My Top Personal Growth Book Recommendations
It seems like every self-help guru out there has a “magic” fix to help you transform your life. There are countless prescriptive personal improvement books that can leave you feeling frustrated because they offer no tangible way to improve your health or situation, they just make it sound like they do.
Over the past few years on my own wellness and self-education journey, I have read at least 300 books, many of which claimed to aid in personal growth, healing, and development. A lot of them were a total waste of time and/or money, in my personal opinion. You have influencers out there who are not doctors or health professionals directing folks to take shortcuts that are harmful to their health. You have massively popular and unqualified New York Times bestselling authors blindly and dangerously telling people to just “go on meds” as a quick fix for their mental health without any medical facts or research to back it up. When will it end?
Quick fixes are not the way; holistic and personalized lifestyle changes and validated research and data-informed treatments are, as is becoming more self-aware and educated as a person trying to heal. If quick fixes were the solution, there would not be so many sick people out there. According to the CDC, ninety percent of the nation's $4.5 trillion in annual health care expenditures are for people with chronic and mental health conditions. Chronic noncommunicable diseases account for 75% of deaths globally. With one out of every two people in the world estimated to develop a mental health disorder in their lifetime, according to a large-scale study co-led by researchers from Harvard Medical School and the University of Queensland, it’s no wonder so people are looking for mental and physical health solutions with no end in sight.
My Top Personal Growth, Self-Help, Wellness, and Healing Book Recommendations
I have personally benefited from several stellar books on my path to personal growth via crowdsourced wellness. Below are the best health, wellness, personal growth, and self-help books that contain information that I found truly helpful on my journey.
By Gabor Maté, MD
Amazon book synopsis: In this revolutionary book, renowned physician Gabor Maté eloquently dissects how in Western countries that pride themselves on their healthcare systems, chronic illness and general ill health are on the rise. Nearly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one prescription drug; more than half take two. In Canada, every fifth person has high blood pressure. In Europe, hypertension is diagnosed in more than 30 percent of the population. And everywhere, adolescent mental illness is on the rise. So what is really “normal” when it comes to health? Over four decades of clinical experience, Maté has come to recognize the prevailing understanding of “normal” as false, neglecting the roles that trauma and stress, and the pressures of modern-day living, exert on our bodies and our minds at the expense of good health.
by Nedra Glover Tawwab
Amazon book synopsis: Licensed counselor, sought-after relationship expert, and one of the most influential therapists on Instagram, Nedra Glover Tawwab demystifies this complex topic for today's world. In a relatable and inclusive tone, Set Boundaries, Find Peace presents simple-yet-powerful ways to establish healthy boundaries in all aspects of life. Rooted in the latest research and best practices used in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), these techniques help us identify and express our needs clearly and without apology--and unravel a root problem behind codependency, power struggles, anxiety, depression, burnout, and more.
Amazon book synopsis: In this inspiring, empowering book, Shetty draws on his time as a monk to show us how we can clear the roadblocks to our potential and power. Combining ancient wisdom and his own rich experiences in the ashram, Think Like a Monk reveals how to overcome negative thoughts and habits, and access the calm and purpose that lie within all of us. He transforms abstract lessons into advice and exercises we can all apply to reduce stress, improve relationships, and give the gifts we find in ourselves to the world. Shetty proves that everyone can—and should—think like a monk.
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
Synopsis from Amazon: Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world’s foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain’s natural neuroplasticity.
What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing
by Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry, MD
Amazon synopsis: Through deeply personal conversations, Oprah Winfrey and renowned brain and trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry offer a groundbreaking and profound shift from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”
Here, Winfrey shares stories from her own past, understanding through experience the vulnerability that comes from facing trauma and adversity at a young age. In conversation throughout the book, she and Dr. Perry focus on understanding people, behavior, and ourselves. It’s a subtle but profound shift in our approach to trauma, and it’s one that allows us to understand our pasts in order to clear a path to our future—opening the door to resilience and healing in a proven, powerful way.
By Michael Greger, MD
Amazon book synopsis: This book reveals the groundbreaking scientific evidence behind the only diet that can prevent and reverse many of the causes of disease-related death.
Happy reading! *Please note that as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.