5 Life-Changing Books Every Woman Should Read in 2017
If you have been reading my blogs for a little while, you will know that I am huge believer in changing your life through changing your mindset, and there is a ton of books available that can help you do exactly that! You know when you are reading something and you have an ‘a-ha’ moment – those books, they are the ones I adore! I can’t go past a book that speaks to your soul and really makes you stop and think. There are some amazing women out there pouring their hearts and lives in to the books they write, to empower and enrich the lives of others. Here are my current top 5 books that I believe every woman should read this year!
1. The Goddess Revolution by Mel Wells.
‘Make peace with food, love your body, and reclaim your life’. Sounds pretty rad right? This book is a must have for anyone who has let their weight or appearance define them, who has lived their life on a dieting merry-go-round, or who has battled food and themselves for too long. I found myself nodding along to nearly every page, and tearing up on more than one occasion while reading this book. It explains how you can live a healthy life and have a guilt-free love filled relationship with our bodies without deprivation. Ahhh, what a revelation!
2. The Universe Has Your Back by Gabby Bernstein.
‘Transform fear to faith’. A book about reclaiming our power, finding strength and happiness from within by surrendering to the universe, and relinquishing the need to control every little thing. Can you relate? I sure could! I was hooked on this book after reading the first few pages and didn’t put it down until I was finished. Gabby talks about how we are the universe, and how our true purpose is to be love and spread love – everything comes back to love after all. If you struggle with re-occurring blocks in your life, or often feel overwhelmed by the world we live in, this is the book for you.
3. Daring Greatly by Brene Brown.
‘How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent and lead’. I first discovered Brene’s work at a local women’s wellness seminar. As part of the slideshow they shared one of the quotes from Daring Greatly. It said “Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the courage, compassion and connection to wake up in the morning and think ‘no matter what gets done, and no matter how much is left un-done, I am enough’. It’s going to bed at night thinking ‘yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes afraid, but that doesn’t change the truth, that I am brave and worthy of love and belonging’.”. This one quote was part of a pivotal turning point in my life. After 30+ years being on this earth, I finally had the epiphany that I WAS enough! This book talks about showing up and being seen by embracing our vulnerability and imperfection in order to live our best life. It deep dives into what being vulnerable is about, and discusses shame and guilt. Although this book is certainly not just for parents, if you are a mama, I highly recommend reading it!
4. You Are Enough by Cassie Mendoza-Jones.
‘How to elevate your thoughts, align your energy and get out of the comparison trap’. The title won me, I won’t lie. When you are on this beautiful yet murky journey to wellness and self-discovery, the notion that you are enough is very appealing. Perhaps you don’t believe it yet, but you so desperately want to (or was that just me?), so this title almost yells out your name! The wonderful thing is reading and believing with each turn of the page – you truly are enough! It starts with acceptance, exactly as you are in this very moment. If you are someone that too often compares yourself with others or is convinced that you will not be worthy until you lose x kilos or earn x dollars, then you should be reading this book!
5. The Power is Within You by Louise Hay.
This book is hands down one of the best I have read by Louise. If you are dealing with depression, grief or addiction of some form, or if you are simply feeling like you have lost touch with you, this book will help evaluate your thoughts. It is about self-love. It is about reconnecting with and listening to your inner self to break down the barriers and blocks holding you back. Like all of Louise’s work, it is written simply and beautifully and is a book that you will probably read and re-read and book mark and dog ear and highlight (who am I kidding? I do that with most of my books!). I really believe that there is something in this book for everyone, and depending on where you are in this crazy beautiful thing called life, you may take away a different lesson each time you pick it up. When we realise that the power is within us, nothing is out of our reach.
Five beautiful books. Five amazingly fabulous authors. Five soul touching reads. Which one are you going to read first?
