5 Books on My Bedside Table
Books you should incorporate into your nightly wind-down routine.
I know in my last post I said my goal for 2023 is to read less so the title of this post is not going to make much sense. Give me a minute to explain myself!
In the spirit of the New Year and being more intentional with my reading, I have a collection of books I’m keeping on my bedside table to read throughout the year. Some people have a calendar with a daily quote. I have an entire stack of books! No rush and no expectations other than to learn something new about myself by the end of this year through reading.
1. The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
When Sydney (@thebookishbollinger) shared that she was starting The Daily Stoic, I immediately purchased the eBook and caught up to Day 3. I’ve been starting my mornings before work by reading the day’s passage. Last time I checked it’s still on sale on Kindle.
2. The Stoic Path: The Golden Sayings by Epictetus (translated by Hastings Crossley)
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and it’s the perfect pairing with The Daily Stoic. The passages are short and have given me something to ponder before bed. It’s been a refreshing challenge to read something other than modern language and sentence structure.
3. Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom by John Donahue
Can you tell 2023 is starting out to be a year where I’m searching deep inside myself for something? In an effort to connect more with my roots, I’m diving into this book of poems and short stories. I’m hopeful Donahue’s writings will feed my spirit and help me discover the mysticism of Celtic culture.
4. Harry Potter: A Magical Year — The Illustrations of Jim Kay by J. K. Rowling
This one is our family read-aloud. My preschooler is interested in Harry Potter thanks to a Lego play set we purchased over the summer but obviously too young for the complete books and movies. I was sad to hear that Jim Kay is passing the baton and will no longer be illustrating the rest of the series so it’s a delight to travel through the seasons at Hogwarts one passage at a time this year. Similar to The Daily Stoic, there are 366 quotes from across the Harry Potter series.
5. The 5-Minute Gratitude Journal: Give Thanks, Practice Positivity, Find Joy by Sophia Godkin
The title just about sums it up! I’ve tried gratitude journals off and on over the years (especially in November around Thanksgiving) but I’m hoping this one sticks. I’m really enjoying the prompts. They’re helpful in guiding your writing, especially on days when it seems like nothing went right.
Interested in self-development? Here’s a curated list of books I’ve read and recommend. Let me know what non-fiction books I should add to my list!