I’ve said it before: I am a personal development junkie. Maybe it is my enneagram one-ness; I always see ways that I can improve my life, and I get excited when I learn about another way I might be able to do just that.
I’ve read a lot of personal development books over the years, so I wanted to round up a few of my favorites. This may seem like a long list, but it’s just a portion of all the ones I’ve read, and I wanted to include any book that has made a significant impact in my life.
Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin. This might just be my very favorite in the personal growth category. Rubin takes an in-depth look at habits; how they’re formed, strategies to start good ones (or stop bad ones), and roadblocks to their successful adoption. Instead of claiming that there’s a one size fits all formula, she writes about how habit formation depends heavily on personality type. It is in this book that she introduces her Four Tendencies personality framework, and examines how each one is helped and hindered in habit formation. If you’re interested in a more in-depth look at those tendencies, she wrote a whole book about it.
The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi. I think this book works very well with Better Than Before, because of the way she explains her philosophy of being a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don’t. Rubin is the master of habits, while Adachi focuses on how to apply your habits to organize your life. She shares her “lazy genius principles” throughout the book and not only gives examples of how she applies them to her own life, but she guides you on ways to apply them in ways that work in yours.
The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. I did not include this book because it is the most well written, and I don’t think Elrod’s approach works for everyone. However, it has made an impact on my life, and my morning routine has improved significantly because of this book. Elrod suggests starting every day by waking up early to go through a set of steps, which he abbreviates SAVERS: silence, affirmations, visualization, exercise, reading, and scribing (writing). I don’t follow his process exactly, but I’ve adopted my own version of his routine. For me–someone who is already a morning person–it really works. I don’t think it’s the kind of life-changer that he proclaims, but I do think anyone would benefit from starting the day in a more intentional, purpose-driven way. (In fact, I wrote a whole post about that.)
The Fringe Hours by Jessica N. Turner. The Fringe Hours explores the idea that many women feel like they are so busy fulfilling all of the roles of their life that they don’t have any time leftover for themselves. She walks you through taking a hard look at your life and determining the things that matter and the things to let go of. From there, she encourages you to think about small pockets of time that are easily wasted, and how you can use that time on activities that give you pleasure. Many of the tips she shares are things I already do, but I definitely gained new insights as well.
Essentialism by Greg McKeown. In a society that prides itself on busyness, efficiency, and getting more done, Greg McKeown offers something pleasingly different in Essentialism. He encourages the reader to become an “essentialist” by focusing only on what matters and eliminating what doesn’t. I appreciate McKeown’s practical, real-life advice. I haven’t yet, but this is one I’d like to read again to really soak it in.
The Enneagram Made Easy by Renee Baron. I love learning about personality types, and the enneagram is my favorite system to delve into. The only other enneagram book I’ve read is The Road Back to You, and while that book helped me solidify my type (I’m a one), I didn’t love the writing. I appreciated that this one was brief and to the point, with helpful bulleted lists and useful tips. I learned a few more insights into my own type, my husband’s (he’s a nine), and while I don’t know how set in stone types are at a young age, I discovered that Jona–at least right now–is most definitely a five.
How to Be a Happier Parent by KJ Dell’antonia. I didn’t include other parenting books in this round-up, but wanted to add this one because the focus is on your happiness as a parent rather than your child. It discusses common parenting challenges, such as chores, screen time, homework, and food. Rather than thinking about how to change the child’s behavior around the struggle, she suggests how the parent may be able to approach the situation differently in order to get different results. Realistically, the only behavior we have true power to change is our own, so I appreciated this perspective.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. I picked up this book after watching Marie Kondo’s Netflix series. I’m actually really glad I didn’t read this before watching her show, because I think she may have come off as overbearing and inflexible. Instead, after seeing her warm personality on the show, her tone felt enthusiastic, and I sensed her commitment to her methods. I haven’t yet drank the entire pitcher of Kool-aid, but I did KonMari my clothes, as well as Jona and Violet’s, and I am loving the results.
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. This is part memoir, part personal development book, about how Rubin created a year-long project with a goal of making herself happier. Each month she focused on a different area of her life and applied strategies for improving her life in that area. I was inspired to try a happiness project of my own and it was fun to really focus on one category each month.
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. I love Gilbert’s no-nonsense attitude about creativity. Her advice is practical and straightforward, yet also inspiring. It felt like a mix between a memoir and a self-improvement book, although it didn’t offer much in the way of “how to” advice. However, this combination really worked for me and I found myself highlighting passages left and right.
The Renaissance Soul by Margaret Lobenstine. Lobenstine’s premise is that some people are what she calls “renaissance souls”, or people who have a desire to pursue multiple, often vastly different, interests or careers. I’ve always been a little embarrassed about my struggle to commit to a career path (and even a college during my undergrad days!). I was jealous of people, like my husband, who chose a career path, have stuck with it, and feel fulfilled. Reading this book made me feel validated, and it also gave me some ideas for helping me feel that fulfillment without the pressure of choosing the perfect thing to do with my life. I recommend this book for anyone who sees herself as a renaissance soul too, and wants to feel motivated and uplifted.
You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero. I have never enjoyed talking about money, thinking about money, or doing anything money-related (other than spending it), but this book changed my whole perspective! It definitely helped me see money in a more positive light, and to think about it from a space of abundance rather than lack. If this sounds a bit out there to you, it is, but if you also struggle with negative thoughts around money, it might be a helpful read for you.
What would you add to this list?
