If you’re looking to improve different aspects of your life, these books should be high on your list of things to read. From learning to create boundaries to helping to bring more creativity into your working day, these five books will all help you with your personal and professional growth.
The Joy of Being Selfish: Why You Need Boundaries and How to Set Them
by Michelle Elman
Welbeck Publishing, 320 pages, $19.95
If you are in need of a healthy dose of self-love, Michelle Elman’s The Joy of Being Selfish may be just the ticket. Elman is a revered and accredited life coach and author best known for her Scarred Not Scared campaign, while her debut book, <em>Am I Ugly?</em>, was very well received. A prolific public speaker whose TedX talk has racked up over 60,000 views, she has been invited onto television and radio shows worldwide for her expert opinions, and she also hosts a podcast called <em>In All Honesty</em>. Elman is direct and very tuned-in, offering to empower readers to achieve a more genuine life. If the people around you describe you as a people pleaser, you find it hard to say “No,” or you find yourself emotionally drained and overwhelmed when around people, you will probably find this book helpful. Elman teaches you how to create and maintain strong boundaries in order to change how others treat you. It will help you to re-evaluate your life and your interactions so as to engage in more healthy relationships, and it will become a book you will come back to time and time again for advice.
Roar: Into the Second Half of Your Life (Before it’s Too Late)
by Michael Clinton
Atria Books, 224 pages, $26.00
Current trends are seeing more people staying in their jobs for only a handful of years, which is creating a fast-moving job market that is constantly evolving. For mid-career people who have worked in the same industry for a longish time, they are seeing their jobs changing in ways they couldn’t have predicted, and they are facing both job uncertainty and massive change. With Roar, Michael Clinton provides expert advice for those of us who have reached mid-career or a later stage, helping you to rethink your future and achieve a life with more purpose and meaning. Many people believe retirement to be a downhill slope toward the inevitable; however, Clinton proves that the opposite is true. This is a book that will transform your view of the future and empower you to re-examine who you are and what is next for you. It is an inspirational book, featuring numerous stories from so many people that will motivate you to life a happy future. If your health permits, this book encourages you to think about your next adventure and the different roads you could still take, especially in retirement!
Rethink Creativity: How to INNOVATE, INSPIRE, and THRIVE at WORK
by Monica H. Kang
Publish Your Purpose Press, 196 pages, $17.99
Rethink Creativity is a book that helps you to overhaul outdated practices and become a better leader, as well as helping you to find more excitement and passion in your job. It points the reader in new directions, taking them on a journey, and enabling a more inquisitive and innovative attitude toward work. Anyone would benefit from reading this book, as it presents practical guidance and examples to help you on your way to more creative work endeavors. The CEO of InnovatorsBox®, Monica Kang shows that experimentation can be implemented into your working day at any point in your career. She challenges the reader to ask questions and buck the trend in order to find new and inventive avenues. Although a company must be truly inclusive and allow everyone to voice their opinions for this to work, it has the potential to be such an important tool for your company. This is an enjoyable read that could open up many doors.
For A Good Cause: A Practical Guide to Giving Joyfully
by Diane Lebson
She Writes Press, 264 pages, $16.95
After discovering that there was no guide that people could turn to for advice about how to get into volunteering and activism, Diane Lebson decided to write one. With her twenty-five years of experience as a nonprofit executive, board member, and consultant, Lebson offers practical advice and tips on how to become more involved in charity. For A Good Cause is divided into specific activities such as volunteering, fundraising, serving on a board, and starting your own enterprise, with guidance on the types of experience and skill sets that philanthropic companies are looking for. Lebson provides information on best practices and checklists to help you make as much of a positive impact as possible. With all this in combination with the experience shared by many other philanthropists in step-by-step lessons, this book is sure to benefit anyone with the ambition to move into this sort of work.
Blooming: Finding Gifts in the Shit of Life
by Carrington Smith
Linoncrest Publishing, 230 pages, $28.99
Although a tough read, Blooming is a book that you will find difficult to put down. It is a book for anyone looking for a way to see the silver lining. Carrington Smith takes you on a journey during which you discover the awful things she has had to withstand, and she shows how she has fought for her place in life. From dealing with family rejection and sexual assault to body dysmorphia and death, it is a powerful account of ownership and belonging. Smith is very much a survivor, not a victim, and this book proves it. She used to lead her life according to others’ rules, trying to fit in and be loved by others, but she ultimately realized that she was not living for herself. She offers advice on how to find your own fighting spirit and how to shift your mindset so that you are living positively and with purpose. This book will have you laughing and crying all at once, and it will give you the strength to get through the worst of times.
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