5 e-books to help you gain a new perspective on life

With so many factors causing negative thoughts and feelings this year, it’s extremely hard not to sink into the swamp of sadness. But we Filipinos know all too well that we can still beam with hope despite all the circumstances. Through hope, we keep motivated and enthusiastic to live a full and meaningful life.

There are many ways to recover, rekindle or discover hope, and everyone has different ways of coping with the effects of the pandemic, calamities or personal tragedies. One of them is by reading books, which can provide reader insights, comfort or escape during dark times. Books can show us that there will always be hope.

Here are some title recommendations which you can freely read online.

The Worry Trick by David A. Carbonell

The pandemic has been causing us to fear and worry about ours and our loved ones’ health, our job and financial situation, and the future. The Worry Trick is a self-help book that aids readers to break the cycle of worry. The techniques included in the book encourage readers to see and face their worries and anxiety rather than avoiding it. It gives practical advice, including tips and exercises.

This Too Shall Pass: Stories of Change, Crisis and Hopeful Beginnings by Julia Samuel

We all know that the only constant thing in life is change, but there are some changes difficult to accept or adjust to. In This Too Shall Pass: Stories of Change, Crisis and Hopeful Beginnings, psychotherapist Julia Samuel shares conversations with her patients to show readers how we can adapt and thrive during difficult and transformative experiences.

The stories she shares illustrate the five main aspects of our lives: family, love, work, health and identity. In the end, she presents the eight pillars of strength from living losses. “Living losses come from life's continual change, all the beginnings and endings in life that bring with them the experience of loss,” it concludes.

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

Tuesdays with Morrie is a memoir by Mitch Albom about his visits to his former professor Morrie Schwarts. It is considered a modern-day classic and has topped the New York Times Non-Fiction Bestsellers of 2000. The book narrates Albom’s 14 visits to Sociology Professor Schwarts, who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

In these visits, Albom and Schwarts discuss various topics important to life and living. There are many messages in this book, such as learning how to slow down and appreciate the people in your life and your relationships with them, that time is precious and that we should pay more attention to how we choose to spend it. These lessons are especially important today as we continue to face a lot of uncertainties.

Chicken Soup for the Soul series by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

There is a reason why the Chicken Soup for the Soul series has become a popular read since its first publication in the early 1990s. People have connected with the stories included in the books, and some lives have changed for the better. The stories are submitted by the public in the hopes of sharing happiness, inspiration and hope to readers.

The Chicken Soup for the Unsinkable Soul: Stories of Triumph and Overcoming Life’s Obstacles is just one of their 250 titles. This inspiring and uplifting collection of stories is from people who have overcome life’s obstacles, challenges, heartbreak, and pain—a testament to the indomitable human spirit.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… and It’s All Small Stuff by Richard Carlson

With working and studying now being done remotely, it is inevitable for all of us to feel stressed and hurried. In Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, author Richard Carlson shows readers ways to calm down and let go of little things in life that drive them crazy. In the book, he gives readers tips and advice on how to think of problems as potential teachers, live in the present moment, let others have the glory, and to lower tolerance to stress. 

The Philippine STAR, Globe and its Facebook community, Hope Bank, have joined hands to help uplift the spirits of Filipinos, especially during the pandemic. Through #KwentoNgTagumpay, they bring inspiring stories from people who chose to hope and believe. Watch #KwentoNgTagumpay stories on facebook.com/PhilippineSTAR.

What are your inspiring stories? It’s time to share them by visiting philstarlife.com/globehopebank.

Editor’s Note: BrandedUp is designed to provide you with insightful, inspiring and educational content created by PhilSTAR L!fe in collaboration with brands like Globe.