The military trains you to go to war, but no one trains you to come home. This is a failure of the system, so it’s up to us. It’s proven that reading regularly can lower levels of stress and relieve tension, in addition to improving depression symptoms and helping with sleep.

Sound like something you can benefit from? Pick up a book, a tablet or a kindle, find a quiet space and focus on the text. Even a few minutes a day can make a huge difference.

Not sure which book to start with? We’ve compiled a list of various books that we’ve found to be impactful, personally, as Veterans. Some of these were written over 1,800 years ago (and still ring true), while others include references to 21st-century military conflicts. We hope you’ll connect with the texts below and work reading into your life, as both a stress reliever and a transitional tool.

Take your future into your own hands. No one’s going to do it for you.