The Best Books for Inspiration and Personal Growth in 2020
With the New Year just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to stock your shelves with inspiring books.
In this article, you’ll find all my favourite personal growth books, including:
great reads to help you be the best version of yourself
awesome mental health books to read (and keep on your shelf)
books to help inspire you when you’re feeling lost
5 exciting books on my own “to-read” list!
Please note: this article contains affiliate links which means if you purchase an item via one of my links, I may receive a commission (at no extra cost to you!).
Great Reads to Help You Be the Best Version of Yourself…
These books will empower you with effective strategies and handy tips to help you grow and flourish. Discover mindfulness techniques, decluttering directions, guidance for meaningful goal-setting, and much more!
The Mindful Kind
by Rachael Kable
In The Mindful Kind book, you’ll discover how to apply mindfulness to many different life areas, including sleep, exercise, relationships, work, self-care, hobbies, and more!
Discover how to communicate in more mindful ways to develop stronger relationships with the people you love. Find out important assertiveness strategies you can apply at work and interesting hobbies to try at home. Become calmer and more present using straightforward mindfulness techniques, like mindful breathing and body scans.
If you’re looking for a practical and refreshing book about mindfulness to support you throughout 2020, The Mindful Kind is for you!
Slow
by Brooke McAlary
If you’re ready to let go of clutter and embrace things that add real value to your life, then this is the book for you! The tips may be simple, but if you actually implement them, they will lead you to greater purpose, presence and fulfilment.
The Life Plan
by Shannah Kennedy
This book is filled with actionable strategies to help you be your best self. Learn how to set meaningful goals and actually follow through! If you find yourself getting hung up on obstacles and self-sabotage, you’ll also discover some helpful ways to overcome them.
Change How You Think and Be Happier Now
by Kate James
Featuring 50 great ways to change the way you think, this book is a wonderful guide to help you create better thoughts. With bite-sized strategies and straight-forward advice, this is an awesome book to keep on your bedside table so you can read one short chapter each night.
The Desire Map
by Danielle LaPorte
Don’t just set goals based on achievements and material things – set goals that will help you feel the way you want to feel. For example, rather than setting a goal to exercise 5 times a week, set the goal to feel energised, fit and healthy (then figure out what you need to do to achieve those feelings).
The Gifts of Imperfection
by Brene Brown
I first read this book several years ago and once, it had me so captivated that I missed my train stop. As a “recovering” perfectionist, this book was just what I needed. It helped me realise the sneaky ways that shame was holding me back and it taught me the importance of being vulnerable and honest.
Awesome Mental Health Books to Read and Keep on Your Shelf…
I loved reading all the following books about mental health – so much so, that I bought hard copies of all of them to keep on my book shelves! I enjoy picking each of them up every now and again to re-discover their wisdom.
The Happiness Trap
by Dr Russ Harris
Whenever I re-read this book, I find myself stopping all the time so I can share what I’ve learned with anyone who might be around me! I’ll say to my partner “Hey Dec, do you know about the “struggle switch”?”
“Hey Dec, I have to tell you about defusion.”
“Hey Dec, I’m going to start doing this thing called the “silly voices technique”, okay?”
Luckily, he’s interested in personal development, too, or I can imagine that would get annoying quick!
My point is – everyone should read this book. You’ll learn a lot and find helpful tips you’ll feel excited to share with other people.
Lost Connections
by Johann Hari
This is another book I tend to rave about. I struggled to put it down and the number of times I found myself having epiphanies was particularly high!
On the cover, there’s a testimonial from Elton John, who said “If you have ever been down, or felt lost, this amazing book will change your life… Read it now.” I have to agree whole-heartedly with Elton. Please, just read it.
Mindset
by Carol Dweck
I tend to have a fixed mindset. There. I said it.
Reading this book by Carol Dweck genuinely changed my life because I realised how much I was holding myself back from trying new things because I grew up with a fixed mindset (rather than a growth mindset). But you know what they say – knowledge is power and once I understood my mindset, I was able to start finding ways to change it.
Attached
by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller
I read this book from cover to cover in less than a week and learned so much about myself and my relationships in the process. I’m so grateful to now have greater awareness about my attachment style in relationships (which is anxious) and how I can practise feeling more secure. It was truly an eye-opening read for me!
Just by the way - I created a free workbook to help you appreciate and reflect on the year that’s gone by so you can kick off 2020 feeling inspired, refreshed and clear! You’ll get to reflect on the challenges and the lessons you’ve learned, as well as the good times you’ve experienced. You’ll create a snapshot of your favourite things and who you are at this point in time (because these are pretty fun to read 5 years down the road!). Simply enter your email below to download this free workbook and enjoy!
Beautiful Books to Inspire You When You’re Feeling Lost…
If you’re looking for gentle guidance and meaningful inspiration, the following books will be right up your alley! They’re filled with creative ideas, purposeful living tips, powerful motivation, and so much more.
The Intuition Journal
by Jo ChunYan
So this isn’t strictly a “book” – it’s a journal to help you develop your intuition. And it’s seriously gorgeous.
If you’re feeling a bit lost and you’re not sure how to bring more meaning and purpose into your life, then I highly recommend The Intuition Journal!
It’s not the kind of journal that’s the same every week; you’ll find different topics to focus on (like moving through stuck beliefs, cleansing your space and finding joy in simplicity). You’ll also find lots of interesting information about intuition to read (hence why I’ve included it in this book list!).
The Art of Wellbeing
by Meredith Gaston
To be completely honest… I love all of Meredith Gaston’s books. I first found her beautiful quote book “101 Moments of Joy and Inspiration” several years ago and not only did I buy a copy for myself, I bought more to give to friends and family!
The Art of Wellbeing might just be my favourite of all her absolutely stunning books. It features delicious plant-based recipes, inspiring meditations, self-care tips, ideas for boosting your energy, and more. Complete with Meredith’s beautiful illustrations, of course!
Craft for the Soul
by Pip Lincolne
Creativity can add so much joy, fun and satisfaction into your life. It gives you opportunities to be mindful, to experiment and to think outside the box. Embracing creativity in my daily life is so important to me and Craft for the Soul is a delightful book to inspire you to do the same!
Daring and Disruptive
by Lisa Messenger
In the very early days of my business, this is the book that kept me going when I felt like giving up. I remember getting frustrated and feeling like everything was too hard and overwhelming, then I’d take a break and read a chapter or two of Daring and Disruptive and feel motivated to get back into my work. I loved reading Lisa Messenger’s personal experiences with entrepreneurship – they helped me feel brave in going against the grain and starting my own business.
Big Magic
by Elizabeth Gilbert
I’m not even sure how to describe Big Magic. I honestly didn’t think it would really resonate with me before I started reading it, but then I couldn’t put it down and started recommending it to everyone.
Have you ever been reading a book and something just clicks – it’s a real “getting shivers down your spine” moment? That happened multiple times when I was reading Big Magic. I don’t even know what else to say, but to ask you to go and read this book. You can thank me later;)
4 Exciting Books on my “To-Read” List…
So, these are the books I’m excited to read in 2020! I can’t recommend them (yet!) but I’d love to invite you to read them with me.
Messy
by Katie Dean
If you follow Katie Dean on Instagram (like I do!), you’ll see her fun-loving and down-to-earth nature, uplifting advice and powerful authenticity. I really enjoyed her first book, “Becoming Brave”, and I’ve been excited to read her second book called “Messy” ever since it came out! With a subtitle like “the guide to living lighter and giving less forks”, I think it will be just what I need.
Stillness is the Key
by Ryan Holiday
I actually listened to the highlights of this book on one of my favourite apps called Blinkist and it resonated so much with me that I’m super keen to read the full version. I’m really excited to learn more about how great thinkers and leaders prioritised stillness to achieve great things!
Everything is Figureoutable
by Marie Forleo
I know I could learn and grow more in the areas of: going outside my comfort zone, trying new things and being self-confident. I think this book could be a great resource and I’m looking forward to reading it!
The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying
by Bronnie Ware
A close friend of mine recommended this book and after doing some research and learning what it’s all about, I’m really eager to read it myself. I have a niggling feeling it might become one of my new favourites!
I hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about my favourite books for inspiration and personal growth in 2020!
