Inspiring books for 2024

It is often said that the beginning of the year is a new start. Indeed, on December 31st, we close a certain chapter, but our life is not an Excel spreadsheet that we must fill in with new data every month. At ICAS Poland, we believe that every day – whether it's January 1st or December 31st – is conducive to change, if that's what we need. It's worth first reflecting on them and deciding what, when, and how we want to achieve.

In the search for answers, our therapists, coaches, and trainers can help you 365 days a year. With the support of psychologists, legal and financial experts, you will prepare a list of resolutions whose fulfillment will be not an obligation but a pleasure.

Before setting a goal, let's look for the right inspiration in professional literature. In this way, we can not only understand our own needs but also enter 2024 with fresh energy, a new perspective on reality, increased motivation, and as a better version of ourselves. For this purpose, we asked our specialists to share with you books that inspire change and familiarize you with it. We believe that a good read at the beginning of the year will give you the courage to face new challenges, about which you will be able to speak as successes in 12 months. This is sincerely wished for you by the entire ICAS Poland team.

When we look back, we don't think about the ordinary and routine. Instead, we remember moments that were deviations from the everyday. Moments when we felt proud, when we understood something important, when we experienced a special closeness with someone, when the sun shone again for us after tough times. Turning points and milestones in our lives. The world partly offers us such moments. However, we ourselves can also be their authors.

The book The Power Of Moments is about how to consciously and strategically invest in creating memorable experiences for oneself, as well as for the experiences of loved ones, employees, colleagues, clients, and the community. I recommend familiarizing yourself with the detailed recipe that explains how to do it, and I wish you many important moments in the coming year. Be both participants and creators of them. At ICAS, we create important moments for people every day, which is why we enthusiastically enter our 11th year of acrivity.

In times when traditional management models are losing significance, and adaptability and innovation become keys to success, Jacob Morgan's book is like a compass for contemporary and future leaders. The author, drawing on rich experience, research results, and interviews with top executives of global corporations, paints a picture of a leader who will operate in a dynamically changing business environment.

The Future Leader is not only a theoretical consideration but primarily a practical guide that demonstrates how to adapt to rapidly changing market realities. Morgan provides methods for understanding and leveraging new technologies, such as artificial intelligence. The author also emphasizes how to effectively develop and support a team to attract and retain the most talented employees.

What distinguishes this book is the ability to combine theory with practice. The Future Leader offers both knowledge and inspiration for action. It addresses issues related to predicting changes, adapting to them, and staying ahead of the competition while remaining true to values and building a strong organizational culture.

This book is not just a source of knowledge but also a catalyst for reflecting on one's own management style. It is a must-read for managers, leaders, and anyone who wants to consciously shape the future of their organizations.

At first glance, the title of the book may sound controversial, even unserious. However, beneath this provocative slogan lie very important reflections on the state of the modern employment market. Graeber draws attention to the unfortunate fact that many people dislike their jobs. These individuals also believe that their actions in the company contribute nothing valuable to the world. Surprisingly, these sentiments are expressed by employees who are quite well-compensated.

On paper, everything should add up. After all, we work primarily to earn a living, right? Well, not entirely. Income alone is not sufficient. What is also crucial is the sense of purpose in the work we do – a sense of contributing something valuable to society.

It is precisely this sense of a lack of purpose that Graeber tackles in a quite striking and at times brutally satirical manner. If you have a good position and earn well, yet you have a strange feeling that something is amiss, and you're not entirely sure what, don't worry. Graeber brings forth many similar stories. I recommend reading this work with a wink, treating it more as an essay than a scientific analysis of the job market.

The word around which the author of the book revolves is "loss," which is often associated with something we want to avoid, bypass, or turn a blind eye to. Judith Viorst gives us the opportunity to befriend loss and see its reverse side, "gain." She narrates life as a journey, where there is no shortage of both gains and losses, through which we get to know and learn about ourselves, our loved ones, and the people who intersect our life paths.

We discover that loss is an essential factor in developing our inner world and the tools and skills that contribute to a sense of worth, efficacy, and purpose. These aspects, with the support of the mentioned book, are nurtured through psychological support provided by the clinical team at ICAS Poland. I wish you and myself the readiness and courage to accept losses as guests in our life home.

In the book Calm Michael Acton Smith combines fascinating neurological research, ancient wisdom, and real-life experiences. He explains the essence of meditation and presents many ways to be mindful in everyday life. Calm is a publication inspired by an interactive journal and filled with beautiful, inspiring graphics, divided into eight sections that provide balance in life. These sections include Nature, Work, Creativity, Children, Travel, Relationships, Food and Sleep.

Smith based his book on the popular iPhone app, creating a visually exciting, practical, and amusing guide that provides simple tools to find peace and focus. Calm can successfully contribute to improving mental and physical health and serve as an impulse for changing one's life.

The author proves that achieving mindfulness does not require major life changes or special training. It's about mastering simple methods that suit the demands of a hectic life and utilize abilities such as creativity, spontaneity, and awareness of the world around us. Calm helped me shift my life perspective and rediscover the velvety side of the world.

In difficult moments of our lives, we can be very critical and harsh towards ourselves, which can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation from others. Such an approach can deepen our worries even further. When we think about a friend who could be going through a similar crisis, empathy is awakened within us. We sympathize with that person and want to alleviate their suffering. Yet, we treat ourselves completely differently!

Kristin Neff introduced the concept of self-compassion to psychology. It is a scientific construct drawn from Buddhist philosophy and involves treating oneself as one's best friend. Instead of constantly judging our own thoughts or behaviors, the author suggests being kind to ourselves and adopting the belief that difficulties are something that connects us as humans rather than divides us.

The good news is that self-compassion can be learned. The book provides many practical tools and tips that have a solid scientific foundation but are also based on the author's experiences. This lends them authenticity and credibility.