4 MORE Books to Improve Your Life
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A year ago, I never would have described myself as spiritual.
I’ll choose spin class over yoga any day.. I’m not great at meditating.. I’m not religious and I’ve always been a Sauv-Blanc-over-green-juice type of chick.
That is, until I became obsessed with wellness. And apparently, wellness & spirituality go hand in hand like chicken nuggets and McDonalds fries. Once I discovered one spiritual book and podcast, it led me to another and another.. then it just snowballed.
I’m no longer fighting it. The “bad California girl” (hates the beach, only wears black) version of me, who was not-so-long-ago attracted to New York City for its no nonsense, big city, at times even fuck-you energy.. is now a shameless kombucha drinking, tongue scraping, positivity-manifesting optimist. Whoa. ☀️
I even read “Quit Lit” books for fun.. since I noticed that the best tools for beating addiction are self-care practices that everyone should add to their daily routines (hot lemon water, meditation, movement.) At the rate I’m going, I may have to move back to California, because no one in New York will be able to stand me. Oh, the irony. 😂
But all jokes aside, what started as a goal-oriented and perfectionist-driven quest for wanting to be a better person—physically, emotionally and mentally—has become a fun, experimental journey with no destination. Which is how it should be! My focus is no longer on being “healthier one day,” but rather, “how can I grow and evolve today?” Somewhere along the way, I discovered that learning, listening and reading personal development content also just feels really damn good. 😊
But enough about me. Here are 4 books that have been part of my personal growth journey. I hope you love them as much as I did!
(In case you missed part one, be sure to also check out 4 Books to Improve Your Life in 2022. They were very much part of my journey too.)
Atomic Habits | James Clear
Atomic habits is a practical, easy to digest instruction manual on how to form new, positive habits and break bad ones. Clear explains how we teach ourselves habits in the first place (cue > craving > response > reward) from a psychological standpoint.. and how we can use this knowledge to either reinforce or interrupt the cycle, depending on your goal. I love that he explains how habits help us by making room in our minds for more important decision making. It’s incredible how many things we already do on autopilot, and Clear explains how we can use this to our advantage by habit-stacking.
Order this book if you are serious about becoming the best version of yourself, with the goal of improving by 1% each day.
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You Can Heal Your Life | Louise Hay
In the context of alternative medicine, I’ve heard many people describe their psychedelic experiences as having a realization that everything is connected and synergistic. All the plants and animals and people on this planet, as well as the stars and universe, are all just different forms of energy.. in sync and on some level in communication with one another. Micro-dosing LSD or psilociben mushrooms can arguably open your mind to this spiritual view or understanding of life. 🌈
Where the heck am I going with this? Well, reading You Can Heal Your Life.. feels like that. While the book has nothing to do with drugs, Louise Hay describes the world and universe through a rosy lens, that’s very woo woo at times, but somehow just makes sense.
This book is also very much about self-love, particularly how to love and accept yourself as you are. It’s beautiful. I highly recommend reading one chapter of this book to start your day, if you want to be in a great mood that lingers. 🤩
The Obstacle is the Way | Ryan Holiday
This book was written by the modern-day king of stoicism, Ryan Holiday, who brought us another favorite, The Daily Stoic.
The Obstacle is the Way is a series of short stories about people throughout history, who not only overcame obstacles, but achieved incredible feats as a direct result of the challenges they faced. A book which encourages readers to reframe their “problems” as opportunities to persevere.
Inspiring, fun to read, and a physically compact book that fits nicely in a little purse.
The Real Rules: How to Find the Right Man for the Real You | Barbara De Angelis
Back story: I read All The Rules by Ellen Fein at a Barnes & Noble bookstore with my friend Mandie when we were in middle school. Even at the idiotic age of 12, I could tell it was total fucking trash. That is NOT the book I am recommending here. In case you aren’t familiar, All the Rules is a toxic, sexist, anti-feminist “guide” to trapping the man you want into marriage, with lies and manipulation. Seriously. I can’t believe it’s still being published.
Fast forward 15 years. I came across The Real Rules (the book I am recommending) in my late 20’s, at a garage sale and picked it up for 10 cents. What a treat! And it came at just the perfect time; I was going through a devastating breakup with my first really serious boyfriend.
This book is great! It’s the opposite of the original “Rules.” De Angelis gives wise, applicable dating advice on how to find romantic, lasting love and commitment with a healthy, emotionally available partner, based on honesty, vulnerability, trust, and mutual respect.
She promotes being yourself, and acting and communicating like an adult when you’re dating. What a concept! No games, no ridiculous antiquated “rules.” This is a fun and uplifting read, especially if you’re going through a breakup, or just feeling frustrated with dating.
📚 My advice if you want to read more books..
I honestly was not a big reader until last year. Now I love to read 4 or 5 books at once. Maybe it’s my ADHD, but alternating between several books makes it way easier for me to stay interested in reading. Typically I read one chapter of one book and then switch.
It’s a new goal of mine to read 1 hour every day (M-F) so I set a timer for 30 mins as part of my morning routine and 30 mins as part of my evening wind down routine. There’s no way I could read just one book for an hour a day and not get bored to death.
Do you enjoy these reading lists? Leave your feedback in the comments section down below!
x, gretchen
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I’m a Brand Designer and Strategist living in NYC. 9 years ago I quit my job to start this business, and now I’m here to help you do it too! I specialize in helping established female millennial entrepreneurs transform their brands.. to attract Dream Clients and grow their businesses, so that they can make more money, be their own bosses and live the life they deserve!