mental health

9 Best Personal Growth books that will change your life

If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you quite really know that I’m a huge fan of personal growth and self-development books. Personal growth books have opened the new universe for me and I’m always taken aback to the beauty of mankind.

These great personal growth books have provided me the new outlook to view life and I’ve become so fond of everything that embarks growth. It’s unbelievable that we are in the middle of the year and oh boy!! What a whirlwind this year has been. Between pandemic, quarantine, and working from home, something that always soothed my soul was these beautiful reads.

 I always wondered why didn’t I grabbed these beauties early enough!! But I’m so glad that I found these best self-development books and lo!! it’s never too late to work on yourself. I literally am a book hoarder and you can’t imagine the joy and excitement I’m feeling while writing this piece about my all-time favorite books.

I can totally understand that some self-development and personal growth books are super annoying and repetitive. And trust me, I do have such kind of books too. But among all these woo and fluff kinda books, I totally got hooked up with some real gems.

I do love reading paperbacks but this beautiful Kindle paper-white has always been on my list!!

These personal growth books have totally changed my perspective and opened an entirely new world for me. But let’s get clear with what are personal growth books and what should you not aim for while reading them!!

What are actually the best personal self-growth books?

Have you ever felt some kind of sudden rush while reading the book? Or something that creates goosebumps and sparks a new life within? This is what the best personal growth books are for. Whenever I read these beautiful self-help books, they create a river of joy within and they’re so unputdownable ones!!

However, sometimes we have some high and unrealistic expectations from these personal growth books. If you’re expecting that you will be totally a new human after reading them, then my friend you’re taking this in the wrong way.

 

These self-help books are totally different from the fictional ones where you read the plot and grasp the story. These best personal growth books demand work and effort. If you casually read them and fail to do the work on yourself, they aren’t going to help anyway.

These books are designed to absorb their juice and use their tips and tricks in your daily life. That’s the beauty of self-development books, they demand work and dedication. So, only pick up if you’re truly dedicated to improving your life. But I know, as you’re here reading this, you surely want to take your life to the next level.

Let’s do the work and help ourselves grow with these beautiful personal growth books. I have been always reading these 9 inspiring books and I cannot wait to share the list with you.

(This post contains affiliate links where you won’t be charged anything for buying but I will get some commission which will help me keep my blog running. Thank you if you choose to purchase.)

9 Best Personal Development books for personal growth

These are some of my favorite personal development books and I’m definitely not going to lend them to anyone ( wicked smile here)!!

1. You are a badass

The #1 New York Times Bestseller You Are A Badass is the self-help book for people who desperately want to improve their lives but don’t want to get busted doing it. This was such a simple yet effective read that I picked up during the beginning of this year.

 If you’re ready to make some serious changes around here, You Are a Badass will help you: Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that stop you from getting what you want, blast past your fears so you can take big exciting risks, figure out how to make some damn money already, learn to love yourself and others, set big goals and reach them – it will basically show you how to create a life you totally love, and how to create it now.

This is definitely the must-have for everyone out there looking for the best personal growth book to transform their lives.

2. The Universe has your back

This is the best book that I picked after attaining 21 days of manifestation program by Gabby Bernstein. I have followed her work on Instagram for long and decided to finally dive into this magical book.

I always thought that these books are for someone who believes in fate or woo-woo kind of things. But trust me, this personal growth book opened the new way of viewing life.

Gabrielle says, My commitment with this book is to wake up as many people as possible to their connection to faith and joy. In that connection, we can be guided to our true purpose: to be love and spread love. These words can no longer be cute buzz phrases that we merely post on social media. Rather, these words must be our mission. The happiness, safety, and security we long for lies in our commitment to love.

If you have been following my morning pages, I always have this book in the background.

Related topic – My journey towards healing through the art of journaling

3. Atomic habits

If you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don’t want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you’ll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.

In this remarkable personal growth book, you will learn how to build healthy habits that will change your life. This book helped me a lot in developing the morning routine and my habit of journaling.

Atomic Habits will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits.

4. Big Magic

Hands down!! I will never find enough words to appreciate this gem. Gilbert has always been my role model while growing as a creative writer and I cannot quite describe how amazing her work is! I stumbled upon this book through Gilbert’s Ted talk, it was so damn inspiring that I literally got chills. I had to get her book and guess what, this book indeed is a BIG MAGIC.

Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy. The best personal growth book I can ever recommend.

5. Braving the wilderness

When I see people stand fully in their truth, or when I see someone fall down, get back up, and say, ‘Damn. That really hurt, but this is important to me and I’m going in again’—my gut reaction is, ‘What a badass.’’

I actually listened to this book on Audible and it has been my favorite nighttime routine since then. I’m always fond of listening to podcasts and audiobooks, I bet you’ll love them too. Everything that Brene Brown writes is super amazing and I don’t even have to write on why you should include this book in your personal growth book list.  

personal growth books

Brown offers us the clarity and courage we need to find our way back to ourselves and to each other. And that path cuts right through the wilderness. Brown writes, “The wilderness is an untamed, unpredictable place of solitude and searching. It is a place as dangerous as it is breathtaking, a place as sought after as it is feared. But it turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it’s the bravest and most sacred place you will ever stand.”

6. The Happiness project

This book is for everyone out there looking for a simple, happy life.

Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the unlikeliest of places: a city bus. “The days are long, but the years are short,” she realized. “Time is passing, and I’m not focusing enough on the things that really matter.” In that moment, she decided to dedicate a year to her happiness project.

personal growth books

In this lively and compelling account, Rubin chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier.

7. Everything is Figureoutable

If you know Marie Forleo, you already will be raising your hands high for this masterpiece. Her vibe and energy are so super addictive. I brought this book along with The Universe has my back ( yes, I read two books at a time) and I was so amazed by this personal growth book.

personal growth books

This beautiful book is actually more of a workbook where Marie explains in the simple steps to living your best life. I am definitely going to reread this book after quickly finishing this article. Oh boy!! I surely need some Marie magic back in my life.

Whether you want to leave a dead-end job, heal a relationship, grow a business, master your money, or just find two free hours in your day, Everything is Figureoutable will train your brain to think more positively and help you break down any dream into manageable steps. This book is a MUST and yes I’m shouting this aloud!!

8. Start now, Get perfect it later

The other day, I shared in my Instagram stories how perfection always kept me procrastinate things. Even while creating this blog, I wanted it to be so perfect that I actually delayed writing on it for an entire year. I really feel dumb and annoyed at myself for doing so. But I’m so glad that I started with this beauty and finally learned to just DO IT!!

personal growth books

Hardly anyone gets it right the first time, but many of us are crippled by indecision and fear of failure. The desire to get it right can inhibit us from getting started. In this personal growth book, Rob Moore, the bestselling author of MONEY, shows that the quickest way to perfect is starting right now and improving as you go. This book will show you how to launch your business or idea, begin the next phase of your career, and overcome self-doubt – right away.

9. The Untethered Soul – The Journey beyond yourself

Who isn’t already inspired by such an amazing title!!

Whether this is your first exploration of inner space, or you’ve devoted your life to the inward journey, this book will transform your relationship with yourself and the world around you. You’ll discover what you can do to put an end to the habitual thoughts and emotions that limit your consciousness.

By tapping into traditions of meditation and mindfulness, author and spiritual teacher Michael A. Singer shows how the development of consciousness can enable us all to dwell in the present moment and let go of painful thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving happiness and self-realization. This book has made me realized the importance of being mindful and slowing down.

The best personal growth books – final thought

It was so super difficult for me to choose these 9 personal growth books from the ocean of self-help books. But I’m so sure that by reading even a single one can totally change your life and mindset.

I really cannot wait for you to check them out and dive into the magic of words. I always send the current updates on the books I read or some best self-help books that I recommend to my email community. If you loved reading this piece, I’m sure you’ll love being in our little community of mindfulness.

Sign up here to receive the weekly newsletter, I don’t send unless I have something worth to say.

Lastly, I would love to know about your favorite books, I might need some recommendation on my list too. Do drop them in the comments below.

  1. The Ultimate Guide on becoming your best self - Soothe Thy Soul

    July 29, 2020 at 9:08 pm

    […] you will always find me reading two to three books simultaneously. I’m also going to leave a few book recommendations for you below. Do not be scared of taking a leap of faith when it comes to education, everything […]

  2. Tiffany S

    July 30, 2020 at 5:25 pm

    Several new books to add to my list! Thank you for sharing.

  3. Jim

    July 30, 2020 at 7:44 pm

    I actually have the first one and it is amazing. I know some of the following books but not all. Nice post. I will definitely check some of these books!

  4. Nancy Richardson

    July 31, 2020 at 2:47 am

    Brene Brown is hands down one of my absolute favs. I think I really need to start listening to podcasts. I had never considered getting some of her audio books. I have such a long drive to work and that is my self reflection time. I think I am going to check out one of these other books, too. They all sound great. Which one to choose ??

  5. Carolyn

    July 31, 2020 at 8:10 pm

    Wow, this is a great list! I’ve read a couple of the books on here, and will add the others to my list. I have a book club that includes mostly self-help books or books on accessing creativity. I’m so glad I have a few more to add to the list! Thanks!

  6. Samantha

    July 31, 2020 at 8:37 pm

    What a fantastic list!!! Brene Brown, Elizabeth Gilbert, Jen Sincero & Marie Foleo are some of my favorite authors! I’m going to have to check out The Universe, it sounds awesome.

  7. Annie

    July 31, 2020 at 10:43 pm

    Great list! I’ve read a few of them but have yet to check out Gabrielle Bernstein. I think I’ll read her next. Do you like her other books too?

  8. Hong

    August 2, 2020 at 5:03 am

    Love the list! A few of them are on my reading list already- I just need to get to them!

  9. Stop being busy all the time and start living your life - Soothe Thy Soul

    August 17, 2020 at 2:19 pm

    […] Related read – 9 self-help books that made me a better person. […]

  10. 9 inspiring podcasts to boost your mood - Soothe Thy Soul

    September 6, 2020 at 10:59 am

    […] Related piece: 9 best self-help books to read this year that will inspire you. […]

  11. Holiday self-care gift guide - thoughtful gifts for well-being - Soothe Thy Soul

    September 6, 2020 at 11:01 am

    […] have this list of 9 amazing books that you can bundle up in a set and gift it to someone who loves reading inspiring books. You can […]

  12. Practicing self-care during holidays - 9 best tips - Soothe Thy Soul

    October 2, 2020 at 2:44 pm

    […] Related post – The top 9 self-help books to read this year. […]

  13. 20 Easy Self-care ideas for Valentine's day - Soothe Thy Soul

    January 27, 2021 at 2:02 pm

    […] Related post: The best books I read for self-growth. […]

Leave a Reply