6 books you have to read during the pandemic

The current state of our world has a great impact on our lives.

We live in a state of uncertainty where nothing is predictable.

Our well-structured plans for the future are nothing more than ideas from the past.

We find ourselves in a world which has changed and every one of us tries to overcome their own challenges. We might have lost someone we loved, we have lost our job and ahead of nothing but uncertainty.

Luckily, there are several books which can help us through these challenging times.

A lot of times, we are deaf to the well-meant advice from family and friends and are unable to see a way out of our situation.

hoIn this article I show you 6 of the best books to change the way you see your life and give you a glimbse of hope in the darkest hours.

Kintsugi: Embrace your imperfections and find happiness - the Japanese way

In Japan, broken pottery is often repaired with gold lacquer- known as Kintsugi.

These repairs are seen as part of the history of the object. Instead of covering them up, people in Japan highlight the cracks. The cracks symbolise fragility, strength and beauty.

Humans are fragile too. We break and put ourselves back together.

The author takes us on a wonderful journey to discover how to embrace our emotional scars and turn them into something beautiful.

Every scar is proof that we have suffered in the past - but we've been strong enough to overcome those times. Instead of hiding those cracks - we should be proud of ourselves.

The midnight library

The pandemic gave us a lot of time to think about our life.

Analyse the decisions we've made, doubting our future plans, overthinking if we are really happy with the life we have.

Most of all, the pandemic showed us how different the same situation can affect people. The slogan '' We are all in this together'' is not entirely true - are you spending lockdown in your eight-bedroom house with indoor swimming pool? Or are you stuck with 4 annoying housemates, arguing who has to clean the kitchen this time?

Matt Haig wrote an amazing book about regrets, hopes and second chances.

The main character Nora had a troubled life where nothing seemed to work out in her favour. On her last day on earth at midnight- she finds herself in an endless library. Each book is a life she might have lived if she had made different choices. She has the chance to undo her regrets and try out each of to try them out.

The author takes us on an exciting journey through Nora's possible lives.

We learn about her regrets - most of which we all can relate.

We are by her side when she discovers the different outcomes of the potential lives she could live, and with every page, we also learn a bit more about ourselves and how we see our life.

Status Anxiety

We all worry about what others think of us.

We long for success and are afraid to fail.

Alain de Botton-one of our greatest voices in modern philosophy- author of ''the school of life''- gives a name to this internal fear of not being enough and investigates its origins and solutions.

He takes a look at history, philosophy, economics, art and politics.

In a charming way, he explains how many great minds have overcome their fears and worries.

Alain de Botton analyses modern society with great charm, learning and humour.

Ikigai: The Japanese secret to a long and happy life

The combination of the Japanese words “iki” (生き), which means “life,” and “gai” (甲斐), which describes worth, ikigai means finding joy in life through purpose.

Ikigai has no direct English translation.

In essence, Ikigai is what makes want to get out of bed in the morning.

Japanese people believe that the sum of small joys in everyday life results in a more fulfilling life as a whole.

This book encourages us to analyse the current status of your life and to take action to change what we do not like.

Ikigai has nothing to do with the job we have, instead, having a hobby,

or making steps towards diving deep into the project you’ve always been passionate about- that is Ikigai.

This Too Shall Pass: Stories of Change, Crisis and Hopeful

Julia Samuel is a British psychotherapist with over thirty years of experience in working for the NHS and in her private practice.

In her book, she draws attention to the fundamental question

'' If change is the natural order of things, why do we struggle with the huge milestones in our lives?''

At a time when even the most certain things feel disrupted, this book is an antidote to the chaos we are living in at the moment.

Based on the latest social and psychological research, the author shows us how we can learn to adapt and thrive during the most difficult times of our lives. In 18 powerful, intimate stories about everyday people, we learn to understand our own response to change and how we can improve the way we approach challenges of life.

Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life

Wabi-sabi is a pearl of centuries-old Japanese wisdom captivating which helps us to see beauty in imperfection.

Wabi-sabi gives us a different view in times where we search for new ways to approach life's challenges.

This book is the perfect counterweight to our fast-paced, consumption-driven world. It encourages you to slow down, reconnect with nature, and be gentler on yourself.

Wabi-sabi will teach you how to find more joy and inspiration in a perfectly imperfect life.