When things started to get rough with my depression, I turned to writing. When that stopped working, I decided to turn to books. I felt like I could do something more beneficial than listening to music for three hours on my drive to school. So, I decided to listen to audiobooks. That way I was actively using my brain while driving instead of listening to the same playlist over and over again. Listening to these books helped me realize what my bad habits were and how to face them head-on. The great thing about these books is they're not books you're going to read once and then it'll sit on your coffee table and collect dust forever. You can easily read these books five years from now and take something different from them.
1. "Unf*ck Yourself" by Gary John Bishop
This is the first self-improvement book I ever read and it was amazing, to say the least. I've never agreed with a book more. I literally found myself saying "yes!" out loud, as I was reading. The way this author writes, it's like he's having a conversation with you. He doesn't tiptoe around sensitive subjects and gets right to the point.
2. "Stop Doing That Sh*t" by Gary John Bishop
The second book apart of the "Unf*ck Yourself" series really made me realize my bad habits — ones I didn't even know I had or paid much attention to. It really puts into perspective how badly these habits were affecting my past, present, and future. The author has a more demanding tone and it's really great for readers who don't want a self-pity book.
3. "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do" by Amy Morin
I really enjoyed this book — it's different from all of the other self-improvement books. The reasoning behind why the author wrote this book and her life story really drives the book. It's really easy to connect with her words and experiences and really gets you thinking about your mental strengths and weaknesses and how they influence your life.
4. "You Are A Badass" by Jen Sincero
This is a very common self-improvement book that many people have turned to. I think this book is more reassuring than anything. It empowers you to change your lifestyle with advice and exercises. I think the author brings an easy approach to her method. This is a good book to read first!
5. "Heart Talk" by Cleo Wade
I absolutely love this book! It's a bunch of little poems and short stories that are so inspirational. It's nice that they're not chapters so you can read a few pages and stop where ever you'd like. I always pick this one up when I'm having trouble sleeping or want to get off my phone for a little bit.
6. "The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck" by Mark Manson
This book is brutally honest in the best way possible. If you don't want a book telling you to be positive and how to be your best self, this one is for you. The author realizes that this world isn't all butterflies and rainbows and sometimes you have to survive through the storm. He backs a lot of his comments up with research which is what takes this book the extra mile.
7. "9 Things You Simply Must Do To Succeed In Love And Life" by Henry Cloud
This book literally covers it all: relationships, career, fulfillment, meaning, pain, hurt, loss, despair, and addictions. This book is a great guide to getting your life back on track, realizing you're not alone, and fixing your mistakes. It helps you realize that what you're going through is not only OK but also fixable.
8. "Undo It" by Dean Ornish
This book is for all of my readers that are battling some type of disease or illness. This book is packed full of research and a scientifically proven plan to reverse things like cancer, heart disease, weight gain and so on. Not that I necessarily believe we can reverse cancer, but the life advice the author gives to prevent certain symptoms is pretty remarkable.
9. "Milk and Honey" by Rupi Kaur
This book is a lot like "Heart Talk" and a great book to read if you don't want to commit to long chapters. It's full of poems and illustrations that show that you're not alone. It put a lot of my thoughts on paper that was hard for me to express. It helps you heal and find the positives in the most painful experiences in life.
10. "The 6-Minute Diary" by UrBestSelf
This book is a new one for me. It claims that if you take 3-minutes in the morning and 3-minutes in the evening to write down positive affirmations, do a good dead, and reflect then you'll take on more control over your life and be more successful. This book is very educational at the beginning and breaks down how to morning and evening routine works. It's then filled with 6 weeks' worth of journal pages to execute the 6-minute theory.
