Photo credit: Rosario Taracena

“Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light.”  -Vera Nazarian

I confess: I love self-help books. I would like to say that I read them for “work” since I am in the business of helping others. And yes, I do find nuggets and novels that I pass along to my clients and followers who have shared that it’s very helpful to them.

But I also read them for myself. I began my journey in the self-improvement world over 15 years ago, and was immediately taken by connecting the dots to my past, my present, and sometimes my future. I am still seduced by just the right words, thoughts and ideas that I discover on the paper.

As I traversed my path to loving my life, I have embraced the wisdom of many thought leaders along the way. I have a deep respect for the writers who are bold and brave enough to put their thoughts on paper and share them with the world.

My book list below has informed me, challenged me and grown me. I hope this list will inspire you to cultivate a curious mind and become the leader of your life in love, career, health and happiness. In honor of my 54 years on October 26th, I share this list of my favorite 54 books.

Happy Reading!

1. Getting Things Done by David Allen
2. Leadership and Self Deception by the Arbinger Insitute
3. The Anatomy of Peace by the Arbinger Insitute
4. The Language of Letting Go by Melodie Beattie
5. Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
6. The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
7. Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton
8. The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann
9. The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
10. Comfortable with Uncertainty by Pema Chodron
11. The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra
12. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
13. Boundaries: When to say Yes, When to Say No, To Take Control of Your Life by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
14. Good to Great by James Collins
15. Presence by Amy Cuddy
16. The Power of Intention by Dr. Wayne Dyer
17. The Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Debbie Ford
18. The Right Questions by Debbie Ford
19. The Prosperity Plan by Laura Berman Fortgang
20. Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain
21. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
22. Blink (and Outliers) by Malcolm Gladwell
23. Emotional Intelligence by Daniel P. Goleman
24. Why Marriages Succeed or Fail…And How You Can Make Yours Last by John Gottman
25. Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey
26. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
27. Thrive by Arianna Huffington
28. The Birth Order Effect by Cliff Isaacson and Kris Radish
29. Loving What Is by Byron Katie
30. Heal Your Body by Louise L. Hay
31. Co-Active Coaching by Henry Kimsey-House, Karen Kimsey-House and Phillip Sandhahl
32. Finding True Love by Daphne Rose Kingma
33. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
34. The “Dance” Series (Anger, Intimacy, Fear, Connection) by Harriet Lerner, Ph.D.
35. The Art of Happiness by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D.
36. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
37. The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women by Gail McMeekin
38. Oneness: Great Principles Shared By All Religions by Jeffrey Moses
39. Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal and Delight in Our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller
40. The Energy of Money by Maria Nemeth, PhD
41. Women & Money by Suze Orman
42. The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield
43. The Art of Extreme Self-Care by Cheryl Richardson
44. How to Be an Adult in Relationships: The Five Keys to Mindful Loving by David Richo
45. Non-Violent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg
46. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
47. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
48. The Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz
49. Sex and the Seasoned Woman by Gail Sheehy
50. You Are Your Choices by Alexander Stoddard
51. The Tools: Transform Your Problems Into Courage, Confidence, and Creativity by Phil Stutz and Barry Michels
52. The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp
53. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
54. A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson

And “one to grow on,”

55. The True You: Tools to Excavate, Explore, and Evolve by Jennifer M. Blair

Meet Jennifer: Life Coach, Inspirational Speaker and Author Jennifer M. Blair is founder of Excavive™ Coaching and Consulting, based in Louisville, Kentucky. Her work focuses on empowering people to pursue their passions, increase their self-confidence, communicate powerfully and build the kind of lives they want to live. If you love these Blog posts, many have been adapted from her first book, The True You: Tools to Excavate, Explore and Evolve, published in 2011.

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