I began my self-help journey a little over 3 years ago + these books I am sharing today have been a huge part of it! When I was battling anxiety a few years ago, I put myself into therapy for the first time [which was a MAJOR help!]. But, I must say that adding self-help books into my everyday life has really been what has helped me grow more each day.
I feel like I have come so far with loving myself more + gaining more confidence each day. So, I wanted to share the 5 self-help books I have absolutely loved the most. I have read many of the Best Sellers, but don’t feel like some of them live up to the hype. You probably heard of some of these self-help books. Others, probably not. But, I stand by this list below!
They are all packed with lots of knowledge, but are all easy reads. Just make sure you have a highlighter/pen because you will absolutely want to mark these babies up. I love going back to them often just to read the parts I marked up to have a pick-me-up. Even if that means just skimming my notes for 1-2 minutes to try to boost my mood.
Below is my top 5 list of self-help books I love, #1 being my absolute favorite. Below the image I give a brief summary of each + a favorite quote from each!
1 – A TRIBE CALLED BLISS
Lori Harder is one of my favorite self-help Queens that has really shaped my growth over the past few years. Her podcast Earn Your Happy is incredible + I look forward to it every week! So, when her book launched I just had to have it. Personally, I didn’t use the building a tribe/friend group part that focused a lot around business [but, you may love it!]. Really, the gold + gems of this read is within the second half where she spits out some serious self-help that is unique + will bring you so many “ah-ha” moments. I feel like people might get turned off if they aren’t looking for help making connections with other women + aren’t looking for business advice. But, trust me. Don’t buy this book based on the title. The lessons she addresses during part 2 are priceless + every woman can benefit from this read. Personally, this is my #1 favorite self-help read so far!
- A QUOTE I LOVE | “You either choose to learn to let go of what people will think in order to fulfill your desires and dreams, or you choose long-term suffering and being held captive by small minds… People talk. It’s a fact of life… Don’t take any of it personally. Odds are they aren’t giving it the time of day and they probably didn’t really mean it… Forgive them, let go, choose a new thought, and be that badass, powerhouse goddess who you know you were put on this earth to be” (Harder 122).
Related: HOW TO STOP PEOPLE PLEASING
2 – THE DAILY STOIC
If you follow me on Instagram [follow me HERE], you know I love posting from this weekly! This book includes 366 days of daily meditations that are revealed through stoicism. If you are someone who doesn’t like classic meditation, this is a great option! It takes only 1-2 minutes of your day to read the passage + some days it can completely change my mindset if I am not in the right state of mind. You can follow the days assigned or flip through + read whatever title speaks to you that day. I cannot recommend this one enough — especially if you are not a reader or are new to self-help. There is also a journal you can purchase + complete as you follow along!
- A QUOTE I LOVE | “We are what we repeatedly do… therefore, excellence is not an act but a habit…We are a product of our thoughts… Think about your activities of the last week as well as what you have planned for today and the week that follows. The person you’d like to be, or the person you see yourself as — how closely do your actions actually correspond to him or her? Which fire are you fueling? Which person are you becoming?” (Holiday 147).
Related: MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS + HOW TO MAKE IT A HABIT
3 – YOU ARE A BADASS
I am sure you have heard of this bestseller + it certainly lives up to the hype! Jen Sincero is not only an incredible writer that has wonderful insight into helping others creating self-confidence, but she is absolutely hilarious. Her stories relating to her lessons will have you laughing out loud + shaking your head “yes!!” because she is so relatable. I love how she breaks down the book into small chapters of mini-lessons, curses a bit, + absolutely keeps it real with her readers. Really, it is all about realizing how much of a badass you already are + how to up-level your life even more! Out of all of these books, I probably enjoyed reading this one the most because of how entertaining it is. EVERYONE should read this one out of all the self-help books I share today — especially if you are new to self-help. Click HERE for a full blog post review on this book.
- A QUOTE I LOVE | “Trade in your drama about how you can’t have what you want for the grateful expectation that miracles will walk into your life + the commonplace those miracles will become. Whenever anything excellent or mediocre or lame or annoying happens to you, meet it with the statement, ‘This is good because…‘” (Sincero 118-119).
Related: HOW TO STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS
4 – THE GIFTS OF IMPERFECTION
This book will really hit home if you are someone who has struggled with feeling like you’re not enough. This was the first self-help book I read as I was in therapy + really rocked my world in such a good way. I even sent it to my close friend + she couldn’t believe how it affected her, too, as she read it. I am sure you’ve heard of Brene Brown because she has exploded over the years in self-help! She is a doctor + really really really knows her stuff. This book focuses on letting go of people-pleasing, perfectionism, numbing out, fears, the need for certainty, comparison, anxiety, self-doubt, + so much more! Click HERE for a full blog post review about this book.
- A QUOTE I LOVE | “Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best… perfectionism is not self-improvement… Research shows that perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it’s often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life-paralysis. Life paralysis refers to all of the opportunities we miss because we’re too afraid to put anything out in the world that could be imperfect. It’s also all of the dreams hat we don’t follow because of our deep dear of failing, making mistakes, and disappointing others” (Brown 56-57).
Related: 7 WAYS TO COPE WITH STRESS + ANXIETY
5 – THE HAPPINESS PROJECT
My friend sent this to me yearssss ago + I let it collect dust until one day I decided to pull it out + give it a whirl. I am so glad I did! I love the little nuggets of joy + happiness advice that she gives in this book to help you slowly bring positivity into every day of your life in so many different ways. The book is about how she spent 12 months testing happiness hacks out to see if they would make any difference in her life. Some chapters were a little slow + I skimmed some sections. But, [just like Build Your Tribe] the lessons infused about finding happiness in your everyday life are ones everyone can relate to + needs to hear! Her podcast “Happier” is also really enjoyable + I recommend trying that out, too.
- A QUOTE I LOVE | “I noticed that if I put the word ‘meditation’ in front of any activity, it suddenly seemed much more high-minded and spiritual: when waiting for the bus, I’d tell myself I was doing ‘bus-waiting meditation’; in the slow line at the drugstore, I was doing ‘waiting-in-line meditation’… I worked hard to appreciate my ordinary day” (Rubin 205).
Related: MINDFULNESS FOR BEGINNERS
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