Five Books To Nourish Mind And Soul
Sharing some old favourites to soothe and inspire.
To unlock access to this newsletter, I warmly welcome you to join The HSP Revolution online membership community — where I host two live workshops per month, post daily inspiration, and provide opportunities to share and connect. Members also gain full access to four editions of this newsletter per month.
Retreat update: Places are going fast for the HSP Retreat that I’m co-hosting with coach Jules De Vitto at the amazing Quadrangle in Kent, UK from June 15-18. For details and bookings click here.
The HSP Revolution is a big fan of the new book Sensitive: The Power Of A Thoughtful Mind In An Overwhelming World by Jenn Granneman and Andre Sólo.
Discussing Sensitive in the HSP Revolution community got me thinking about the times in my own life when discovering the right book opened up something new.
I’ve written before about six essential authors on high sensitivity. But I thought I’d also share five titles that aren’t specifically aimed at Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), but which have proved to be hugely significant resources for myself and other community members over the years.
Happy reading!
The Art of Effortless Living: Simple Techniques for Healing Mind, Body and Spirit
Ingrid Bacci
A classic that deserves to be much better known. Though written more than 20 years ago, the self-empowering message of the The Art of Effortless Living is perhaps even more powerfully resonant today.
The story behind the book is remarkable: Ingrid Bacci was on a fast-track academic career when a mysterious collagen disease struck her down in her early thirties. For three years she was bedridden and in constant pain. During this time, when she also went through a painful divorce, she turned herself into a living laboratory to discover all she could about healing mind, body and spirit. Within a decade she was completely cured, and competing in triathlons. The depth of Bacci’s own healing journey gives this book its power. It’s packed with practical guidance, wisdom, inspiration, and reassurance for anyone struggling with a feeling of being stuck, hopeless or despairing of ever finding happiness.
In Bacci’s words:
“Cherish this truth: It is through regular practice of timeworn, simple techniques such as those I rediscovered and present in this book that your inner power grows. And it is through the growth of that inner power that you begin to see that you have been holding back on all the gifts you are meant to give to life. You are not meant to wait for someone else to tell you that you are okay. You are meant to teach yourself how to feel okay inside and then cultivate your inner fire.”
Self Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind
Kristin Neff
When I was having a very tough time during my mid-twenties, this book was a lifeline. It helped me realise that — like many HSPs — I had a very strong inner critic, even though I’d thought of myself as somebody generally confident and upbeat. Kristin Neff has gone through a lot in her own life, and has learned the power of self-compassion through experience — and that makes her a very powerful teacher.
In Neff’s own words:
“As we walk through the triumphs and tragedies of our lives, we relate to everything with kindness. We feel our interconnectedness with everyone and everything. We become aware of the present moment without judgment. We experience the full spectrum of life without needing to change it.”