Traveling is one of the best ways to seek out and encounter enriching life experiences. Activities like volunteering for the Peace Corps or going on paid gap year programs in Australia are surefire ways to expand your knowledge about the world, and you’ll return home all the better for it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like anyone will be able to travel comfortably anytime soon given the current global situation. But you don’t actually need to leave your home in order to expand your horizons. These life-changing books can help broaden your life perspective from the comfort of your own couch.
Cosmos by Carl Sagan
Cosmos is a nonfiction book released in 1980 by astronomer Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sagan. The book was written by Sagan for the purpose of explaining complicated scientific ideas in an accessible and engaging way to anyone who’s curious. Reading this book challenges you to consider your place in the universe. If you’re interested in these ideas, but don’t have time or energy to sit down and read a book, there are two shows that delve into the book’s main ideas titled Cosmos: A Personal Voyage and Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey which you can watch instead.
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor and philosopher born in 121 A.D. — that was over 1,800 years ago, yet his writings and wisdom still resonate with people today just as much as they did all the way back in the 2nd century. Meditations is a collection of his personal writings, and is perhaps his most well-known composition. It’s an inspiring work of art that will leave you with tons of practical wisdom that you can apply to your everyday life. It’s definitely something that will motivate you to become a better person.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
There’s a high chance that you’ve come across a copy of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People while browsing your favorite bookstore. There’s a good reason this work is so universally acclaimed: it speaks to the human experience. Everyone has had trouble achieving their goals and needed a good pep talk at one point in their life. If that’s something you’re experiencing right now, this book will be right up your alley.
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
Have you ever looked at someone like Steve Jobs and wondered how he became so successful? You might think that it’s simply a matter of intelligence and discipline. But Outliers proves that there’s more to it than working hard and being intelligent. Malcolm Gladwell examines the various factors that contribute to success, and in turn, expands people’s simplistic perspective and views about how people get to the top.
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck
In Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Dweck theorizes that people have two distinct mind sets. Some people think that the world is fixed, and therefore, they believe everything they do is futile, and attribute their failures to their personal flaws. Meanwhile, other people consider themselves a work-in-progress with plenty of room to grow and change. The book is incredibly inspiring, and will push you to mold your life and choices into something you can be proud of.
You don’t have to go far to expand your horizons. All you need to do is crack open one of these books, and you’ll be able to broaden your perspectives in life right in your own home.