Each year, millions of people search for the perfect book—one that will stimulate their imaginations and inspire new courses of action. Thousands of self-help books offer the ‘secrets’ of fulfilment, happiness, success, and prosperity. Many people can think of a book that has impacted their lives by making them think and behave differently. Books have helped transform careers, end relationships, improve health, launch businesses, boost productivity, increase income and much more. All through reading!

The ideas, tips, and techniques I’ve gleaned from books over the years have been invaluable. The power of an author’s words, experiences and conversations enlightens and motivates me to implement their prudent advice and practical suggestions. For that reason, I love to recommend books I’ve found insightful, thought-provoking, and inspiring.

Yet even though I’ve received emails from people all over the world looking for the one book that will ‘change their lives,’ I’m reluctant to make a one-size-fits-all suggestion. I don’t believe there is one such book. It depends on what’s happening in your life right now and what outcome you really want. A book won’t change your life. You have to accomplish that for yourself.

Where you are today is a direct result of your past decisions and actions. If you want your life to change in some way, you have to start making new decisions and taking new courses of action.
Read as much as possible and learn from others who have already accomplished what you want in your life. Books can enrich your experiences, alter your perceptions, and steer you in new directions—if you allow them. A book can’t change your life by itself, but it can give you all the advice, strategies, and techniques necessary to make those changes yourself. Ultimately, it’s up to you to make your life into the one you want to live.

What book has made a lasting impact on your life? Why?

1.       Achieve More with Less

Today’s society often confuses hyperactivity for productivity or growth. Just being busy all the time, though, means you’re grinding away the hours you could be using to focus on and achieve what you really want in life. Stop being mindlessly busy and take time to sit down and sort out your priorities. Because unless you are working towards those goals and results that give you true satisfaction and joy, all that effort won’t mean anything in the long run. Achieving what matters most to you requires first determining what you truly want for your life, focusing on what it takes to make that happen, and taking the steps needed for that outcome.

2.       Avoid Negative Relationships

Do whatever is necessary to break away from the people in your life who don’t make you feel good about yourself. You know who I’m talking about. The people who don’t appreciate your worth, who undermine you, who constantly moan and complain. I call this type of person a “Small Mind!”  A Small Mind holds you back, sabotages your growth, diminishes your self-esteem and, often without your realising, makes you feel bad about yourself. Starting today,  be aware of who you choose to spend time with and seek out those who bring positive elements into your life, rather than drain them away.

3.       Get The Happy Hormones Going!

If exercise isn’t already part of your daily routine, now’s the time to change that. Alongside all the physical benefits of exercise–better sleep, weight loss, bone and muscle strength, cholesterol and cardiovascular health–there are numerous mental benefits, such as reducing stress, elevating moods, developing brain power, and lifting depression. Find a physical activity that fits your personality and schedule and then start turning it into a habit.

4.       Keep It Simple

Clutter brings chaos. This applies for both physical and mental clutter. The more stuff you have, the more difficult it is to manage. As you grow, you’ll discover how much more free and meaningful life can be when it isn’t weighed down by material things. Plus, when you consume less on a regular basis, you’ll develop a keener sense of appreciation for those items that are worth keeping around.

5.     Ditch a Few Rules

Rules are like road signs. Following a few can help keep you on track and keep you safe. Too many, though, and life becomes a hectic mess as you try to sort out which ones to follow where, until you’ve totally lost track of your original path. Not to mention all the stress and guilt that piles up while trying to follow all these demanding–and sometimes conflicting–rules at once. Cut loose from these rigid ways and experience the incredible freedom of a life that goes beyond the tyranny of rules.

Start improving your life right now! Determine the goals you really want to achieve, exercise daily to keep your body and mind healthy and happy, spend time around those who make you feel good, declutter your mind and living spaces, and break some of those rules that have been confining you for too long.

What simple tips could you use to begin living a better life today?