welcome to my garden
desire to flourish
to my Library of self help
Welcome
I pick up these books when I want:
To gain strategies for personal development, broaden my perspectives, deepen my intellectual wisdom, and boost my mental health.
The Alchemist
Feeling like following your dreams? This philosophical fable shows you that listening to your heart's desires is the first and most important step in the journey of life and pursuing your destiny. 100/10 I read this after quitting my job to travel the world, and I am truly changed forever. I no longer apologize for not wanting a conventional life approved by society. I choose to listen to my heart and believe in destiny.
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
My all-time favorite book Treating your mind like a garden? That is the first lesson of this inspirational fable. This story follows Julian, a past lawyer who decided to give up a life of materialism and greed for one of inner peace and joy. He shares his wisdom with practical advice in the form of daily routines. 100/10
Atomic Habits
Want to gain good habits while weeding out the bad? This is the book for you. James Clear explains the process of building attainable, long-lasting habits that will enhance your life experience. 10/10 He also releases a weekly newsletter every Thursday with 3 quotes from himself, 2 from others, and 1 question to consider. I look forward to this each and every week.
Outer Order, Inner Calm
Ever feel stressed from your environment? This book shows how your surroundings can have a real internal impact. Gretchen Rubin shows you how organizing and decluttering can benefit your mindspace and reduce stress. 10/10.
Radical Candor
Struggling to find the balance between friend and boss? This book shows you how to find the happy medium between caring personally and challenging directly, the only way to lead effectively. 8/10 During this read, I was not a team leader, but I still found helpful takeaways to apply in personal relationships and friendships nonetheless.
The Wealthy Barber
A practical way to learn financial advice I had to read this book for my personal finance class in college, and it was truly beneficial. It sets up as a dialogue between an elderly barber and a curious young adult. Roy transforms complex financial topics into common-sense advice. 10/10
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
How can you be truly spiritual without emotional maturity? Peter Scazzero explores this question, emphasizing that one should address and heal past wounds while listening to their inner voice to then grow in their spirituality. 10/10 This book talks a lot about Christ. Even if you're not particularly religious, this is still a great read. Refer to my blog post about the similarities of spirituality and religion for help reframing.
Girl, Wash Your Face
Advice from a girl-boss life coach Rachel Hollis shows you how to gain control of your life by taking ownership, loving your imperfections, and investing in yourself. 10/10 This was my first self-help read and it changed my perspective on this genre. I'm not broken for seeking help. I am taking charge. There is simply no other way to view it.
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Exactly how the title reads This was another collegiate read, and another must. You will learn how to strengthen your relationships with others using very simple methods. Learn to be an active listener, lead with empathy, and give genuine appreciation. 10/10
The Highly Sensitive Person
Do you feel everything deeply? Sometimes I feel unseen, unrecognized, and alone in this world of surface-level feelers. This book showed me I am everything but alone. Elaine Aron wrote a beautiful book on her research into the qualities of highly sensitive people. She finds commonalities and tendencies, sharing them in a way that is comforting and supportive. I found new ways to reframe my thoughts and view my quality as a strength, as well as tips to deal with some of the fallbacks. An excellent book for those highly sensitive folk who want to understand themselves more. 10/10
The Four Agreements
A beautiful story for the journey to personal freedom. Based on Toltec wisdom, Don Miguel Ruiz shares four beliefs that humans need to adopt into their lives to finally be free of suffering and live a life of love. He demonstrates how reality is simply a compilation of the beliefs we hold, and to change our experience all we need to do is evaluate our beliefs and change those which are no longer serving. 100/10