It’s been a long year.

Some would say it’s the longest year they have ever experienced. Many of us have reverted to our childhood selves and have wondered numerous times: “Is it over yet?”

Although the worries and issues brought on by 2020 are unlikely to magically fade away with the ending of the year, we can take the holidays to settle in with a few stimulating reads to stimulate thought and reflection so that we can start the new year afresh.

Instead of putting together a list of the year’s hottest reads, we have put together a list of books that have changed our lives for the better. Things that you feel happen to you carry no real power in dictating how you react to it. This is why for this year’s Pendulum Holiday Reading List we have curated powerful reads that shift mindsets and worldviews to let you take back the power to choose how you react to events in your life.

Read these books and you will be better prepared for all that life throws at you.

Great Thinkers by The School of Life

In this book, you will read about history’s great philosophers and artists and their perspectives on life. Learn from sixty great thinkers who will share simple tools on how to handle life. From Lao Tzu to Freud and Coco Chanel, the wide spectrum of leading thinkers in history in this book will stretch your mind. We suggest keeping an open mind to absorb these different approaches, to allow yourself to emerge from this read anew. Get your copy here.

Principles by Ray Dalio

Reading this book reminds me of my university mentor, my Marketing Professor who, asides from teaching me everything I know about marketing, also taught me how to be a good person, qualities that translate to being a good leader. Ray Dalio shares his lessons in work and life to help you get your house in order. Personally, I have taken the lessons learned from this book and applied it to my business and seen great results. Lessons such as instilling accountability amongst the team, radical transparency, and other business principles will help you become a better human being overall and business person. Start incorporating these lessons for yourself today and get the book here.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

I still recall reading this book in one sitting over a decade ago while I was on a flight to study abroad in Japan for a year. How this book made me feel open to opportunities and lit a fire in my heart to pursue my passion has changed my life forever. When I landed in Japan I felt a sense of excitement and determination to keep my mind open to new experiences — and because of this mindset shift, I indeed had the most memorable year of my life. Get it here.

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

I have no idea how to deal with death. Although I feel it deep within, I have trouble expressing and processing it. The process and attitude I observed in this book enlightened me to how the parties to this somber process could perceive it as a way to pass on a legacy, life’s lessons, and an opportunity to create uplifting, heartwarming memories. I have never forgotten the thoughts and reflections stimulated by this book, nor have I forgotten how it has made me treasure life and the people around me much more than before I read this book. Get your copy here.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff Omnibus by Richard Carlson

I’ve often caught myself mindlessly flipping through this book during tough times because it helps to pause my mind and realize that all problems essentially always falls under ‘the small stuff’ because everything will pass. Each of the lessons and learnings is in bite-sized one to three-page chapters, making it an easy book to reference and flip through even if you only have a few minutes during your day. The lessons reassure you that everything is (or will be) fine and no problem should be considered so big that it clouds your judgment. Get your copy as a deskside companion here.

These 5 selected reads will help you make the most of your holidays to stimulate reflection on how you want to live your life and shape how you will lead your life moving forward. Each of these reads has changed and improved me as a person, I hope it does the same for you.