the value of that, which just gives me yet another push to keep on signing up for those courses, classes and workshops.

June: The Art of Impossible (Steven Kotler)

“History is littered with the impossible. Our past is a graveyard for ideas that have held this title.”

This book really solidified my meditation practice as a daily ritual, and made me pick up sculpting again. While planning for 2023, I took a look at my list I created based on the “Passion Recipe” to chart out courses I want to take in the next year. This was the book that had the most practical impact on my life.

July: Time to Think (Nancy Kline)

“Until we are free to think for ourselves, our dreams are not free to unfold.”

This book helped me a lot in my coaching practice, allowing for more space and time to just think, without any interruptions or guidance. For anyone who is leading a team or sessions, I would recommend this book as I found it highly valuable.

August: The 12 Hour Walk (Colin O’Brady)

“Obviously, I don’t want to die,” I say. “But what I’m really afraid of is not living.”

This book led me to walk for 12 hours, and brought me my main 2022 learning: letting go of those self-imposed rules. Believing and trusting I can do hard things, moving from misery to bliss through perseverance: it was quite a journey - one that I often refer back to, and made a big impact on me. I genuinely mean it when I say I think everyone should do this, to get introduced to parts of yourself you have not even met yet. If you don't want to read the book, go to the site for more info.

September: Emotional Agility (Susan David)

“We end the tug-of-war by dropping the rope”

The quote above has become a little bit of a personal mantra.This sentence empowered me to not entertain my own negative thought cycles, and cut my internal chatterbox short, without judgment.

October: The Untethered Soul (Michael A. Singer)

“The sun does not shine differently on different people.”

While I did not particularly enjoy reading this book, the conversations that stemmed from it I did value a lot: learning what spirituality means to others, what ‘letting go’ looks like, what practices one can use. Learning to distinguish between the voice we hear inside our head, and the one listening to it, is yet another great way of learning to detach from the internal chatterbox.

November: The Science of Gratitude & How to Build a Gratitude Practice - Podcast

In November, I released myself from my monthly book-corner, and entered unchartered territory (not literally, but I did live in a tiny (3-house) town in Basque country for a month. It changed my Gratitude practice, so I thought that would fit this list of learnings! If you, like me, use the 5-minute gratitude journal to bring gratitude into your life, I would recommend listening to this podcast, and adjust your practice accordingly.

December: 12 Reflection moments

It is through reflection, through pause, that we can reset and figure out what works for us, what we wish to continue, stop, or pause.

“If you want to see roses, it helps to look in a garden.”

I went looking for my lessons learned in 2022, and realized they were plentiful. They are everywhere: in reconnecting with close friends, in deep conversations, in books, in journals, in podcasts, in off-hand remarks, in triggers, in magazines, in TV-shows.

Each moment presents a chance to grow, if we are paying attention. All of these books have made a lasting impression on me, as I refer to them regularly in conversations. What brought these impacts home for me was sharing them, discussing them, disseminating them. This is perhaps my biggest learning of all: sharing is learning.

Here is to a new year full of sharing. I will continue in January 2023 with a book review, and will tackle “Maybe you should talk to someone”. Fitting. I do love how the universe conspires.

Happy New Year!