1. ) You are a Badass by Jen Sincero
This was the first real non-fiction book I fell in love with post-college. It probably helped that this book crossed my path at the exact time I needed it. Like many post-grad adults, I felt rather hopeless in where my life was at that point. I was living in a huge city, where I didn’t know many people and all I did was work to be able to afford to live here. This book really helped me get through a super difficult time in my life and for that single reason, it will be one of my favorites for quite some time.
2.) Loveable by Kelly Flanagan
If you have been following my posts, then you will notice this is not the first time I have mentioned this book. While this one is more on the religious side, it was yet another title that I met when I needed it. In today’s society, we are constantly telling ourselves that we aren’t enough, but in reality, we are. We just need to learn to love ourselves more and that was the message of the book that I took to heart. This one is probably amazing as a read, but it was one that I chose to listen to and it allowed me the time to really focus on the message.
3. #MaxOut Your Life by Ed Mylett
My SO will be extremely excited that I am including this title in this post. I honestly didn’t know much about Ed Mylett until my SO had me watch a few of Ed’s YouTube videos which got the wheels in the mind to spin faster. A lot of the concepts he talks about just make sense. This book is extremely short and to the point which made it even more enjoyable to read. I could have easily read this title in one sitting, but I wanted to take each chapter’s message to heart so I would use my morning coffee time to read a single chapter and then reflect upon the message Ed was getting across.
4. Girl Code by Cara Alwill Leyba
This was one of my more recent reads and I really didn’t know what to anticipate because the cover didn’t entice me to read it. I actually had a patron at work say she really enjoyed it and wanted to recommend it to other readers. So, being the librarian I am, I wanted to read it for myself. Cara not only fills the book with amazing quotes from inspirational female entrepreneurs, she also ends each chapter with a questionnaire from some of the women she knows who have done amazing things in their careers. My favorite part of this book was how the main themes focused on how female entrepreneurs need to stick together and how women need to build each other up through encouraging words.
5. How to Lead When You’re Not In Charge by Clay Scroggins
Just to start out, this book is similar to Loveable, in the sense that it is more religious in nature, but I really hope that doesn’t deter you from picking up this book. This is the perfect book for anyone who is not in a leadership position but wants to eventually be there. This book will help you work on your skills to become a leader while you don’t have a title of a leader. There are some key principles that will help you learn patience and how to work with others who may have different views or completely oppose your ideas. This was another one of those titles that just came into my life at the right time and I really loved reading every chapter of it.
All in all, I know I probably sound like a broken record player when I mention how each book came into my life when I needed it most, but it’s very true. I am sure I am not alone when I say that I am my harshest critic and these books helped me work on myself so I can continue to improve personally and professionally. I hope there’s one book in this list that can help you the way they helped me. Leave a comment below if you have that one book that had a profound impact on your life and what you are doing as a result of reading that book.