Top Book Recommendations for Self-Growth

BOOKS ARTICLE

It’s never too early OR too late to work on yourself. When I decided I wanted to improve with both self-love and self-growth, I knew I couldn’t just jump right in. Learning from others’ experiences was one of the best things I did for myself, and I did it by reading A LOT of books. Below are The Edge’s recommendations, conveniently organized by category, because just one step towards improving your life is still a step. 

When you want to start building healthy habits…

Atomic Habits (James Clear) 

Sometimes people want to change their lives, and they begin by setting these unreasonable goals for themselves. When they fail, they think it just wasn’t meant to be. In reality, this is a defense mechanism against actual change. Change IS uncomfortable, which is why people tend to steer away from it and definitely do not lean into it. James Clear explains how habits are formed and how they are beneficial in this book. His applicable guide and helpful advice make this a must-read when you’re starting out on your self-growth journey. 

Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies (Tara Schuster) 

This is one of my ABSOLUTE favorites, and it actually inspired me to go and buy three more books after finishing it. Schuster divides her book into three sections, entitled Mind Rituals, Body Rituals, and Relationship Rituals. From this, I learned about the importance of gratitude, treating myself, and how to recognize healthy/unhealthy relationships. In a hilarious way, Schuster utilizes her own experience with turning around her life to help others. While she started at rock-bottom, she explains it doesn’t have to be that way. 

When you want to start putting yourself first again… 

Why Men Love B*tches (Sherry Argov) 

This title might seem a little counterintuitive to the category, but this book is all about taking your power back. It is so easy to fall into the trap of accepting the bare minimum and chasing after people who don’t want to be in a relationship, but this book provides a guide for how you can attract your dream relationship, while still holding your ground and maintaining independence. 

The Beauty Myth (Naomi Wolf) 

This one is unlike the others in the fact that it’s not necessarily a self-help book. It’s a nonfiction piece about the unrealistic beauty standards for women and the ensuing serious toll on mental and emotional well-being. With constant exposure to these standards on social media, women sometimes resort to toxic behavior in order to maintain their “beauty.” It is a MUST READ, especially for college girls, and it honestly changed how I look at myself in the mirror. 

When you just want to shift your mindset… 

You are a Badass (Jen Sincero)

Sincero’s book was trending on Tik Tok for a little while, but if you haven’t read it yet, now is the time. It is divided into short chapters, but each one provides brutally honest, yet necessary steps in order to step into your potential. I never realized the power of the subconscious mind until this book, and it led to a lot more research. The main piece of advice from the book is to love yourself, which is THE most valuable aspect of self-growth. 

The Mountain is You (Brianna Wiest) 

This book points out self-sabotaging behaviors that you might not even realize you’re participating in. Instead of condemning you, Wiest explains the reasoning behind self-sabotage, and for each aspect of your life in which you might be doing it, she provides methods to get out of that trap. I started this one a couple of weeks ago, but I’m putting off finishing it because it is that good. 

101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think (Brianna Wiest) 

There are so many beautiful ideas among these essays, from letting go of things that aren’t meant for you to unrealistic expectations you might have in your 20s. You can see one of my favorite quotes from Wiest below. With this book, I started to grasp the idea of the purpose of suffering. I kind of expected that working on myself would negate everything that I struggled with, but it actually brought it to the surface even more. Change does bring pain, but sometimes that pain is worth it, especially in the case of improving your life in the long-run.