Books I've Read Lately #6 - 30 in 2018 Challenge

We are about the enter the last quarter of the year and are coming closer to the finish line of 30 books read in 2018! 

I feel like 30 has been the perfect number to aim for because it has put constant pressure on me to read but hasn’t been unbearable or an impossible time frame. There are also SO many incredible books out there, I wish I could just sit down and read non-stop over the space of a month.

 I got quite into Podcasts this month so relied on the physical books I was reading. I have some awesome ones to tell you about with my review, quotes from the books, major takeaways etc…so let’s get stuck into it.

The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho 
This was one of those life changing books that alters your perception of reality. It is written in a storytelling manner and some themes can be hard to follow if you are more a non-fiction reader but you just have to stick at it. I feel like the end of the book is where all the hidden gems are and it primarily covered concepts of; love, following your dreams, finding your inner worth, listening to your heart and living in the present. I don’t want to talk too much because I’d rather you just read the quotes I’ve pulled from the book – they say it was better than I could ever try and explain it. 

ON FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS 
“It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”
“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity.”
“No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn't know it.”

ON LOVE 
“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”
“One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.”
“So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.”

ON LAWS OF LIFE 
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
“Everything that happens once can never happen again. But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time.” 
“The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.”
 “Don't think about what you've left behind" The alchemist said to the boy as they began to ride across the sands of the desert. "If what one finds is made of pure matter, it will never spoil. And one can always come back. If what you had found was only a moment of light, like the explosion of a star, you would find nothing on your return.”
 “The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”
 “I don’t live in either my past or my future. I’m interested only in the present. If you can concentrate always on the present, you’ll be a happy man. Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we’re living now.”
 “Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.”

Settle for More – Megyn Kelly 
 Megyn Kelly is a long-standing journalist for Fox News who ended up with her news program which ended only a couple of years ago. She became a household name in America when Trump decided to start a war with her. She wouldn’t comply to his requests on how to present him to the public during the election so began to target her through Twitter resulting in death threats and stalkers. She wrote an amazing book about expecting more out of yourself and reaching your potential.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the book;
 “The only difference between you and someone you envy is...you settled for less.”
 “Why can’t I just be satisfied with what I have? Because, in my heart and soul, I want more. I hope I have the courage to listen to myself. I hope I figure out what settling for more means in my personal life.”
“When you find yourself devoting too much emotional energy to something, try redirecting your thoughts to yourself and how you can improve your own life. What is within your power to change? How can you make yourself more fulfilled? This strategy is empowering and results in you becoming a more interesting, well-adjusted person. This on turn attracts better people into your life and reduces banal worries.”
“Happiness begets happiness and fulfilment leads to more of the same.”

Work, Strife, Balance – Mia Freedman 
I feel like this was a good light read for me which is surprising because it covers heavy elements like abortion, double standards by gender, sexism, pressures on women, photo editing on Instagram distorting women’s body image and much more. I would say that this is great feminism book and the humour adds a lightness to these deep topics. It shines a light on some harsh realities that are difficult to accept (so we shouldn’t accept them). I really enjoyed this book! A mix of a memoir of Mia Freedman (an epic soul who I’ve had the opportunity to see speak live in a small setting) and tackling big issues women experience.