Best Self-Help Books to Guide You on the Road to Self-Care

In today’s society, it is often frowned upon to put oneself before others. There is an overwhelming fear of being deemed selfish or heartless, and as a result, we self-sabotage and sacrifice to satisfy other’ needs. The Self-Love Experiment hones in on this huge issue, and promotes self-love and self-acceptance above all else. Shannon Kaiser learned how to love herself after tackling (and recovering from) eating disorders, drug addictions, corporate burnout, and depression. In this book, she shares her experiences and advice for gaining confidence, reaching goals, and becoming the most positive influence in your life.

In a relatable and inclusive tone, Set Boundaries, Find Peace presents simple-yet-powerful ways to establish healthy boundaries in all aspects of life. These techniques help us identify and express our needs clearly and without apology—and unravel the root problem behind codependency, power struggles, anxiety, depression, burnout, and more.

In 1993, Norwegian explorer Erling Kagge took a solo trip across Antarctica for fifty days. He was the first person to ever reach the South Pole alone, with only a battery-less radio for company. The long journey was completely life-changing for Kagge, and in this book, he shares his experiences and findings while exploring the true meaning of solitude. He shows us why silence is essential to our health and overall happiness, and how it has the power to change the way we view the world.

Tarana Burke and Dr. Brené Brown bring together a dynamic group of Black writers, organizers, artists, academics, and cultural figures to discuss the topics the two have dedicated their lives to understanding and teaching: vulnerability and shame resilience.

From the bestselling author of Start Where You Are, this artistic and inspirational journal allows users to reflect on the deepest parts of their life. A lovely mix of personal anecdotes, inspirational quotes, questions, and stunning watercolor images, My Friend Fear demonstrates how fear can lead to great change and new opportunities, reminding us to always find magic in the unknown.

No matter what you eat, how much you exercise, how skinny or young or wise you are, none of it matters if you’re not breathing properly. Drawing on thousands of years of medical texts and recent cutting-edge studies, Breath turns the conventional wisdom of what we thought we knew about our most basic biological function on its head. You will never breathe the same again.

This guide is the perfect tool for anyone looking to grow their inner strength and compassion. New York Times bestselling author Dr. Rick Hanson demonstrates how to gain true resilience by channeling twelve vital inner strengths – it’ll help you to feel less stressed, pursue opportunities with confidence, and stay calm and centered in the face of adversity.

Discover a clear path to overcoming uncertainty, perfectionism, and fears of rejection so you can finally find peace with the past and create a happier, healthier future.

Designed to help us better understand ourselves and dial down the everyday worries getting in our way, these thoughtful and beautifully illustrated journal pages are a safe space for reflection, self-acceptance, and the freedom to move forward with more clarity and joy.

Renowned social scientist Brené Brown explores what it means to truly belong in her latest New York Times bestseller, Braving the Wilderness. Brené argues against the notion that we need to reinvent ourselves to feel accepted by others, and believes that the only way we can ever truly belong is by being our true selves. Being yourself sounds simple, but actually doing it is extremely difficult – humans, by nature, want to fit in. It takes a great amount of courage to be yourself in a world full of fictitious figures, but as Brown explains, i’s absolutely worth it.

In Nothing Much Happens, Kathryn Nicolai offers a healthy way to ease the mind before bed: through the timeless appeal of classic bedtime stories. These stories explore and expose small sweet moments of joy and relaxation; quietly teaching mindfulness and self-compassion, soothing frayed nerves, and building solid habits for nurturing sleep.

Everyone has an ikigai, or a reason for living. Japanese villagers with the world’s longest-living people believe that having an ikigai is essential to living a happier and longer life, because it makes every day meaningful. The authors of Ikigai interviewed the residents of this Japanese village and revealed their secrets to longevity and happiness, and share how to find your own personal ikigai.

A hilarious and transformational book about how to tackle fear—that everlasting hater—and audaciously step into lives, careers, and legacies that go beyond even our wildest dreams.

This fun, interactive journal is filled with inspiring quotes from writers, artists, and other visionaries. Open-ended questions and prompts are scattered throughout the pages to help readers foster their creativity, mindfulness, and drive. Indeed, if we learn to know ourselves and our dreams, we can appreciate the world around us and achieve what we set out to do.

An inspiring guide to restoring hope and joy in our lives. Drawing from her own experiences, Anne Lamott shows us the intimate and human ways we can adopt to move through life’s dark places and toward the light of hope that still burns ahead for all of us.

Mindfulness is a simple, but powerful tool to use in your daily life. It’s all about being aware of your surroundings, and placing your attention and energy on the present instead of on the future or the past. Doing this will alleviate daily stress, and help you to make the most out of everyday. I Am Here Now aids readers in increasing their mindfulness, and explore the world with greater curiosity while unleashing creativity along the way.

Dear Sugar—the once-anonymous online columnist at The Rumpus, now revealed as Cheryl Strayed, author of the bestselling memoir Wild—is the person thousands turn to for advice. Rich with humor and insight—and absolute honesty—this book is a balm for everything life throws our way.

Yoga Body, Buddha Mind is the first book to explore the benefits of combining yoga and buddhism for ultimate overall health. Cyndi Lee, author of the bestselling series OM Yoga in a Box, shares her experience as a practicing Tibetan Buddhist and one of the country’s most famous yoga instructors in this simple guide. The book offers meditation exercises for all levels of experience, and acts as an enlightening guide for spiritual well-being.

A startling chronicle by a brilliant young scientist takes us onto the frontiers of the science of aging, and reveals how close we are to an astonishing extension of our life spans and a vastly improved quality of life in our later years.

Meditation is a widely used practice that is essential for personal growth and healing. In this book, Ian Gawler and Paul Bedson share ways to incorporate meditation into your daily life, and demonstrate how it can be used to work with our emotions to manage pain and stress, and increase spirituality. This unique guide combines ancient Eastern traditions with modern medicine, and offers useful techniques that benefit both beginners and masters of meditation.

This groundbreaking book explains why women experience burnout differently than men—and provides a simple, science-based plan to help women minimize stress, manage emotions, and live a more joyful life.