It’s time to look back at February, a month of books and gratefulness. One of my goals for 2017 is to read 52 books. Another thing that happened in February is that I got hooked on bullet journaling. As someone who loves lists and journals, I think that the bujo system is pure genius. I might write more about it some other time. Here I just want to say that my journal is the perfect place for logging books and reasons for gratefulness – the two things that I’m writing about today.
February: a Month of Books and Gratefulness
All in all, February was a great month. For instance, we visited Yasuragi – a Japanese spa here in Stockholm. I watched and was carried away by La La Land. I got some great news at work and I also had some time to relax at my parents’ place in Mariehamn. Unfortunately, I did not have so much time on my hands to read books. However, maybe three is a decent number anyway.
The Books I Read In February
In February I read three books, each fascinating in their own way. There was a book on reading. Another dealt with flow, while the third book took me the reader to Iceland.
- 🇸🇪 Om konsten att läsa och skriva by Olof Lagercrantz. This is a small booklet on the art of reading and writing by Swedish writer, critic, literary scholar, and publicist.
- 🇬🇧 Flow : the psychology of optimal experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Flow is a topic that many talk about, in a lot of different contexts. I sometimes find myself in a state of flow (usually at work, when the office is already empty and it should be time to go home). For this very reason, I wanted to read more about the topic and the science behind it. Psychologist Csikszentmihalyi is the architect of the concept of flow. This is a book that I gladly recommend to everyone!
- 🇫🇮 Islantilainen voittaa aina : elämää hurmaavien harhojen maassa by Satu Rämö. Finnish journalist Satu Rämö lives and works on Iceland. She has written a funny and thought-provoking book about life on Iceland and Icelandic mentality. A very interesting read, indeed!
Here you find the books I read in January >>
The Things I Was Grateful For In February
Listing things that make you grateful supposedly makes you happier. In February, I took some extra time to think about everything that I am thankful for. Here are some of those things:
- Living in a country with a good social system is nothing we can take for granted. However, I gladly pay my taxes.
- People who give good advice are not a rarity, but they can really save your (and my) day.
- Waking up and noticing that it’s actually light outside is a wonderful feeling after a long, dark winter.
- Feeling the sunshine on my face gives a lot of endorphins.
- Meditating in the bath tub is probably one of the best ways to relax.
- Coming home after a trip makes me very happy.
- Laughing with friends and colleagues is an essential part of a good day.
- Delicious breakfasts is a luxury to be thankful for.
- Finding flow with tai chi opens consciousness and makes the body happy.
- Being heard and listened to is such a great feeling.
- My soft bed is one of the most comforting places in the world.
- Long evening walks with Jesper and great conversations are the perfect end to a good day.
In other words, February really was a month for books and gratefulness. Hopefully, March will be just as rewarding. As it started with snow and clouds, it can only get better. What did you read in February and what made you grateful?
