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  "path": "/self-improvement-books-2026/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-08T18:09:55.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.brit.co",
  "tags": [
    "Books",
    "Book recommendations",
    "Entertainment",
    "Self-care",
    "Self improvement",
    "Editecom",
    "gratitude",
    "self-improvement",
    "TBR",
    "reflect",
    "Don't Overthink It",
    "Amanda Montell'",
    "The Worst Girl Gang Ever",
    "All the Love",
    "Feel-Good Productivity",
    "How to Stop Breaking Your Own Heart",
    "The Let Them Theory",
    "How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy",
    "Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear",
    "Love Life: How to Raise Your Standards, Find Your Person, and Live Happily (No Matter What)",
    "Get Your Sh*t Together",
    "The Happy Me Project",
    "The Self-Love Experiment",
    "Own Your Glow",
    "Emotional Detox",
    "Financial Feminist",
    "Tori Dunlap",
    "Democracy in Retrograde",
    "I",
    "t's Not Hysteria",
    "Glow in the F---ing Dark",
    "Women Living Deliciously",
    "Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy",
    "our newsletter"
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  "textContent": "\n\n\n\nLast year was so tough that I almost thought I didn't accomplish _any_ goals. But revisiting the beginning of my 2025 planner and **gratitude** journal showed me that I actually did a lot of what I intended to. However, I really want to be more intentional about my **self-improvement** this year.\n\nIn true book lover fashion, I have 20 **books** I've added to my **TBR** pile that'll help me **reflect** on my personal and professional goals. They're the most personal book picks I've shared because I know I'm not the only one who wants to live differently in 2026.\n\n_TW: Two books about healing after pregnancy loss are featured in this list._\n\n\n* * *\n\n## Scroll to discover the most inspiring self-improvement books to help you live the life you deserve in 2026!\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 1. _Don't Overthink It_ by Anne Bogel\n\nI know some of us are worried about politics, reproductive health, inflation, and other troubling things. But we're not going to help _anyone_ , especially ourselves, if we're consistently frozen by worst-case scenario thoughts. _Don't Overthink It_ should be read immediately after **Amanda Montell'** s _The Age of Magical Overthinking_ because it's another much-needed reminder to stop hurting our own brains.\n\nBogel shares essential tools to help us rewire our thoughts so we're not completely consumed by 'doom-thinking,' which I think a lot of us need. Her ultimate goal? Helping us _enjoy_ the time we're alive.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 2. _The Worst Girl Gang Ever_ by Bex Gunn & Laura Buckingham\n\nThis doesn't immediately seem like a self-improvement book, but it's worth the read. I don't know how many other women experienced a miscarriage this year, but I know I'm not the only one.\n\nThough the title seems like a funny dig at something that doesn't feel hilarious, it's really more than that. _The Worst Girl Gang Ever_ does an amazing job of naming the confusing period that follows pregnancy loss and how lonely it can feel. It's not that other people haven't experienced it, but it operates like an 'invisible' pain.\n\nAuthors Bex Gunn and Laura Buckingham know that this is a 'gang' no one would willingly sign up for, but they hold space for every emotion that surfaces. Most importantly, _The Worst Girl Gang Ever_ is a reminder that this isn't something to feel ashamed about—that it's more common than people realize _and_ it's possible to heal from.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 3. _All the Love_ by Kim Hooper, Meredith Resnick, LCSW, AND Huong Diep, PsyD\n\nIn case you're in need of more guidance after dealing with pregnancy loss, _All the Love_ shares the losses author Kim Hooper experienced. With the help of licensed social worker Meredith Resnick, LCSW, and board-certified psychologist Dr. Huong Diep, PsyD, you'll find a thorough explanation of the different types of miscarriages. There's also a deep dive into the emotions and fears that may arise depending on how you felt when you first received a positive pregnancy test.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 4. _Feel-Good Productivity_ by Ali Abdaal\n\nDr. Ali Abdaal wants to change how you think about hustle culture. Being productive does involve work, but there's more to it than that. Simply put, Dr. Abdaal's discovered that you produce better results when you \"feel good.\" You'll find information on:\n\n  * Hidden 'energizers' that make it hard for you to be productive.\n  * 'Blockers' that encourage procrastination.\n  * 'Sustainers' that side step burnout and lead to a more fulfilling life.\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 5. _How to Stop Breaking Your Own Heart_ by Meggan Roxanne\n\nIs your mind swirling from all the different messages that tell you you're supposed to be achieving multiple things at the same time? We're in the same boat then. But, what if we didn't have to feel _so stressed?_ As someone who's struggled with her mental health, Meggan Roxanne knows what it's like to feel weighed down by life and society's demands.\n\nIn _How to Stop Breaking Your Own Heart_ , you'll learn how to:\n\n  * Stop letting your expectations run the show.\n  * Create tangible boundaries.\n  * Quit silencing your voice.\n  * Walk into a season where self-love is the norm.\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 6. _The Let Them Theory_ by Mel Robbins\n\nMel Robbins wants you to embrace two words in your life: \"Let them.\" According to her, most of our problems stem from being worried about what everyone else thinks. You could be a people-pleaser or someone who thinks they need consistent praise to know they're on the right path.\n\n_The Let Them Theory_ will encourage you to change your perspective about what makes you feel joyful across eight focus areas. By the end of the book, you'll be wondering why it's taken you so long to revamp your mindset.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 7. _How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy_ by Jenny Odell\n\nIf you're tired of feeling like you're over-performing, Jenny Odell wrote _How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy_ for people like us. It's meant to help us change our approach to everything from politics to the greater world we live in. But, don't think it's just an anti-capitalist manifesto. It's more about teaching us how to focus on things that aren't rooted in anything that feels distracting.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 8. _Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear_ by Elizabeth Gilbert\n\nCreatives, unite! It's about time we think about our processes. Elizabeth Gilbert wants us to spend time being inspired again, beginning with feeding our curious nature. However, this isn't just about creating art. Gilbert wants us to live big, juicy lives that feel _good_ — if that sounds delusional, I'm not sure she'd bat an eye before telling us that's how it's _supposed_ to feel.\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 9. Love Life: How to Raise Your Standards, Find Your Person, and Live Happily (No Matter What)__by Matthew Hussey\n\n2026 is the year of letting go of limiting beliefs about romantic love so you can start dating intentionally. To help you get on the right track, I'm recommending this book.\n\nYou're going to break up with your tendency to self-sabotage because you want to ruin things before the other person does. You're also going to learn how not to give _too_ much to a person while leaving nothing for yourself. Sound familiar? Hussey knows, but has all the tools you need to tidy up your love life.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 10. Get Your Sh*t Together __by Sarah Knight\n\nThis book is _very_ straightforward. No matter how good of a person you think you are, there's probably a few habits you could stand to change. For some of us, it's our strong FOMO (even though we keep RSVP'ing 'no' to parties). For others, it's knowing your social media account isn't going to grow _just_ because you keep looking at it.\n\nSarah Knight wrote _Get Your Sh*t Together_ as a way to help you clear your mind. You'll learn how to organize (not compartmentalize) things so you stop making self-deprecating jokes and live your best, clearest life.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 11. The Happy Me Project by Holly Matthews\n\nSelf-improvement isn't just reserved for influencers on the internet. Holly Matthews wants you to know you can work on yourself (yes, really) in order to shape your life.\n\nAfter losing her husband to brain cancer, Matthews had to figure out how to raise two daughters while also taking care of herself. Once she learned how to do so, she decided to share her findings with readers in _The Happy Me Project_.\n\nThink of this book as a love letter from a friend who's experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 12. _The Self-Love Experiment_ by Shannon Kaiser\n\nIs it possible to be 100% selfish? Sure, but not if we're prioritizing our mental health or looking to improve areas of our lives. Before we do any of these things, Shannon Kaiser says it's imperative that we focus on _loving_ ourselves first. This means it's time to let go of limiting beliefs about mistakes we've made and traumas we've experienced.\n\nAny thought that makes us believe we're incapable of living a life we love _while_ loving ourselves will be challenged as you read _The Self-Love Experiment_.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 13. _Own Your Glow_ by Latham Thomas\n\nLatham Thomas is a wellness and lifestyle guru who makes it her mission to help others live lives that feel beautiful to _them_. She shares real examples of women who have felt stuck in their lives and offers ways for people to move through certain blockages. Some of these tips include _do_ include lifestyle changes (yes), but that's necessary when we want to part ways with old habits.\n\nMy sister gave this book to me as a birthday gift when I was in my 20s and I always refer back to it when I need help moving through something difficult in my life.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 14. _Emotional Detox_ by Sherianna Boyle, MED, CAGS\n\nWe've all experienced food detoxes in our lives, but when have we engaged with something like _Emotional Detox_ before? Wellness expert Sherianna Boyle, MED, CAGS is challenging us to to check in with ourselves emotionally and mentally because she's sure it's been a while since we've done it.\n\nEven though we don't like to think about it, we can often say and do toxic things when we're not allowing ourselves to process how we feel. It doesn't mean we're 'bad' people, but unchecked emotions can lead to _a lot_ of unchecked movement in other areas of lives.\n\nWith her C.L.E.A.N.S.E. method, Boyle teaches it's possible to reset ourselves so we can feel at ease:\n\n  * \"Clear your pathways.\"\n  * \"Look inward.\"\n  * \"Emit positivity.\"\n  * \"Activate.\"\n  * \"Nourish.\"\n  * \"Surrender.\"\n  * \"Ease your way into your best self.\"\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 15. Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap\n\nDid you think it's time for us to stop talking about finances? More than ever, we need to confront our relationship with money and see what's causing us to make decisions that take more money out of our pockets. As a fan of #treatyourself culture, even I know it can be rooted in something deeper than wanting to reward ourselves.\n\nWhat _Financial Feminist_ does is speak a language that doesn't punish us for wanting to have nice things. Instead, Tori Dunlap talks about how creating a budget for bills, paying back debt (hi, student loans!), savings, and things that bring you pleasure are essential for living life to the fullest.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 16. _Democracy in Retrograde_ by Sami Sage and Emily Amick\n\nI usually shy away from talking about politics, but I'm not interested in the social awkwardness and repeat of 2016. _Democracy in Retrograde_ challenges us to confront our uncomfortable feelings about being bombarded with divisiveness and a general lack of distrust in just about... everything.\n\nLawyer Emily Amick and Betches cofounder Sami Sage don't want us to hide from the world. Instead, they want to equip us with tools to form real communities that can help better our country. In order to do that, we have to start _reading_ and _educating_ ourselves instead of solely relying on the media to tell us how to feel.This sounds rich coming from a journalist, but I spent enough time with grandparents who were easily swayed by the news to know how it can affect people's rationality.\n\nSelf-improvement is amazing, but it doesn't always have to be about learning how to love yourself. Sometimes it involves learning more about the country you live in so you can be armed with knowledge when the powers that be try to make you feel like you're another uneducated citizen.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 17. _I__t's Not Hysteria_ by Karen Tang, MD, MPH\n\nAm I really including another book about reproductive health? _I am_ because having a miscarriage made me realize some people have reduced having a uterus to whether someone is giving birth or not. While owning one does include ovaries filled with eggs, there's so many other things that occur. For example, there's things like PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, cysts, and more that can affect a woman's health that people _still_ aren't fully aware of.\n\nDr. Karen Tang, MD, MPH wants to help change the conversation so that people are more aware of how their bodies work. Also, she's willing to shed light on how and why pelvic challenges occur and how they can be treated.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 18. _Glow in the F---ing Dark_ by Tara Schuster\n\nTara Schuster knows what it's like to fall apart and hit rock bottom because she's done it several times in her life. From having a tough childhood to losing the job she let define her, she's been through _a lot._ It wasn't until she had an \"aha\" moment during the 2020 pandemic that she decided to take back control of her life, so she wrote _Glow in the F---ng Dark_.\n\nIt's full of encouraging tips about allowing ourselves to heal from painful moments so we can go on to embrace the life we deserve to live. Unlike other self-improvement books, this one reads like something your bestie is willing to drop in your group chat when she has wisdom to share.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 19. _Women Living Deliciously_ by Florence Given\n\nThere's something beautiful about a book that encourages women to live _audaciously_ in a world that loves to silence our voices. Within the pages, Given walks through everything from shame to self-objectification to help us see ourselves clearly. If you ask me, we could use a lot more clarity about ourselves so we can stop succumbing to programming that wants to keep us mindless or insecure.\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n### 20. _Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy_____by Matthew Kelly\n\nMatthew Kelly was just like us—always hustling and bustling for the next best thing. It'd become second nature for him because we live in a world where _everyone's_ busy. But one day he decided, \"no more.\"\n\nHe shares his own experiences with being 'on the go' so much and how it affected the quality of his life, but he also includes how we can break up with this unhealthy cycle.\n\n**Subscribe to our newsletter for more great book recommendations!**\n\n_Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations._\n\n_This post has been updated._",
  "title": "20 Self-Improvement Books That'll Rewire Your Brain For The Best 2026"
}