We all have different ways of deciding what to read next and sometimes, the season we are in can give us a clue to what our reading life might need next. This might be a life season, like heading to college, parenting or empty-nesting, but the actual seasons of the calendar can give our reading life a nudge, too. But no matter the time of year, I love reading books that promote growth and renewal in all aspects of our lives.
So, I’ve curated a collection of books that will do just that. These books are sure to make you think AND take action so that our actual lives can grow alongside our reading lives.
That’s my favorite thing.
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Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies: And Other Rituals to Fix Your Life, from Someone Who’s Been There Hardcover by Tara Schuster
By the time she was in her late twenties, by all appearances, Tara Schuster had mastered being a grown-up. But beneath that veneer of success, she was a chronically anxious, self-medicating mess. No one knew that her road to adulthood had been paved with depression, anxiety, and shame, owing in large part to her minimally parented upbringing. She realized she’d hit rock bottom when she drunk-dialed her therapist pleading for help. Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies is the story of Tara’s path to re-parenting herself and becoming a “ninja of self-love.” Through simple, daily rituals, Tara transformed her mind, body, and relationships, and shows how we can, too.
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
I used to be one of those people who said they didn’t have a creative bone in their body, but this book just blew everything I knew right out of the water. We are ALL creative. It all started with her view on ideas: what they are, where they come from and where they go next if not nurtured. I devoured every word, trying to figure out how I’d nurture my own creativity (after I figured out what it was, of course) until Gilbert wrote about moving away from passion and toward curiosity. Every fiber of my being was at attention when she described how a tiny interest in keeping a garden ultimately led to her writing The Signature of All Things….simply by saying yes to the trail of curiosity. Now THAT I can relate to. I want to fill my life with lots of little yesses that ultimately lead to a live well lived, because we never know where one little yes will take us. Big Magic.
Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes
I was thoroughly captivated by this book. For so long through the pandemic, we were forced to say no to everything. And even though the world is returning to normal, I still find myself saying no where I should be saying yes. This book was a stunning (and laugh-out-loud funny!) reminder of how pushing ourselves past our comfort zones is exactly what we need to do so we can find out who we are, what we are capable of and what’s waiting on the other side of yes. I’ll read this again and again and again.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
This book has changed the way I look at the world, especially how I look at myself. Each page is inspiring and uplifting, but also complex and challenging, as Glennon invites us to rethink the memos we have accepted as the status quo of our lives. I devoured this book quickly on the first reading and savored each word on the second, truly using Glennon’s stories to rewrite my own. I imagine I’ll continue this transformative work on the third reading as well. It’s a book I think every woman needs to read so she can truly live into her own worth.
Boundary Boss by Terri Cole
This book spoke directly to my heart and Terri Cole’s no-nonsense, conversational and heartful voice felt like I was having a conversation with a dear, and very real, friend. I don’t have enough space to share what I’ve learned here, but here was my BIG take-away: Boundaries matter. And most important, the boundaries we create for OURSELVES matter most. In the past, I’ve put too much focus on the boundaries outside of my control, trying to change everything and everyone around me instead of doing the hard work inside my head and heart to truly change from within. But after reading, I can’t go back and can feel a tangible shift in my energy for what’s to come.
Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo
This was exactly the book I needed at the exact time that I needed it. I read it quickly, devouring each page full of wisdom. I learned that indeed, everything is figureoutable and we have the power to change our beliefs, make our own choices and control our future moving forward. With just a few concrete, within-our-reach mindset shifts and actions, we can transform the way we think and the possibilities we can offer to the world. Forleo includes Insight to Action Challenges and Figureoutable Field Notes that inspire dreaming, but demand practical action. But the best part? This book isn’t just for those of us with grand or epic dreams, it’s for anyone who simply wants to be the best version of themselves. Please read this book.
Let It Be Easy by Susie Moore
This was a little book with a big punch. While I read it cover to cover, you don’t have to. No matter what page you turn to, you’re sure to find wit and wisdom on the page that you can immediately apply to your own life. From simple language shifts to new ways of thinking, Susie reminds us that we truly can let it be easy, a mantra that I’ve started repeating to myself often. And honestly? It really works. Everyone will find a message just right for them inside these pages. Go get it.
You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
I love a good self-help book and this one was one of the best. This no-nonsense, yet humorous, book was REAL. It didn’t sugarcoat and it wasn’t full of fluff. It was raw, honest and shockingly practical. My biggest take-away? We can literally have anything we want in life if we think we deserve it first. The rest is just icing on the cake. Icing that takes hard work to bring to life, but that comes effortlessly if our minds are willing to accept new possibilities. I absolutely loved this book.
You, Happier: The 7 Neuroscience Secrets of Feeling Good Based on Your Brain Type by Daniel G. Amen
You, Happier has indeed made me happier. Not only did I read the book, but I learned my brain type (I’m a 9), completed EVERY recommended exercise, started a wellness journal to keep track of all my new brain-boosting routines, bought the supplements just right for me and am already seeing results. And I’m not done. I’m now diving into Dr. Amen’s backlist of books and even signed up for his online courses. I’ve been struggling a bit as we transition back to living through a pandemic and this has given me the tools I need to take 100% responsibility for how I feel and how I want to show up for my family for many, mean years to come. Please read this book.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen Covey
The 7 Habits have become famous and are integrated into everyday thinking by millions and millions of people. Why? Because they work! This beloved classic presents a principle-centered approach for solving both personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and practical anecdotes, Stephen R. Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, honesty, and human dignity—principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates.
How Are You, Really? by Jenna Kutcher
I’ve been a fan of Jenna and her podcast for a while and was excited to read this book. I had a feeling she was writing the book directly for me and I was right. =) How Are You, Really seems to speak directly to the reader and asks the important question of how you really feel about your life right now. Filled with real talk and real examples, Jenna shows us how she leads her life around that exact question. I’ve collected many quotes and have already gotten to work uncovering how I’m feeling and am jumping into the bonus materials, too. I highly recommend you read it and then head right to her podcast for the action-packed strategies you’ll want next.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
This book felt like a gift: a gift of self-reflection, of introspection and transformation. In it, we are lucky enough to learn from Lor Gottlieb and her raw honesty as she navigates her own life in therapy…as a therapist. I was struck by her story: finding her life’s passion after a few false career starts, choosing her own path to motherhood, dealing with a sudden break-up and grappling with all sorts of life revelations. It’s interspersed with her stories, the stories of her patients and the research and philosophy she has based her work on. It was utterly fascinating and incredibly therapeutic. Readers cannot help but walk away with a new-found view of themselves and the role they play in their own life. A must read.
