“I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book.”
– J.K. Rowling
As the year (and decade!) comes to a close, I’ve taken stock on the books I’ve read over the past twelve months. As a subscriber to my blog, you might remember my top 5 food and nutrition favourites that I recommended here as well my 3 favourite habit books here. They’re books I still highly recommend to anyone wanting to make a lifestyle change and eat delicious and nutritious foods.
But if I had to choose just one book for you to read in 2020, it would be a book that – surprisingly – has very little to do with food or exercise or even habits, but still has great potential to truly change your health for the better. The book is: Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and The Unexpected Solutions by Johann Hari.
Why is this the book I recommend for 2020 against all others?
Well, for one thing, since the making of our film The Great Disconnect, I’ve become more aware of how true health (physical, emotional, social) is lacking in our society. People like to share meal plans and exercise tips, but when it come to making changes around our sense of community and social wellbeing, it isn’t that simple. In Lost Connections, the author addresses mental health in a very approachable way by sharing science based facts, powerful stories and solutions that we can all learn from. The statistics from the Canadian Mental Health Association show that in any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness – which proves this is a topic we should all learn about.
I was pleasantly surprised that the solutions presented in Lost Connections align with the message of The Great Disconnect, and are accessible to most people. I’ve written about some of these ideas before in my blog titled, Do you want a good life? Or do you want a great life? Check it out – it might help you make some more unique New Years resolutions than you’ve tried in the past.
Fun Fact: This book has been endorsed by Elton John, Arianna Huffington, Emma Thompson and Bill Maher, to name a few. Elton John specifically says, “If you have ever been down, or felt lost, this amazing book will change your life…”
If it’s good enough for Elton, I’m sure it’s good enough for you! 🙂
Happy reading.