A quick refresher - I’m Hitha Palepu, the founder of
. If you’d like to connect with me elsewhere, I’m most active on Instagram and write a weekly newsletter about smart, random things (check out the most recent issue).A 5SR subscriber and friend (hi
!) asked if I could recommend entrepreneurship and personal development books that she planned to purchase when visiting the States.I thought it was the perfect mid-week news reset we all could use. In today’s 5SR, I’m sharing 5 books that changed my life and I re-read often. I hope they help you as much as they’ve helped me.
This Harvard-Trained Stress Expert Wants to Help You Find Your Bliss (Katie Couric Media)
read this if you’re over-stressed, overwhelmed, and don’t know how to change things.
The 5 Resets: Rewire Your Brain and Body for Less Stress and More Resilience by Aditi Nerurkar.
This is what "real self-care" looks like (NPR)
Once you’ve incorporated the tools to both reactively and proactively manage your stress, it’s time to reassess your relationship with how you care for yourself.
Spoiler alert - you can’t buy it on Amazon. Rather, it takes work to evaluate your relationship with everything that demands your attention, and to draw boundaries to protect your peace and your well-being. If that sounds overwhelming, that’s where
’s brilliant book comes in.Real Self-Care (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included) by Pooja Lakshmin
When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I step away from my desk and phone and go to my kitchen to prepare a cup of tea and fully focus on every moment of making the tea - feeling the ribbed detail on my teacup, the smell of the peppermint tea bag as I open it, the sound of the electric kettle, the way the color of the tea gets richer it steeps, the calming taste and too-hot temperature of the first sip. It’s an active meditation that helps me reset, no matter how chaotic things get.
Does Money Terrify You? (The Cut)
I feel like fear is a fairly common hallmark of an immigrant household (along with upcycled yogurt containers and tortilla bags, cookie tins repurposed as sewing kits, and a compulsion to feed anyone who walks into your home).
I used to resent my fear.
taught me that it’s a powerful tool, when wielded properly. I’ve been processing my own fear and feelings of being stuck, and this quote from the interview had me reaching for my copy of her book for a necessary re-read:“I think when we feel stuck, it’s because we are not clear on what would make us happy. Happiness is often tied to security, the feeling of certainty and safety. For me at least, growing up, that’s all I wanted. Along the way, I had to learn how to leave room for fun and spontaneity and risk, too. But I don’t regret being that person who was, first and foremost, really intent on creating security for herself, especially as a woman. Sometimes fears of being unsafe or financially insecure are very valid. That said, you should still question them, especially when you reach a point where you know that they might be holding you back.”
A Healthy State of Panic by Farnoosh Torabi
Turning Setbacks into Comebacks: In Conversation with Amy Shoenthal (Thrive Global)
Setbacks sum up the first half of 2024 thus far, for me - on all fronts. And in the past, these moments would have me retreating to my couch for reality TV marathons and ordering in most meals and wallowing in a pit of despair.
I definitely had a half day or two of these. But I’ve also been able to step back, evaluate where in the setback cycle I was, and refocus and get back to it, thanks to
’s brilliant book (this interview is an excellent primer to Amy and her work)The Setback Cycle: How Defining Moments Can Move Us Forward by Amy Shoenthal
Hitha Palepu’s ‘We’re Speaking’ Is A Blueprint For Women To Celebrate Their Voices (Forbes)
One of my goals this year (and from here out) is to not be bashful about my own work. And my second book, We’re Speaking, is one that I’ve re-visited since I got my very first galley - it’s the book I wish existed for years, and I’m so proud of it.
While part of the book is focused on the life and work of Vice President Harris, the book goes beyond her experiences and offers very specific tactics to elevate your life, both professionally and personally. I also revisit my interview with Amy whenever I’m feeling low - it’s a critical part of my hype file (a tool I share in the book).
We’re Speaking: The Life Lessons of Kamala Harris by
Palepu (me!)Amazon (Kindle edition currently on sale!)