DCT Wellbeing Reading List
Whether you want to dive into the neuroscience of our perception, or digest centuries-old Japanese wisdom to help you find beauty in imperfection, DCT’s wellness reading list will have something for you.
With wellbeing methods as diverse as the individuals that practice them, the journey of mindfulness is a cluttered one. This list of 18 books has been recommended by our own staff who use their learnings in both their personal and professional lives.
One of our staff members said, “The techniques outlined in The Wim Hof Method triggered my journey into a self-aware mode of living and were the catalyst for a morning routine that improves my mood all day.”.
That self-aware mode of living not only allows us to lead a more happy and healthy life, but also affords us a deeper understanding of how we affect the people and communities around us. As we improve ourselves, we can improve our world.
We have included online purchasing links in our list below but if you'd like to support your local, independent book shop, you can find a great list here: https://uk.bookshop.org/
The journey of self-growth is not done alone.
Book List:
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle;
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-power-of-now/eckhart-tolle/9780340733509
Waterlog by Roger Deakin;
https://www.waterstones.com/book/waterlog/roger-deakin/9780099282556
Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Cranfield;
Finding Joy by Gary Andrews;
https://www.waterstones.com/book/finding-joy/gary-andrews/9781529338133
The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben;
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-hidden-life-of-trees/peter-wohlleben/9780008218430
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens;
https://www.waterstones.com/book/where-the-crawdads-sing/delia-owens/9781472154668
Lost Connections by Johann Hari;
https://www.waterstones.com/book/lost-connections/johann-hari/9781408878729
The Wim Hof Method by Wim Hof;
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-wim-hof-method/wim-hof/9781846046308
The Chimp Paradox by Prof Steve Peters;
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-chimp-paradox/prof-steve-peters/9780091935580
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg;
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-power-of-habit/charles-duhigg/9781847946249
Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett;
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig;
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-midnight-library/matt-haig/9781786892737
The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa;
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy;
Mindset by Dr Carol Dweck;
https://www.waterstones.com/book/mindset-updated-edition/dr-carol-dweck/9781472139955
The Art of Being Brilliant: A Cope;
Taming Tigers by Jim Lawless;
https://www.waterstones.com/book/taming-tigers/jim-lawless/9780753539910
Happy Moments by Meik Wiking;
https://www.waterstones.com/book/happy-moments/meik-wiking/9780241508701
Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton;
https://www.waterstones.com/book/wabi-sabi/beth-kempton/9780349421001
Ikigai: The Japanese secret to a long and happy life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles;
https://www.waterstones.com/book/ikigai/hector-garcia/francesc-miralles/9781786330895
Do you have a book that has helped you on your wellness journey? We are always looking for new reads and we would love to hear about it! Email info@devoncommunities.org.uk or send us a message on our socials!
Here are a few comments from DCT staff:
“The Chimp Paradox gave me a unique perspective how to view my bad habits and how to begin to alter them.”.
"The book, Happy Moments by Meik Wiking was fantastic to read. It provided me with great insight into how memories are formed and stored as well as how we can create happy and meaningful moments. One way is to make the moment multisensory and to go beyond sight to include sounds, scents, touch and taste. I now give this book to family and friends for them to read. I can highly recommend the Happy Moments book!"
The Why of Wellbeing
Never in human history has our species been in such a confusing and extraordinary position. We have most of human knowledge at our fingertips and are only a few decades away from standing on the surface of other worlds. But with information comes burnout, and with possibility comes uncertainty. As an attendee to one of our workshops said, “I, like many people around me, have felt in increase in my stress levels over recent years.”
Although we are facing many challenges as a species, it all starts and ends with how you and I interpret and engage with the world around us.
Can you recall the off-hand comment of a friend or colleague that stung you? Can you remember the kind action of a stranger? It is these interactions and experiences that, for better or worse, make us who we are and inform how we act. We share the power and responsibility to shape the world around us through our thoughts, words, and actions. As another attendee said about their wellbeing workshop, “It really made me reflect on my own routines and how to change them to the better.”. In other words, we don’t have to live reactively to what happens in our lives as, through the ways of mindfulness and wellbeing, we can play an active role in shaping ourselves and the world around us.