There comes a time in every person’s life when they start craving a change. That could mean anything, from learning something new to improving one’s physical and mental health. Do you want to make a change in your life, but you don’t know how? Well, why not start with the 9 best self help books of all time?
By reading books, you will expand your horizons in ways you never have dreamed possible. Firstly, a positive attitude will bring about unexpected good things. Secondly, by reading one of the best self help books of all time you could improve in ways you’d never expect.
You’ll see: things will start falling into place once you finally realize that the change starts with you. Once your view of the world changes, the world will start changing.
Should You Read Self Help Books?
Even if they are the best, self help books will only help you see things from a different perspective. Just reading a book will not miraculously change your life overnight. Therefore, you need to adapt everything to yourself and your own life.
Here are my top 9 picks for the best self help books of all time.
1. Master Your Emotions: A Practical Guide to Overcome Negativity and Better Manage Your Feelings by Thibaut Meurisse
Do you find yourself seeing the empty half of the glass most of the time? It’s time to change that perspective. From Master Your Emotions, you will learn how to live life with a happy and positive attitude.
Negative emotions can easily overwhelm a person and turn them into their worst version. Because dealing with those emotions can become exhausting, the best approach would be to learn how to manage them. Thibaut Meurisse carefully details step-by-step techniques and strategies that teach you how to manage and overcome negative emotions.
My favorite quote from the book:
“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies. It just doesn’t work.”
2. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
I’ll start by saying that Marie Kondo’s book has changed not only mine but the lives of thousands of people. You know how, when you walk into a hotel room, you relax instantly and the holiday mood kicks in? You can achieve that feeling in your own home by following Marie Kondo’s method.
Tidying up your house is an incredibly important step toward living a happier life. I believe that the house should be an oasis of calm, where you can go recharge after a long day of work.
Marie Kondo’s book will help you tidy up and organize your home, as well as achieve inner joy by surrounding yourself only with items that make you happy. The ‘KonMari method’ of decluttering has been adopted by many, especially by minimalists.
My favorite quote from the book:
“The best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one’s hand and ask: ‘Does this spark joy?’ If it does, keep it.”
3. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
You may already know of Elizabeth Gilbert thanks to her famous Eat, Prey, Love, and if you liked that book, you are going to love Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. This book will speak to you on a whole new level — the creative one. I truly recommend it not only to anyone with a creative background but also anybody willing to learn how to challenge their limits and fears.
My favorite quote from the book:
“Fear is always triggered by creativity, because creativity asks you to enter into realms of uncertain outcome. This is nothing to be ashamed of. It is, however, something to be dealt with.”
4. Ask and It Is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires by Esther and Jerry Hicks
Have you ever heard of the law of attraction? To put it simply, this law claims that every thought you have will manifest into the real world at some point, in some shape and form.
Ask and It Is Given will teach you that, if you wish for something hard enough, you will get it. It is one of the best self help books of all time if you want to change your mindset and start living your life a different way.
The first part of Ask and It Is Given will walk you through the concept of the law of attraction. The second part, however, is where things get more interesting, as it explains how you can apply the law of attraction to your everyday life.
My favorite quote from the book:
“Once you expect something, it will come. The details of it may play out differently — but the vibrational essence will always be an exact match.”
5. The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason
I can’t begin to tell you just how amazing this book is! I wish I had read it sooner, because the teachings from The Richest Man in Babylon are nothing short of amazing. Anyone trying to achieve financial success should take the time to read and understand every point made by the author.
Do you have a hard time saving up money? Do you live paycheck to paycheck? Read this book, and learn how you can save money while still enjoying life (and not starving, of course). Money will still not be able to buy you happiness, but it will become one less thing to worry about.
My favorite quote from the book:
“If you desire to help thy friend, do so in a way that will not bring thy friend’s burdens upon thyself.”
6. What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent’s Guide to Speed-Reading People by Joe Navarro
Have you ever wondered whether the person you’re talking to is lying or not? I would recommend that you read at least one body language book in your life. It will teach you how to better interact with others and read their mood.
If you want to learn how to interpret human behavior, Joe Navarro shared a few tips on that in his book, along with a lot of other useful information. Essentially, if you have a hard time picking up on various social cues, this is the book for you.
My favorite quote from the book:
“Neck touching takes place when there is emotional discomfort, doubt, or insecurity.”
7. Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins
In Can’t Hurt Me, David Goggins perfectly illustrates that through discipline, hard work, and motivation you can achieve anything. His story will motivate you to put yourself out there and give it your best at whatever you do.
If you are going through a rough patch in life, this book will offer you the motivation you need to push through. No matter how you look at it, once you read this book, you’ll see why it is one of the best self help books of all time.
My favorite quote from the book:
“You are in danger of living a life so comfortable and soft, that you will die without ever realizing your true potential.”
8. Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García
Compared to the other books I mentioned, Ikigai is a fairly simple one, but it guarantees to put a smile on your face. No matter who you are, you have an ikigai — your “happy place.”
From this book, you will learn how to discover what your ikigai is, and how to live a long and happy life. In my opinion, everybody should read this book as it is a fairly short read, but carries deep meaning.
My favorite quote from the book:
“The happiest people are not the ones who achieve the most. They are the ones who spend more time than others in a state of flow.”
9. Self Compassion by Kristin Neff
Do you tend to be overly critical of yourself? If yes, then this book is definitely a must read. Kristin Neff puts a lot of emphasis on practicing self compassion and improving your relationship with yourself.
For many, that can be difficult at the start. With time, however, you’ll become less anxious and get to know yourself better. If you want to live in a better world, you need to start by bettering yourself. That’s the main principle this book follows.
My favorite quote from the book:
“If you are continually judging and criticizing yourself while trying to be kind to others, you are drawing artificial boundaries and distinctions that only lead to feelings of separation and isolation.”
Discover Your Inner Self
In addition to all the books I mentioned, I would add one more thing — the Self Discovery Journal. By answering the questions in the journal you can learn a lot about yourself, including things that you never thought to ask yourself in the first place. Unlike the best self help books of all time, this journal is tailored to improve you.
