THE STRESS FACTOR
READING
Taking the time to start reading every day was a game-changer for me. These books helped me to see myself and my life in an entirely new light and they gave me a much deeper understanding of what it means to be “present” in your everyday life. Throughout my time completing my honors thesis, I have discovered that being able to show up every day and remember what is truly important in your life is key to managing stressful environments. After spending a lot of time reading this semester, I believe these five books helped me the most when I was discovering what was truly important to me. All are linked for purchase below.
The Last Lecture
By Randy Pausch
The Last Lecture was a book that was assigned in my Honors Senior Seminar. Carnegie Melon Professor Randy Pausch was asked to give a "last lecture" reflecting on his life just after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. This book serves as a written copy of that lecture and covers topics such as achieving childhood dreams, overcoming obstacles, and living life to the absolute fullest. Reading this book taught me how to see what was truly important in life. When you can see that which is truly important, stressors tend to feel less significant and they have less control over your life. This book allowed me to feel that way and I highly recommend it to anyone who feels their priorities in life need to be examined.
The Power of Now
By Eckhart Tolle
A cult-classic amongst spiritual gurus, The Power of Now helps readers to embark on a path towards a pain-free life. The author encourages readers to become more present in everyday life by understanding that all pain is avoidable. Author Eckhart Tolle teaches how to find the deepest and truest version of yourself by embarking on a personal growth journey. I think that this book helped me with becoming present in my day to day life. Learning how to live without pain was key to managing my stress and my responses to stress. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to embark on a spiritual journey and become more present in everyday life.
When the Body Says No
By Gabor Mate, M.D.
Author Gabor Mate, M.D., is a physician and public speaker who wrote about his experiences with patients with stress-related diseases. He discusses how many people don’t know that how we react mentally to situations can trigger a physical response in our bodies. When stress is involved, this physical response usually ends up being very harmful. When the Body Says No helped me to realize just how much of a connection there is between our minds and our bodies. It has reframed how I think about life and how I see the relationship between mental and physical health.
If You Have to Cry, Go Outside
By Kelly Cutrone
This one is for my fashion-focused friends. This book was recommended to me by a fellow honors student as the author worked in the fashion industry for many years and this book details her experiences (good and bad) in the industry. She discusses how becoming more present in her own life saved her, and allowed her to work in a very high-pressure work environment without losing herself or feeling too overwhelmed. Of course, it took some time for her to get to this point, but this book is a wonderful exploration into what it means to be present and live your life for yourself. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to take control of their life and learn how to manage a fun and creative, albeit stressful work environment.
The Psychology of Fashion
By Carolyn Mair
Here’s another one for my fashion friends. This book goes into the psychology of fashion and while it is predominantly focused on the consumer, it also goes into the culture of the industry and how it can influence consumerism. For those interested in sustainability in fashion, this is a great read as it discusses how psychology impacts the fashion cycle and perpetuates fast fashion. Written by Professor Carolyn Mair, PhD CPsychol FBPsS, of the Univrsity of the Arts London, this book will change your perspective on fashion and consumerism.