12 Books to Help Navigate Change

Crystal Jackson

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1qmxfa_0bCjbIoU00
Read this!Photo by Eliott Reyna on Unsplash

There are times in our lives when change finds us. We may not want it. We may, in fact, actively avoid it. Still, it comes. Our lives are upended, and it becomes time to sink or swim. Maybe we think that we’ll sink, and yet we find ourselves floating, or at least treading water. We find ourselves changing. Whether our awakening comes to us slowly or develops over time, we may look for guidance to get through the upheaval that has become our daily lives.

I have been in this place so many times in my life. From career changes to the end of relationships, my life has evolved so many times. Luckily, my change game is strong- even when I wish that it didn’t have to be. During these times, like any self-respecting bookworm, I’ve taken solace in reading about awakening and transformation. It always helped reinforce my own changes, assuring me that I can and will survive whatever comes.

Here’s my recommended reading list for awakening and change. You can find these at the Morgan County Library. If they aren't in stock, request yours from interlibrary loan.

12 Books to Help Navigate Change

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

This book is not just for artists or aspiring artists. It's for everyone. This book is a great resource to learn more about ourselves and ways we can incorporate creativity into our lives. The questions and homework assignments in the book help us address blocks to living our dreams.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

This book explores the idea of social convention and whether or not we live according to our own inner compass or the dictates of society. While this book is fictional, the story is still relevant. I highly recommend it to anyone going through their own awakening.

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Contrary to popular belief, feminism isn't just for women. It's for all of us. While I recommend this for gender-related awakenings, I sincerely believe we should all read this book. If we don’t identify as feminists, it’s a great way to explore our own belief systems and to learn how patriarchal structures negatively impact the lives of all genders, not just women.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

This book should be on any reading list on transformation. Gilbert takes us along on her journey to three countries, but she also leads us to understand the personal and spiritual changes that happen along the way.

Books by Brene Brown

I couldn’t recommend just one. Brown explains the role of strength, vulnerability, and resilience in so many aspects of our lives. Any awakening can be helped along with her straightforward and yet entertaining books.

The Bliss Principle by Kellye Davis

I chanced across this one years ago. I briefly met the author at a book signing at my local bookstore. I purchased the book out of curiosity but quickly added this to my must-read list. Davis gives us 5 simple ways to reduce stress and increase bliss in our lives. Going through a transformation can be enormously stressful. These self-care strategies can help us manage the very real stress we’re likely experiencing.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Another fictional pick, The Alchemist explores what it takes to follow a dream. This simple yet beautifully written book reminds us that the Universe guides our journey when we begin to follow our dreams. There's encouragement for when we encounter setbacks and a reminder that the journey is worth it.

Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl

Stark and heart-breaking, Frankl explores what gives life meaning from the perspective of his time in a concentration camp. When experiencing change and searching for meaning, Frankl gave us hope. This is a powerful book for anyone experiencing an existential crisis or simply searching for more meaning in their lives.

Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch

This is particularly apt for spiritual awakenings. It explores the questions we have for a higher power- and how we might already have the answers we’re seeking. A non-conventional spiritual book, Conversations with God can help us explore our belief systems.

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chodron

When we’re making our transition, Chodron helps us transform our obstacles into opportunities for joy. This is recommended for anyone experiencing a difficult time in their life.

The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama

I’ve heard the Dalai Lama speak, and I will recommend anything that he has to say. With gentleness and humor, the Dalai Lama helps us find “Lasting Happiness in a Changing World.”

The She Book by Tanya Markul

We can follow Thug Unicorn’s Tanya Markul on her journey of transformation and awakening while we experience our own. This beautiful book also has a sequel.

Our awakenings may vary, but it’s nice to have guideposts along the way assuring us that we’re headed in the right direction. This reading list can help make a difficult experience even more richly rewarding.

What books would you add to this list? Which helped you in your transformation? Comment to add your suggestions to this list!

Don't forget to show your support for the Morgan County Library by joining the Friends of the Morgan County Library, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that directly supports the library. Look for these and other books on the library shelves and at the annual book sale in October. You can also visit the library to see the brand new Maker Space on August 12th from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

This is original content from NewsBreak’s Creator Program. Join today to publish and share your own content.

Read full story in "NewsBreak" App

Comments / 0

Published by

Crystal Jackson is a former therapist turned writer. She is the author of the Heart of Madison series and a volume of poetry entitled My Words Are Whiskey. Her work has been featured on Medium, Elite Daily, Thought Catalog, The Good Men Project, and Elephant Journal. When she's not writing, you can find her traveling, paddle boarding, cycling, throwing axes badly but with terrifying enthusiasm, hiking, or curled up with her nose in a book in Madison, Georgia, where she lives with one puppy and two wild and wonderful children. Crystal writes about relationships, mental health, parenting, social justice, and more. Never miss an update. Subscribe to emails: https://crystaljacksonwriter.substack.com/

Madison, GA
26K followers

More from Crystal Jackson

[Opinion] How to Tell if a Woman Needs Space

Space is a healthy part of anyone’s existence. It should be a healthy part of relationships, too. Without enough space, people begin to feel smothered or pressured. With too much space, people begin to feel neglected and abandoned. So, where’s the balance, and how are you supposed to tell when a woman needs space?

Read full story

[Opinion] 9 Subtle Signs a Woman Could Be Trying to Make You Jealous

Ever catch a case of the green-eyed monster? Jealousy is a normal human emotion — even if it’s not one you relish experiencing. While it can happen from time to time, there’s nothing quite like when having someone try to make you jealous on purpose.

Read full story
5 comments

Opinion: 12 Signs a Guy Enjoyed the First Date

Dating is … you probably just filled in a word based on your own experience. Exciting. Awkward. Fun. The worst! Your perception of dating likely depends on your experience of it — and the experience of those closest to you, particularly if you’re the only one in a friend group in a long-term monogamous relationship.

Read full story
7 comments

Opinion: 9 Signs a Guy Wants You to Chase Him

Some men like the chase — and some just want to be chased. Maybe it strokes their ego or makes them feel valued. Maybe they just don’t know what they want or feel too shy to make the first move. There are reasons, and you might not ever get to the bottom of them.

Read full story
73 comments

[Opinion] 6 Signs Your Twin Flame is Manifesting You

The world is wide and wonderful. The Universe communicates messages in mysterious ways. Sometimes, the communication may not even be from some Higher Power, but our own inner knowing translated into signs and symbols around us. It’s hard to say. Yet, sometimes, the signs appear when we least expect them but desperately need them.

Read full story
10 comments

OPINION Your Breakup Has a Silver Lining: How to Find Hope in Painful Endings

You can dread something and hope that it never, ever happens — only to find that the thing you feared might just have been the start of something amazing. Of course, we’re talking about breakups. I didn’t want my last relationship to come to an end. I utilized all my usual coping mechanisms to delay the inevitable — denial, people-pleasing, endlessly compromising myself, and making excuses. I’d have gone to couples counseling. I would have talked the problems out. But what I just couldn’t do — what none of us can do — is make another person love us back and value the relationship enough to want to save it.

Read full story
1 comments

100+ Interesting Questions to Ask Your Partner to Deepen Your Bond

Learning about your partner is a lifelong process. No matter how long you’ve been together, you can never fully know another person. Thinking that you know them inside and out can actually damage your relationships. You might be filling in the blanks with your assumptions.

Read full story
2 comments

[Opinion] Cancer and Leo Love Compatibility: When Opposites Attract

When it comes to Zodiac compatibility, there tend to be two camps. There’s the one that completely denies that your date of birth has anything whatsoever to do with your compatibility in relationships, and there’s the one that absolutely swears by the stars aligning (or failing to do so).

Read full story
1 comments

[Opinion] Aries and Capricorn Compatibility: Unlocking Power Couple Potential

Relationships are work, and anyone who tells you otherwise is likely heading for relationship disaster. Falling in love, in some ways, might be the easiest part. Then, you’re dealing with communication styles, differences in upbringing and attachment, job issues, health challenges, and all the other challenges that life can throw at you.

Read full story
1 comments

How to Recognize the Subtle Signs She’s into You

You might think women are mysterious, but science disagrees. In fact, there are many signs that a woman is showing interest and attraction that you just might not be recognizing. There are two good reasons for this: (a) She’s not interested, so she’s not showing any signs, or (b) she’s giving every possible sign, but you just aren’t interpreting them to mean that she’s into you.

Read full story
81 comments

The Unbearable Loneliness of Doing the Work of Love for Two

No matter how hard you try or how hard you love, you will never be able to single-handedly save a romantic relationship or make someone love you back. It’s a harsh truth that I once tried to ignore. I layered foolish optimism over past trauma and tried to make lovers love me back with my effort, humor, charm, and will. I tried to be the perfect girlfriend, and so much of my true self went into hiding in the process.

Read full story
7 comments

Opinion: 5 Signs You’ve Finished Breaking Your Own Heart

I don’t like to brag, but I’m quite good at breaking my own heart. It’s not a skill that I set out to master. Surviving trauma made me really good at overcoming challenges — but equally bad at seeing when my behavior was creating them.

Read full story
7 comments

80+ Hilarious Questions to Spice Up Your First Date

Dating can sometimes feel like an interview. You have to go through the tedious process of trying to summarize who you are in a way that feels honest but also interesting. You can’t just list the most basic facts. Your date also expects you to be entertaining.

Read full story
4 comments

Opinion: 11 Tell-Tale Signs You’re an Intuitive Empath

You’re too sensitive. So many empaths grew up knowing without a doubt that we’re more sensitive than others without having another word for it. Before the word empath came to us, we had other words for the experience. Sadness.Shame.Overwhelm.Overstimulation. It’s hard to explain that your life experience is heightened without coming across as a lunatic or egomaniac.

Read full story
63 comments

15 Signs of a Condescending Person and How to Deal with Them

It seems like there’s one in every workplace. In every family. In every peer group. There’s always that one person who just rubs you wrong with everything they say and do. You tell them they’re being condescending, but they just dismiss you with even more condescension.

Read full story
51 comments

13 Signs of Peter Pan Syndrome: How to Spot the Partner Who Refuses to Grow Up

Are you with someone who just doesn’t want to grow up? It might have you wondering where you’ve come across this archetype before. It sounds familiar, doesn’t it?. While you won’t see “Peter Pan Syndrome” in any diagnostic manual, the phrase was coined by psychologist Dan Kiley in 1983 about the man who is a forever boy and is based on a character created by author J. M. Barrie in 1902. You might notice that your immature partner might have tell-tale signs of this notable syndrome.

Read full story
147 comments

Uncovering the Fragile Side of Narcissism: 9 Signs of a Vulnerable Narcissist

Researchers who have investigated the relationship between self-esteem and narcissism discovered something curious. While the grandiose narcissist generally is associated with high self-esteem, the vulnerable narcissist often reports low self-worth.

Read full story
25 comments

How to Keep a Woman Interested, According to a Former Therapist

Beauty might be in the eye of the beholder, but researchers have found key characteristics that attract women. Confidence, authenticity, and the ability to make her laugh are all factors that could contribute to that initial spark. But once you’ve got her attention, do you know how to keep a woman interested?

Read full story
28 comments

First Impressions Count: A Guide to Starting a Conversation with a Girl

You see her across the room. Let’s forget about the story you’re already forming in your head and the assumptions you’re making about who she is and what she wants for her life. Instead, let’s highlight the way everything seems to come into sharper focus. The colors are brighter, the taste of the beverage you’re sipping seems better, and you might even hear music where there is none.

Read full story
69 comments

23 Unmistakable Signs of Disrespect in a Relationship

Relationships should feel like coming home. They should be these safe places where you feel like the truest version of yourself, not always the best version. They should include mutual respect, affection, and appreciation. These are the healthy relationships that give us relationship goals.

Read full story
13 comments

Comments / 0

Community Policy