A huge part of my self-love/mental health journey has been reading positive, inspirational books. By choosing to surround myself with this type of energy instead of constantly reading negative magazines, I was able to help change some of my patterns of thinking. Here are 5 of my top book recommendations:

- I AM THAT GIRL by Alexis Jones

After founding the non-profit I AM THAT GIRL, Alexis Jones wrote a book with the same name. This book (and organization) empowers women to embrace the badasses they are, love themselves, find their passions, and discover their true purpose.

- Mirror Mirror Off the Wall by Kjerstin Gruys

After getting engaged, eating disorder survivor Kjerstin Gruys realized that she was getting too consumed by focusing on her physical appearance. As a personal research project, she decided to stop looking at mirrors for an entire year in order to reclaim her relationship with herself.

- Mastering Your Mean Girl by Melissa Ambrosini

We all have that voice inside our head that tells us we aren’t good enough - that’s our mean girl. In this book, Melissa Ambrosini shares her story and gives women the tools they need in order to live a happy, fulfilling life and kick their mean girl to the curb.

- Body Kindness by Rebecca Scritchfield

As an anti-diet dietitian, Rebecca Scritchfield is trying to help women heal their relationships with food and their bodies and kick destructive diet culture out of their lives. Rebecca gives women tools to reclaim their bodies AND their minds in order to be their healthiest, happiest selves without any quick-fix/cleanse/diet BS.

-The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown

For perfectionists, it’s very difficult to imagine that there is anything good about being imperfect. However, Brene Brown explains how there are actually gifts of imperfection, and how by embracing imperfection we can all live better lives.

These books have all had an incredible impact on my life and healing, and I believe that every woman should read them!