Encouraging books are one of my favorite parts of my morning routine. Last summer, I downloaded Audible as a way to pass the time during summer break. But I had no idea that once I downloaded it, I would become an audiobook junkie!
Now, I listen to encouraging books (read: audiobooks) for about an hour every morning while I get ready! It takes the boredom out of doing my hair. And the promise of learning something new actually gives me more incentive to get out of bed in the mornings!
Here are some of my favorite encouraging books for Millennials:
Of Mess and Moxie | Jen Hatmaker
Jen Hatmaker is one of my most favorite authors ever. Her book, Interrupted, literally changed my life. It’s what made me want to leave the world of private schools and teach in one of the most low-income neighborhoods in America. She is so real and raw and FUNNY. This book is way less intense than Interrupted or Seven. This book is about extracting all the joy you can out of your daily life. Jen’s writing is fun, encouraging, and will give you the emotional boost you may be needing. This book is fun and encouraging for women of all ages!
Captivate | Vanessa Van Edwards
This book is all about body language and other subconscious things that are important for relationship building. Vanessa is a social researcher and she shares the best place to stand in a party, what to do in a job interview, and how to work better with your coworkers. Plus, I love it that she backs everything up with science. And I love it even more that she conducts most of the research herself. Her stories and experiments are fascinating! If you are job-searching, YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT THIS BOOK!
Designing Your Life | Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
These two guys actually teach a course on this at Stanford. But since taking a course at Stanford isn’t practical for most of us, this book is a good substitute! This book primarily focuses on Design Thinking, which along with Growth Mindset, is all the rage in education these days. This book tells stories of people who had no life plan or who changed the current path of their lives. If you are contemplating a career change, this book is for you. If you are fresh out of school and looking for your next steps, this book is for you. No matter your phase of life, this book is for you. It will definitely give you some insights into what you are passionate about!
You Are a Badass | Jen Sincero
This book is probably the most self-helpy one on this list. However, Jen Sicnero’s style of writing and storytelling is pretty funny, even if you aren’t into that kind of book. Her basic message is that the universe is conspiring in your favor. It may sound cheesy, or fantasy-like, but I truly believe there is something to be said for a positive mindset! She talks a lot about how she has overcome obstacles in her life. And she tells stories that have helped her learn important life lessons. Her honesty is refreshing and maybe the motivation you need to get back on track. This book is perfect for anyone feeling a little down or stuck in life.
Better Than Before | Gretchen Rubin
Gretchen Rubin has become one of my favorite authors over the past few months. Even if you haven’t heard of her, you would probably recognize the cover of her first book The Happiness Project. I remember seeing it in FedEx Office in college (I spent a LOT of time at FedEx Office). This book is like Organized Charm on steroids. Gretchen is amazing. She researches, she writes, she shares. Everything in this particular book is about creating new habits. 21 different strategies total. 21! It will help you run daily, eat healthier, sleep earlier, study consistently, WHATEVER your dream goal it! Definitely check it out đŸ™‚ This book is good for anyone looking to make life changes, but needing concrete steps to do it!
Read: 3 Habits That Will Boost Your Productivity
Daring Greatly | Brené Brown
BrenĂ© Brown’s main topic is vulnerability. She researches vulnerability, why we hate it for ourselves but like to see it in others, and how it can make us better leaders and humans. This particular book focuses on taking risks and is full of advice and great quotes. “If you’re not in the arena also getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback”. How often do we accept judgments of others WHO ARE NOT IN OUR SITUATIONS? And on the flip side of that, how often do we judge others when WE are not in the arena? This book is perfect for anyone needing a little extra boost of encouragement to take a big leap.
Braving the Wilderness | Brené Brown
Brown encourages you to look at what lies you tell yourself and the power they hold over you. Everyone feels like they are a little weird/different/unlike anyone else. And guess what? You are. None of us have had the same mix of personality, upbringing, life experiences, education, skills, talents, etc. This is something we P R E A C H in Kindergarten, but it’s so hard to follow as adults. Brown encourages you to be true to yourself, even at the risk of feeling like you don’t fit in. It’s a message that we start needing to hear when we’re about 12, and apparently never stop needing to hear. This book is perfect for people who are “pleasers” or are seeking to fit in.
You might also like: How to Actually Accomplish Your Goals
The Four Tendencies | Gretchen Rubin
This book is like a spin-off of Better Than Before. Rubin talks about how there are four main categories of people when it comes to habit formation. What I like is that she’s not saying there are four main ways to BE or four main personality types. She’s saying, when it comes to forming (or quitting) a habit, there are four ways people handle it. This book helps you find out what YOUR tendency is and those of your children, coworkers, roommates, spouse, etc. Great for anyone who is starting new habits or looking to work better with others.
Also read: Good Habits for College Classes
Big Magic | Elizabeth Gilbert
Big Magic is one of those books that gives you a little surge of optimism with every paragraph. Elizabeth Gilbert’s writing is so encouraging, matter-of-fact, and inspiring that you can’t help but pick up her positive energy. She talks about how long she spent on her dream of being a writer before her first book was ever published. Gilbert walks us through how to be courageous enough to share our creative work. She talks about not trying to satisfy your ego (because you never will). And she talks about creating for FUN, not for money. This book is great for any makers/creators who hold themselves back out of fear.
You might also like: How to Feng Shui Your Work Space
Most of these books are ones that focus on emotional, warm and fuzzy type things. I’ll probably do a follow-up book on my favorite professional growth books soon! I know that there are SO MANY encouraging books for both personal and professional growth. Please tell me which ones are your favorites! đŸ™‚
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