I started reading self-help books recently, with my first being You Are A Badass. (If you missed it, read my full review) It’s one of my goals to read a lot of this genre more in 2018. So I asked my followers on Instagram for their favorite self-help books and got a huge list of recommendations! I can’t wait to dive into as many as possible, but I’ve pulled out my top favorites to share.
Top of My List
1. Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me.
I’ve always loved Lily Collins as an actress, so seeing behind the curtain of a celebrity I’ve admired is very attractive to me. Full disclosure, I did not watch To The Bone. I might one day, but because I’m so empathetic I’m a little afraid of how it will affect me (13 reasons why made me feel sad for days). Collins discusses body image and self-confidence in her book, which I think is something every girl struggles with and has become more of a challenge for me recently. The book description alone resonated so soundly with me, stating that Collins shares how everyone experiences pain and heartbreak, and “we all understand what it’s like to live in the light and in the dark.”
2. The Sun and Her Flowers
I’m sure I’m not the only one who has tons of Rupi Kaur quotes saved to my Pinterest boards and on Instagram. As much as I love everything I come across of hers, I have never actually read one of her books. The Sun and Her Flowers is said to focus on growth and healing, which I can’t wait to dive into. If I like it, maybe I’ll work backward and read Milk and Honey next.
3. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
I’ll be honest, I’m a little nervous about this one. I’m sure you’ve heard of this wildly popular self-help novel that shares how to stop trying to be “positive” all the time so you can become a better, happier person. I like this idea. The whole “you just have to be more positive!” advice is just crap. We can’t and shouldn’t be positive all the time. However, the author’s frankness makes me nervous. Mark Manson is described to write “the antidote to coddling.” Tbh, I like a little coddling. Tough love doesn’t always work for me. That aside, the message of learning to stomach the lemons better instead of turning lemons into lemonade is intriguing to me because I very much believe in the practice of acceptance. So I’ll give it a try – if I end up crying in the corner, I’m sure I’ll post about in on Instagram.
4. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
I’m so excited about this recommendation! Big Magic is all about engaging in your creativity and embracing your curiosity. For most of my life, I never viewed myself as creative. I thought because I wasn’t very good at art class in elementary school, that meant I wasn’t creative. It wasn’t until after college that I realized creativity can mean such a large range of things and everyone is creative in some way. Now, I’ve started to embrace my desire to make creativity the forefront of my career goals, and so I can’t wait to focus on this self-help arena. As a contrast to Manson’s tone, Elizabeth Gilbert is said to write with “profound empathy and radiant generosity.” Just my type 🙂
5. The Universe Has Your Back by Gabby Bernstein
My two friends, Jenna and Katie, have both recommended this book. That alone is reason enough for me to read this because they are both so inspiring if I can siphon an ounce of their incredible nature, I’ll be happy! This book encourages the ability to transform fear into faith, relinquish the need for control, and stop chasing life and truly live. Sounds like exactly what I need.
More Self-Help Recommendations
Memoir
Not Just Me: Anxiety, depression, and learning to embrace your weird by Lisa Jakub
Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year by Demi Lovato
How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life by Lilly Singh
Business Success
The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz
How to Make Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Self Help
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
Why Won’t You Apologize?: Healing Big Betrayals and Everyday Hurts by Harriet Lerner
Specific Therapy Practices
Emotional Intelligence (Teach Yourself) by Christine Wilding
The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living: A Guide to ACT by Russ Harris
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