Self-Help Book Suggestions
“Knowledge is freedom and ignorance is slavery” - Miles Davis
Reading was once an escape from reality for me as a kid. I can remember reading ‘Ann of Green Gables’ and ‘Moby Dick’ and not being able to finish them quick enough. But yet like so many of us, reading is something I lost love for as I got older. It became a chore and my imagination became more limited.
Now in my late twenties it has become yet again, another sweet relief. Not in the same way as a child; to escape reality, but more as a way to change my reality. I am an avid self-help book reader and always looking for the next motivational read. As i’ve gone through life and collected some painful experiences, books have helped me understand my brain, my depression and my reality at that time. And by understanding it, it has helped me heal from it properly and work with it rather than fight it. I have read books that I can honestly say have changed my life, they have changed my brain. If you were to tell me five years ago that a book had the power to do that, I would be sceptical and it still wouldn’t have been enough motivation for me to pick up a book. But now on the other side, I have found such support and relief in the knowledge I have gathered.
I am no therapist, but these books have done something absolutely profound for me, my metal health and my life. So this blog post will be updated as I carry on my journey of self-awareness and discovery, as I add more books to my check list. But for now, please see some of my favourite books and my thoughts.
Book suggestions;
The Mountain is You: Turning self sabotage into self mastery
By: Brianna Wiest
This book is incredibly uncomfortable. Not because of the ways you’re thinking but for how it calls you out on your behaviours. When I first started it, I told myself I could really relate, that I didn’t think I was a self sabotager. Turns out I was lying, to myself and didn’t even realise. This books helps you identify self-sabotage which is typically unconscious and helps you get out of your own way. It walks you through the uncomfortable feelings of pushing yourself forward into your best self and how to navigate life as someone who may not trust your own choices. It’s a game changer for anxiety; understanding anxious thoughts and de-weaponising them.
The Let Them Theory
By: Mel Robins
This book seriously altered the way I think. The main takeaway for me way to let go of things outside of your control and by doing that, gaining your peace. It helps you make decisions on what you are and are not willing to put up with. It helps you stand your ground on your non-negotiable and practising letting go of your negotiables. The let them theory is essentially allowing the people around you to do exactly what they are going to do and focusing on what you can do instead. This book has brought so much peace and quiet to my mind. It has helped me with anxious tendencies and control issues I didn’t realise I had (although I should have known as anxiety and control go hand in hand).
The Goddess Path
By: Kristy Gallagher
Wow oh wow. This book is my favourite so far in 2025. Now this is more of a spiritual empowerment book and may not be a good fit for everyone. But if you are curious about your spirituality including witchcraft, crystal magic, moon magic and just the magic of the universe, this book is incredibly inspiring. It is guided towards women and accessing our highest self, our goddess self. It teaches you about famous goddesses of the past and how we can call on them in the present to support us along our journey. It supports you in choosing yourself, setting boundaries, healing generational wounds, working to the strengths of your menstrual cycle and becoming your most powerful self with the conscious help of the universe.
The Pivot Year
By: Brianna Wiest
This book is designed for you to pick up from time to time, read a few pages and come back to it often. I am confident this book has something for everyone and grows with you through all the stages of life. The thought provoking pages had me seriously evaluating my path, what makes me happy, who I am, who I want to be and what peace looks like to me. Some pages had me thinking about friends or family and it was so nice to send them some entries letting them know I am thinking about them and cheering them on. Pick up this book if you’re looking for encouragement, validation, inspiration and much more.
The Power of Now
By: Eckhart Tolle
This is a book all about spiritual enlightenment and connecting ourselves to the power within. The book focus’s on the present and how it is the key to reaching enlightenment and living a stress free life. This book has changed my life. After years of battling mental health, this helped me find so many moments of peace. A year later, I am still trying to master my mind, being present and connecting to my inner knowing. But, without this book, I am not so sure I would have ever connected to it in the first place. This is a book I will go back to again and again. Absolute transformation. This book has the power to change your life.