There is something special about sitting down with a fresh cup of coffee or a ginger tea, picking up a new book and slowly getting lost in the story of someone else’s life.
What we look for and enjoy about a good book can often reflect what we look for in the people we spend our time with. They can inspire you to think a little differently, see another perspective or make better choices about the things that matter most in our lives. But sadly, like spending time with the people who inspire us, it’s far too easy to get caught up in the routine of everyday life and responsibilities which leaves little room for reading.
Do yourself a favor over the holidays and make time for the cup of tea and a good book that could help you get 2019 off to a positive start.
Men Care Too has picked three books released this year that are well worth investing your time in.
“Award-winning journalist Johann Hari suffered from depression since he was a child and started taking anti-depressants when he was a teenager. He was told like his entire generation that his problem was caused by a chemical imbalance in his brain. As an adult, trained in the social sciences, he began to investigate this question and he learned that almost everything we have been told about depression and anxiety is wrong.” – Booktopia description
“While everything looks great from the outside, the real picture has not always been quite so rosy. Osher has always known he's different to most other people. Struggling with anxiety, panic attacks and weight issues since he was young, he tried for years to drink away the anxiety and depression. He ended up unemployed, divorced, suicidal and certifiable on the other side of the world, yet somehow he managed to put the broken pieces of his mind back together and make a life for himself again. He lives with a mental illness - and he's come to terms with it to live an authentic, rich and fulfilling life.” – Booktopia description
“Former NRL player, world boxing title holder and proud Wiradjuri First Nations man Joe Williams was always plagued by negative dialogue in his head, and the pressures of elite sport took their toll. Joe eventually turned to drugs and alcohol to silence the dialogue, before attempting to take his own life in 2012. In the aftermath, determined to rebuild, Joe took up professional boxing and got clean.” – Booktopia description
It might sound a little corny, but the best present you can give someone is your time and the same goes for yourself. Spend a little time on you and perhaps learn a little more about your own world by reading about someone else’s.