I struggled to name this post as I tossed around terms like ‘life-changing’… What defines a book as ‘life-changing, is, of course, a highly personal (not to mention subjective) topic. That said, as a voracious reader and life coach, one of the most frequent requests I receive is to share recommendations for personal development books. In this post, I’m breaking down the top 7 that have changed my life tremendously.
I’m not incentivized to share any of these personal development books, meaning these recommendations come straight from my heart to you. I don’t tend to play favourites, but the following are actually in order of my preference and my own experience of being absolutely “life-changing.”
I also am not including the typical personal development books you may see on a list like this; these particular ones require you to look deeper to a spiritual level and get acquainted with your soul at a whole new level.
While Books can be MAGICAL, Only You Can Change Your Life…
It’s important that before we go through these ‘life-changing books,’ we remember one very important thing: only you can change your life!
Personal development books can be a great tool. Still, YOU are the one who actually is in control of changing your habitual ways of being to create a more fulfilling, creatively enriching life for yourself (if you so desire!)
That said, in the words of one of my favourite writers, Stephen King, “books are a uniquely portable magic” and can greatly inspire us, awe us, and teach us how to create sustainable change. That is the purpose of my sharing this sacred list with you! Ok, enough, enough! I’ll get to it! Here’s the list.
#1 – Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life – Byron Katie + Stephen Mitchell
Byron Katie is the founder of The Work, a process of deeply inquiring into our thoughts rather than holding onto them (and the burdens they hold over us). What’s admirable about Katie’s work is she’s remarkably open and doesn’t gatekeep any of it. You can download her worksheet for free, she goes live almost daily to help people practice the Work, and her 4 questions are so simple that they can become part of your instinctive life if you allow them.
That said, to make the most of the work and really integrate it into your life and thought process, you’ve gotta read this personal development book, Loving What Is, that she wrote in collaboration with her husband, Stephen Mitchell.
Highly recommended for you if… You struggle with over-attachment or over-identification with your thoughts
#2 – The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself – Michael A. Singer
The Untethered Soul is a deeply explorative personal development book that’s more like a spiritual journey back to your purest SOUL and BEYOND your concept of ‘self.’ The thing that really changed my life about this book was the fact that it really helped me untether from the confines of my psyche and integrate the process of observing thoughts on a whole new level.
Highly recommend it to you if… you have been on the spiritual mindset path for a while but find yourself facing the same limiting beliefs + thoughts time and again. This takes you a layer deeper.
#3 – Tao te Ching – Lao Tzu
This is the pure definition of ‘an oldie but a goodie.’ This ancient spiritual text is one that you could read 50 times and get something different from it every single time, or you could open to any page on any given day and receive the lesson you need that day. My personal favourite lesson from the Tao is:
“Those who know others are intelligent; those who know themselves are truly wise”
Highly recommend to you if… you are a deeply introspective spiritual soul craving a text to contemplate. This is not a deep journey, so ensure you open it when genuinely ready.
#4- Life Loves You: 7 Spiritual Practices To Heal Your Life – Louise Hay + Robert Holden
Life Loves You is the collaborated efforts of Louise Hay + Robert Holden and is written as a conversation between them that focuses on the 7 daily spiritual practices they swear by to heal your life. The technique of mirror work is explored deeply in this book, which has become one of my own regular mindset strategies.
Highly recommend for you… if you’re healing from a period of trauma, burnout or low period of depression and need a kind yet structured approach to self-healing.
#5 – Rising Strong: The Reckoning, The Rumble, The Revolution – Dr. Brene Brown
Dr. Brene Brown has many incredible books that it’s hard to select just one for this list. Brene Brown is a shame and vulnerability researcher and provides a vulnerable, informative journey through the stages of reckoning, rumble and revolution.
Brown’s concept of ‘the rumble’ has become one of my regular mindset tools, so I placed this on the list. The rumble is the period of sitting with and tolerating the discomfort of your vulnerability, and I like to think of this when I’m experiencing deep discomfort from anxious thoughts.
I used to run a book club, and this was one of the groups’ favourites, and I believe anyone can get something from this.
This is particularly recommended for you if… you struggle with expressing your vulnerability and experience feelings of shame and deep discomfort when you do.
#6 – Think Like A Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace + Purpose Everyday – Jay Shetty
Jay Shetty was raised in the UK and was in college when he saw a monk, Gauranga Das speak, which inspired him to become a monk and live in an ashram in India. After some time there, his teachers and mentors encouraged him to return to life in the ‘western world’ to spread the teachings with a whole new generation of people. This book results from everything he learned about how to think and live like a monk.
It’s highly readable and inspiring and includes valuable teachings and mindset tools for anyone seeking to live a more peaceful and mindful life.
Partciularly recommended for you if… you’re open to exploring ancient Buddhist tradition and wisdom and bringing it into modern life.
#7 – The Shift – Dr. Wayne Dyer
The Shift is a movie and book by Wayne W. Dyer, and is a must-watch/read when you’re feeling disconnected from your spirit. I’ll admit, the film (which features Wayne Dyer himself) is a little cheesy, but it never fails to deeply inspire and move me.
This is perfect for you when… you need a good hard reality check and reminder of reconnecting with your deepest and purest self and soul.
If you’d like to receive more tools for inner peace + fulfillment…
This free masterclass guides you to…
- shift your focus from outward success to inner fulfillment
- dedicate yourself to your most creative + fulfilled self
- understand how to create sustaining life-changing habits
Watch the free Fulfilled masterclass now!
Other posts you’ll enjoy
Transforming Your Mindset with Gratitude
What is a Resilience Mindset + Why Is it Important For Creative Souls?
