Shaista Fatima/ New Delhi

The recent waves of the novel CoronaVirus have upended the normal regime and routine of the masses. The waves of so called pandemic are not only recurring but have had their greys,blues and black, human minds are often not used to succumb to any change that easily.

Thus the monotony of staying at one place, confined within the walls of the houses created a ruckus and lead to mental breakdowns. Every cloud has a silver lining and this time too is not an exception, the reduced traveling time, curbed expenses, and more free time, this time should be taken as a blessing in disguise.

With reviving of old habits to re-visiting the roots, be it painting, reading, dancing or any activity that brings peace to mind, soul and body, and connects your spirit to your heart should be more than welcomed. Reading is scientifically proven to be a great stress buster and a great side-kick of free time.

Listed below are five bestsellers of different genres that can help you to find the real you,the more happy, peaceful and confident you. Go ahead and read the insights for your pick.

Elif Shafak's - 40 Rules of Love- what is life without love? Even if tied in the covenant bond of 'marriage',you would anyways feel suffocated if there isn't any love or emotion involved,with this thought welcome to Ella's mundane life where she tries hard to accept the facts and quo's but love enters her life like a fresh breeze and through her we travel back to the 12th century and experience the bond between Shams and Rumi, a novel within a novel,this book will make you believe in love once again, and the fact that it's always between you and your Creator in the end. A roller coaster with Sufism,do give it a read.

Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs- are you a tech freak? Do you wanna know all about the man who created Apple..? The reason behind it's aesthetic design and ahead of time aptitude, how a dropout managed it all, or the fallacies behind his over-controlling nature or his "reality distortion field theory' and 'dots always connect in the back concept', he was as much a human as a gifted soul. Do give it a read for an insight into the world of design.

Elif Shafak's The Architect's Apprentice- One of the most ambitious works of Shafak,this book is a must read for people looking for their 'Centre of the Universe'. Let me quote its opening lines 'Of all the people God created and Sheitan led astray, only a few have discovered the Centre of the Universe- where there is no good and no evil,no past and no future,and no I and no thou,no war and no reason for war,just an endless sea of calm.' Delve into the Ottoman Empire and read about how the artists who designed Taj Mahal were also behind the construction of the famous monuments in Turkey. It also depicts the loss and betrayal in love,how we can become masters of knowledge but fail miserably in love. A must read durinbg these tough times.

Haruki Murakami's What I talk about when I talk about running - Back in the year 2015 when I decided to incorporate running in my daily routine I stumbled upon an article featured in 'the new yorker' as 'the running novelist' by Norwegian Woods fame author Haruki Murakami, it sure did help me with my running streak, (though I still cannot manage a half marathon), and coincidentally I stumbled upon this piece of work again in form of book during this pandemic and since then it has become my bed-time story book. Murakami beautifully pens down his journey as a runner and his qualms about being a novelist and most importantly his alliance with fitness. As the world goes into 'Work from Home', it's all the more important to keep fit and stay healthy as the saying "a healthy mind resides in a healthy body' is all the more relevant in today's time.

Robin Sharma's 5am Club - if you aren't a morning person,ignore this book completely but if you are interested in being a morning human but need that motivational kick then this bestseller is your one stop solution. A fictional story revolving around a motivational speaker,a billionaire,an entrepreneur and an artist,this book teaches you how to make most of the mornings and fall in love with oneself all over again. A good self-help without preaching the code of conduct. You live with its characters and slowly your vision evolves and you start envisaging the benefits of the morning time. Give it a go if willing to have a change in the sedentary lifestyle.