Updated: January 2023

In 2018, I decided to embark on a personal development journey, and this involved a lot of introspection and reading of self-help books. So if you are  on a similar journey and are looking to expand your perspective, redefine yourself, change habits, build new skills and simply live a “lit life”, here are the self-help books that are currently changing my life in 2019.

PS: I started writing this list in 2018, but will continue updating it with new quality materials as I go.

The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho

To me,  The Alchemist is to self-help books what the Titanic is to romance movies. This is another one of those books the I had heard about repeatedly and I am pleased to say that it lives up to its reputation. This book helped me to validate my decision to follow my passions, because the best way to make the world a better place, to contribute to mankind is to live your passion. And when you live your passion, you live love.

As it was so beautifully said: “Love never keeps a man from pursuing his personal legend. If he abandons that quest, then it was never true love, the love that speaks the language of the world. “ More over, “no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dream. Because every second of the search is a second of encounter with God, and with eternity. Every second of the search is an encounter with God.”

There are many, but this is one of my favorite quotes from this self-help book:

“Before a dream is realized, the soul of the world tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this, not because it is evil, but so that we can, in addition to realizing our dreams, master the lessons we’ve learned as we moved towards that dream. That’s the point at which most people give up. It’s the point at which, as we say in the language of the desert: one dies of thirst just as the pine tree arises at the horizon.”

Who should read this:  

★ Every living being.

Self-Help Book: The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz

I initially picked up this personal development book from the library (technically, we are referring to my resourceful friend’s bookshelf here) when I needed a break from “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” (By Stephen Covey). From first impressions, it seemed to me like it was going to be an easy read based on the font of the characters and the size. And that it was.

The author used an interesting perspective and approach, facts from the “Toltec wisdom” where he is from, to set the stage for the next few pages and to really carry the reader throughout the entire book. I kept anticipating when he was going to start talking about the 4 agreements, and then Bam! It hit me. I’m so excited to tell you about what the 4 agreements are, but you have to read it and discover it for yourself.

While I was reading this self-help book, I experienced a true paradigm shift on my perspective on key aspects in life, as simple as interactions with others, pre-conceived beliefs, the power of the word (which I already knew about but appreciated the reinforcement on) and SIMPLE and applicable things you can do everyday to drastically turn your life around.

Who should read this:  

★Anyone on the self-development journey, particularly at the start (especially because it’s an easy read).

★Anyone looking for an EASY and quick way to just change their life around and do so right away!

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, by Robin Sharma

I finished this book in 2 days!  Robin Sharma had a way in weaving all the key lessons in such an enticing manner, that I was simply hooked. I could identify with the lawyer whose story is being told, simply because I can relate with living in a world where every single thing requires your attention, so much so that you are constantly on the edge and you are chasing the wrong priorities. Although this is not a book similar to The Four Agreements, I liked how this book also touched on key topics of personal growth that we need to tap into to get to a higher version of ourselves.

As I am writing this post, I am looking at my desk board: “10 Daily Habits for Happy Living”, inspired by The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. This is how deeply I connected with this book.

Who should read this:  

★If you feel like you need to put some order in your life, you need to re-evaluate your priorities or really want to attain fulfillment on a daily basis, this book could provide you some of the answers that you need. 

Self-Help Book: Extraordinary Leadership, by Robin Sharma

People often think that being the leader means being the head, being at the front or being the one with the name tag at the door. But  truly, as long as you breathe, you have the capacities to be a leader,

In this book, Robin Sharma re-evaluates the concept of true leadership and shows the 5 key elements of a leadership style that is extraordinary.

Who should read this:  

★Anyone who breathes. No kidding. 

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, By Mark Manson

There are 3 reasons why I decided to read this personal development book: 1) I had stumbled upon it at a book store at the New Jersey Airport during one of my travels 2) I saw it on the Instagram Feed of one of my travel friends (@SomtoSeeks), and 3) A friend of mine, who is also a bookworm, had recommended it (IG handle: @Booksxsnaps).

From Chapter 1, I loved Mark Manson’s approach: truly counterproductive, and makes you think: “Damn, I’ve been doing some really f**ed up ish!” More, he really put in perspective the fact that we give a f**ck about so many things that don’t really even matter and are not in line with our personal mission, and then we are out of f***cks to give for the real stuff that actually matters! I loved that.

Though his approach is truly different, there are a lot of commonalities with other personal development books I have read, so the advice overlaps. But this is not necessarily a bad thing.

Favorite part? This quote from Chapter 10: “There is truly nothing to be afraid of, ever”. For you to really get it within its real context, you’d have to read/listen to the whole thing!

Who should read this:  

★Anyone who is at the beginning of his/her personal development journey

★Anyone who is looking for a different approach to self-help books

 Self-Help Book: Who Moved My Cheese?, by Spencer Johnson

This self-help book was actually my first personal development book for 2018. It is a really fun and entertaining read about the laws that govern how we humans react to change, no matter how big or small, and regardless of the context. It also reveals how entitled we often feel to have the things that we have, simply because we have been used to having them.

Who should read this:  

★ This is a fun and interesting read for anyone, but if you know someone who has particular difficulties dealing with change and adjustment (work-related or relationship-related), this book is a great recommendation. 

Self-Help Book: The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brené Brown

This was the second self-help book that I read for the year, and I will forever be grateful  to my very good friend, Kareem, for introducing me to this book. I had so many “Eureka” moments while I was learning from Brené Brown, and I believe you would to, once you discover what the Gifts of Imperfection are. Brené Brown highlights the different things that rob us of joy on a daily basis, without us even knowing. This is truly a practical guide to creating joy in your life because of your imperfections.  I could tell you everything that I learned; but I think you should go and discover yourself: But if I must say, one of the many things I learned was what it really means to have courage.

Who should read this:  

★ Everyone.

Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus  by John Gray

I had heard about this personal development book repeatedly, but until this year, I was not ready. John Gray clarifies the concepts of male and female “brains” when it comes to relationships, and dismantles all the misconceptions that we have about each gender. This book brought a lot of things into perspective for me, and I believe anyone who has had to deal with communication issues when it comes to romantic relationships would greatly benefit from this!

Who should read this:  

★ Anyone interested in being in a relationship

★ Anyone in a relationship

★ Anyone who wants a fun read!

Note on access to these self-help books:

When it comes to books, I love using different media: hard copies, audio books, kindles, you name it! Depending on the book that I am interested in, I actually prefer the audiobook to the hard copy.

For my audiobooks, my go-to apps are Scribd and Audible.com from Amazon. Audible is a little pricier than Scribd, but you can get a free trial (1 month) with your Amazon Prime account if you have one. After your free trial, the subscription fee is $14.95/month, and you receive a free Audiobook credit per month. For Scribd, after your free trial (1 month), your subscription fee is $8.95/month. I just wanted to include this information here in case you are considering  the audio option for your self-help books!

If you end up reading any of these books, let me know what your thoughts are. And if you have any suggestions of books that have changed your life, I’d love to hear them!

Liked these books recommendations? Then you will definitely love checking out my personal development books list that helped me to elevate my mindset and finances last year!

Until next time,

Clem

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