6 Amazing Books for Personal Development
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I remember the first time I picked up a personal development book. I was trying to hide it underneath a totally cool bestseller that just hit Barnes & Noble’s shelves and was glad I made it out of the then sad, depressing “self-help section” no woman wanted to be caught in. Oh how times have changed and I couldn’t be more grateful! I also learned to stop caring so much about who catches me where in what store (peep book #4).
The first one I ever picked up was How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie and it was nothing like I expected! I was able to overcome so much stress that I thought was simply natural and to be endured in order to grow.
Self-Development requires us to put in work and be honest with ourselves, but without some amazing guidelines and perspectives found in books like the ones below, we’re just running around trying all the wrong things to figure everything out on our own.
Nowadays, I’m constantly picking up new books & I enjoy growing my mind, but there are a few that have truly stood out from the rest.
Below are 6 Personal Development Books that I will forever recommend!
1. Atomic Habits by James Clear
Atomic Habits is the perfect guide to breaking bad habits and adopting good ones in just a few steps. Not to mention, it’s so good that it’s one of those books you find yourself tearing through and consistently begging for more.
This books provides immense value to every reader and is one that can be re-read years later to keep you on track and help you implement amazing mindset hacks throughout different stages of your life.
Atomic Habits will teach you how to form actionable habits that will make huge difference in your life, along with break the habits that are hurting us…even the ones we don’t realize we’re doing.
2. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Dale Carnegie
Do not be fooled by this book’s title…there is so much more for you to gain inside here than seven new habits! This book holds the key to transforming your mind and pushes you to become a person who dives deeper and finds the best in yourself, others and your surroundings.
Incorporating the knowledge you take away from Covey’s book into your life helps you become truly effective in whatever you want to achieve.
Now, I understand implementing these steps is easier said than done. Covey also anticipated readers feeling this way and made sure to cover it for us. He tells us that we need to go through a paradigm shift — a fundamental change in how we perceive the world along with ourselves.
This book is also very interactive and provides the reader with practices to really make the paradigm shift happen. An absolute must read for everyone!
3. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
I’m not known for being one to sugarcoat things you really need to hear, which is probably why I loved this book so much! I know you read the title and think it’s a book about how to care about absolutely nothing and be a tough badass with thick skin, but it’s a lot deeper than that.
The positive psychology method we’re so familiar with nowadays is not what Manson is preaching here. He provides the reader with another perspective on life so that you can live it happily, yet also ready for the crap that inevitably happens. Not everything can be fixed with sunshine & daisies.
“Being wrong opens us up to the possibility of change. Being wrong brings the opportunity for growth.”
Manson’s honest and witty writing is extremely compelling and keeps his readers engaged from start to finish. He tells it like it is and ignores the coddling, sensitive methods a lot of people have recently adopted — forcing us to grow and show up for ourselves in a strong way.
4. Nice Is Just A Place In France by The Betches
Do you feel like you’re often walked over by others? Whether it be guys, your boss, or even that stranger in line that was just a little too rude, they usually can sense that they’ll get away with treating you differently from how you should be. This book will give you a whole new sense of perspective and confidence to become the most badass version of yourself and start taking back control of how you’re treated.
P.S. — you can still be nice, but not nice enough to be treated like crap!
5. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
This is probably one of the most popular books ever written and it’s also one of the oldest on this list. It was written in 1937 and still extremely relatable. It’s literally a classic.
As I mentioned before, this was the first self-development book I ever picked up when I was a teenager. I had no idea what to expect other than the title which came off as a book for someone who wanted to be popular. Wrong! It was an epic workbook for my soul that also helped me sort out the fakeness that comes with high school as we all navigate who we are and what we want.
This book goes far beyond what you may think and teaches the reader how to acquire and present genuine interest, show appreciation, make the effort to enhance someone’s day, and work on making the world a better place — your personal world included.
6. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
The Power of Now hardly needs any introduction. I know the practice of “living in the now” and “being present” has become very popular over the past few years — as it should be — but we’re often not too sure how to start doing that after years spent worrying about our futures and regretting the past.
Tolle’s techniques have helped millions alleviate depression, increase emotional intelligence and develop true compassion for themselves.
Practicing mindfulness and awareness of the present moment doesn’t mean you have to stop and meditate every single second of your life and Tolle helps you to properly use his actionable strategies to live every minute with purpose.
Life is a series of present moments and you can train your mind to let go of judgement, find your inner peace, and change your mind for the better.
So, there you go! 7 Amazing Self Development Books that you can put to use starting today. Make some time each day to read, open your mind, and advance your knowledge and life overall.
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