A phrase that’s been heard a little too much: if you want to change the world, change yourself first . A cliché, perhaps overused but not implemented enough. Some say that if you aren’t happy with things happening around you or want to alter your environment, start with yourself and focus on your personal growth. After all, it’s the small changes that make the biggest difference.
Taking care of one’s mental and physical health should be the #1 priority in everyone’s lives. Luckily, we see a pronounced trend of more people working on improving themselves. Assuming that it was the best self help books search on Google that landed you on this page, books appear to be a preferred medium for many to look to for advice on personal care. According to the NPD Group press release , the self-help book category has experienced continued and solid growth in recent years. As a matter of fact, since 2013, its size has nearly doubled. In 2019, self help books reached 18.6 million sales . Fun fact, that’s around the size of the population in Kazakhstan!
However, there’s a lot of speculation about the influence and the actual benefits of personal development books. The truth is, self improvement books only work if the reader understands what they read and follows the advice. If the book is read like an ordinary romance tale to kill time, and not a single idea is implemented in actual life, then sure, the book is useless. Just more pap to add to the pile. And it’s in your best interest to not let that happen.
Other than that, even the best self improvement books may contradict each other. Certain books are written in a novel genre and can be interpreted differently. One such example is an international bestseller and perhaps the #1 self help book of all time, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Other self help genre books are usually written from the author’s viewpoint, so their advice on achieving one’s own Personal Legend (reference from The Alchemist ) won’t necessarily be implemented in a similar vein.
Long story short, you are here for the books, not for my excessively long ramblings. Let us present you with, let’s dub it, the ultimate list of top self care books, which might not turn your life upside down, but for sure should turn it for the better.
This book explains things in a way that doesn’t overwhelm you or make you feel like everything you do is wrong or not good enough. It is engaging and immensely convincing in how it makes you want to change your bad habits and adopt good ones. Atomic Habits tells stories and teaches you how to gradually maintain patterns that will help you in the long run but in small, digestible, doable steps. You are bound to take away heaps of tips from this book. Take a notepad or have sticky notes at hand. Favorite quote : “Making a choice that is 1% better or 1% worse is insignificant in the moment. But over the span of moments that make up a lifetime, these choices determine the difference between who you are and who you could be.”
Why do all good things have to come to an end? This was the exact question I asked myself after finishing the book. The Alchemist has transcended the bounds of literature and developed a life of its own. The people Santiago meets, his dreams, the omens he sees, and the nature he communicates with are all things we can identify with. It’s things that we may have either forgotten about or simply written off as childhood fantasies. If you have not read this book yet, you are in for a gratifying treat, my friend. After this one, I can assure you that it will not be the last book by Paulo Coelho you’ll read. Favorite quote : “Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.”
This book, in our humble opinion, richly deserves its high ranking on the list. In a well-organized book free of academic jargon (such a relief!), Kahneman has shared the rich psychological knowledge and the results he has accumulated over his lifetime. And with the author being almost 88 years old, that’s a lot of information to absorb! The Nobel laureate also makes the material interactive by inviting the reader to complete brief mental exercises, making it a delightful read. Favorite quote : “If you care about being thought credible and intelligent, do not use complex language where simpler language will do.”
This tiny book will rip your heart open and fill it with love. This light of love will develop into a fire, which, as soon as you finish the book, you can start sharing with your loved ones, your neighbors, your country, the world, and the entire universe. The Four Agreements presents some profound wisdom in a straightforward and condensed manner. This book stands out in a sea of spiritual reading material, and much of it makes a lot of sense. A quick and easy read with gems on gems. Favorite quote : “There is a huge amount of freedom that comes to you when you take nothing personally.”
This would be a very different world if everyone adopted the values outlined in this book. It is not about running a business, managing a marriage, raising children, or making friends. In a holistic sense, the book is about you, every single one of us. It aims to get one to reflect on their fundamental character traits, including their personality, principles, and ethics. It’s a book where you start learning something new from the very first page. Overall, a masterpiece that introduces you to the various facets of positivity. It’s likely not a one-time read. Favorite quote : “If I really want to improve my situation, I can work on the one thing over which I have control - myself.”
Powerful right from the beginning. It’s a thrilling, satisfying, and honest book that will take you on a quest for self-discovery. The author is brilliant in his creative life coaching method, offering a new viewpoint on self-improvement and wellbeing. Bayer’s road map to the Best You offers all readers a thought-provoking and inspiring experience. It’s brimming with exercises to guide you in recognizing and taking steps toward moving forward. Favorite quote : “The real problem is that people are living lives that are incongruent with their authentic selves either because they’re following in their family’s footsteps instead of carving their own path, or they’re doing what worked for them ten years ago but simply doesn’t anymore…”
In a literal sense, this book advises on what matters and what doesn’t. And making that decision is the skill, the art , that every one of us needs to learn. If you say yes to everyone and everything, people will literally eat you alive. Basically, to find a bigger fck to give a fck about is what this book recommends. Manson is a no-nonsense, straight-talking kind of guy. He explains everything in plain terms before advising you to overcome your self-consciousness to find happiness. In reality, nobody is always happy, and problems will always arise. That’s pretty much our takeaway from the book. Favorite quote : “Maturity is what happens when one learns to only give a fck about what’s truly fckworthy.”
As you can tell from the book’s title, it’s about making money. But it’s not all about making one’s pockets full of dinero. It’s about achieving success, being great, and reaching for the stars. We here adore Jen Sincero’s writing for its sincerity and humor. And although this book isn’t a step-by-step manual on personal finances, it does teach a lesson or two. It coaches the readers on how to use their environment to make as much money as they want by manipulating their mindset. Everything starts with a mindset, and this book is entirely focused on that. Favorite quote : “What you can and can’t afford is all in your mind.”
In case you didn’t know, three-quarters of all the readers of self-help books are women. So this one is for us, ladies. Girl, Wash Your Face is the book we didn’t know we needed. It’s a fun, moving, easy-to-understand, and motivational read. The solutions Hollis offers are practical ones that anyone can use in their daily lives. She presents us with the brutal honesty of reality. It’s hard not to get inspired when you get bitten by the author’s enthusiasm. She is entirely transparent and shares information that is very personal to her. Because they know they are not alone in their journey, the readers can break down their own walls thanks to her vulnerability. Favorite quote : “Our words have power, but our actions shape our lives.”
The book teaches you how to live a better life. Very straightforward, isn’t it? However, it is not so easy to achieve. Each of the twelve rules is thoroughly explained, and the author delves into the meaning of every single one of them using a variety of real-world examples. It’s rare to find a book that makes you feel upbeat, confident, wiser and more in charge of your life. It’s indeed an inexhaustible well of wisdom. Can we have a sequel, pretty please? Favorite quotes : “Perhaps you are overvaluing what you don’t have and undervaluing what you do.”
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