Underrated Books That Will Make You Feel Awesome

Reading is a great way to manage stress and relax after a long day at school, even if it’s just for ten minutes a day. Whether it’s a magazine, school book, dictionary, comic, or even children’s book, you’ll feel better nonetheless. In this article, you will learn about what books you should try reading to not only de-stress but also feel more motivated and informed.

Books | Toronto Star

The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage Into Self-Mastery by Brianna Wiest 

One of my personal favorites, The Mountain Is You, dives into a variety of factors of why people feel something called self-sabotage. More often than not, we don’t even realize we’re self-sabotaging ourselves, which is also why this book is such an insightful read. Wiest discusses why we do self-sabotage, when we do it, and how to permanently stop it from affecting our lives. This book can be found right off of Amazon, so if you’re looking for some good motivation this holiday season, be sure to check it out!

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves 

Emotional Intelligence is something that I’m sure we’ve all heard of but just never gotten around to thinking about. In this book series, Bradberry and Greaves pick apart what EQ truly means, its significance, how to achieve it and to see whether or not you currently have it. Essentially, it serves as a guide for increasing the core EQ traits: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. A copy of it can be found in IMSA’s IRC or off of Amazon.

The Psychology of Creativity and Discovery: Scientists and Their Work

This book thoroughly discusses how creativity is influenced by psychology and how the brain functions through the works of previous scientists and experiments. Although it was published in 1981, the topics it analyzes are not as outdated as you would think, serving as a rare novel considering its topic and time. Especially for IMSA students, this book is a great read because it helps and potentially gives inspiration to those aiming to make major contributions in the future. It is available in IMSA’s IRC or off of Amazon as a hardcover copy.

101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think by Brianna Wiest

Wiest, also the author of The Mountain Is You, wrote this book aiming to shift readers’ mindsets to pursue purpose over passion, embrace negative thoughts, and become aware of various cognitive biases. In her second compilation of publications as a writer, Wiest tackles the issue of shifting your mindset in an effective and smooth fashion. A copy of this book is available on Amazon as a paperback, Kindle, or audiobook, so definitely consider reading this when feeling lost or unmotivated!

The books listed above are only a few of the ones that had a tangible effect on my mindset. While these could be a good starting point, there are still thousands of other great motivational and educational books out there that will help you as an aspiring learner and a better person. Don’t forget to spend some time reading in the upcoming weeks and even share some nice books with your friends and family!