It’s easy to get lost in romance or even a situationship. Parents pour all of themselves into their children, only to feel empty as an individual. Jobs change, people move, friendships fizzle out, and then we come home to ourselves. No matter where you find yourself right now in your life, one constant carries you from your first to your last breath — you. Investing in our relationship with ourselves is one of the most important yet challenging commitments to make. After all, our internal dialogue is often harsh — if not cruel — and definitely not how we would speak to our friends.
Commit to a renowned and kinder self-image this year with the encouraging and powerful words of others that can inspire you. Here, we’ve rounded up a variety of unique and best-selling books that will help you work on everything from body confidence to believing in love — and yourself — once again.
If you want to love your body:
Perhaps you’re in those blurry first months of postpartum, and you don’t recognize the body in the mirror staring back at you in the earliest hours of the day. Maybe you’ve gone through a period where you haven’t been eating well, so you don’t feel great, and you’re struggling to find confidence again. Whatever has you feeling not-so-great in your skin, this beautifully illustrated book and book and journal will help. It encourages us to look — yes, look! — at our bodies and find love in all of our imperfections. You will find checklists for self-care, quotes, questions, and extra pages with prompts for journaling.
If you need a confidence boost:
As a motivational coach, Jennifer Cohen is skilled at helping people develop habits that lead to confidence. It can be as simple as what you do in the morning to set your day up for success, to the language you use to speak to yourself. In this book, you’ll learn how to set goals for yourself that you can actually meet, resulting in, well, a bigger, better and bolder you! With this newfound self-assurance, you can tackle whatever aspiration you have, big or small, to get where you want to be.
If you feel weighed down by anxiety:
For those who have anxiety, it’s not a random feeling you can brush off. It can feel like a tight knot in the pit of your stomach or chest that feels near-impossible to unwind. That’s why this aptly-titled book could be the game-changer you need to improve your self-image. The author sifts and translates 20 years of research into actionable steps and advice. He’s worked with Olympic athletes, coaches, and leaders in business and government — so he knows even the most successful people can still have anxiety. If you want to let go of bad habits that lead to heightened anxiety, this book is for you.
If you need to feel hopeful:
Whether or not you truly believe in the magic of the universe, the importance of vision boards and daydreaming or that there is a plan for everyone…. it doesn’t hurt to try your luck at manifestation. Written by the ‘Queen of Manifesting,’ this self-development coach helps readers follow seven steps leading to improved confidence and self-esteem. Maybe you want to grow leaps and bounds in your career, find your forever partner or have enough strength to make a change, this book could be your guiding light.
If you’re going through a breakup:
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like for a therapist to go through therapy, this book is an addicting page-turner that answers all of your questions. After going through a devastating breakup, therapist Lori Gottlieb decided to seek the help of another professional to get through the trauma. For those who find themselves in the depths of despair trying to mend a broken heart, this book will make you laugh, cry, and, ultimately, feel less alone in your healing journey.
If you’ve struggled with addiction:
If you or anyone you’ve ever loved has battled addiction, you know how painful the experience can be — and how much it can change your sense of self. In this newly released memoir, the author explores everything from adverse childhood experiences and mass shootings to the pandemic, war, and more, and how they all contribute to growing addiction levels. Letting go of vices is one of the most powerful ways to heal our self-image — but it’s much easier said than done.
If you want to inspire the next generation:
If you’ve been healing your inner child, you may feel the urge to give the next generation a fighting chance at improved confidence. For your daughter, son, niece, nephew, godson or goddaughter, consider this personalized book that aims to teach children to love the things that make them unique and different. When you order, you can change the name, photo, skin tone, hair color, hairstyle and eye color, as well as add glasses or a wheelchair.
If you want to feel less alone:
When you’re having crazy, self-defeating thoughts, you may feel like the only person in the world who thinks this way. And though everyone who loves you will tell you that you’re not insane — it’s tough to believe them until a stranger says it. This book may help you feel less alone in your feelings since it profiles five memorable — and heroic — patients. Written from a therapist through her perspective, it’s one of those books you won’t be able to put down. You’ll hear about a woman abandoned by her father at nine, a first-generation Chinese immigrant suffering from sexual dysfunction, and a mother called ‘Monster’ every morning of her childhood.
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