Last January, I started to incorporate more reading into my daily routine. I enjoy reading a variety of genres from self help to romance and mystery. During my morning routine, I typically read a self help book for about ten minutes in the morning. And then, in the evening, I read a fiction book to relax. Today, I’m rounding up my favorite self help books that have changed my life.

If you want to read what I do during my morning routine, you can read the blog post HERE where I break down what I do each morning.

5 Self Help Books That Changed My Life

Self help books aren’t just a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States for nothing. There are many benefits to reading, like boosting relaxation, expanding your vocabulary and teaching about a certain subject. When you choose the right books for you, they can give you the right mindset, inspiration, information and a new approach on life.

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What Are Self Help Books?

Self help books are intended to help us improve our lives in a certain area or to help solve a problem. As you may have guessed, there’s a self help book on pretty much any subject you can imagine from patience, money, organization, mental health topics like anxiety, exercise and public speaking just to name a few. Self help books offer tangible advice that you can implement in your own life.

Although, according to the American Psychological Association, 95% of self help books don’t have scientific evidence to back the practices explained. Therefore, when you’re reading self help books, you want to be mindful that these topics discussed in these books may be more subjective than science-backed.

So how do you choose the right book for you with so many to choose from? Start by making a list of topics you would like to improve in your own life. Once you determine what it is you want to improve, then look for self help books around that topic.

A great way to narrow your search is to look at reviews on a book. Did reviewers say it was helpful? You can find plenty of reviews on Good Reads or Amazon.

Another way to find helpful self help books is to ask a friend if they recommend any, and if the book(s) was helpful. You can also visit your local library and have a librarian recommend a specific book.

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Automic Habits

The first book that changed my life was Automic Habits. This book focuses on habits in your daily life. Because our habits shape our days, and our days shape our life, this gives you the tools to transform your habits and help break your bad ones.

UnFu*k Yourself

UnFu*k Yourself focuses on getting out of our own way. The biggest things that hold us back from reaching our highest potential often lie within ourselves – not from outside circumstances. So this book is a great way to help take in inward look at our self talk, confidence and other factors that might be holding us back.

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry is a beautiful reminder to stop the hurry in our lives. We’ve become an overbooked, always-in-a-hurry society where we’re always feeling like we’re running on fumes. This book reminds us that we need to adopt a slower-paced life to live an emotionally healthy life.

The Five Minute Miracle Morning

The Five Minute Miracle Morning is a book about creating a productive morning routine that sets your whole day up for success. With a mindful morning ritual, this creates a domino effect for increased motivation and success.

Girl, Wash Your Face

Girl, Wash Your Face is a book about the lies we’ve been told about ourselves. Rachel Hollis breaks down the 20 lies that all too often hold us back from becoming who we were meant to be.

Do Self Help Books Work?

Reading a self help book gives you insight on thinking patterns and helps you understand where you might be holding yourself back in certain areas of your life. However, self help books don’t work unless you are committed to putting the practices you learn in the books, into place. They provide tools to add to your life toolbox to help you better yourself and live your best, most successful life.

It’s important to read self help books in a quiet place where you can absorb and take in the information as best as you can. Take notes if that helps you digest the information better. Once you’re finished with the book, try journaling your experience while putting the new practices into place. This helps keep yourself accountable, and tracks your progress while you implement these new practices.

Self Help Books On My List to Read

As the New Year approaches, I like to start setting goals. I enjoy reading self help books in the New Year that align with my goals in mind.

Here are a few on books on my list:

I hope this helps you narrow your search for your next book. Sometimes all we need is a little motivation and a new perspective to give us the push we need to take our life to the next level.

Do you have a favorite self help book? Let me know in the comments below!

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xoAmanda

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