The 17 Self-Improvement Books That Will Quietly Change Your Life This Year

Even though we may not all be rushing to accomplish things, spring is still the time of year when a lot of us have goals on our minds. Whether your own aims for the year involve improving your relationship , career , or mental health , we have 17 self-improvement books you'll want to check out to keep your intentions fresh in your mind.

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Ahead, find top-rated self-improvement books that can help you reconnect with yourself and kickstart some truly amazing growth.

Career

The Fear-Fighter Manual: Lessons from a Professional Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi Jones

Luvvie Ajayi Jones hilariously and honestly asks you to evaluate how you approach your life so you can achieve the career goals you have in mind. She begins with helping you get clear about your identity and weaves in tales of personal experience to give you some of the most relatable advice you'll read.

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski PhD + Amelia Nagoski DMA

We've all experienced burnout in our careers, but Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle seeks to change that. From learning relaxation tips to identifying what your stress triggers are, it's the one read that'll help you learn to feel more peace this year.

Grit by Angela Duckworth

Another classic, Grit is all about building the human skill that many people think is only for military leaders and endurance athletes. Angela Duckworth turns this idea on its head by recognizing that grit can be strengthened just like any other muscle, providing ample inspiration for sticking with your goals and vision no matter the obstacles.

Deep Work by Cal Newport

Our world extolls the benefits of multitasking. We have side hustles, we explore endless options, we post on Twitter while working at our day jobs... but is all of this distraction actually good for us? In Deep Work , Newport examines the importance of truly focusing on one important task, getting lost in the endeavor as we complete it—and cultivating pride in a job well done at the end.

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

A list of personal growth books would hardly be complete without this classic from Elizabeth Gilbert. Big Magic is a guide to living the creative life, whether that means having a job as an artist or taking more risks with your own personal hobbies and ideas.

Mental Health

Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience by Brené Brown

Brené Brown's work is probably a staple in your book collection if you're into self-improvement and personal growth, and her latest book should absolutely be on your to-read list. In Atlas of the Heart , Brown details 87 emotions that make us human, so you can learn how to identify and work with each of these important and universal feelings.

Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies: And Other Rituals to Fix Your Life, from Someone Who's Been There by Tara Schuster

This is a book for anyone who's ever needed a little more self-love in their life. In Schuster's book, she recalls how reaching great success as a young adult didn't negate her deeper need for self-love and nurturing. From this guide to reparenting yourself, you'll learn how to cultivate gratitude, how to identify and combat self-limited beliefs, and ultimately, how to create a life you love.

How To Do The Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal From Your Past, and Create Your Self by Dr. Nicole Le Pera

Known on social media as The Holistic Psychologist, Dr. Le Para has created a community around recognizing unhealthy dynamics in relationships and thought patterns, and learning to self-heal the wounds that make those patterns entrenched. In her book, you'll learn how to identify unhealthy patterns in yourself, how to get to the root of the issue, and how to heal from within using a combination of psychological techniques and mindfulness practices.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb

Lori Gottlieb is herself a therapist, but she goes to therapy as well. She details her observations of this exercise in her bestselling book, revealing the human truth that we all have a lot more in common than we might think.

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

Atomic Habits is a cult favorite read for a reason. Using evidence-based tools and techniques, James Clear shows us how to build the habits that will make us more successful—and break those that continue to hold us back.

10% Happier Revised Edition: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works by Dan Harris

Dan Harris had a panic attack on national television, but it surprisingly opened his eyes to the need for meditation and mindfulness in his life, benefitting his life in the long run. In his book, he details this discovery and shares tips and tricks for cultivating calm and serenity in everyday life.

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz + Janet Mills

A New York Times bestseller for over a decade, The Four Agreements is hardly a new book (it was published in 1997), but still offers you a way to reframe self-limiting beliefs in a manner that feels refreshing.

Stop Overthinking by Nick Trenton

If you're no stranger to never-ending thought loops, you'll want to check out this book that offers techniques to identify what triggers your negative thought spirals and solutions for how overcome them.

Choose Wonder Over Worry by Amber Rae

Get inspired by Amber Rae as she shows you how she channeled constant doubt and insecurity into finding her path by choosing wonder over worry.

Relationships

8 Rules of Love: How to Find it, Keep it, and Let it Go by Jay Shetty

Our perception of love is often based on what we saw modeled while growing up, but Jay Shetty wants you to know there's more to it than that. 8 Rules of Love is a masterful book that helps you understand what love is and how to allow more of it to enter your life.

How to Be an Adult in Relationships: The Five Keys to Mindful Loving by David Richo

In How to Be an Adult in Relationships , David Richo takes Shetty's advice one step further by teaching you how to be more mindful about love. He lays out steps for how to attract the love you deserve and how to maintain it.

Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution For When You Have Too Much To Do (and More Life to Live) by Eve Rodsky

In a world where women still feel like they're the 'default' person in their relationships, Fair Play aims to even the score by providing tips for how couples can show up together when it comes to domestic work and raising children. It includes over 100 tasks and conversations for couples to navigate.

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This post has been updated.